CATEGORIES
Can users learn about modules that do not directly correspond with their role?
Can users begin to schedule time in the CAMS Lab?
Will the CAMS Lab be available for use during weekends and off hours?
Will users be able to access the CAMS Training instance outside of the CAMS Lab?
Has a decision been made as to whether NIST will utilize accrual or obligation-based accounting?
Why will a single CAMS production database be used by all Department of Commerce CAMS users?
IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH
When will system downtimes occur as a result of the CAMS Phase III Implementation effort?
Note: This only applies to current users (i.e., users within the Financial Services Group (FSG)).
Due to system readiness testing and conversion activities, FSG CAMS users will not be able to access CAMS during the times specified in the chart below. The CAMS Implementation Team has determined these dates in coordination with FSG management. Specific start times are approximate and any future changes will be communicated to users accordingly.
September 30, 2003 6:00 PM September 30, 2003 7:00 PM Migrate EA code fix to Production October 2, 2003 6:00 PM October 3, 2003 10:00 PM Vendor and Project/Task Code Conversions into Production October 10, 2003 6:00 PM October 10, 2003 9:00 PM Migrate additional CSC code deliveries to Production October 11, 2003 6:00 PM October 11, 2003 12:00 AM GMIS / CSTARS testing to prepare for Phase III Implementation October 16, 2003 6:00 PM October 21, 2003 12:00 AM Phase III Conversion into CAMS
When CAMS is implemented in October, will there be a period of time in which accounting data will not be available?
Accounting data will not be available for approximately three weeks in the beginning of October. This is necessary because the DCFO Finance Office needs to perform a final close on all legacy systems and then the CAMS Implementation Team will convert this legacy data into CAMS. The estimated date in which CAMS will be ready for general use is October 22nd, 2003.
NOTE: Senior Management Advisors (SMAs) and Administrative Officers (AOs) may need to rely on manual tracking during this time.
*As of October 2003, the Financial Information System (FIS) will not be supported and there are no plans to convert FIS data.*Please refer to the Conversion Fact Sheet for more information regarding the CAMS Data Conversion effort.
What is the general process for the General Ledger data conversion effort?
Open payables and open receivables will be converted into the Core Financial System (CFS) using automated programs at the line item level. This conversion will result in General Ledger (GL) impacts that will be reversed out through General Journals (GJs) at a Bureau/Fund level using a dummy Accounting Code Classification Structure (ACCS). Dummy ACCS values are default ACCS strings that will be used for conversion purposes only. The actual FY 2003 closing trial balances from the legacy systems will then be brought over into CFS using the same default ACCS values that were used to back out the impacts created by the Accounts Payable/Accounts Receivable conversion effort. The GL entries will be backed out and reloaded to ensure that the trial balances existing in the legacy systems are the same balances that will be used in CAMS.
What is the timeframe of the implementation?
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CAMS/CFS will be implemented for NIST, TA, and NTIA by October 2003. At that time, NIST and the eight (8) Bureaus NIST cross-services will all be implemented on CAMS/CFS.
Why is CAMS being implemented by the Department of Commerce?
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The Joint Financial Management Improvement Program (JFMIP) requires that an Agency’s financial management systems be linked together electronically for effectiveness and efficiency. The CAMS Implementation will enable compliance with a number of key legal mandates passed in recent years, which are listed below:
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Federal Managers Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA) of 1982
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Chief Financial Officers Act (CFO) of 1990
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Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993
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Government Management Reform Act (GMRA) of 1994
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Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of 1996 (FFMIA)
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Office of Management and Budget (OMB) - Circular A-127 “Financial Management Systems”
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CAMS is being implemented to execute the Department’s vision for a sound financial and administrative management system. This requires modernization of its various financial and administrative systems, functions, and processes.
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Furthermore, CAMS will provide the NIST financial community and its Customer Bureaus with significant benefits over the current financial environment, including on-line access to timely, detailed data at the line item level, the electronic linking/integration of the related activities of program managers, finance, budget, acquisition and administrative personnel and the reduction of current efforts devoted to reconciliation and error correction.
What does it mean to run parallel systems and why was this approach not taken with the CAMS implementation?
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Running parallel systems during an implementation means that both the old and the new systems are run simultaneously for a specified transition period before the organization shuts off the old system and shifts over to the new system.
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The CAMS Implementation Team adhered to the conclusions contained in a JFMIP White Paper exploring and explaining the business reasons for not running parallel systems when implementing financial systems.
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The CAMS Implementation Team compared the benefits to the risks associated with operating parallel systems and decided against this strategy for the Phase I, II and III CAMS implementation efforts for the reasons below:
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Running parallel systems requires that users enter the same data in two different systems, which is time consuming and leads to reconciliation errors.
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Running parallel systems often leads to errors when data is transferred from the old system to the new system. This results mostly from double keying of data and from the difference in levels of detail of the data entered in each system.
- There is a high cost involved in running two systems simultaneously.
- The CAMS/CFS application was fairly mature, having been implemented by other Commerce bureaus and used in a Production environment within the Department for a number of years.
INTERFACES / FEEDER SYSTEMS
Will CSTARS be modified to accommodate the CAMS Accounting Code Classification Structure (ACCS)?
Any differences between the Commerce Standard Acquisition and Reporting System (CSTARS) ACCS structure and the CAMS ACCS structure will be addressed in the interface between the systems. For this reason, there is no need to modify the CSTARS software to accommodate the CAMS ACCS. Project codes will be loaded into CSTARS before implementation to ensure that CAMS and CSTARS are synchronized. Following the CAMS implementation, the CSTARS Team will have the ability to update Projects as needed using the NIST CAMS Portal.
