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GENERAL BANNER FINANCE
INFORMATION
What is the difference between Internet Native Banner and
Self Service? Internet Native Banner (INB)
is an application intended for heavy users and those doing
more of the administrative functions. Self Service is intended
for the light users and does not have all the complexity of
Banner. Specifically for Finance related functions, it allows
users to create and approve requisitions, query accounts for
encumbrances, payments, and budget, as well as make budget
transfers. Will Banner
training be mandatory or can we learn the system by reading
the training materials?
Although written training material will be available to assist
users with learning the new system, this material is not a
substitute for the hands-on training sessions. Training is a
huge effort that is critical to the success of the Banner
implementation. Therefore, training is essential for users and
Banner access will be granted to only those users who attend
the training classes. Class schedules are available at
http://www6.semo.edu/infotech/sct/enduser.
FOAPAL - What does this
stand for? FOAPAL is the equivalent of an
FAO or account number in Advantage.
- (F) Fund - Required - distinguishes between unrestricted
and restricted funds
- (O) Organization (Org) - Required - based on the
organizational chart
- (A) Account - Required - used to specify the
classification of revenue and expenses
- (P) Program - Required - used for financial reporting
purposes; will default from Index or Organization code
- (A) Activity - Not required - used to track a particular
activity
- (L) Location - Not required (unless purchasing capital
equipment) - defines the physical location
- For more information on FOAPAL, review the Finance COA
Manual.
What is an Index code?
Index codes have been established to help alleviate Banner
users from having to remember all elements of the FOAP when
they create purchase requisitions or perform budget queries.
Your Index code is generally the same as your organization
code. When you enter your Index code, the Fund,
Organization, and Program codes will automatically populate.
When you use your Index code, you will only need to populate
the Account code field. Can
I see the crosswalk of my Advantage FAOs to my Banner
Index codes? Crosswalks from Advantage
FAOs to Banner Indexes and Fund/Organization codes can be
searched on the Web at
http://www3.semo.edu/controller/xwalk/xwalk.asp.
How do I know what my fiscal year and
fiscal period should be? Southeast
Missouri State University has a fiscal year that runs from
July 1st through June 30th. The "fiscal year" which Banner
asks correlates with the year in which our fiscal year ends.
In other words, fiscal year 2006 is the time period from
July 1, 2005 - June 30, 2006. The "fiscal period"
which Banner asks correlates with the months of our fiscal
year. Fiscal period 01 is the first month of our fiscal
year, or July. When performing queries, for information on the full
year, choose fiscal period 14.
BUDGET-RELATED INFORMATION
How are the budgets broken out
within my Index?
Revenue budgets are budgeted by the specific account
code. The expense budgets are budgeted by budget pools
(610000 - Student Labor, 620000 - Faculty/Staff Labor,
780000 - Equipment, 701000 - Operating Expenditures).
How can I view the information in
my Index?
Click on the "Budget Queries" link from the Financial
Information menu. Choose "Budget by Account" from the
drop-down list in the "Retrieve Existing Query" section and
click the "Retrieve Query" box. Modify the parameters, if
desired, and click "Continue."
Enter your Index and click "Submit Query." The Fund,
Organization, and Program information will populate. Click
"Submit Query" again.
For more information on viewing an Index, please review
the Finance Budget Manual
and
Finance
Budget Quick Reference.
How can I transfer budget?
Choose the Budget Transfer link from the Financial
Information menu. Enter the "Transaction Date" (this will
default to the current date). Select the "Journal Type" TB1
(Departmental Budget Transfer). Enter the "Transfer Amount."
Enter the Indexes and click "Complete." The Fund, Org, and
Program information will populate. Enter the Pooled
Budget Accounts and a "Description." Click "Complete."
For more information on viewing an Index, please review
the Finance Budget Manual
and
Finance
Budget Quick Reference.
Who can make budget transfers?
All employees who have attended the Banner Budget Reports
and Transfers class will have the ability to make budget
transfers. However, departmental procedures should be
followed. This includes obtaining the proper approvals prior
to making a transfer.
Can I make budget transfers only
between Pooled Budget Accounts or also between Organization
codes?
