Objective: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Recall how to access and navigate IFMIS.

From the FEMA Intranet Home Page, click on the FEIMS Internal option from the quick links to the right. FEIMS stands for the FEMA Enterprise Identity Management System.

Select IFMIS by clicking on either the IFMIS icon or the “IFMIS” text link.

The IFMIS Main Menu will appear.

Note: Your rights in IFMIS determine which folders and subfolders you can view.

To navigate through the Main Menu, click once on the menu option or folder/record icon to open or close folders and records.

• Note: Double clicking on a menu option may give you unexpected results.

When you select a menu option and return to the Main Menu, the last selected option is highlighted and marked with an asterisk (*).

The IFMIS Main Menu page has three features:

Expand All or Collapse All Menus

Links to expand or collapse all menus are shown in the upper right corner of the Main Menu page.

Toggle Console

From the Main Menu, click on the Toggle Console link in the Actions box to display and view recent console messages. To return to the Main Menu, click on the Toggle Console link again.

Within IFMIS, you will navigate from the IFMIS Main Menu to a main screen to post transactions. 

For example, when posting a vendor commitment, you would click on each of the following to access the Vendor Commitment main screen: Cost Posting Subsystem>Enter Cost Posting Document>Vendor Documents>Commitments.

Main Screen

To post a transaction, you will navigate from the IFMIS Main Menu to a main screen.

The main screen includes summary information about the transaction, such as referenced document number, pertinent dates, total amount, and status.

This screen may also be referred to as the header screen.

Once all comments and ACCS lines are entered, the entire transaction is verified and saved from the main screen.

Save

Clicking SAVE ensures the transaction is saved. A message will appear at the top of the screen confirming that the transaction has been saved.

The Environmental Utilities menu option in IFMIS allows you to:

• Set a network printer => Network Printer Selection
• Set options for printing and viewing reports => Report Output Options

From the IFMIS Reporting Options page, you can select from several report formats and delivery options. The options you select on this page will only be enforced for reports that you choose to print when prompted "Do you want to print this report?" and you enter "Y".

• Report Format: Options are hypertext markup language (HTML) or portable document format (PDF).
• Printed Output Delivery: You may select one or both of the options:
• Send to Printer – this option produces a hard copy of the report from the printer set as the default in Network Printer Selection.
• E-mail Report as Attachment – this option sends you an e-mail with the report as an attachment in the Report Format you selected.
• E-mail Address: This information is required if you chose to e-mail your output as an attachment. This e-mail address is also used to send reports that are generated by background processing.

Once you have set your preferences, click on Save for them to be enforced, then click on Exit.

To properly sign out of IFMIS, you will need to be at the IFMIS Main Menu:

• Click on Collapse All in the top right corner.
• Click on Sign Out at the top right corner.
• Close the browser window after you receive the message “You have successfully signed out.”.

Objective: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Recall the background and organization of IFMIS.

IFMIS is separated into five major functional areas or subsystems as shown in the diagram.

Funding — Used to record and maintain FEMA’s budgeted resource information.

FEMA receives authority to incur obligations and expenditures from the U.S. Congress in the form of an appropriation. FEMA, in accordance with the standard budgetary practices for Federal agencies, subdivides appropriated funds to a working level of budgeted resources, referred to as an allocation. The IFMIS funding subsystem maintains all budgeted resources through online, real-time funds control functionality.

Cost Posting — Records and maintains all transactions associated with the FEMA budget execution process.

Specifically, the cost posting subsystem is used to record commitments, obligations, receiving reports, invoices, expenditures, and advances. In essence, the cost posting subsystem is the input source for the majority of accounting entries posted to IFMIS. As a result, IFMIS users are direct or indirect users of this subsystem.

Disbursements — Manages the issuance of disbursements and payments from FEMA.

FEMA uses the Department of the Treasury for payment disbursement. The disbursement subsystem identifies and compiles invoices that are due and sends that data to the Department of the Treasury via a host-to-host (automatic computer-to-computer) electronic connection. The Department of the Treasury issues payments to recipients either as checks or direct deposits to the recipient’s bank. Access to this subsystem is limited to a small group of users at FEMA Headquarters.

Accounts Receivable — Maintains record of debts owed FEMA.

