Objective: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
Determine how to access and complete IFMIS vendor obligation forms.
Vendor Obligation Processing
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.
Main Obligation Screen
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.
Obligation ID Details
The first entry requires an Obligation ID, which is a unique identifier, or reference number, for an obligation action.
The entry may be completed using the Obligation ID lookup feature if you have driving information to help filter data.
Using “EMW-XXXX-SA-0001” as an example, the Obligation ID indicates:
Procurement type (e.g., Simplified Acquisition Procedures)
0001
Sequentially assigned number
Doc Type
The Doc Type field:
Indicates the form or source document that supports an obligation transaction.
Defaults to form OF347.
Provides a lookup feature to select an entry from the list of permissible doc types if other than the default.
Status
Status is used to reflect the desired status of the obligation and may be updated to reflect changes in the source document.
Status
Description
OPEN
Field default; use when creating a new document or modifying an existing document.
CANCELED
Use to cancel an obligation that was previously posted and to return funds to the allocation.
CLOSED
Use to close an obligation and to return any remaining funds to the allocation.
EXPIRED
System-generated when funds have expired, usually at the close of the fiscal year.
APPROVED
Use when an invoice or travel voucher has been approved for payment.
PAID
Use when an invoice or travel voucher has been paid.
SCHEDULED
Use when an invoice or travel voucher has been scheduled for payment and sent to Treasury.
SUSPENDED
Use when an approved payment needs to be suspended due to something being incorrect with the payment.
FAR Exempt and Vendor
The entry for the FAR Exempt field should always be “N” (No).
Identifying a vendor involves several steps:
Enter the vendor number in the Vendor field, or type the first characters of the vendor name in the Vendor field and click on the lookup feature. The lookup feature will display a list of vendors, identified by city and state, from which to select the entry of choice.
Click the ADDR function button on the main Obligation screen after the vendor number has been entered to display the vendor’s address and Automated Clearing House (ACH) data for verification.
Click MAIN to return to the main Obligation screen.
If an error message appears in the top left corner indicating “Vendor does not exist”, or if the address or ACH data displayed is incorrect, the vendor must be added to the vendor file or existing information must be modified by a person having access to Vendor Maintenance.
Amendment ID and Date Fields
The following list provides information and direction for completing the applicable date fields:
Amendment ID and Date: Enter the Amendment ID number associated with the amendment and the amendment date if an obligation is being amended; otherwise, leave Amendment ID blank and accept the system default amendment date (current date).
Effective Date: System-generated based on the Transaction Date entered in the lower left corner of the screen.
Performance Dates: Enter the beginning (From) and ending (To) dates of the period of performance.
Expiration Date: Accept the system default, the last day of the current fiscal year.
Payment and Discount Terms
The payment and discount terms would be entered as follows:
Prompt Pay Terms: Enter the code associated with the payment or discount terms specified in the obligating document, or click on the lookup feature to display, and select an option from, a list of valid entries; standard prompt pay terms are Net 30 (code 01).
Disc Rate: Enter the discount rate in the format 00.00, where 2.00 would represent a two percent discount offered; prompt pay terms entered must specify that a discount is available (Codes 03–07); leave field blank if no discount is specified.
Days: Enter the number of days FEMA has to take the discount, if applicable; leave blank if no discount is offered.
Net: Enter the number of days FEMA has to pay the vendor, if the discount is lost, if a discount applies.
For example, if a vendor offers a discount of 2%, 10, n30, the Disc Rate entry is 2.00, the Days entry is 10, and the Net entry is 30.
Obligation Amount and Freight
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.
Transaction Date, Accounting Period, and Transfer Fund
The following list provides information and direction for completing the applicable fields:
Transaction Date: Accept system default (current date) or change when the effective date of an obligation, usually the date of the last approving official’s signature, differs from the default.
Accounting Period: Accept system default, which is the month in which the transaction will be posted in the current fiscal year; based on the Transaction Date.
Transfer Fund: Leave blank; not currently used.
ACCS Screen
Click ACCS on the main Obligation screen to access the ACCS screen and enter detailed information about:
Items or commodities purchased for an obligation transaction.
