Objective: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
Determine how to access and complete IFMIS vendor invoice processing.
Vendor Invoice Processing
Vendor invoice processing is used to generate check or electronic funds transfer (ACH) payments for vendors.
Disbursement schedules are generated and submitted to Treasury on a daily basis to process payment to vendors for approved invoices based on the payment due date. Before a disbursement is made to a vendor, a payment record must be approved in IFMIS:
A technician must post the invoice.
An approver must then approve the document in IFMIS.
To post a vendor invoice in IFMIS, select Cost Posting Subsystem>Enter Cost Posting Document>Vendor Documents>Enter Invoices from the IFMIS Main Menu.
There is a separate menu option to generate payments for disaster assistance programs.
Vendor
Leave the Vendor field blank. The system will generate a vendor number based on the referenced Obligation ID.
When an Obligation ID is not referenced, you must manually populate the vendor ID by:
Typing in the first few characters or word of the vendor name, clicking the lookup icon, and viewing the displayed list.
Clicking on the vendor of choice.
Clicking ADDR to display the vendor’s address to verify you selected the correct vendor.
Clicking MAIN to return to the Invoice screen.
If an error message appears in the top left corner indicating “Vendor does not exist”, or if information 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.
Invoice
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.
Control Number
The system will generate a unique control number for this transaction in the format L-XX-V-12345, where:
L = Location code identifier
XX = Last two digits of fiscal year
V = Vendor
12345 = Sequentially assigned number
The number should be noted on the document being processed.
1099
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.
Payee
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.
FAR Exempt, Suspend, Voucher, and Sch Type
You will complete the following fields as indicated:
FAR Exempt: Always enter as "N".
Suspend: Leave blank unless the payment is to be suspended. To suspend a payment, enter the suspense code that is associated with the reason payment should be suspended. The lookup feature will list valid choices. Click on the entry of choice.
Voucher: Skip as this field is not currently used.
Sch Type: Use entry populated from referenced Obligation ID; on rare occasions you may need to use the lookup feature to display a list of valid choices and click on the entry of choice.
Doc Type, Invoice Date, and Invoice Recvd
You will complete the following fields as indicated:
Doc Type: Use default, “INVOICE”, or indicate form or other source document that supports this transaction using the lookup feature.
Invoice Date: Enter the invoice or billing date.
Invoice Recvd: Enter the date FEMA received the payment document in the first box, and enter the date the disbursing office received the payment document in the second box. In many cases the dates will be the same.
CM, OB, AD, and RR
You will complete the following fields as indicated:
CM (Commitment): Enter the commitment number (ID). If funds were subsequently obligated, there is no need to enter the commitment number.
OB (Obligation): Enter the obligation number if there is an obligation or accept system default.
AD (Advance): Use the lookup feature to see a list of outstanding advances for the referenced obligation and populate the field with the advance control number. Leave this field blank if there are multiple advances to be applied to the payment, and enter each advance separately in the “Aux Ref” field on the ACCS lines. The Advance Control Numbers should be noted for entry on the ACCS lines.
RR (Receiving Report): Use system default.
Effective Date, Goods Received, Inspection Report, and Goods Accepted
You will complete the following fields as indicated:
Effective Date: The effective date of the obligation will be brought forward based on the obligation number entered. You may enter the invoice date if unable to enter the effective date of the obligation.
Good Received: For goods, enter the date goods were received by FEMA in the first box. In the second box, enter the date goods were received by the ordering office. In many cases, the dates will be the same. For services, use the period of performance start date in the first box and the period of performance end date in the second box.
Inspection Report: This field is not currently being used. The use of inspection reports has not yet been implemented throughout FEMA.
Goods Accepted: Enter the later of the invoice received date or the 7-day constructive acceptance date (i.e. seven days after end of period of performance (POP) or receipt of goods).
Discount, Penalty, Invoice, Freight, and Disallow
You will complete the following fields as indicated:
Discount: Leave field blank and the system will calculate the discount based on the discount terms specified in the lower left corner of the main screen.
Penalty: Use system-generated penalty as applicable based on the discount terms.
Invoice: Enter the amount of the invoice (including freight charges).
Freight: Enter the amount of freight charges. If there are no amounts charged to freight, leave this line blank.