On occasion, through the execution of a FEMA program, recipients receive funds to which they were not entitled. When this occurs, FEMA creates a formal bill for collection requesting the recipient to return the funds. The accounts receivable subsystem records the establishment of debt and repayment of debt; calculates interest, penalties, and administrative charges; and prints dunning letters.

General Ledger — Serves as the single source of financial data for preparing financial statements and reports.

The IFMIS general ledger subsystem is compliant with the U.S. Government Standard General Ledger. Accountants at FEMA Headquarters, who are responsible for the preparation of financial reports and statements, are the primary users of this subsystem.

Department of Agriculture National Finance Center (NFC)

NFC processes payroll data for FEMA. NFC provides FEMA with an electronic record of a pay period, from which FEMA extracts key data and posts this data via the interface procedure to the IFMIS cost posting subsystem.

Department of Health and Human Services Payment Management System - Smartlink

The Smartlink System is a disbursement system that gives FEMA-authorized recipients direct access to FEMA funds to withdraw them as-needed. Withdrawals are known as drawdowns. Smartlink maintains funds control or how much a recipient can withdraw based on obligations posted to IFMIS. The Smartlink interface procedure therefore extracts obligations from IFMIS and posts them to Smartlink. As drawdowns occur, IFMIS extracts drawdown information from Smartlink and posts those activities as advances in IFMIS. This interface is used very frequently.

FEMA Acquisition Procurement System

The system is used by FEMA’s contracting staff to facilitate the acquisition of requested goods and services. The interface is designed as a two-way data exchange. Applicable requisitions are extracted from the IFMIS cost posting subsystem and posted to the acquisition procurement system to provide a funding source for the procurement activity. As contracts are awarded, creating obligations, the information is posted back to IFMIS cost posting.

National Emergency Management Information System (NEMIS)

NEMIS is designed to be the primary data entry system for disaster-specific financial activity. In maintaining the concept of a single point of entry, the interface procedure moves data between NEMIS and IFMIS in both directions as needed. The scope of transactions associated with this process includes multiple requests for allocation, commitment of funds, obligation of funds, and temporary housing payment requests.

224 Reporting System

This interface is with the Department of the Treasury to submit the required monthly 224 Financial Report. The IFMIS interface procedure extracts applicable transactions from IFMIS that affect the cash balance at the Department of the Treasury and electronically submits this information to the Department of the Treasury in the appropriate format.

Objective: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Describe funds allocation to and within FEMA and IFMIS.

Appropriation

FEMA receives funding through appropriation as a result of the enactment of laws by Congress. 

This is the authority given to Federal agencies to incur obligations and make payments from the Treasury for specified purposes. Authority can be Direct (funds given by the U.S. Congress) and/or Reimbursable (authority by U.S. Congress which allows agencies to keep funds earned from providing services to others).

Treasury Warrant

The Department of the Treasury issues FEMA a Treasury warrant for each appropriation provided by Congress. The Treasury warrant establishes a cash balance at the Department of the Treasury for agency disbursements.

Apportionment

The actions by which the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issues FEMA an apportionment letter, which identifies how an appropriation must be budgeted and distributes amounts available for obligation, including budgetary reserves established pursuant to law in an appropriation or fund account. Funds which must be distributed quarterly are categorized as Category A apportionment, while funds which can be distributed in any method are categorized as Category B apportionment. Each category of apportionment has its own standard requirements for funds control.

Allotment

Allotments are the first distribution of apportioned funds within FEMA at a headquarters level. FEMA’s OCFO allots all apportioned funds to the director of FEMA.

This is an authorization by either the agency head or another authorized employee to his/her subordinates to incur obligations within specified amounts.

Sub-Allotment

A sub-allotment represents the initial distribution of authorized allotments at the directorate level by the Director to specific program areas to facilitate the execution of FEMA programs. Sub-allotments are presented to FEMA Associate Directors, who are responsible for program execution agency-wide.

Allocation

The allocation represents the establishment of internal funding levels of authorized funds, or the working level of budgeted authority.

Funds are allocated from the sub-allotment to meet specific needs, such as transportation, supplies, and payroll. Funds must be allocated before any other action can take place.

Once allocations are in place, FEMA program managers can begin to incur obligations and expenditures for the execution of FEMA programs. Obligations can be incurred to the limit of the funds established for the specified purpose.

