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USAS-R: Improving Current Processes

The recent USAS-R Release updates have included some exciting updates that are aimed to improve current processes. Releases are scheduled every two weeks and include regular Improvements, Bug Fixes, New Features, and Internal changes. A full list of Release Notes can be found here: USAS-R Release NotesIn this article, two of the recent updates will be highlighted in further detail. These improvements were completed based on user feedback that we received directly from district and ITCs!.

Improving the Expenditure Process

On July 30th, Release 8.52.0 included performance improvements to the expenditure process due to refactoring Purchase Orders. There were additional areas identified where processes can be improved and those will be addressed in future as well. This update is particularly relevant for districts when processing large purchase orders. 

Pending Transaction → PO:  28-52%

Often, the purchase orders created from the Pending Transactions for benefits are very large so this will also improve this part of the process.

The pending transactions include Employer Distribution and Employer Retirement Share transactions. These are populated in the Transaction>Pending Transactions page from USAS-R. In this step, the pending transaction is posted to create a purchase order.

PO → AP Invoice: 38-64%

In order to pay on a purchase order, the invoice must be created. This step specifically covers when the purchase order is invoiced to fill items on the purchase order and saving the transaction to create the invoice in the AP Invoice grid.

Payable → Disbursement: 18-35%

Vendor Repair Update

When you are ready to create the disbursements, the transactions appear in the Payables grid to represent any AP Invoices that have been filled but not yet paid. Payables can be selected and then "Posted" as disbursements/checks in this step. This step also updates the amounts from encumbered (filled) to expended. 

A full list of Release Notes can be found here: USAS-R Release Notes

Vendor Repair Update

The PO Repair tool is a powerful function that was added last year. This feature is similar to VERINV in the Classic USAS software. PO Repair allows you to update a purchase order date, vendor, and/or item account codes even after it has been invoiced. This tool will also update any invoices that have been issued against the purchase order.

There are some rules that apply to the PO Repair process to maintain appropriate information for reports. The PO must be outstanding, have no payments posted against it, and it must be in an open posting period for most changes. However, we received feedback to request that the Vendor Repair can be used without reopening a posting period. Since this change doesn't specifically impact report totals, this update made that request a reality!

The Repair option can be found by viewing the purchase order and clicking on the Image Added icon. Navigate to the Vendor tab of the window that pops up and simply select the new vendor and click Update! The Repair option will work its magic and then provide you with a results window and a report to print for your records.

Image Added

For more information on the PO Repair option please see the Purchase Order Documentation in the SSDT Wiki or the PO Repair article in the August 2021 Newsletter.

Wrapping up STRS Advance for another Fiscal Year!!To make sure that you processed out of the STRS Advance correctly, after the last pay, go to System/Configuration/STRS

Now that the STRS advance is behind us for another fiscal year, did your reported STRS amount on the annual submission file match what was withheld from your employees and sent to STRS over the summer pays?  There are a few quick steps that can be taken to ensure those two amounts balance.

After the last pay of the fiscal year, go to System>Configuration>STRS Advance Configuration. If the 'Amount Paid Back' is equal or greater than the 'Advance Amount', then the district would have come out of advance and the advance flag on the configuration will be un-checked. When the advance flag on the configuration is unchecked, then the amount paid back ‘Advance Mode’ checkbox will be unchecked, and you are no longer in the advance.  When the “Advance Amount’ advance flag is unchecked, the ‘Amount Paid Back’ will always display zero. If the ‘Amount Paid Back Back’ is less than the ‘Advance Amount after the last payAmount’, then the advance flag on the configuration will not be un-checked and the Amount Paid Back will continue to show on the configuration record.If the Advance Mode flag is unchecked and the Advance Amount and Amount Paid Back fields are 0.00 and you are wanting to see the total Amount Paid Back, to verify that you did not overpay,  you can check the 'Advance Mode' box, refresh the screen or (close it and re-open) and the value will be displayed in the Amount Paid Back field.  

*NOTE -You will want to remember to un-check the Advance Mode box before you move on to your next payroll.

If you have overpaid or underpaid you will want to create a report that will assist in finding the employee(s) that may have had different amounts reported to STRS for the fiscal year advance in comparison to what was truly paid during the advance.

