Lesson 2.1: Vendor Commitment Processing

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

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

A vendor commitment transaction or action:

  • Reserves funds in anticipation of a future obligation.
  • Precedes a procurement action (generally) for which the acquisition management office will enter into an agreement with another entity to provide the requested goods or services.
  • Is posted as soon as possible to ensure proper funds control.

To facilitate the procurement process, IFMIS will provide the acquisition management procurement system with IFMIS commitment actions designated for procurement by acquisition management.

To post a commitment transaction in IFMIS, you must access the main Commitment screen by selecting Cost Posting Subsystem>Enter Cost Posting Document>Vendor Documents>Commitments from the IFMIS Main Menu.

IFMIS main menu listings in order to complete a commitment transaction: Cost Posting Subsystem, Enter Cost Posting Document, Vendor Documents, and Commitments
Main Commitment Screen

The input for the main Commitment screen:

  • Is entered from a source document that supports the creation of a commitment in IFMIS.
  • Establishes key information for the entire commitment record in IFMIS.
  • Contains summary data about the transaction being posted.
Screenshot of IFMIS main commitment screen; cursor is in the first field where the Commitment ID is entered
Commitment ID

A Commitment ID is:

  • A unique identifier, or reference number, for a commitment action.
  • Listed as the Document Control Number (No.) on a source document.
  • Can be located with the Commitment ID lookup feature on the Commitment screen for existing commitments only.
First third of a sample form FF 146-0-2 with arrow pointing to the Document Control No. field to indicate which number to enter as the Commitment ID in IFMIS
Commitment ID Details

Using L123456ZZ as an example, the Commitment ID indicates:

Position Number(s)IdentifierIndicates
1LLocation code identifier
2-7123456Sequentially Assigned Number
8Z

“Y” (Yes) or "N" (No) to indicate whether the document is to be submitted for procurement or acquisition action

9ZOptional character (Support Services & Facilities Management use only)

 

Therefore:

  • W276291N indicates the location is FEMA Headquarters (Washington, DC), the Document Control Number is 276291, and the document will not be submitted for procurement or acquisition action.
  • CN06102Y2020T is an interface commitment including additional data: CN indicates the location of Region 5, the Sequentially Assigned Number is 061022, the Y indicates the document will be submitted for procurement or acquisition action, the fiscal year is 2020, and T indicates that the Commitment was system-generated and interfaced with IFMIS.
Doc Type

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).

Commitment main screen with arrow pointing to Doc Type field and default entry of FF 40-1
Status

Status is used to reflect the desired status of the commitment and may be updated to reflect changes in the source document.

StatusDescription
OPENField default; use when creating a new document or modifying an existing document.
CANCELEDUse to cancel a commitment that was previously posted and to return funds to the allocation.
CLOSEDUse to close a commitment and to return any remaining funds to the allocation.
EXPIREDSystem-generated when funds have expired, usually at the close of the fiscal year.
APPROVEDUse when an invoice or travel voucher has been approved for payment.
PAIDUse when an invoice or travel voucher has been paid.
SCHEDULEDUse when an invoice or travel voucher has been scheduled for payment and sent to Treasury.
SUSPENDEDUse 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 (Federal Acquisition Regulation) Exempt field should always be “N” (No).

The Vendor field: 

  • Refers to the number associated with a vendor in the IFMIS Vendor File.
  • Is an optional field that generally should not be used for input when posting a commitment transaction.
If a vendor number is entered, the associated obligation(s) must use the same vendor number. Otherwise, IFMIS will display an error message during the obligation process to indicate there is a vendor mismatch between the commitment and obligation.
Commitment main screen with FAR Exempt and Vendor fields circled; FAR Exempt field shows default N entry and Vendor field is blank
Amendment ID and Date Fields

When entering a date, you can apply the date format or enter the date in numbers and allow the system to generate the format after you tab to the next entry. 

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 a commitment 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: Indicate period for which goods or services are required.
  • Expiration Date: Refers to the duration in which funds for commitment are available; IFMIS will default to the last day of the current fiscal year for all appropriations.
Screenshot of IFMIS main commitment screen with Amendment ID and Date, Effective Date, Performance Dates (from/to) and Expiration Date circled; showing default entries for Amendment ID (0000); Amendment, Effective and Performance From dates (date commitment entered); and Performance To and Expiration dates (last day of fiscal year)
Commitment Amount Fields

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.
Commitment main screen with Estimated Amount, Freight, and Total lines circled; New, Previous, and Available Balance columns for each line show default 0.00

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.

Transaction Date and Accounting Period

Accept the Transaction Date default (current date) unless authorized to change the date to the effective date of the commitment, usually the date of the last approving official’s signature.