Sub-allocation

Sub-allocations enable FEMA to move an established allocation to a lower level of funds control.

Objective: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Describe the flow of funds and funds processing within IFMIS.

The diagram, known as the funds control "waterfall," shows the process in which FEMA controls funding. 

With each of these action steps:

• Required forms and signatures that must be obtained prior to data entry.
• Limits and restrictions may apply requiring additional approvals depending on the dollar amount and/or the items being purchased.

Allocation (BD)

An allocation is the amount available in your program budget/account.

Commitment (CM)

A commitment is the reservation of funds for a specific purpose and the certifying of funds availability.

Obligation (OB)

An obligation is a promise to a vendor (or traveler) to pay a certain amount for goods and/or services rendered to the government.

Receiving Report (RR)

The receiving report is an approval for payment for goods and/or services that have been received and are acceptable. Note: This step happens outside of IFMIS.

Invoice (IN)/Expenditure (EX)

An invoice is the issuance of payment to the vendor(s) who we are obligated to for the items received.

An expenditure is the recording of funds not issued through IFMIS.

Objective: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Describe the Vendor and Employee Maintenance area and files.

A vendor is any individual or entity that does business with FEMA. This can include:

• Commercial businesses.
• Federal, state, and local government agencies.
• Organizations.
• Individuals receiving disaster benefits.
• Employees for travel purposes.

You access vendor maintenance files from the IFMIS Main Menu by clicking on each of the following: Disbursements Subsystem>Vendor Maintenance>Vendor Maintenance.

Vendor maintenance is not part of the commitment process but is an important IFMIS function widely used throughout FEMA.

Within the Vendor Maintenance area are the options to:

1. Add new vendor master.
2. Modify vendor information.
3. Delete vendor master.
• Note: When a vendor file is deleted, it is no longer available to the user, but stays in the database in an inactive state and can be reactivated by authorized users.
4. List vendor information.
5. Lookup vendor by alpha key.
6. Payee processing.
7. Lookup DUNS (Data Universal Numbering System) number plus 4. 

Vendor files contain information such as:

• Individual vendor numbers:
• This unique number identifies each vendor, or remit to vendor, with a separate record in the vendor file.
• Addresses.
• Phone numbers.
• Points of contact.
• Banking information for electronic funds transfers.
• Payments to date. 

The FEMA Finance Center (FFC) moved employee vendor information within IFMIS to the Employee Maintenance page.

As a result of this transition, the Vendor ID Number or the Social Security Number previously used to identify employees in the vendor tables has been replaced with the Employee ID Number (E#).

The employee maintenance file separates FEMA employees from all other vendors in the system by E numbers (#).

The E#:

• Is the same number used in the employee’s travel system profile and in Travel Authorizations (TAs).
• Allows funds to be obligated in IFMIS on the same E# that is on the TA.
• Is found in the Disbursements Subsystem within IFMIS.

When a employee file is deleted, it:

• Is no longer available to view.
• Stays in the database in an inactive state.
• Can be reactivated by authorized users.

Use the Employee Maintenance menu to search for and view an employee file:

• Option 4 allows you to search by E#:
• Type in the E#.
• Option 5 allows you to search by Employee Name:
• Type in the Employee name in the following format: LAST, FIRST M (middle initial):
• DOE, JOHN M
• DOE JR, JOHN M
• DOE SMITH, JOHN M **Note: If the name is hyphenated, use a space to separate the names not a hyphen.

Once you select option 4 or 5, click on Next to continue and view the employee file as needed.

Objective: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Define the purpose and use of the Accounting Classification Code Structure (ACCS).

Budget Fiscal Year (BFY): Four-digit fiscal year, which runs from October 1 through September 30.

Fund code: Two-digit character code that uniquely identifies the appropriation.

For more details, refer to the Agency's financial coding manual. Two common examples include: 

• Fund 06 is the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF).
• Fund 09 is for salaries and expenses (S&E).

Program code: Four to six character field that identifies the FEMA program to which the transaction should be applied.

For more details, refer to the Agency's financial coding manual. Common examples include suffixes for Fund 06:

• DR (Major Disaster)
• EM (Emergency Declaration)
• SU (Surge Funds)

Organization code: Four-character field that identifies the FEMA organization to which the transaction should be applied. For more details, refer to the Agency's financial coding manual.

