Short oracleoverview 001

Editor's Notes

• #10: <number> UAB is using these modules within Oracle that are financial in nature or directly impact the financial modules. We’re going to spend a little time talking about each of these modules.
• #11: <number> The General Ledger module will serve as the official books for UAB. All financial information from Grants Accounting, Purchasing, Receivables, Payables, and the human resource modules ‘rolls up’ to the GL module. GL (and GA) will not maintain detail transaction information if that information is stored in another module. GL maintains budgets developed during the annual operating budget process. These will be uploaded from the UAB Budget Model system. Access to the GL module is inquiry only (except for GL journal entries) and is restricted by organization. The account strings maintained in GL include the fiscal year accounts previously known as Ledger 1s & 2s Unrestricted 3s other than renovation projects (auxiliaries) Restricted 4s other than mandatory cost-sharing accounts or grant-related income accounts 7s (hospital general operating accounts) 8s other than construction project accounts.
• #12: <number> The Oracle Grants Accounting module serves as the primary management application for all grant projects and plant projects. Account information maintained in GA rolls up to the GL module, but only in summary format. GA feeds information to the Receivables module for the purpose of invoicing funding agencies. Transactions created in the Purchasing, Payables, and the HR-related modules which involve grant and project accounts are fed into the GA module. For example, when a purchase order requisition is submitted for a sponsored research study, the resulting encumbrance is made on the appropriate account in the GA module. Once the responsibility of UAB GA Grant/Plant Project End User has been assigned, access is not restricted by organization. The accounts maintained in the GA module include those previously known as: Ledger 3s (non-capital renovation projects) 47s (mandatory cost-sharing and grant-related income accounts) 5s & 6s (sponsored grant accounts) 7s (Hospital non-capital renovation project accounts) 8s (capital construction projects)
• #13: <number> The Oracle Purchasing module contains purchase order requisitions and Non-PO requisitions. Non-PO requisitions include what were formerly known as CKREQUs in the electronic system, paper disbursement requisitions, travel reimbursement forms, and LPOs. Oracle Purchasing does not include internal requisitions. These requisitions will all be created, processed, and approved electronically. Oracle Purchasing stores lists of approved suppliers, approved supply items, and contracted pricing agreements. Purchasing transaction data is fed to GL and GA modules. The Payables module utilizes the Purchasing information for matching invoice payments. Access to the Purchasing module is not restricted by organization and allows both inquiry and requisition creation.
• #14: <number> The Oracle Payables module electronically matches invoices entered against purchase order and receiving information (three-way match). End user access to this module is inquiry only and is not restricted by organization.
• #16: <number> The Oracle General Ledger accounting key consists of six numerical segments, separated by decimals. You will also hear reference made to the accounting string. The GL accounting string is the first five segments of the accounting key, without the object code. In the Oracle training materials, you may see the acronym ASBOF. This is simply the first letter of each segment of the Account String.
• #17: <number> The Oracle Account Alias uniquely identifies an active GL account string. In many places in Oracle where you have to enter a GL account string, you will be able to enter an account alias instead of keying the entire string. For income statements, the alias is comprised of the ACCT segment value plus the SUB segment value. For balance sheets, the alias is comprised of the BAL segment value plus the ORG segment value.
• #18: <number> The Dollar Balance Inquiry Screen in Oracle GL is a view-only online screen that provides information similar to that currently found in the FAS online screens 31 and 32. The TASC (The Account String Control) form displays the attributes for a specified GL account string. It is a view-only online screen that provides information similar to that currently found in the FAS online screens 15 and 81-84. The UAB Attribute Dictionary Screen contains definitions, lists of code values (if appropriate), and code value descriptions of the attributes found in the TASC form. Information found here is similar to that found in the FAS online screen 45). The Monthly Account Statements are used as official permanently archived reports for UAB. The information contained in these statements is comparable to what is provided in the AM090s and AM091s in today’s system. These can be run ad hoc by end users based on various parameters (such as a specified account string, ranges of account strings, or specified org codes). End user access to these statements will be dependent upon organizational access and security. Account Summary Reports are analogous to AM095s and FAS online screen 61. They will be available to end users to execute ad hoc with appropriate organizational access and security. Charts of accounts are lists account strings. These will be available to end users to execute ad hoc but not subject to security. The Official Object Code Listing is available to end users as a spreadsheet accessible from the Financial Affairs or STEPS websites, regardless of security.
• #19: <number> The new grants accounting structure differs from the GL Account structure. The GA structure consists of five numerical segments. These segments are referred to as the Project Key or PTAOE. You may also hear the term Project String. This refers to the PTAO without the E for expenditure type.
