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Transition Session 3 Q&A's
Transition Session 3
November 14, 2006
Questions and Answers
Q: Will agencies need to submit the Banking Supplies Order Form to SAO for local accounts?
A: No, SAO is only responsible for the main depository and disbursement accounts. Agencies will work with their local accounts as they do today.
Q: Does the “vendor address” on the Control Group Register mean the same as “payment address”?
A: Yes.
Q: Will agencies receive check copies?
A: No. Agencies will no longer receive a paper copy of checks that they currently use to file invoices and documentation.
Q: Is it mandatory that agencies use Control Groups?
A: Not at this time. However, agencies will no longer have physical checks to verify payments for correctness. The Control Group will allow an error to be seen before the check is processed rather than after.
Q: When is the Control Group Report created?
A: It is a crystal report and can be pulled anytime after the Control Group is completed.
Q: Why should we use a Control Group?
A: Today you have access to the actual checks to verify against the invoice or other documents before they are sent out. In the future you will not see the checks as they will be sent from SAO. Agencies will need to adopt a new business process to verify checks and voucher information prior to the check being printed and mailed.
Q: If you have one item rejected in the budget check process, will it reject the whole Control Group?
A: If you post your group using post individually, only the one item that is rejected will not post. The rest of the Control Group will post. However if you select the group button, all items will be rejected.
Q: If a check in the Control Group doesn’t clear budget check, will it be on the Control Group report?
A: The Control Group report contains the data keyed for every voucher in the control group. Budget checking data will not show here. If you reprint the report, it should still show every voucher that was included in the Control Group. User can use the Payable Due Proof report to see budget checked information.
Q: What does “AG” mean for the Handling Code?
A: It means “Return to Agency”.
Q: What is the turnaround time for a stop pay, void, or reissue since the process will go through SAO?
A: The Policy and Procedures are being developed and we will communicate turn-around times when Policy and Procedures have been completed. However, SAO will implement a rapid turn around to ensure that productivity is no compromised.
Q: If SAO is handling stop payments, will they still appear on the agencies’ books?
A: Yes.
Q: If you have documentation that needs to go with the check, can you still get the check sent back to the agency for further processing?
A: Yes, we will allow special handling codes to be used for this purpose, but will continue to monitor to ensure that the bulk of the AP checks are sent directly to the vendors. Additionally, you may also send out documentation separately from the check and notate that the check will be arriving at a later date. SAO is encouraging the use of ACH(electronic) payment to vendors when appropriate.
Q: If we submit a request for a check copy to SAO, how long will it take to get the copy?
A: The Service Level has not been determined for all of the services SAO will provide, but as soon as the Service Level is determined, we will communicate this to the agencies. However, we anticipate that check images will be electronically sent to agency within 1-3 hours.
Q: What is the plan for Federal funds that cannot be escheated?
A: If federal funds cannot be escheated, the agencies and SAO will identify the payments and changed to an escheated status through an individual entry into PeopleSoft for each check. Agencies will monitor this on a monthly basis and will also have access to the monthly aging report. Agencies will communicate these restrictions to SAO as they occur.
Q: How will HCM-related agency payments be handled if they do not have treasury accounts?
A: Most payments will be through EFT, but some will continue to be handled by check.
Q: Will garnishments be handled automatically?
A: No. Agencies will continue to handle the paperwork and manage that process as they do today. Payments will be disbursed from the central disbursement account.
Q: What is the planned date for customer consolidation?
A: The planned date is for the weekend of December 2, 2006. Agencies that could not complete the data clean up will have system generated numbers assigned to the affected customers. Further communication will be sent out shortly.
Q: How will agencies be able to make credit card deposits to PeopleSoft on the same day as the deposit when it takes 2-3 days for the deposits to settle and reconcile?
A: Agencies that receive large batches of credit cards payments will be evaluated on a agency basis to determine the best solution for that agency. SAO is currently developing business processes to handle credit card collections.
Q: Some agencies receive payments through ACH. What means of notification by SAO to the agency that the funds have come in?
A: The funds will come in on the agency depository account that the agency will reconcile daily. This account will get a daily BAI electronic feed of all transactions and it will be imported into PeopleSoft every morning. Agencies will be able to identify payments at that time. There may be a day lag before the agency gets this transaction into PeopleSoft so you may carry a reconciling exception for one day.
Q: How will the payments through ARIS be identified?
A: There is no change. Agencies will still be required to send a query.
Q: Will the agency name be on the check and if so, where will it be?
A: The agency name will not be in the memo line on the face of the check.
Q: How will we inquire on the status of a check if we no longer have access to the bank proprietary system?
A: You will be able to view the check status on the Payment Inquiry page on PeopleSoft. You will see if the check has been reconciled (cash by the bank), escheated, or if it is still outstanding.
Q: Will agencies still need to submit a report on travel per diem and payroll expenses to SAO annually for the CAFR reporting?
A: Agencies do not submit this information to SAO; this information is submitted to Audits for reports they are required to produce annually. SAO facilitates the submission of this data through an extract of PeopleSoft information (with processes in place to allow agencies to make adjustments, as necessary). The statute outlining this reporting requirement by Audits has not changed; therefore, this information will still need to be submitted annually.
Q: How will agencies get the information needed to set up their agencies for EFTPS payment through SAO?
A: SAO will provide the account numbers to the agency and the agency can add a new account to their EFTPS profile. They will continue to use the old profile until they switch to the new SLB account. At that time they can delete the old account number from the profile. It is recommended that if you have an existing ID, you will need to allow a 6 week lead time and if you don’t have an ID at all, you may need a two month lead time.