Project code: Six-digit alpha-numeric code which can be used across appropriations and organizations to label similar commitments, obligations, or expenses. This field is optional and is not required for transactions to be processed within IFMIS. For more details, refer to the Agency's financial coding manual.

Fund Type: Single character that refers to the type of authority identified in the appropriation — either Direct (D) or Reimbursable (R).

Objective: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Determine how to access and complete IFMIS vendor commitment forms.

Doc Type identifies the source document that lists the requested goods or services to be recorded in the commitment transaction.

Clicking on the lookup feature will provide you with a list of permissible doc types from which you can choose the one for your entry if other than the default FF 146-0-2 (FF 40-1).

The system will calculate the commitment total based on the:

• The Estimated Amount of a commitment, or the change amount of an amendment, excluding freight charges.
• If the change amount is being decreased, a negative sign (-) must precede the entry.
• The amount of Freight and transportation charges.
• If any freight/transportation object class is to be used, the amounts being charged to those object classes must be entered on the freight line.

The amount categories indicate:

• New: Total funding amount for the action that is being recorded.


• Previous: Cumulative balance of the commitment prior to the current action.


• Available Balance: Balance available on the commitment, including the current action.

IFMIS will verify the Estimated Amount and Freight entries with the amounts entered on the ACCS screen(s) and display an error message if these values are not equal, prohibiting saving of the transaction.

The Line and Sequence No are the same by system default. This is illustrated with an FF 146-0-2 (FF 40-1) request for two items (tables and computers) that are funded from the same ACCS in which the transaction is recorded as follows:

• Sequence No. 001   Line 001   (Tables)           ACCS-1   $$$
  
• Sequence No. 002   Line 002   (Computers)    ACCS-1   $$$

Now, imagine a second ACCS (ACCS-2) will fund some of the computers but none of the tables. The transaction is recorded as follows:

• Sequence No. 001   Line 001   (Tables)           ACCS-1   $$$
  
• Sequence No. 002   Line 002   (Computers)    ACCS-1   $$$
  
• Sequence No. 003   Line 002   (Computers)    ACCS-2   $$$

Note: In the third entry, the Line number “002” is modified to reflect the Line number of the first computer entry while the Sequence Number continues to count ACCS entries sequentially. 

When a single item/commodity is funded by multiple accounting codes, the Line numbers for the multiple ACCS entries must be changed to reflect the Line number associated with the first entry of the item/commodity.

The system default for P/F (Partial/Final) Flag is “F” for commitment transactions.

Accept the Force default of “N”.

On rare occasions, this entry may have to be changed to “Y” to force an entry where there are not sufficient budgeted funds available to process a transaction, in which case the fund balance would show a deficit. Few users have access through the security module to change this flag to “Y”.

Objective: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Determine how to access and complete IFMIS vendor obligation forms.

The obligation of funds for a specific purpose must be posted as soon as possible to ensure proper funds control.

To post a vendor obligation transaction in IFMIS, you must access the main Obligation screen by selecting Cost Posting Subsystem>Enter Cost Posting Document>Vendor Documents>Obligations from the IFMIS Main Menu.

The main Obligation screen establishes key information for the entire obligation record in IFMIS.

An obligation may be accomplished using one or more source documents with the appropriate authorizing signatures. These documents must support the creation or amendment of an obligation transaction in IFMIS.

On occasion, an obligation may have no prior commitment of funds such as with the SF182, Training Request.

Enter total obligation amount (excluding freight charges) or the change amount (amount being increased or decreased) in the Amount field. For decreases, a negative sign (-) must precede the entry.

Enter the amount of freight charges for any freight/transportation object class used in the Freight field. 

The system default for P/F (Partial/Final) Flag is “P” for obligation transactions.

• Change the flag to “F” if no further obligations to process against the ACCS line and to decommit any funds remaining.
• Change the flag to “R” to reverse a previous entry and enter a negative amount in the Change Amount field.
• When an amount is reversed, it increases the commitment against which it was originally posted.
• If the flag is not changed to “R”, any negative change amount entered returns the funds to the allocation.

Accept the Force default of “N”.

