Summary Results from OFM Statistical Sampling Date: Fri, 16 May 1997 16:56:44 -0400 X-Mailer: Z-Mail 4.0.2 (4.0.2 Dec 6 1996) To: "AO - All Administrative Officers", "Kelly L Bradley, Chief, FORS, Reston, VA" , "MaryLou D Pectol, Reston, VA" , "Phyllis C Smith, Menlo Park, CA" , "E.Jackie B Quackenbush, Reston, VA" Subject: Summary Results from OFM Statistical Sampling Cc: "Mary T Christensen, Reston, VA" , "Brenda L Fulk, Reston, VA" , "Bruce M Wood, Reston, VA" , "Diane M Bush, Reston, VA" , "John J Blickley, Reston, VA" , "Kathleen E Carpenter, Reston, VA" , "Karen D Baker, Reston, VA" , "Melanie J Farmer, Reston, VA" , "Susan R Smith, Reston, VA" , "Susan R Sheely, Reston, VA" , "Susan E McCullough, Reston, VA" Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii I wanted to provide to all of you in electronic format, so that you could readily distribute further, summary information from OFM's statistical sampling of Remote Data Entry (RDE) payment and bankcard processing, as I discussed at last week's WRD conference in Orlando. I would reiterate that overall RDE sites are to be commended for the very few monetary errors in the payments we have reviewed, and that OFM will be, as a result, reducing the frequency and size of future sampling efforts. More information will be forthcoming from us on the revised sampling process you can expect, as well as feedback to you on specific error types found for each cost center. That additional detail will take us a bit longer to compile and distribute. My thanks to all for the considerable effort you have put forth and the successes already achieved in making RDE a truly valuable tool in streamlining financial processing in USGS. However, there are still a number of procedural errors being made, as outlined below, and we would appreciate your efforts to continue to improve the RDE process by reemphasizing to all participants the types of errors we have detected and the corrective steps they should be taking. Remote Data Entry Errors for Invoices Summarized below are several types of RDE errors which have been detected by OFM during the post entry audit of RDE payments. 1. Acceptance and Log dates are being entered into FFS incorrectly. Many RDE users believe the log date should be the date the invoice is entered into FFS. However, the log date should actually be the date the invoice was received by the RDE site. Approximately 50% of the payments reviewed have had incorrect acceptance and log dates entered into FFS. 2. Invoices are not being Stamped In' with the receipt date by the RDE sites. This violates prompt pay regulations and causes the prompt pay date to be incorrect. If the Stamped In' date is missing on the invoice, RDE users should enter the vendor invoice date in the FFS Log Date' field and leave the Acceptance date blank. 3. Approximately 25% of the invoices reviewed have missing or incomplete certification information. Certification information should include the authorizing signature, acceptance date, account numbers, and FFS document numbers. 4. Many checks are returned by vendors because they can not identify where to apply the payment. It is very important for RDE users to always enter the invoice number of the invoice in the invoice number' field on the payment document. Users should only use the Comments to Print' field when they do not have enough space in the invoice number' field. RDE users should ensure that adequate information is entered in either field so the vendor can identify the check. If the vendor invoice does not have an invoice number, then the RDE user should ask the vendor what information they need to identify the payment. 5. If the payment is an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), RDE users must always enter the invoice number in the Invoice Number' field. Data entered in the Comments to Print' field will not transmit with the payment and the vendor will not be able to apply the EFT payment. 6. Many checks are being sent to incorrect vendor addresses. RDE users should carefully check that the remit to' address on the invoice and the vendor address on the payment document in FFS match. FFS will prompt the users to verify the vendor address after they enter the first W' in the action field on the document. 7. Many paid invoices are missing contract or purchase order numbers. 8. The signature of the receiving official and the acceptance date is missing from many of the receiving reports. 9. The authorized signature, amount verified, and log date should always be annotated on the invoices before they are paid. Summary of the Rocky Mountain Bankcard Errors Summarized below are several types of errors which have been detected by OFM during the review of the bankcard statements. A. Many of the bankcard charges included sales taxes. Sales taxes should not be paid unless the purchase is charged in Arizona, Kentucky, Illinois, or New Mexico. B. Many of the purchases charged on the statements were missing the account number, complete description of the item purchased, and/or an object class. Each individual purchase on the statement should be annotated with the account number, complete description, and object class. This information may be annotated on the statement or an attachment. C. Many of the purchases on the statement were missing adequate supporting documentation. Every bankcard purchase should include supporting documentation such as charge slips, register receipts, shipping documents, or bankcard purchase logs. In any case, the dollar amount of the purchase should be annotated on the supporting documentation. D. Some of the charge authorizations were not signed by the cardholder. Because the cardholder is the only person who can authorize charges on their card, all charge authorizations must be signed by the cardholder. E. Some of the bankcard statements were missing an approving official's signature. An approving official must sign the statement to certify that the purchases were appropriate. F. A few of the bankcard statements included purchases of telephone services and building rent which are restricted items. (See Section 5 of the Bankcard Handbook for a complete list of restricted purchases) at http://www.usgs.gov:8888/usgs-manual/handbook/hb/403-7-h.html -- Tim Calkins USGS Office of Financial Management tcalkins@usgs.gov (703) 648-7604