Disallow: Enter the amount disallowed. This amount will be deducted from the invoice amount when payment is generated. If there is an amount entered, user must enter a disallow code in the one character field to the right of the disallow amount. The lookup feature will display a list of valid choices. Click on the entry of choice.
Disc Terms, Disc Rate, Days, Net, Date, Lost Reason, and Late Reason
You will complete the following fields as indicated:
Disc Terms: The discount terms entered on the obligating document will be brought forward. Accept the terms brought forward or change to the invoice discount terms when the change would be beneficial to FEMA. Enter the code or use the lookup feature to click on the code of choice.
Disc Rate: Leave blank if no discount is specified, accept discount terms brought forward from obligating document, or enter/change to the invoice terms. If there is a discount specified on the invoice, enter the discount rate in the format “00.000”, where “.02” would represent a two percent discount offered. The discount terms entered must specify that a discount is available (Codes 03–07).
Days: Enter the number of days FEMA has to take the discount, if applicable. Leave field blank if no discount is offered.
Net: Enter the number of days FEMA has to pay the vendor if the discount is not taken.
Date: Enter the date by that invoice must be paid in order to take the discount. Leave field blank if no date is specified on the invoice.
Lost Reason: Enter the code which corresponds to the reasons for discounts lost. The lookup feature will display a list of valid choices. Click on the entry of choice.
Late Reason: Enter the code which corresponds to the reasons for late payments. The lookup feature will display a list of valid choices. Click on the entry of choice.
Comment Field and Screen
Comments may be populated from a referenced commitment and obligation. To access the Comment screen from, and to populate the Comment field on, the main Invoice screen:
Click on the COMM button at the bottom of the main Invoice screen.
Enter additional information about the payment.
Click on the MAIN button at the bottom of the Comment screen to return to the main Invoice screen.
Transaction Date, Account Period, and Transaction Code
You will complete the following fields as indicated:
Transaction Date: Accept system default.
Account Period: Accept system default, which is based on the transaction date entered. This represents to which month of the current fiscal year this transaction will be posted.
Transaction Code: Leave blank.
ACCS Sequence No. and Line
To complete the ACCS screen, click the ACCS button at the bottom of the Invoice screen.
The Sequence No. is a system-generated sequential number that counts the ACCS screens, or lines, associated with the transaction.
Enter the Line number. If a single line item on the payment document is being charged to multiple ACCS lines, use the same line number on each ACCS line entry.
Ref Type, Ref No, and Seq
You will complete the following ACCS fields as indicated:
Ref Type: Accept system-populated entry from main screen reference to an existing CM, OB, or RR; enter CM, OB, or RR.
Ref No: Accept system-populated entry or enter the document number that corresponds with the input document; the number must match the format originally entered in IFMIS.
Seq: Accept the system-populated entry, enter, or use the lookup feature to enter the prior referenced Document Sequence Number for the ACCS line against which funds are to be expended. If entered correctly, the system will automatically populate the remaining fields.
Aux Ref Type, Ref No, and Seq
You will complete the following ACCS fields as indicated:
Aux Ref Type: Enter AD if advances have been posted for this vendor against the referenced obligation; otherwise, leave blank. If there are multiple advances to post against this payment, enter each on a separate ACCS line.
Ref No: Enter the Advance Control Number for the advance or enter the Advance Control Numbers on separate ACCS lines if there are multiple advances.
Seq: Enter, or use the lookup feature to enter, the Advance Sequence Number for the ACCS line against which funds are to be expended.
Customer Order and Line
You will complete the following ACCS fields as indicated:
Customer Order: Accept system-populated entry, enter the program code for reimbursable programs, or leave blank if ACCS does not indicate R (reimbursable).
Line: Accept system-populated entry or use the lookup feature to select the entry that corresponds with the customer order field and represents the line number associated with the applicable ACCS.
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 entry will be populated from the referenced obligation and sequence line.
P/F and Force
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”.
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.
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 that were received and for which payment is being made. 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.
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.
EXIT to return to IFMIS Main Menu.
Lesson 2.3 Summary
This lesson covered:
Vendor invoice processing.
The next unit covers vendor expenditures processing.