• You will want to go to Reports/STRS Reporting/Check STRS Advance. You will enter in the dates of advance processing for fiscal year 2022. (Example Start Date 7/1/21 (stop date of first pay in advance) to End Date 9/15/22  (stop date of last pay in advance). A report named Check STRS Advance Report is created. You will then go out to the Utilities/File Archive/2022 Fiscal Year Reports/STRS Advance Positions Report and click the Image Removed  to create the advance positions report for fiscal year 2022.

• After each report is created you will then want to compare the two, checking employee by employee and find anyone who’s amount paid during the advance on the Check STRS Advance Report does not match the STRS Advance Positions Report. Once all discrepancies are found the total should be what you are off between the Advance Amount and Amount Paid Back figures.

• You will need to contact STRS and inform them about the discrepancies you found for the fiscal year advance for the employee(s). After the corrections have been filed with STRS for over withholding or under withholding you will then need to be taken out of the Advance. You will go back to System/Configuration/STRS Advance Configuration and uncheck the Image Removedflag and click on Image Removed. This will update the Advance Amount and Amount Paid Back fields to 0.00.

• You will then go out to Core/Compensations/Contract Compensations and pull the STRS Advance property into the grid. Filter the grid for any records that are STRS Advance true. This will pull up any records still set as advance on the compensation record.

• Go to the Mass Change tab and import this Mass Change script SSDT_STRS_ADVANCED_FALSE. Click on the Execution Mode bubble and click Image Removed Click Image RemovedGo back to the grid and filter for STRS Advance true. There should be no records reflecting the STRS Advance flag at this point.

*NOTE- If you have compensations that are not out of advance, there is a field on the bottom of the Payroll Report--Payroll Item Strs Advancement: that shows how much is going toward the advancethe ‘Advance Mode’ will remain checked.  This indicates the district is still processing in the ‘advance mode’ and your STRS advance did not balance.  Further steps are necessary.

TheCheck STRS Advance Report (a report of the amounts sent to STRS over the summer pays) is an easy way to assist in determining the balancing discrepancies.

• Go to Reports>STRS Reporting>Check STRS Advance.
  • Start Date = Period ending date of the first pay in July.
  • End Date = Period ending date of the last pay of the fiscal year.
  • Sort By = Choose the same sort option that was selected for the STRS Advanced Positions Report.

The Check STRS Advance Report can be compared to the STRS Advanced Positions Report (created during the fiscal year end closing process).  If you need the STRS Advanced Positions Report, a copy of the report can be generated by going to Utilities>File Archive>2022 Fiscal Year Reports>STRS Advanced Positions Report. For each employee listed, the amount listed as ‘Total Amount Advanced’ on the STRS Advance Positions Report should match the ‘STRS Advance Amounts’ on the Check STRS Advance Report. 

Any discrepancies will need to be reported to STRS.  To avoid this year’s STRS balancing issues affecting next fiscal year’s annual reporting, the discrepancies filed with STRS will need to be posted to the Redesign using Core>Adjustments selecting the appropriate payroll item, type, transaction date, and amount for the fiscal year.  These adjustments could include the following:

• 450 Payroll Item – Total Gross, Transaction Date of 06/30/22, for the Fiscal Year to Date.
• 591 Payroll Item – Amount Withheld, Transaction Date of 06/30/22, for the Fiscal Year to Date.
• 691 Payroll Item – Board’s Amount of payroll item, Transaction Date of 06/30/22, for the Fiscal Year to Date.

At this time, the district will no longer want to be reporting contributions or processing advanced payments. To move the district out of the advance, someone with the appropriate account privileges will need to go to System>Configuration>STRS Advance Configuration and uncheck the ‘Advance Mode’ checkbox.  By doing so, the ‘Advance Amount’ and ‘Amount Paid Back’ fields will become 0.00. 

It is also important to verify that all Compensations no longer have the ‘Strs Advance’ checkbox marked. To ensure that all Compensations are flagged properly (false), do the following:

• Go to Core>Compensation and add the ‘Strs Advance’ field to the grid.

Image Added

• Filter the grid for any records with the ‘Strs Advance’ value equaling true. These are the records that will need to be updated.
• Using Utilities>Mass Change, the SSDT_STRS_ADVANCED_FALSE.JSN script can be used change all Compensations found in the previous step.
• Filter the Compensation grid again for any records with the ‘Strs Advance’ value equaling true. There should no longer be any records listed.

Reminder:  At the bottom of the Payroll Report, there is a total that is STRS advance specific called ‘Payroll Item Strs Advancement.’  This value should be $0.00.