Frequently Asked Questions - Finance

1.	When reconciling a department's budget, which reports are most beneficial?
2.	How can I determine the available balance for my account using the Plan/Actual Variance Report?
3.	I work with grant accounts. How can I get detailed line item information from the Inception to Date Report, under Inception to Date (Grants)?
4.	I get a message that "no records were selected" when I look for the available balance. What does this mean? How do I find the balance for this account?
5.	Which reports should I use for endowment accounts?
6.	How do we properly access funds in the "Net Balance Report" to view activity?
7.	As I'm running my line item detail reports, some of the reports have the following in the header: "August 2002 Contractual Expenditures, General Ledgers 750600, 820300". What causes this?
8.	When pulling up the Cost Center: Actual Line Item Report, how do I request multiple fund centers that are not within a sequential range?
9.	How can I run a report for a particular G/L account for a specific time frame?
10.	What is the most reliable way to check open encumbrances and feel comfortable that they are right. The "Open Encumbrance Report" does not always reflect all (or even correct) open encumbrances.
11.	In the "University Stores Goods Issue Report" what do movement types 201, 202, 261, 262, 901, and 902 mean?
12.	Can account names be included with account numbers on reports?
13.	What is a variant and how is it used?
14.	I would like more information on viewing complete purchase order information when reconciling a budget. Where should I look for more information?
15.	Why does each line item of a PO show up on SAP instead of just the total of the PO, plus shipping and handling charges?
16.	Why can't there be more information keyed in when goods are received through Central Receiving (e.g. PO # and Line item # would be helpful)?
17.	How do I view last year's data detail in the "Available Balance by Fiscal Year" report when I drill down?
18.	With the budget restructuring, what suggestions do you have regarding how departments are to review their salary and benefit expenses?
19.	Can you tell me how I can eliminate the extra page after the totals that prints out when I print reports in SAP?
20.	Whom do I contact if I have questions regarding fringe benefit charges to my account(s)?
21.	Please explain how the year end open commitment roll works and how it will effect my fund center in the old FY & new FY.
22.	How can I make the reports more reader friendly once printed? The reports I receive are tiny and hard to read, plus they have columns of information that I will never use.
23.	Is there a way to view information on work orders?
24.	How do I get rid of the SAP cover sheet on the front of reports when I print?

Answers

When reconciling a department's budget, what reports are most beneficial?

A. Available Balance by Fiscal Year - under Fiscal Year Summary Report. This report is useful for cost/fund centers that have planned revenue and/or expenses. It displays the cost/fund center's projected plan, actual activity, commitments, and a comparison of actual to plan.

B. Inception to Date Report - under Inception to Date (Grants). This report is useful for Grants and some Plant accounts. It displays the cost/fund center's current budget, actual activity, commitments and available balance.

C. Net Balance Report - under Fiscal Year Summary Reports. This report is useful for cost/fund centers that receive Revenue. It displays the cost/fund center's revenue, actual expenses, commitments, and available balance.

D. Cost Center: Actual Line Item Report - under Reconciliation (Detail). This report is useful for all cost/Fund centers. This report displays all actual transactions (expenses/revenues).

E. Plant Maintenance - under Actual cost of work orders. This report in combination with the Actual Line Item Report provides you with a listing of all detailed transactions posted to an account.

How can I determine the available balance for my account using the Plan/Actual Variance Report?

Current Plan Total - Actual Expenses - Commitments = Available Balance.

I work with grant accounts. How can I get detailed line item information from the Inception to Date Report, under Inception to Date (Grants)? (top of page)

Within that report, select an actual expense, then go to Extras - Line Items. After this is selected, line item detail for that commitment item is displayed. By double clicking on any of the line items, you can get to the originating document to see what the expense was for (employee travel reimbursement for example.)

I get a message that "no records were selected" when I look for the available balance. What does this mean? How do I find the balance for this account?