On rare occasions, this entry may have to be changed to “Y” to force an entry where there are not sufficient budgeted funds available to process a transaction, in which case the fund balance would show a deficit. Few users have access through the security module to change this flag to “Y”.

Objective: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Determine how to access and complete IFMIS vendor invoice processing.

Enter the vendor’s invoice number or the number assigned to the document by the vendor.

If there has not been a number assigned, enter the billing date in the format MMDDYYYY. Do not insert hyphens or slashes.

Clicking the lookup feature will display a list of all invoices which have been posted for the specified vendor. As a best practice, you should not populate the entry until you have entered the referenced Obligation ID.

This field should be left blank unless an error message is received.

If the vendor has been identified in the vendor file as a vendor who should receive an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) 1099 Form, a code must be entered to indicate which line on the 1099 Form the current entry should be reported.

Use the lookup feature to display a list of valid choices. Click on the entry of choice.

Enter the payee vendor number, if applicable or when payment is to be sent to a vendor other than the vendor to which funds were obligated.

Before payment may be generated to another vendor, the payee relationship must be established in the vendor file within Vendor Maintenance.

Clicking the lookup feature will display a list of all payees that have been established in Vendor Maintenance for the specified vendor.

The system default for P/F (Partial/Final) Flag is “P”.

• If there will be no further payments to process against the ACCS line and the transaction should return any funds remaining to the allocation, change the flag to "F".
• The prior document status will automatically change to "CLOSED" when all ACCS lines are marked final, or the status must be manually changed to "CLOSED".
• To reverse a previous entry and enter a negative amount or credit in the Change Amount field, change the flag to “R”.
• When an amount is reversed, it increases the obligation against which it was originally posted.
• If the flag is not changed to “R”, any negative change amount entered returns the funds to the allocation.

Accept the Force default of “N”.

• On rare occasions, this entry may have to be changed to “Y” to force an entry where there are not sufficient budgeted funds available to process a transaction, in which case the fund balance would show a deficit. Few users have access through the security module to change this flag to “Y”.

Objective: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Describe how to access and complete IFMIS vendor expenditure processing.

The system will calculate the expenditure total based on the:

• Total amount of expenditure or credit.
• If modifications are made to an existing document, enter the amount of the increase or decrease.
• If the change amount is being decreased, a negative sign (-) must precede the entry.
• The amount of freight charges.
• If any freight object class is to be used, the amounts being charged to those object classes must be entered on the freight line.

You will complete the following ACCS fields as indicated:

• Ref Type: Enter the abbreviation that corresponds to the last document entered prior to posting payments.
• Valid choices are CM, OB, or RR. If there was no prior document posted in IFMIS, leave this field blank.
• Ref No: Enter the document number that corresponds to the prior document referenced, usually the Obligation ID or Disaster Assistance Obligation ID in the same format as when posted to IFMIS.


• Seq: Enter, or use the lookup feature to enter, the sequence number from the document referenced for the ACCS line against which funds are to be expended or credited.
• The system will populate the remaining fields.


• Leave filed blank if no prior document referenced and enter remaining fields.


• Note: An entry error has occurred if you enter the sequence number and the ACCS does not populate.   

The system default for P/F (Partial/Final) Flag is “P”.

• If there will be no further payments to process against the ACCS line brought forward and the transaction should return any funds remaining to the allocation, change the flag to "F".
• The prior document status will automatically change to "CLOSED" when all ACCS lines are marked final.
• If it is determined that there will be no more expenditures against the prior document referenced, work has been completed, and the flags were not changed to “F” when posting the last payment, the prior document can be closed manually by accessing the actual document in the Cost Posting Subsystem and changing the status to “CLOSED”.
• When entering a negative amount or credit, change the flag to "C".
• To reverse a previous entry and enter a negative amount or credit in the Change Amount field, change the flag to “R”.
• When an amount is reversed, it increases the obligation against which it was originally posted.
• If the flag is not changed to “R”, any negative change amount entered returns the funds to the allocation.

Accept the Force default of “N”.

• On rare occasions, this entry may have to be changed to “Y” to force an entry where there are not sufficient budgeted funds available to process a transaction, in which case the fund balance would show a deficit. Few users have access through the security module to change this flag to “Y”.