Employees can make transfers between Pooled Budget
Accounts and Organizations. Employees CANNOT make
transfers across Funds or from Grant or Foundation
Organizations.
How do I check the remaining budget
in my Pooled Budget Accounts?
Click on the Budget Queries link from the Financial
Information menu. Choose "Budget Report Template" from the
drop-down list in the "Retrieve Existing Query" section and
click the "Retrieve Query" box. Modify the parameters, if
desired, and click "Continue."
Enter your Index and click "Submit Query." The Fund,
Organization, and Program information will populate. Click
"Submit Query" again.
Click on "60" to see the available budget for Student
Labor and/or Faculty/Staff Labor. Click on "70" to see the
available budget for Equipment and/or Operating
Expenditures.
For more information on viewing an Index, please review
the Finance Budget Manual
and
Finance
Budget Quick Reference.
How can I download my budget query
to Excel?
At the bottom of your budget query report, you will see
two buttons: (1) Download All Ledger Columns, and (2)
Download Selected Ledger Columns. You can click on either
option to download the report into Excel. By choosing
the first option, all parameters of the report will
download. By choosing the second option, only the parameters
you had chosen for your report will download into Excel.
You will need to do some formatting in Excel.
PURCHASING-RELATED INFORMATION
How is an online purchase requisition
done? Click on the "Requisition" link from
the Finance Self Service menu. For general
information on how to create an online purchase requisition,
please review the
Purchasing Training
Manual.
Can I create all of my
purchase requisitions in Self Service?
Self Service may be used to enter simple purchase
requisitions. Internet Native Banner must be used to enter a
requisition if any of the following apply:
- Purchase of a fixed asset (formerly object 300 in
Advantage)
- Requisition with more than five (5) accounting lines
- Requisition when budget is not available at time of
entry
How do I know I've completed my
requisition properly? Did you click on the
"Complete" button at the end of the process? If not, your
requisition is hanging out in Banner space. After the
"Complete" button is clicked, you will receive a
confirmation message displaying your requisition number;
it is at this time that your requisition is automatically
forwarded for approvals. If you are in doubt,
look up the requisition in "View Document" in Self Service
Banner or FPIREQN in Internet Native Banner (INB). When
the requisition has been successfully completed, you will
see a "Y" in the "Complete" box in Self Service Banner or
a check mark in the "Complete" box in Internet Native
Banner. Where can I go
for Purchasing support needed after attending training?
Rest assured that you are not expected to become a Banner
expert overnight. A training class manual is available for
you to use as a reference if you have questions or
problems. Training classes will also be offered on a
monthly basis throughout the year. Still have question or
need support--contact the Purchasing staff for further
assistance. How do I use
the Lookup function in the online purchase requisition?
For general information on the use of the Lookup function
in Self Service, please review the
Purchasing Training
Manual.
What if my vendor is not
listed in Banner Self Service? If you
cannot find your vendor or if you have a new vendor to add
to the vendor list, enter the vendor information
(including name, address, and phone number) in the
"Document Text" field of the requisition. Completing a
requisition without a vendor number will not give you an
error message. What if I
have an attachment to send with a Requisition?
All attachments associated with a Banner online
requisition should be submitted using either the Banner
Requisition Attachment Form located at
http://www6.semo.edu/purchasing OR sent via: fax
(x5099), campus mail (MS2035), or email
(purchasing@semo.edu).
When creating the Banner Finance online requisition,
advise the Purchasing staff of the attachment by typing a
note explaining the method used to send the attachment in
"Document Text." The purchase order will not be
processed until the attachment has be received.
How can I change/cancel my purchase
requisition? To change a purchase order,
email the requisition number and information to be changed
to Purchasing at
purchasing@semo.edu. Remember: any increase
in dollar amount will require an approval so you must
create an additional requisition for the amount of the
increase. How do I
create a purchase requisition template?
Before "Completing" your requisition, enter the name of
your template in the "Save as Template" field. Do not
check the "Shared" box. Creating a template is
not required. Templates allow you to save time when you
have recurring requisitions.