This message means that the cost/fund center has no budget and has had no activity (no expenses, revenues or commitments). The balance for the cost/fund center would be zero. First, verify that the following are correct: "to and from" periods; fiscal year & whether a fund needs to be entered which goes with the cost/fund center (e.g. grants---funds = cost/fund center, unexpended plant fund---fund = 7000 and reserve for maintenance fund---fund = 7100).

If you feel that the cost/fund center should have a budget or some activity, contact Accounting Services.

Which reports should I use for endowment accounts?

The Net Balance report should be used for endowment accounts. The Inception To Date reports are only used for those fund centers that have a fund attached to them (i.e., Grants and Projects).

How do we properly access funds in the "Net Balance Report" to view activity? (top of page)

For those fund centers that have a fund attached (Unexpended Plant fund centers 70200-71001 - fund 7000) the fund must be entered in the fund field and the fund center entered in the fund center field to get inception to date information. In addition, the fund needs to be entered in the fund field for those fund centers for all the other reports available in the system.

Following the procedures in the FM Report Training manual will walk you through the steps needed to access your particular fund center activity.

As I'm running my line item detail reports, some of the reports have the following in the header: "August 2002 Contractual Expenditures, General Ledgers 750600, 820300". What causes this?

Within the "Cost Center: Actual Line Items" report, once the report has been executed and has returned data (the "Display Actual Cost Line Items for Cost Centers" screen will appear) use menu path "Settings =>Layout =>Current Header Rows". Text can be entered here by selecting the "Insert line (F8)" icon which will then appear on all reports unless a user specific layout is created. Please create your own "user specific" layout by choosing the "Save Layout" icon, enter a name and description for the layout (if you would like this for your default setting). By creating the layout as "user-specific" only you will be able to see that layout.

When pulling up the Cost Center: Actual Line Item Report, how do I request multiple fund centers that are not within a sequential range?

You can select multiple fund centers that are not within a sequential range by clicking on the white arrow button to the right of the fund center fields. This will bring up a window called "Multiple Selection for Fund Center". Enter the individual fund centers in the single value selection fields then click the copy button. Now execute the Cost Center: Actual Line Item Report as normal. The report will bring in only those fund centers you selected.

How can I run a report for a particular G/L account for a specific time frame? (top of page)

Go into the "Cost Center: Actual Line Item Report" and put a specified time frame in the "document posting date" field(s). Enter the appropriate G/L# in the "Cost Element" field. This report will show actual activity for the specified G/L and time period.

10.

What is the most reliable way to check open encumbrances and feel comfortable that they are right. The "Open Encumbrance Report" does not always reflect all (or even correct) open encumbrances.

The "Open Encumbrances Report" has been replaced by the "Cost Center: Commitment Line Item" report. This report will show the correct open commitments when the "open items only" box is selected. It should be noted that discrepancies may appear with commitments because commitments are relieved continuously and cannot be tied to an accounting period (whereas expenses/credit can). For example, the April accounting close happens May 8th. There are 8 days in which an invoice or goods receipt can be posted to either April or May but the commitment is automatically relieved irregardless of the posting date. The only way that it would truly be "clean" is if the month actually closed at the end of each month (no dual months open at the same time). Although, it should be noted that typically, invoices and goods receipts are not backdated. See "Display Commitment Line Items for Cost Centers" on the training materials area of our website.

11.

In the "University Stores Goods Issue Report" what do movement types 201, 202, 261, 262, 901, and 902 mean?

Both 201 and 901 represent goods issues to departments. The difference is that 901 represents and item that was backordered and once the material came in, was then issued to the department. University Stores uses movement type 901 to monitor backorders. 261 represents a goods issue to a work order.

Movements 202, 262 and 902 represent returns to University Stores (thus a credit to the department or work order). The difference is that 902 represents a return of an item that was once on backorder.

12.

Can account names be included with account numbers on reports? (top of page)

Yes. To display the fund center name and the long text description of the commitment items on a report, do the following:

After executing a report, the Available Balance report for example, select Settings => Characteristics Display. The display characteristics window will appear with four options for displaying the fund center and commitment item descriptions within the report. The options will display the information in the following ways:

Key and Name = Fund center number followed by the name; commitment item followed by the long description of the commitment item. If this option is selected from within the Available Balance report, the Available Balance column will be "pushed" off the right of the screen. To display the Available Balance column, click the Next Column button on the tool bar.