Objective: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Describe how to complete the payment process within IFMIS.

Select each area of the payment process diagram to learn more.

The Payment Process begins with the posting of voucher/invoice or SF1164 transactions.

Once saved, the payment transaction displays a status of OPEN in IFMIS. In addition, IFMIS assigns a Schedule By Date and Due Date based on rules established by the Prompt Payment Act.

The Payment Approval Process is a procedure whereby an Approver reviews the posted payment request to ensure all is proper with the payment.

Once assured that all is proper, the Approver marks the payment request as approved by inputting their initials in the Approver location on the posted transaction. IFMIS then changes the payment status from OPEN to APPROVED.

Once the payment request is marked as APPROVED, IFMIS warehouses the payment until the payment request is scheduled and paid.

The IFMIS Payment Schedule Process is an automated procedure managed by the IFMIS Disbursements Subsystem, which, when invoked, extracts all approved payment requests that have a Schedule by Date consistent with the date the schedule process is run. The targeted approved payments are placed on a payment schedule for transmission to the Department of the Treasury Disbursing Center for Payment Issuance.

Once a payment request is scheduled for payment, IFMIS automatically changes the status from APPROVED to SCHEDULED. In addition, IFMIS inputs the Department of the Treasury Schedule Number on the Payment Request during this time.

Also, once a payment is scheduled and has been sent to the Department of the Treasury, the funds are considered to be disbursed to the recipient.

Note: The Schedule Process is run daily by a Disbursement Officer at FEMA’s Office of Financial Management.

Objective: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Recall available reporting options in IFMIS.

Objective: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Describe how to access and generate Funding Reports.

Objective: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Describe how to access and generate Cost Posting Reports.

Cost Posting Reports include a series of budget execution reports for commitments through invoices and will present data by object class numbers.

Accounts Payable

Amounts owed to others for goods and services received, assets acquired, and amounts received but not yet earned.

Accounts Receivable (AR)

IFMIS subsystem that maintains a record of debts owed FEMA.

Accounting Classification Code Structure (ACCS)

A series of data elements that identifies the fiscal characteristics of a financial transaction. For example, the ACCS identifies fiscal year budgeted resources, FEMA appropriation identification, program code, organization code, project code, object code, and appropriation type.

ACCS Screen

IFMIS input screen that captures detailed information about a transaction; also called the detail screen.

Advance (AD)

An amount paid prior to the later receipt of goods, services, or other assets. Advances are ordinarily made only to payees to whom an agency has an obligation, and they do not exceed the amount of the obligation.

Allocation

The allocation represents the establishment of internal funding levels of authorized funds. Obligations can be incurred to the limit of the funds established for the specified purpose. In FEMA, the allocation establishes the working level of budgeted authority.

Allotment

This is an authorization by either the agency head or another authorized employee to incur obligations within specified amounts. FEMA’s OCFO allots all apportioned funds to the director of FEMA.

Apportionment

The action by which OMB distributes amounts available for obligation, including budgetary reserves established pursuant to law in an appropriation or fund account. Funds that must be distributed quarterly are categorized as Category A apportionment, while funds that can be distributed in any method are categorized as Category B apportionment.

Appropriation

This is the authority given to Federal agencies to incur obligations and make payments from the Treasury for specified purposes. Authority can be Direct (funds given by the U.S. Congress) and/or Reimbursable (authority by the U.S. Congress that allows agencies to keep funds earned from providing services to others).

Budget Fiscal Year (BFY)

Four-digit fiscal year, which runs from October 1 through September 30.

Comment Screen

IFMIS input screen that provides needed explanations to managers, contracting officials, or accountants about the transaction when the information is reviewed or approved.

Commitment (CM)

This is a reservation of budgetary resources (allocation and sub-allocation) in anticipation of their obligation.

Cost Posting

IFMIS subsystem that records and maintains all transactions associated with the FEMA budget execution process. It is FEMA's major transaction handing subsystem.

Cost Posting Report

Series of budget execution reports for commitments through invoices.

Disbursements

IFMIS subsystem that manages the issuance of disbursements (payment) from FEMA.

Emergency Management Institute (EMI)

FEMA's training institution tasked with training Federal, state, local, tribal, volunteer, public, and private sector officials to strengthen emergency management core competencies for professional, career-long training.

