The quick answer
Check which account filter activates the installed Netgain rule, then compare every requirement with the journal fields it evaluates. Equal debits and credits do not satisfy a rule that prohibits the selected Department.
The screenshots show a recorded demonstration with sample data. Use your own records and values when following the steps.
Before you start
Use a non-production account with Netgain Cross-Validation Rules installed and permission to inspect the existing rule and edit the journal in an open period. This example deliberately triggers a Prevent rule and ends at the rejection; it does not save a corrected journal.
01. Read the rule filter
Open Netgain → CVR → Rules and inspect Expense coding policy. Confirm Journal, Active and Prevent. Its Account filter is Any Of Meals and Entertainment. Leave the rule unchanged.
02. Check every header requirement
Open Requirements. Require All is selected and Apply to Filtered Lines Only is off. Header Class must be populated; header Department cannot equal Product Development. A valid Class cannot compensate for a prohibited Department.
03. Establish the journal baseline
Open JE9751 from Recent Records and click Edit. Its original Office Equipment debit and Accrued Liabilities credit are $100 each. Class and Department are blank, but there is no line matching the expense filter yet.
04. Add a balanced expense pair
Add Meals and Entertainment with Debit 240.00, then Operating Bank with Credit 240.00. Commit each line with Add. Confirm Total Debit and Total Credit are both 340.00.
05. Set the prohibited header combination
Under Classification, choose Hardware for Class and Product Development for Department. These are the header fields named by this rule, rather than the line columns.
06. Read the blocked save
Click Save. The Notice says the meals expense requires a class and permitted department. Follow the Cross-Validation Rule reference to identify the policy, or use Go Back to return to editing. This recorded attempt stops without a successful save.
Check the result
- The account filter matches the added expense line.
- The prohibited header Department explains the failed requirement.
- The changed journal has not been saved by the blocked attempt.
Common questions
Why can a balanced journal still fail cross-validation?
Balancing only confirms that total debits equal total credits. If the journal contains the account that activates an existing rule, its Class and Department must also meet that rule’s requirements. In this example, the Meals and Entertainment line activates the rule, while the Product Development header Department violates it.
Does filling Class satisfy a rule when Department is prohibited?
No. With Require All enabled, every requirement must pass. The Hardware Class satisfies the Class requirement, but it does not override the Department requirement that prohibits Product Development.
What is the difference between rule filters and requirements?
Filters determine when the rule applies. Requirements determine whether the matching transaction passes. Here, the Meals and Entertainment account is the filter, while the header Class and Department are the requirements.
Does a blocked Save prove every transaction path is protected?
No. It demonstrates that this active Netgain Cross-Validation Rules Prevent rule blocked this supported user save. Coverage can differ by transaction type, entry method, scripts, tax lines, and other documented exclusions; native validation and required fields still apply.