Name = Fund center name and commitment item long description only. All the columns on the Available Balance report will display on the screen with this option.

Key = Fund center number and commitment item short description only. This is the default for the reports where these options are available.

Name and Key = Fund center name followed by the fund center number; commitment item long description followed by the commitment "short description". This option affects the Available Balance column like the Key and Name option above.

The above options work for the following FM reports:
Available Balance by Fiscal Year
Inception to Date Reports

13.

What is a variant and how is it used?

A variant is a way to save criteria in a report so that each time the report is requested. The criteria can automatically be pulled into the report thus saving the time of re-entering the criteria. Variants have been created in both the "Available Balance" & "Cost Center" Actual Line Item" reports. If you would like a variant created for your department, e-mail requests to Tom Ridley. Include the name of the report(s) you would like the variant set up for, the cost center to be included if applicable, the appropriate commitment item.

14.

I would like more information on viewing complete purchase order information when reconciling a budget. Where should I look for more information? (top of page)

We would suggest using the PO list display (Logistics => Materials Management => Purchasing => Purchase Order => List display => By account assignment) by account assignment. When the PO list is generated, put your cursor on the PO line item # and hit the "PO History" button. The PO history will show the complete history of GR (goods receipts) and IR (invoice receipts) for the item.

15.

Why does each line item of a PO show up on SAP instead of just the total of the PO, plus shipping and handling charges?

SAP looks at individual line items because PO line items can be set up in three different ways: 1) GR (good receipts) for the item is turned ON (this is the standard setting) - this means that Central Receiving can receive the items and cost centers are charged on receipt of these items into the system. 2) GR for the item is turned OFF (e.g. services) - this means that Central Receiving cannot receive the items and cost centers are charged upon invoicing. 3) GR non-valuated (multiple cost centers to be charged on one line item) - this means Central Receiving can receive the items on the system, but cost centers are charged upon invoicing.

If the shipping and handling charges are known up front, they will show up as a separate line item on the PO (with GR turned off).

16.

Why can't there be more information keyed in when goods are received through Central Receiving (e.g. PO # and Line item # would be helpful)?

Since the PO #s and line numbers are available by using Cost Center: Actual Line Item report (see note below) this information is not necessary due to the duplication. Finally, there may be some information provided in the text that is helpful to Central Receiving (e.g. number of packages etc). If there are requests for more information, contact Central Receiving at ext. 66652. Central receiving will consider each request but will weigh their benefits according to workload constraints.

PLEASE NOTE: The PO# and the Item# are also displayed when the new drill down report (e.g. run report icon) is used while displaying actual activity on the Available Balance by Fiscal Year Report and the Net Balance Report.

17.

How do I view last year's data detail in the "Available Balance by Fiscal Year" report when I drill down? (top of page)

If the "Call up report" icon is used to drill down to the detail, the default filter value is set to the current fiscal year. Therefore, in order to drill into any other FY detail, once the drill down report has returned no detail & the "Commitment/Actual Line Items by Document Number" screen appears, select the "Select Layout" icon. You will see layouts created to represent FYs or ALL (all postings). Select the layout for the applicable year and detail will then appear when the correct layout is used.

Please note: As of December 7, 2003, the "Extra => Line Items" drill down can be used in place of the "Call up report" icon. SAP has corrected this drill down report so that it no longer takes an extended period to return detail data.

18.

With the budget restructuring, what suggestions do you have regarding how departments are to review their salary and benefit expenses?

The summarized expense charges can be viewed on-line via the FM standard reports (e.g. available balance, cost center: actual line item, etc) under commitment items RCOMP (Regular Compensation - e.g. salary and benefits) and OCOMP (Other Compensation - e.g. temp salary). For detailed information, review your payroll expense distribution reports. Also, please remember that all staff & faculty salaries appear as commitments until the actual payroll expense occurs.