Expenditure (EX)

Expenditure within the IFMIS environment represents the liquidation of an obligation after actual cash or payment has been completed. For example, when two Federal agencies engage in a business transaction where one agency services the other, the servicing agency may withdraw funds directly from the client agency’s account. The servicing agency then sends the client agency a bill listing all charges. The client agency then records the expenditure to properly reduce the obligation.

FEMA Finance Center (FFC)

Centralized processing center for the issuance of payments for FEMA, located in Winchester, VA.

Funding

IFMIS subsystem that records and maintains FEMA's budgeted resource information through online, real-time funds control functionality.

Funding Report

Funding Reports provide data on budgeted resources.

General Ledger (GL)

IFMIS subsystem that serves as the single source of financial data for preparing financial statements and reports. It is compliant with the U.S. Government Standard General Ledger.

General Services Administration (GSA)

Agency provides acquisition solutions across the Federal Government.

Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS)

Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) core financial system with five major subsystems (Funding, Cost Posting, Disbursements, Accounts Receivable, and General Ledger).

Invoice

A document prepared by a vendor in the approved format defined in OMB Prompt Pay Act, which requests the payment of funds for the rendering of goods or services.

Main Screen

IFMIS input screen that captures summary information about a transaction; also called the header screen.

Obligation (OB)

Amount for orders placed, contracts awarded, services received, and similar transactions during the same or a future period.

Office of Chief Financial Officer (OCFO)

Office responsible for planning and executing FEMA's budget that supports preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery operations.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

Office which oversees all funds allocation by Executive-level agencies.

Online Payment and Collection System/Intra-Governmental Payment and Collection (OPAC/IPAC)

A system maintained by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, whereby Federal agencies can withdraw funds from other Federal agency accounts for services provided. The general reference within FEMA is that of a billing or statement that supports the withdrawal of funds.

Receiving Report (RR)

A document, as classified in OMB Prompt Pay Act, which validates the receipt and acceptance of goods and services.

Sub-allocation

The sub-allocation enables FEMA to move an established allocation to a lower level of funds control.

Sub-allotment

Represents the initial distribution of authorized allotments by the Director, to specific program areas to facilitate the execution of FEMA programs. Sub-allotments are presented to FEMA Associate Directors.

Treasury Warrant

A warrant that establishes a cash balance at the Department of the Treasury for agency disbursements.

Vendor

A vendor is any individual or entity that does business with FEMA. This can include commercial businesses, government agencies (Federal, state, and local), organizations, individuals receiving disaster benefits, and employees for travel purposes.

L123456ZZ where,

• L = Location code identifier.
• 123456 = Sequentially assigned number.
• Z = “Y” (yes) or "N" (no) to indicate whether the document is to be submitted for procurement or acquisition action.
• Z = Optional character (Support Services & Facilities Management use only).
• B = Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs).
• G = Interagency Agreements.
• I = Imprest.
• M = Maintenance Agreements.
• P = Purchase.
• R = Rent/Lease Agreements.
• T = Printing.

EML-XXXX-ZZ-0001 where:

• EM = Document Type (e.g., Emergency Declaration).
• L = Location Code Identifier.
• XXXX = Fiscal Year.
• ZZ = Procurement Type.
• 0001 = Sequentially Assigned Number.

CM = Commitment

AD = Advance

DS = Discount Change Amount

OB = Obligations

OR = Order Change Amount

IN = Interest Amount

RR = Receiving Report

BD = Budget/Allocation

SC = Schedule Change Amount

EX = Expenditure

CF = Confirmation Change Amount

ERROR: Available budget balance exceeded

Cause: There are insufficient funds remaining in the object class you have entered on the ACCS screen.

Fix: If there are funds available in another object class, submit an allocation advice to redistribute the funds into the object class where the funds are needed.

ERROR: Performance from date is less than effective date

Cause: The period of performance must be equal to or greater than the transaction date. There could be a typo in the period of performance dates, or the period of performance began prior to your entry in IFMIS.

 Fix: Correct the performance date, or change the transaction date to reflect the beginning period of performance date.

ERROR: At least one line required

Cause: No date was entered on the ACCS screen.

Fix: Click on MAIN and enter the data on the ACCS screen.

ERROR: Object Class does not exist