When you define your segments, you can define additional segments for future use. This provides greater flexibility if you later decide you need to track your transactions by an additional segment. Otherwise, once you have defined your segments, you would need to create a ledger to add additional segments because once you begin using your chart of accounts, you cannot make any changes, such as adding segments, changing the length of your segments, or changing the assigned flexfield qualifier.

To define a future use segment:

1. Navigate to the Key Flexfield Segments window.

2. In the Application field, select Oracle General Ledger and Accounting Flexfield as the Flexfield Title from your list of values.

   Warning: Oracle General Ledger has two types of key flexfields for the chart of accounts: the Accounting Flexfield and the GL Ledger Flexfield. When making any changes to your chart of accounts, always use the Accounting Flexfield.

3. Place your cursor on the desired Accounting Structure and choose the Segments button.

4. Define your future use segment.

5. Verify the Displayed and Enabled boxes have been checked.

6. Choose the Open button.

7. In the validation region of the window, verify that the Required check box has also been enabled.

8. For zeros to default for the segment value during transaction entry, enter the correct number of zeros for that segment in the Default Value field. Make sure you also define the default value in the Segment Values window for this segment.

9. Save your changes.

   Note: The future use segment(s) must be displayed and enabled when you define them.