19.

Can you tell me how I can eliminate the extra page after the totals that prints out when I print reports in SAP?

In the "Cost Centers: Actual Line Items" report, once the report has been executed and had returned data (the "Display Actual Cost Line Items for Cost Centers" screen will appear) use menu path "List => Print Preview => Edit => Subtotals". The "Define sort order" screen will appear. In the "Sort Fields" area, you will see the "Cost Center" field in the "Column content" area and just to the right is a column labeled "NG". In this field "*" asterisk represents that the report will page after each cost center whereas "UL" represents that the report will Underline after each cost center. If the "UL" selection is used, there will not be an extra page after the totals.

20.

Whom do I contact if I have questions regarding fringe benefit charges to my account(s)?

Contact the Payroll office at 3481 if you have questions pertaining to benefit charges.

21.

Please explain how the year end open commitment roll works and how it will effect my fund center in the old FY & new FY. (top of page)

The year end commitment roll process takes the balance of the open commitments for supplies and equipment on 6/30/XX and puts them into the new FY (thus-if you looked at the commitments in FY-XX, there would not be any open commitments since they are now in FY YY). If the fund center is a general fund account (20000-29999) the budget amount equal to the open commitment balance is reduced in FY XX and added to budget in FY YY. Thus, the net effect to the available balance for general fund centers is zero. Examples are shown below regarding the impact for general fund, designated and auxiliary fund centers. The commitment roll will have no impact on grant, unexpended plant funds and reserve for maintenance fund centers since these are inception to date fund centers.

General Fund Account - FY 98 (old)

Budget	Actual	Commitment	Available Balance	Comments
$2000	0	1000	1000	Before commitment roll
$1000	0	0	1000	After commitment & budget roll

General Fund Account - FY 99 (new)

Budget	Actual	Commitment	Available Balance	Comments
$1000	0	1000	0	After commitment & budget roll

Designated (fund centers that begin with 4) & Auxiliary (fund centers that begin with 5) - FY 98

Revenues	Actual Expenses	Commitment	Net Balance	Comments
$2000	0	1000	1000	Before commitment roll
$2000	0	0	2000	After commitment roll

Designated (fund centers that begin with 4) & Auxiliary (fund centers that begin with 5) - FY 99

Revenues	Actual Expenses	Commitment	Net Balance	Comments
0	0	1000	<1000>

Note: Since designated & auxiliary funds are not allocated a budget, when the commitment roll is run, the next balance for FY XX increases by the amount of the outstanding commitments but in FY YY the next balance is reduced by the amount of the outstanding commitments. Remember to take this into account when determining your ending balance for FY XX.

22.

How can I make the reports more reader friendly once printed? The reports I receive are tiny and hard to read, plus they have columns of information that I will never use. (top of page)

In the print properties FORMAT folder (after you click on the print icon), change the FORMAT to utilize the format that best meets your needs. You may need to test a few formats to determine which works best for you within a specific report. For example, format "X_65_255" means that 65 lines will print on a page, while the "255" represents the number of characters to print across the page. Therefore, if a lower number format is used for lines & characters then the printing gets larger. Also, once you have determined the format that works best for you, these can be saved for the report by choosing the "settings" button from within the "properties" in your print parameters. Under the "Default for field" area, select the field to be set as a default and the "default field value", then in the validity area, choose "Valid for this report only" (if that's what you want) and then select the "Copy Settings" button.

23.

Is there a way to view information on work orders?

A department can display activity for work orders by running the Plant Maintenance: Actual Cost on Work Orders on the FM report tree or use the "Display PO Work Order" if specific information is required for a work order.

24.

How do I get rid of the SAP cover sheet on the front of reports when I print? (top of page)

Select the printer icon to print a report, then go into "Properties" and open the "cover sheets" folder. Double click on the "SAP Cover Sheet" field. From the drop down, select "Do Not Print". This can be set as a default as described in question #22 above.