• #21: <number> All requisition forms are found in the Oracle Purchasing module and are accessed using the UAB Purchasing End User responsibility. Oracle requisitions include Purchase Order Requisitions which were formerly known as PPOREQs in the electronic system. Oracle requisitions also include Non-PO Requisitions which were formerly known as CKREQUs in the electronic system, paper disbursement requisitions, travel reimbursement forms, and LPOs. Oracle requisitions will not include internal requisitions. We are still investigating a solution for TATREQs. Requisitions can be processed using GL or GA account strings. All requisitions in Oracle contain requisition header, item detail, and vendor information similar to the information contained in requisitions in the current EFS system.
• #22: <number> This is a snapshot of a blank Purchase Order requisition. Remember that there is a separate class on completing and submitting requisition forms.
• #23: <number> This is a snapshot of a blank Purchase Order requisition. Remember that there is a separate class on completing and submitting requisition forms.
• #24: <number> All journal entry forms are found in the Oracle General Ledger module and are accessed using the UAB General Ledger JE Requestor responsibility. It is not possible for end users to create journal entries involving grant accounts. If a project string is involved, you will contact your Grants & Contracts accountant, just as you do, today. The basic journal entry type is used for most accounting transactions. Examples include revenues, expenses, adjustments, and reclassifications. The completion and submission of GL journal entry forms will be covered in the General Ledger class.
• #25: <number> This is a snapshot of completed GL journal entry form.
• #26: <number> Workflow is the routing of electronic documents requiring approval (such as requisitions and GL journal entries). The combination of one organization and one document type determines the routing. UAB’s use of Oracle Workflow is designed to allow maximum flexibility. Workflow officers (who are end users within the organizations) have been identified by the various chief fiscal officers and these WFOs will bear the responsibility for determining, entering, and maintaining the workflows for each of their areas. In cases where a document is being submitted that splits costs between two finance orgs, the document will follow the workflow established by the org paying the greatest percentage of the total costs. In such cases, all other organization(s) will receive notification of the document’s submission. For GL journal entries, it is the greatest number of debit dollars. If a form has split funding that is exactly equal between two finance orgs, the approval path followed will be that for the first org listed in the form. All documents will go to Central Support after user approvals. If the document has more than $25,000 in costs and funding is split between a grant account and a GL account string, then the document will be sent to Grants & Contracts accounting, regardless of which funding source has the highest dollars.
• #29: At the bottom of this page are Other Resources that will help you now. The STEPS website contains more information about all the topics we covered today. On the left side of the homepage is a sidebar that groups the information by specific topics, but as your cursor scrolls over the topics, a drop-down index appears. As mentioned earlier, the training website has online simulation courses and online manuals. Navigation and Self Service are two topics that are quick to review and would be very helpful to you in using Oracle, especially if you plan to use Oracle only as an approver. The last link is a link to a copy of the database that is available to you now. Finally, there is a link to get your blazer ID and strong password. Hopefully most of you already have a blazer ID from using the exchange mail server for your email, or web CT or some of the other systems, but if you do not have a blazer ID, please get it now. Do not wait until Jan. 20.
• #30: As part of the process of developing a plan for how the AskIT desk will support the new STEPS implementation, we surveyed other institutions. We learned how they supported their systems, what they thought worked, and what they wish they had done differently. We developed our plans for STEPS support. The model we selected is a multi-tiered model of support. Level 1 provides routine basic support. They will answer mostly “how to” questions. This level is manned with technically trained staff who have some basic functional training. Level 2 is for more advanced questions, any question Level 1 cannot answer. They will answer the “why” questions. This level is manned by multiple groups. Some advanced technical staff, some HR functional, some Finance functional experts.
• #33: <number> Currently, the General Ledger training is scheduled as an all-day class. This course will cover the new accounting structure in more detail, the process of completing and submitting journal entries, and accessing information regarding account strings and forms. The Grants Accounting training is also scheduled for a full day. Effort reporting, accessing information regarding plant projects, and accessing information regarding grant project accounts are some of the topics that will be covered in this course. The process for labor distribution/salary reclassification will be covered in both the GL and GA classes. The Requisitions sessions are scheduled for full days. In these classes, users will learn how to complete and submit purchase order and non-purchase order requisitions. Attendance at these sessions is limited to those who have been identified by their organizations as needing this training. After the finance go-live, we will be offering hands-on clinics. If you are have trouble with the new system and need more assistance than the manuals offer, you can attend an open clinic where you will be assisted by UAB end users with extensive training in the new system.