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Finance Q&AAdditional Q&A's for the Finance System Finance System General - General Ledger Questions - Budget Questions General Questions: Q1: How can different types of information be printed? A1: The Datatel system allows users to print out reports only. Q2: On which area of Datatel or type of report is the most current information located? A2: The most current budget information is located on the ACBL screen. It is automatically updated with budget revisions and encumbrance entries. However, requisitions do not show up on the ACBL screen until they have been approved. The inquiry screens for requisitions (RINQ) and purchase orders/blanket purchase orders (PINQ/BINQ) are also automatically updated and will contain current information. Q3: When does a contract need to be issued? A3: Contracts are required for all professional and technical services provided to the University. Q4: How do contracts get to the appropriate offices for signature? How do I know if I have all the necessary signatures, how can I find out when the contract is fully signed, what offices does a contract go through after it is completely signed and in what order, and who keeps the completed contracts? A4: Contracts are forwarded to the department head for approval and are then sent to the next appropriate office. All contracts must be signed by the contractor, department head, Marshall Green, Vice President of Administration and Finance, and the President. Copies of the completed contracts are kept in the VP of Administration and Finance office. The original contract is kept in the Accounts Payable Office as backup documentation. Q5: Is there an easy way to navigate through all of the screens? A5: The only way to navigate through the screens is by drilling down on each specific piece of information you need to see. This navigation is at times cumbersome, however, in order to access all the pertinent information it will require navigation through many screens. Q6: How can I print only one page of a 12-page report? A6: There is no way to only print one page of a 12-page report. If the 12-page report is too long, there may be a different way to run the report that will use less paper. Please consult with the Budget Office if you are having difficulty with this. Q7: Are there any shortcuts? A7: The use of the “@” symbol repeats the last data entered in that field. This can be helpful in entering an account number on multiple lines of the requisition or recalling a requisition you have just entered. Q8: How can I delete information from the system without losing all information that was inputted? A8: Prior to deleting any information from the Datatel system please contact someone from the list in Q9 below. Q9: Who are the people to contact if I have questions at each stage of the process? A9: You may contact any of the following individuals for assistance working in Datatel
Q10: Will Cognos Impromptu be installed on everyone’s computer to run reports? A10: OIT is currently working on the solution to the usage of Cognos Impromptu reporting and the installation of the software on PC’s on campus.
========================================= Q1: Why aren’t all object codes available on my account? How do I get all of them? A1: When the general ledger was being set up, the finance team selected object codes that they felt all departments across campus would use, whether they were academic departments or administrative departments. This master list of object codes was then assigned to all departments. Due to time limitations we were not able to customize each department’s object codes. If you find that an object code does not appear for your department, please provide the entire 16-digit account number that you need to use to the Accounting office at either of the following numbers.
Q2: What are the criteria for using the different object codes, such as equipment, office supplies, honorariums, and services rendered? A2: The University has recently changed its capitalization policy. This means that in order for something to be considered as equipment and coded under the category of 63000, it must meet both of the following criteria:
All other items should be coded under the category of consumable supplies (66000). The categories for Honorariums and services rendered are under the category of contractual services. Any contractual services rendered to the University should be rendered by someone other than a University employee. If an individual is providing a service and is to be paid for that service, they are considered a contractor and should be coded as such. If an individual is receiving a token of appreciation for their services for speaking at an event or such, payments are considered honorariums or stipends. Q3: Why aren’t credits posted in a more timely manner? A3: The answer to this question is based on the premise that the word “credits” is defined as refunds or reimbursements from vendors that are deposited with the Cashiers Office and are to offset previous checks written. Prior to July 1, 2003, all credits were receipted daily by the Cashiers Office into the appropriate accounts. Unfortunately the Cashiers Office was still operating on the APECS system. This meant that all receipts that were processed by the Cashiers Office had to be converted/cross-walked and journalized to the Datatel Colleague System manually by the Accounting Office. This was done on a monthly basis. Beginning July 1, 2003, the Cashiers Office went LIVE with the Datatel Colleague System, the posting of credits will be done daily. Q4: Why are on-campus purchases such as Print Shop and Telecommunications not posted in a timely manner? A4: Items that are purchased or services requested from the following departments are typically submitted to the Accounting Office on a monthly basis. They should be posted to your account monthly.