The commitment may be posted prior to or after the effective date and against funds that are not currently available. For example, a commitment could be recorded on October 1 (first-quarter funding), with an effective date of January 1 (second-quarter funding):

  • The result of this action will be a reduction of second-quarter funds availability.
  • The effective date of the transaction will be applied throughout the life of the action.
  • The requesting office must indicate, as a comment, what funds should be applied to a quarter other than the current quarter.
IFMIS will populate the Accounting Period, the month in which the transaction will be posted in the current fiscal year, based on the Transaction Date entered.
Screenshot of IFMIS main commitment screen with arrows pointing to Transaction date and Accounting Period fields; transaction date shows default (date commitment entered); accounting period populated by IFMIS
Comment Field and Screen

Comments communicate essential information to managers, contracting officials, accountants, and to the acquisition system.

To access the Comment screen from, and to populate the Comment field on, the main Commitment screen:

  • Click on the COMM button at the bottom of the main Commitment screen.
  • Enter Procurement Data at the top of the Comment screen such as the project officer, originating program office, and project information sheet number.
  • Communicate needed information and explanations related to the transaction in the Comments section from the source document (e.g., information about the product, service, vendor, changes, and the criticality of meeting the delivery date).
Click on the MAIN button at the bottom of the Comment screen to return to the main Commitment screen.
Commitment main screen with arrow pointing at COMM button and Comment screen open over main screen to show procurement data, comments, and MAIN button
ACCS Screen

Click ACCS on the main Commitment screen to access the ACCS screen and enter detailed information about:

  • Items or commodities being purchased for a commitment transaction.
  • The funds used to pay for the items or commodities being 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.

Commitment main screen with arrow pointing at ACCS button and the ACCS screen displayed in front of the main commitment screen
Sequence No. and Line Descriptions

To complete the ACCS screen, begin with the Sequence Number (Sequence No.) and Line entries.

The Sequence No. is system-generated and sequentially counts the ACCS entries and lines associated with a commitment transaction.

The Line (number):

  • Represents each unique item or commodity listed on the commitment source document that should be recorded in IFMIS as a separate Line on the ACCS screen.
  • Is associated with at least one ACCS, including the dollar amount.
  • Can be associated with multiple ACCS entries having the same Line number.
Screenshot of the ACCS screen with circle around Sequence No., system-generated starting at 001, and Line field, starting at 001 and can be modified
ACCS Line Modifications

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.

Customer Order

The Customer Order field is used only for reimbursable programs, where the ACCS code type is reimbursable (R).

If the ACCS code ends in “R”, enter:

  • The program code in the Customer Order field.
  • The Line number that corresponds to the ACCS; you may use the lookup feature to select the proper entry.
The Line field must be used whenever there is an entry in the Customer Order field.
Screenshot of IFMIS ACCS screen with Customer Order and Line fields circled; Line field shows entry of 000
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)
Screenshot of IFMIS ACCS screen with circle around ACCS Line fields and example entry - BFY (2010), Fund (06), Prog (1450 DR), Org (9034), Proj (blank), Obj (2610), and D/R (D)
P/F and Force 

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”.

Screenshot of IFMIS ACCS screen with circle around the following fields and entries: P/F (F entry) and Force (N entry)
Change Amount and Line Balance

By entering an amount in either the Change Amount or Line Balance field and tabbing to the next 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 commitment balance in the Line Balance field, which has a calculator pop-up function for assistance.

Screenshot of IFMIS ACCS screen with circle around Change Amount and Line Balance fields; both entries show the default amount 0.00; these amounts are the same; an amount can be entered in either field; IFMIS will generate the other field with the same amount once you tab to the next field
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, if applicable, or leave blank.
  • Qty (Quantity): Enter the total number of item(s) to be purchased.
  • Unit Price: Enter the unit price of the item(s) to be purchased. When entering a quantity and unit price, the system edits the resulting total and calculates the total against the Change Amount.
  • Comment: Enter any additional information related to the current ACCS line.
  • Previous Year Adj: Leave blank.
  • Transaction Code: Accept system-generated entry.
  • Terms, Net, Disc Date, and Date Due: Leave blank.
Screenshot of the ACCS screen with a rectangle around the following fields and entries; blank unless otherwise indicated: UOM, Stock Number, Qty (0.00), Unit Price (0.00), Total (0.00), Comment (Required to keep current postage rates in existing...), Category B 6159, Previous Year Adj (N), Transaction Code, Terms (00, 0.000 000), Net (000), Disc Date, and Date Due
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).
Screenshot of IFMIS ACCS screen with arrows pointing to Line item verified message at the top of the ACCS screen and the Transaction Code (T2005 entry) and VERIFY button at the bottom of the ACCS screen
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.
Screenshot of IFMIS ACCS screen with a circle around the NEXT, PREV, VERIFY, and COPY buttons at the bottom of the ACCS screen as they are selected to add multiple ACCS lines
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.
Screenshot of IFMIS main commitment screen in background and ACCS screen in foreground; arrows are pointing to the MAIN button at the bottom of the ACCS screen and the VER, SAVE, and EXIT buttons at the bottom of the main commitment screen as they are selected to complete a transaction
Lesson 2.1 Summary
This lesson covered:
  • Vendor commitment processing.

The next unit covers vendor obligation processing in detail.