Creating a GIFI Export File

General Ledger allows companies to export a General Index of Financial Information (GIFI) file as part of their electronic tax return for Canadian T2 Corporate Income Tax Returns.

General Ledger includes a GIFI macro in Excel that allows you to associate GIFI codes to each account in your chart of accounts.

To create a GIFI export file:

  1. Start Excel.
  2. Open Program Files > Sage 300 > Macros > GIFI.XLS.
  3. If a security warning appears saying that macros have been disabled, click Enable Content.
  4. Click the Retrieve Accounts button.
  5. At the Open Company prompt:
    1. Enter your User ID and password, the code for the company database you want to export information from, and the session date.
    2. Click OK.

    This step clears the worksheet and retrieves account information from the database you specified.

  6. For each account in the chart of accounts that does not have a GIFI Code, assign a GIFI code as follows:

    1. Double-click the blank cell in column C to display a list of GIFI codes you can choose from.
    2. Click the code you want to assign to the account.

    Important! Make sure that you include all accounts from the chart of accounts.

  7. When you have assigned GIFI codes to all the accounts in your chart of account, click the Export button.

    A GIFI Export dialog box appears.

  8. In the Fiscal Year field, enter the fiscal year for which you are filing income tax, and then click OK.

  9. In the Save As dialog box:

    1. Navigate to the location where you want to save the file.
    2. In the File Name field, accept the default name or type a different file name.
    3. Make sure that the file type is GIFI file.
    4. Click Save.

      A Ready status appears at the bottom of your Excel screen if the accounts in your file balance (that is, total assets equal total liabilities plus total equity).

      A warning message appears if your accounts do not balance.

  10. If you receive the warning message:
    1. Click OK.
    2. Check whether you have omitted one or more accounts from your chart of accounts.
    3. Repeat steps 3 through 8.

      When you reach step 5, make sure that you include all accounts from the chart of accounts.

  11. Close the GIFI file, and exit Excel.

To include this file with your electronic tax return, open the T2 program, and retrieve the GIFI file.