If you have questions about specific charges please contact the departments in charge of those services/purchases. Q5: Why are old account numbers still being used on some parts of campus? A5: Lincoln University decided to implement Datatel on a “phase in approach”. The General Ledger, Requisitioning, Accounts Payable and Purchasing modules were to go live first, followed by Payroll, Student Enrollment, Cashiering and Budget Management. This results in the need to use old account numbers in certain departments until everyone has been completely phased in. I believe that the goal for 100% use of the Datatel system is August 2003. Please be patient while we complete the phase in approach to this implementation.
========================================= Q1: How are budget reports created? A1: The primary budget report is created through the GLSA screen. This report will give you a summary or detailed report on any account that you have been given security to access. Space does not allow for reprinting of the instructions due to the lengthiness of the discussion. Chapter 5 of the Financial Training booklet provides a step-by-step procedure on creating this report. Report creation can be discussed in a training environment or one-on-one in the Budget Office. Q2: Why are restricted budgets sometimes moved or deleted? A2: Restricted budgets are only moved or changed when an approved budget revision has been submitted by the department responsible for the grant or project. Q3: How can I create budget reports other than by using the ACBL screen? Is there one screen that prints all budget categories for an account rather than having to enter each category separately? How can I print a complete budget? Is there a way to generate a one-page report showing all object codes, requisitions, and the unencumbered balance on an account? A3: There is no catch-all report that will show object codes, requisitions, encumbrances, and unencumbered balance. However, the GLSA report will provide three of the four report criteria. The detailed GLSA report will provide the Budget, Actual Expenditures, Encumbrances, and Unencumbered Balance on a report with balances based on how you break the report (refer to your manual). In this instance, Unencumbered Balance would not include any amounts reserved for requisitions. Q4: Is there a way to view any budget adjustments that have been made on an account? A4: The LGLA (List General Ledger Activity) screen will show activity for budgets for a selected account. Users may also elect to keep copies or logs of all budget revisions done. Please contact the Budget Office at 5083 if you have questions about running this report. Q5: Why doesn’t GLSA reflect “In Progress” requisitions? A5: The GLSA report is a “Pre-written” report from Datatel. This report would require re-programming to allow the requisitions to reflect in this report. OIT is working on solutions to this issue. An alternative being considered is the use of Cognos Impromtu for reports. Q6: What different reports are available for Directors/Administration to use? A6:
Q7: How do I read each type of report? A7: The GLSA is the predominate report used to determine available budget. It contains the following information.
It is very important to note that requisitions are NOT deducted from the Available column on the GLSA report. Thus, it is still extremely important to look at the ACBL screen if you know or think there are outstanding requisitions that have not been assigned a purchase order number.
========================================= Q1: Why must requisitions from grants be done on paper? A1: Neither the Datatel system nor the Finance Committee require that requisitions be done on paper prior to entry into the Datatel system. Individual departments may at their discretion request that paper requisitions be done and submitted to the department head. Q2: How can I find a requisition number if I forgot to record it when I entered the requisition? A2: A requisition number can be found by using the Requisition Lookup Shortcuts found in your training manual. The most common lookups are by initiator and by vendor. If you have just entered a requisition and clicked “OK” when it displayed the requisition number and forgot to write down the number, you can enter in the “@” symbol in the lookup box instead of the requisition number and it will bring up the last requisition you entered. Q3: How can I print a requisition? A3: In the Datatel system there is no icon to print a requisition. Instead of printing the requisition, we suggest that you keep a log of requisitions entered. If you need to refer to a requisition at a later date, you can use the RINQ screen to inquire about any details you need to know. Q4: Does the Finance Committee have any suggestions on logging departmental information about requisitions entered? A4: A requisition log can be as simple or elaborate as deemed necessary by the department. It can be as simple as just requisition numbers or include requisition number, vendor name, and amount. Q5: When I enter two requisitions in a row (using the same account number), why do the available funds on the second requisition not reflect the first requisition? A5: The available funds that show on a requisition during data entry of the account number will not reflect any requisitions that have not been approved. Only requisitions with an “Outstanding” status will be reflected. Q6: Are campus services the only purchases for which requisitions should not be used? A6: The following services do not require a requisition entry in the Datatel system:
Q7: How can I check to see if I have not entered a requisition properly before a PO is issued? A7: By inquiring on the status of a requisition on the RINQ screen, you can determine the status of the requisition and review the account numbers used at any point after data entry of the requisition. A requisition is typically entered correctly if the requisition has an “Outstanding” status and the correct object code has been used. If your requisition is not in an “Outstanding” status and you are not sure why, you may contact the Accounting Office for assistance. If you find that the object code you want to use is not available to you, please contact the Accounting Department so they can add that object code to your account structure.