How do I approve a purchase
requisition? Approvals for purchase
requisitions are processed through Banner Self Service. As
a Financial Manager, you have the authority to approve
requisitions for your Indexes via the Web. For
general information on how to approve a purchase
requisition, review the
Self Service Approvals
training manual.
How can I track the progress
of my requisition? Click on the "View
Documents" link from the "Finance" menu in Banner Self
Service. Click on "Requisitions" from the "Choose Type"
drop-down menu. Enter the requisition number in the
"Document Number" box. Choose the "Approval History"
button located at the bottom of the page. The
next page will display status information. If the
requisition is still in the approval queue, waiting for
specific approvals, a message to this effect will be
displayed. If the document has been approved, it will
state "no further approvals are needed" and display who
approved the document. If the requisition has been
disapproved, it will display "Deny" in the approval
history. Can I print my
Requisition?
Yes you can print your requisition. Click on the
"View Documents" link from the "Finance" menu in Banner
Self Service. Click on "Requisitions" from the "Choose
Type" drop-down menu. Enter the requisition number in the
"Document Number" box. Click on the "View Document" button
at the bottom of the page. Click on your Internet browser
"Print" button. How will
I be notified when my Purchase Order is approved?
This procedure will not change; departments will continue
to receive a copy of the signed purchase order via campus
mail. How can I verify
that my P.O. was charged to the correct Index/Account?
Click on the "View Documents" link from the "Finance" menu
in Banner Self Service. Click on "Requisitions" from the
"Choose Type" drop-down menu. Enter the requisition number
in the "Document Number" box. Click on the "View Document"
button at the bottom of the page. The requisition and
accounting information will be shown at the bottom of the
page.
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE - RELATED
INFORMATION
How can I find out if and
when a vendor has been paid?
From Self Service, click on the "Finance" menu; click
on the "Budget Queries" link; from the "Retrieve Existing
Query" drop-down list, choose "Expenditure Query and click
the "Retrieve Query" button. Click the "Continue" button,
making no changes.
Enter the appropriate chart of accounts: U (University)
or F (Foundation). Enter your Index. Click the "Submit
Query" button. Fund, Organization, and Program information
will populate. Click the "Submit Query" button once again.
Query Results will show all Expenditure Accounts that
have had activity. Find the account that the expenditure
was to be charged to and click on the dollar amount in the
"Year to Date" column. From the document list results,
click on the item for which you would like to see more
information. Towards the bottom of the screen, you may see
a "Related Documents" box. If so, it could contain check
information or Purchase Order information. You have the
option of clicking on the PO# and viewing additional
information for that particular PO. If you do not see
check information, click on the "system Invoice Number"
towards the top of the screen to get detailed information
on the invoice. This will show you the payment due date
(check date) and detailed information of the invoice.
If an item has not been paid for,
can I see when payment is scheduled?
See above explanation.
How can I find out what invoices
were paid on a check?
This is not a feature available with Banner Self
Service at this time. Please contact Accounts Payable for
this information.
How can I view what has been paid
to a particular vendor?
This is not a feature available with Banner Self
Service at this time. Please contact Accounts Payable for
this information.
Internet Native Banner (INB) does provide this feature.
Login to INB and go to the FAIVNDH form. Enter the vendor
number. (If you do not know the vendor number, click on
the "Search" box located at the right of the Vendor
number/name box. An "Options List" pop-up box will appear;
click on "Entity Name/ID Search (FTIIDEN), perform a
vendor search, and double click on the Vendor Number. This
will automatically take you back to FAIVNCH and fill in
the vendor number for you.) Tab to the "Selection" field
and choose "All." Tab to the "Fiscal Year," and enter
Fiscal Year "06." Perform a "Next Block." A list of all
vendor invoices entered in the system and corresponding
information for each vendor invoice will be displayed.
How can I view detailed
information on an invoice?
See "How can I view what has been paid
to a particular vendor?" above.
How are other Accounts Payable
forms processed on Banner? (i.e., Direct Pays, Expense
Requests, Payment Voucher Forms)
Employees will use the same process as they use now for
Accounts Payable forms. The forms have been updated and
are available on the Accounts Payable Web page:
http://www6.semo.edu/apdept/banner.htm. Send the
completed forms to Accounts Payable, MS3250, for
processing.
