Commitment Control BUDGET CHECKING EXCEPTIONS

Elizabeth Bay, Senior Budget Analyst Budget Planning and Development June 25, 2014

Agenda

Commitment Control Budget Definitions, Rules and Attributes Budget Checking Process Managing Budget Exceptions Recap of most common issues since implementation Budget Overview Inquiry

Commitment Control

The Commitment Control module records the total budgeted amount for a control budget. This includes Beginning Balances, Budget Transfers, Budget Adjustments and Original Budgets.

Commitment Control enables you to budget check various PeopleSoft source transactions and third-party applications , such as Banner. ◦ PeopleSoft Source Transactions: Requisitions, Purchase Orders, Payment Vouchers, Travel Authorizations and Expense reports, Payroll Transactions, Accounting journals, Transfers and other source transactions These source transactions feed into Commitment Control and update one of the Commitment Control ledgers/ Subledgers.

Budget Definitions, Rules and Attributes

Using Budget Definitions we can set up control options. We can set all transactions to be Controlled, Track With Budget or Track Without Budget. UTSA’s control budget definition default is set to CONTROL.

◦ M&O related transactions are controlled and will not process if errors exist ◦ Budget Rules for Salary and Benefit accounts (A1000, A1200, A2000 and A3000) are set to allow transactions to process without sufficient budgets ◦ Budget Attributes are applied for various clearing Cost Centers, accounting & reporting adjustments and Financial Aid accounts. This setting allows transactions against these Cost Centers to process without sufficient budgets.

◦ Budget rules and budget attributes basically override the Budget Definition established and set to CONTROL.

Budget Checking Process

The budget checking process returns a status providing immediate feedback on the transaction results. You can view the budget statuses online, or by using the Commitment Control Budget Checking Status page.

Budget Checking Status values: ◦ Valid Budget –no errors or warnings, the control budget ledger is updated ◦ ◦ ◦ Not budget checked – transaction has not been budget checked Error in budget check –transaction failed budget checking, the process does not update any control budget ledger. The page provides a link to the exception page to view the exception and take necessary actions to fix the errors.

Warnings – the process completed successfully, but the transaction has warning exceptions. The process updates the control budget.

Budget Checking Process

When source transactions (requisition, purchase order, payment voucher) are budget checked the system either Validates the transaction, generates an Error or a Warning message.

If an Error exists, it stops the transaction and does not update the control budget ledger.

When the system generates a Warning message, it passes the transaction and will update the control budget ledger.

Managing Budget Exceptions

Most errors occur when a transaction has at least one line that exceeds budget. Some of the most frequent errors are: ◦ ◦ No budget exists – there is no budget set up for the cost center, or there is no budget set up for the combination of chartfields being used. The budget checking will return a No budget Exist Status Ex. No budget in A4000, incorrect chartfield in the source transaction ◦ Exceeds budget and tolerance – budget is insufficient to cover the amount of the item. In this case funds would need to be transferred from another budgetary account within the cost center or from another cost center ◦ Chartfield is blank – one of the required chartfields is left blank.

Most Common issues…

◦ Understanding of Budgetary Accounts and funding requirements ◦ Budgetary Account A4000 is controlled and needs to have funds available for transactions to process successfully. ◦ At conversion, transfers were booked to budgetary account A7000 (previously DEFINE sub account -98). The funds in A7000 are available for transfers only. ◦ If funds are part of spending authority, the funds need to be transferred to A4000 or one of the other budgetary accounts.

Most Common issues…

◦ Default settings for travel expenses were set to follow the traveler’s earnings and not the M&O related Cost Center.

◦ The default Cost Center needs to be updated and reflect corresponding chartfields, as appropriated.

◦ Incorrect Chartfields – missing or incorrect chartfields

Where Can I Get Assistance

Users are responsible to review and update transactions with budget exceptions. Please call or email the SPOC for assistance.

Telephone: 210-458-SPOC (7762)

Email

:( http://hrsupport.utsa.edu/support/index.php?/SPOC/Tickets/Submit ) Occasionally, you may need assistance from the Budget Office, Purchasing, Disbursements and Travel Services, Procard Travel Card Administration, Accounting Services, or Grants and Contract.

Budget Overview Inquiry

The Budget Overview provides a summarized and detailed information based on the provided chartfield search criteria. You can review the information on the Budget Overview screen to determine the possible reasons for the budget checking exceptions.

Budget Overview Inquiry

Budget Overview Inquiry

Budget Overview Inquiry

Budget Overview Inquiry

Questions?

Elizabeth Bay, Senior Budget Analyst Budget Planning and Development June 25, 2014