========================================= Q1: When does the Director/VP have to approve requisitions, and why does this person take so long? A1: Approvers should check for requisitions on the APRN screen daily. This will speed up the process of an initiator’s requisition being turned into a purchase order. It is up to the initiator to monitor the progress of all requisitions they have entered. Q2: Why can OIT approve a requisition before supervisor approval? Under what circumstances must individuals other than people in my department approve my requisitions? A2: As soon as someone puts in the login ID of a next approver and saves the requisition, the requisition will immediately go the APRN box of that approver. An approval from OIT is an example of a policy class approval. This means that based on the account number or object code used, a specific person or department must approve this requisition. To date we have several policy class approvals (some have been added recently).
Q3: Why are some people allowed to go into approvals and delete/edit the approver list? A3: The Datatel system does not allow for security to prevent another user from accessing another individual’s requisition and making changes to the next approver list. However, all changes made to a requisition are systematically recorded, including the date and login ID of the individual making the changes. If you suspect that your requisition has been changed without your consent, please contact OIT or the Accounting Department. Q4: Does it matter in what order the approver names are listed? A4: It does not matter what order the names are entered in the next approver fields. As soon as the login ID’s are entered and the requisition is saved, the requisition will show up in their APRN box, ready for their approval. HINT: Requisition initiators should only put in the first GL class approver and all of the policy class approvers. HINT: Do not enter the next approvers until you have completely finished the requisition and are ready to mark it as done in the requisition done field. If you put the approvers in prior to completing the requisition, it will still go to them for approval. Q5: Is there a way to stop the next approver when you have not finished inputting information on the system? A5: To prevent an approver from approving a requisition before you are finished inputting information, do not enter the next approver’s login ID in the next approval list until you are sure that you are finished inputting data. Q6: At what amounts are certain approvals needed for restricted funds? A6: All requisitions need an approval based on amount. For restricted fund requisitions the approval hierarchy is as follows:
All requisitions from restricted funds also need policy class approval. The following are policy class approvals for restricted accounts.
Q7: Will all approvers get to see a requisition if a person with a policy class approval approves it first? A7: If a policy class approver approves a requisition prior to the GL class approver, the GL class approvers should still be able to see the requisition. We have unfortunately run into some issues regarding this not working properly and are working on the resolution. Q8: How can I make changes to a requisition after my supervisor has approved it? What can or can not be changed? A8: If a requisition has already been approved and you discover that you need to make changes to that requisition, you must first go into the requisition and delete out all of the approvals, then save and update that change. You then go back into the requisition, make the appropriate changes, and re-enter the next approvers. The requisition will need to be approved again by all approvers.
========================================= Q1: How can I find a PO/BPO number if I do not know the requisition number? A1: There are various Requisition lookup shortcuts listed in your training manual. Some of the most common are the search by initiator (;in LAST NAME OF INITIATOR) or by simply typing in the vendor name. Q2: Why does it take so long for PO/BPO’s to be closed? A2: Purchase orders are closed once all items ordered have been received and invoiced. Blanket Purchase Orders are closed once it is determined that all invoices are received from the vendor and payment has been made. If you feel that a PO or BPO is no longer needed and should be closed, please contact Purchasing or Accounts Payable. Q3: Why are some requisitions turned into PO’s instead of BPO’s so that they have to be received by the warehouse? A3: Requisitions for most Construction projects, call sheet orders, ongoing projects, and instate travel reimbursements are turned into a BPO. All other requisitions are turned into a PO. BPO’s and PO’s have different purposes and it is determined at the Purchasing Department as to which one to use. Q4: What are the purchasing procedures, or where can I find them? A4: Purchasing procedures can be found on the Lincoln University Purchasing website or by calling the Purchasing Department to obtain the Purchasing Policies and Procedures Manual.
========================================= Q1: How can I check to see if items have been received on my PO? A1: To determine the status of an order, enter the requisition number in the RINQ screen and drill down to the PINQ screen by drilling down on the PO number found at the top right hand corner of the RINQ screen. From the PINQ screen, you will see the individual items listed at the bottom of this screen. Each line item will contain a status as follows.
Q2: How can I find the cost of items that can be ordered through the warehouse versus through off-campus vendors? A2: The University warehouse currently handles only paper products. If you have a question about pricing, you may contact the warehouse directly. Q3: How can I check on items that are missing from an order? A3: Contact the Warehouse regarding any items missing from your order or any items which may be on backorder.