The funds used to pay for the items or commodities purchased.
Estimated freight charges, when applicable.
Transaction details may be entered in a single or multiple ACCS screen(s) based on the number of items/commodities being purchased, number of lines of accounting used to fund the purchase, and whether freight charges apply.
Sequence No. and Line Descriptions
The Sequence No. is a system-generated sequential number that counts the ACCS screens, or lines, associated with the transaction.
The Line (number) represents the line item being posted.
Each commodity being purchased should have a unique line number on the obligating document.
If an item is being charged to multiple account codes, the unique line number for that item would be entered on each ACCS line, or screen.
Sequence References
The entries for the following ACCS fields are as follows:
Ref Type: Enter CM (commitment) when funds are committed for an obligation; otherwise, leave blank.
Ref No: Enter the commitment or requisition document number; otherwise, leave blank.
Seq: Enter the sequence number relative to the commitment or use the lookup feature to select the entry of choice; otherwise leave blank.
Customer Order: Enter the program code if the ACCS code type is R for reimbursable; otherwise, leave blank.
Line: Enter the line number that corresponds with the ACCS or use the lookup feature to select the entry of choice. Required if entering a Customer Order.
ACCS Entry
The ACCS entry describes the source of funding for a line item/commodity as follows:
BFY: Budget Fiscal Year (4 characters)
Fund: Fund Code (2 characters)
Prog: Program Code (4-6 characters)
Org: Organization Code (4 characters)
Proj: Project Code (6 characters)
Obj: Budget Object Class (4 characters)
D/R: Type (Enter “D” for direct programs and “R” for reimbursable programs)
Note: The ACCS will populate automatically based on the commitment reference. If posting an obligation without referencing a commitment (such as an SF-182), this information will need to be manually entered by the user.
P/F and Force
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”.
Change Amount and Line Balance
By entering an amount in either the Change Amount or Line Balance field, the system will populate the other field.
If entering the Change Amount field:
Enter the amount to be charged against the ACCS code specified on the current line.
Use a negative sign (-) for an amount decrease.
Alternatively, you can enter the obligation balance in the Line Balance field, which has a calculator pop-up function for assistance.
Remaining ACCS Entries
The remaining ACCS entries are as follows:
UOM (Unit of Measurement): Enter UOM or leave blank.
Stock Number: Enter the stock or model number for the items being purchased. Otherwise, leave blank.
Qty: Enter the total number of item(s) being charged to the current ACCS line.
Unit Price: Enter the unit price of the item(s) being charged to the current ACCS line.
Comment: Enter any additional information related to the current ACCS line.
Previous Year Adj: Leave blank.
Transaction Code: Use system-generated code.
Terms, Net, Disc Date, and Date Due: Leave blank.
Single ACCS Line
To complete the entry of a single ACCS screen (single line), click VERIFY.
The system generates a transaction code and a message to the top left of the screen (Line item verified).
If there are errors, click FIX to correct the identified error(s).
Multiple ACCS Lines
When posting multiple ACCS lines:
Click NEXT to continue to the next ACCS screen and enter or modify the relevant ACCS data.
Click COPY, if applicable, to copy and modify information from the previous line, eliminating re-keying of duplicate data. Note: Clicking COPY before NEXT will clear your existing line, and you will have to re-enter the data.
Click VERIFY to verify the ACCS line. If there are errors, click FIX to correct the identified error(s).
Repeat this process until you have entered and verified all the ACCS lines. Then, click MAIN to return to the main screen.
Comment Field and Screen
Comments are populated from a referenced commitment to communicate essential information to managers, contracting officials, accountants, and to the acquisition system.
To add comments when a commitment is not referenced in an obligation document:
Click the COMM button at the bottom of the main Obligation screen.
Add comments.
Click the MAIN button at the bottom of the Comment screen to return to the main Obligation screen.
Completing the Transaction
To complete the transaction from the main screen, click:
VER to verify the entire transaction (main and ACCS screens). If there are errors, click FIX to correct the identified error(s).
SAVE to save the transaction; a message will appear at the top of the screen confirming that the transaction has been saved. Note: Record the document number provided at the top left of the screen.