What is the process for approving
Accounts Payable forms?
Employees will use the same process as is currently
used for approving Accounts Payable forms. Financial
Managers, or the Alternate Approver for Direct Pays, will
sign the forms.
RESEARCH ACCOUNTING
RELATED INFORMATION (GRANTS)
What is my new Index code?
There are at least two ways to check your new Index code.
Access a crosswalk table at
http://www3.semo.edu/controller/xwalk/xwalk.asp with your
Southeast Key. Type in your old Advantage FAO and the
new Banner Index code will be displayed.
Internet Native Banner (INB) can also be used to locate
your Index code. Log into INB and in the "GO" text box, type
FTVACCI. Use the query function to search for your Index code.
If I know my new Index code, do I
still need to know my grant code (fund code)?
The grant code is necessary to perform budget queries and
view expenditures since the inception of your grant (grant
periods may cross fiscal years). For grants beginning July 1
or after, the Index code, grant code, and fund code for a
grant will be set as the same number. Grants existing prior to
July 1 were set up with the Index code and grant code matching
the organization code. The beginning two numbers on grant
funds are unique (22 - federal grants, 23 - state grants, 24 -
private grants) and serve as a signal to business offices that
these expenditures require the approval of the Grants
Compliance Officer.
I need to know how much money I have
left in my grant. How can I look this up?
The easiest access to your grant budget balance is through
Internet Self Service Budget Queries. One of the more useful
queries is the "Organization Budget Status Report". Review the
Research Accounting manual for details on how to pull
up a query and view your balances by pooled accounts.
How can I view my grant budget
activity inception-to-date?
In Self Service, select "Budget Status by Account Query"
and click enter. Continue through the next screen. Instead of
using the Index code, enter the grant code only in the grant
field, making sure no other fields are populated. Uncheck
"Include Revenue Accounts" if checked. The resulting screen is
a budget by pooled accounts from the grant inception date.
I no longer want to keep my expenses
in a spreadsheet separate from Banner. How can I do this but
still be able to know my current grant balance at all times?
You can keep a log of grant activity - purchase
requisitions, invoices, etc. and check Banner periodically to
see when they clear. As the activities show up in Banner,
remove them from your log. Your current grant balance at any
time is the amount the Banner Budget Query shows less items on
your activity log that have not yet entered the system.
Will I be able to do my own budget
transfers within my grant in Banner?
Accounting Services, specifically the Grant Accountant,
will continue to do all budget transfers in grants. It is
critical that budget transfers conform to sponsoring agency
guidelines. Financial managers may still authorize the Grant
Accountant to make transfers.
I have not yet received my grant
contract but know that we have a grant award. What Index code
should I put on expenses that are due?
Contact the granting agency to expedite the contract. If
that is not possible, have the agency send a letter or memo
that states their intention to fund the grant. With this
documentation, the Grant Accountant may be able to assign a
grant code and other codes with approval from the Controller.
FOUNDATION ACCOUNTING
GENERAL INFORMATION
Where do I send invoices that get
paid through a Foundation account?
All invoices paid through the Foundation accounts should
still be sent to the Foundation Office, MS7300, for
processing.
When can I expect a check to be cut
from the Foundation?
Checks from Foundation accounts will be ran two times each
week. Specific days will be determined at a later time.
Am I required to code Foundation
invoices to be paid?
Using the Direct Pay Stamp, indicate Chart F and fill in
all appropriate information including the Index code and
expense account to be charged. It is not necessary to fill in
the fund or org as long as the Index code is used.
Can I use my Foundation Advantage
FAO to find my Foundation Banner Index code?
You can search for your Foundation Banner Index code on a
Web site using your Foundation Advantage FAO at
http://www3.semo.edu/controller/xwalk/xwalk.asp.
How will Foundation transfers be
handled with Banner?
Foundation transfers will continue to be handled as they
are now. The transfer form should be completed and sent to the
Foundation office. It will then be forwarded to Accounting
Services for processing. |