========================================= Q1: How can I tell if a voucher has been entered on my PO? A1: If you have the PO/BPO number, proceed to the PINQ/BINQ screen and enter the PO/BPO number. At the top, right-hand corner of the PINQ/BINQ screen you will find the Voucher field. If the voucher field has a number in it, there has been a voucher created on this PO/BPO. If you wish to look at the voucher(s), use the drill down button to look at the detail of the voucher. Q2: How can I tell if a check has been issued against my PO? A2: If you have the PO/BPO number, look up the PO/BPO by using the PINQ/BINQ screen. Drill down into the detail of the voucher that has been created on the PO/BPO. If you drill down on the detail of the vouchers for a PO, in the middle of the VOUI screen you will find the check date, number and amount. If you drill down on the detail of the vouchers for a BPO you will see a list of vouchers created along with the check date, number and amount. Q3: How can I tell if more than one check has been issued from a single PO? A3: If there is more than one voucher number in the voucher field on the PO/BPO, this indicates that there may be more than one check issued. To get to the additional vouchers, use the arrow keys to the right of the voucher field. Q4: When does Accounts Payable process checks? What are the deadlines for submitting documentation? A4: Accounts Payable processes checks during the Fall and Spring semesters on Monday and Thursday. During the summer hours, checks are processed on Monday and Wednesday. The schedule may vary due to a holiday. In check processing dates are other than the schedule listed above, you will be notified by way of University Relations email as to the dates that checks will be processed. The deadline for submitting documentation to Accounts Payable is 12:00 noon on the day that checks are to be issued. Any check requests received after 12:00 noon on check day will be processed on the following check run date. Checks are disbursed at the Cashiers Office after 3:00 p.m. the day after the check run date (i.e. If checks are run on Monday, they will be released after 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday).
========================================= Q1: Why do travel reimbursement checks take so long to be issued? A1: Travel Expense vouchers are processed prior to every check run. I have noticed that they are sometimes held up in the department for weeks prior to being received in Accounts Payable. If you have attached all of the original receipts and documentation to the Travel Expense Voucher and obtained appropriate signatures, there should not be any delay when it is received in Accounts Payable. NOTE: Travel Expense Vouchers do not need to go to the Budget Office prior to Accounts Payable. To save time, please send them directly to Accounts Payable after department approval has been obtained. Q2: How are requisitions prepared for a cash advance? A2: To request a cash advance, you must initiate a requisition using the object code for cash advance (65500). The vendor name will be the name of the traveler. Q3: What conditions must be met before I can receive a cash advance? A3: In order to receive a cash advance you must:
Q4: What forms must be submitted to Accounts Payable prior to a trip? A4: The only form that must be submitted to Accounts Payable prior to a trip is the “Request for Check Form”. This form can be found on the University web site under Accounts Payable. This form is used for various purposes, including the following.
The Request for Check Form must be submitted for each check requested along with the appropriate information prior to a check being issued. Q5: How can I find the per diem rates (meals and mileage) without calling Accounts Payable? A5: The approved mileage per diem is currently at $ 0.335 per mile. The meal per diem rates are located on the University web site under the Controllers Office. Q6: Who is our Travel Liaison or the person to whom travel questions should be addressed? A6: The Travel Liaison for Lincoln University is Gina Roesner. She can be reached by phone at 681-5079, fax at 681-5080 or email at roesner@lincolnu.edu. The travel liaison coordinates all questions relative to airline travel. In her absence, you may also contact Tisha Huffer at 681-5084 or huffer@lincolnu.edu. Q7: How do I process the appropriate paperwork for airfare? A7: Please follow these steps to complete the paperwork for purchasing airline tickets.
Because the cost of airline tickets fluctuate, it is suggested to follow up on the status of these requisitions to make sure that all approvals are completed in a timely manner. Q8: When a final reimbursement is requested, why does the unused portion remain on account instead of going back to available funds? A8: If the travel expense voucher is marked “YES” on final expense voucher, the BPO/PO will be closed after the payment is made. If nothing is marked, Accounts Payable will have to further analyze the travel expense voucher and BPO/PO to determine whether to close it. If you feel that your BPO/PO should have been closed and has not been, please notify Accounts Payable by email at the following locations.
As soon as a BPO/PO is closed the unused portion will go back into available funds. Q9: What is the proper procedure if I incur more expenses while traveling than were approved on my travel requisition? A9: If upon return or prior to your trip you realize that the trip cost will be more than you originally requisitioned, a new requisition should be entered for the additional cost incurred. Please remember the following hints when doing this:
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