NOTE: Following the CAMS Implementation in October 2003, new documents created in CSTARS should contain the ACCS values (Bureau, Project, Organization, Object Class) as identified by the CAMS Implementation Team.
What Accounting Code Classification Structure (ACCS) values will Commerce Purchase Card (CPCS) users need to know?
Cardholders will be expected to use the Order Log Screen in CPCS to assign the following ACCS values to each item purchased with their Bankcard:
- Project/Task: Formerly known as Cost Centers, Project codes are used to assign and track costs. Task codes can be used by Project owning Organizations to break out a Project by the specific task being performed (e.g. Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable). Projects codes are alphanumeric and contain seven digits. Task codes are numeric-only and contain three digits.
- Organization: Organization codes are used to identify the specific Organization making a charge. The Organization Code is a fourteen digit field separated into the following segments:
- Object Class: An Object Class is a numeric code assigned to financial transactions to identify the nature of a service or an item received. Object Classes are eight digits long and separated into four segments. The final four segments will always be filled with zeros.
How will a default Accounting Classification Code Structure (ACCS) be assigned to Commerce Small Purchase Card (CPCS) users?
At the end of each month, default ACCS values are applied to transactions that have not been reconciled so that CitiBank bills are paid on time. Most cardholders selected a default ACCS when they received their Bankcard. If a cardholder did not select a default ACCS, then the Commerce Bankcard Center would have assigned the Bureau default ACCS for them.
NOTE: CPCS users will be able to change their own default values once the CPCS goes live. Users will be trained on this process as a part of the upcoming CPCS Training.
What will be the frequency for interfacing Feeder System data into CAMS?
The CAMS Implementation Team is working to finalize the plans for the numerous external systems that will be interfaced into CAMS. Data from these systems will be transferred into CAMS in order to maintain CAMS as the system of record for NIST.
Initial assumptions have been made on the frequency that Feeder System data will be interfaced into CAMS. These assumptions are subject to change:
- Travel Manager - Nightly
- CSTARS - Nightly
- GMIS - Nightly
- GTA - Monthly
- NFC Labor - Bi-weekly
- Bankcard - Nightly
- Lockbox - Nightly
- Calibrations - TBD
- SRM - TBD
- Federal Workforce Transportation System - Monthly
- Computer Services - Nightly
- Plant - Weekly
- Shops - Weekly
- Boulder Plant - Weekly
- Boulder Shops - Weekly
- Boulder Other Objects - Weekly
- Oracle Assets - Bi-Weekly
- Storeroom Inventory System - Weekly
- Estimated Accruals – Year-end
- Labor Estimated Accruals - Monthly
- Verizon/WITS - Monthly
- NVLAP - TBD
- Federal Express - Monthly
- Data Warehouse - Nightly
Will CAMS and e-Approval be integrated?
Back to TopThe CAMS Implementation Team has entered discussions with e-Approval project management to better understand the information contained in the e-Approval application. Currently, the scope of the CAMS Phase III Implementation includes 1) the CAMS application (including the Core Financial System (CFS), the Commerce Purchase Card System (CPCS), the NFC Labor system and the NIST/CAMS Portal application) and 2) the integration/interfacing of all feeder systems containing financial/accounting data into CFS. The CAMS Implementation Team has identified over 25 feeder systems to be interfaced into the CFS Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable and General Ledger modules. In addition, the CAMS team plans to interface commitment transactions from these feeder systems directly into the NIST/CAMS Portal to allow Administrative Officers timely access to transactions (as they have now with FIS). To the extent that e-Approval is currently or will incorporate manual processes that are not currently supported by a feeder system, we will work with e-Approval to interface transactions from these processes into CAMS.
What is the Quick Purchase System (QPS)?
Back to TopQPS administers bankcard purchases for selected NIST personnel for allotted purchases of $2,500 or less. Larger purchases, normally greater than $2,500, are made using the Commerce Standard Acquisition and Reporting System (CSTARS).
What is the Department of Treasury Automated Standard Application for Payment (ASAP) System and how will it be utilized with the Grants Management Information System (GMIS) following the CAMS/CFS Implementation?
ASAP is the Department of Treasury’s Automated Standard Application for Payment System that allows grant recipients to withdraw certified funding for same day/next day deposit into their accounts.
Currently, the NIST Grants Office staff creates a commitment and obligation in the legacy procurement database. The legacy procurement database transmits the grant file to an e-mail account accessed by the Accounts Payable staff. The Accounts Payable staff verifies and records the obligation using the data transmitted by the procurement database and the hard copy of the obligation document that is sent by the staff in the Grants Office. The Grants Office staff creates an account profile and establishes an authorization by logging directly into ASAP. The NIST Certifying Officer in Accounts Payable then approves the authorization in ASAP and Grantees are eligible to withdraw needed funding. The Accounts Payable staff then requests a grant disbursement report from the Federal Reserve Bank in Richmond (FRBR) by fax and, once received, the Accounts Payable staff records the grant disbursement and processes the accrual.
A CFS/ASAP interface will replace the current manual grant disbursement process that utilizes the ASAP system. In addition, the legacy procurement database will be replaced by GMIS in FY03 and a CFS/GMIS interface will be developed and implemented by FY04 to correspond with the CFS/ASAP interface currently being developed for the CAMS implementation. With the CFS/GMIS and CFS/ASAP interfaces, some of the above processes will be omitted and others may be done electronically, possibly creating time saving benefits for the Grants Office staff and Accounts Payable staff.
Following the implementation, the Grants Office staff will only need to enter grant information into the Grants Management Information System (GMIS). The CFS/GMIS interface will be designed to automatically transmit obligation information and all necessary grant information to CFS. The CFS will then transmit all necessary grant information to ASAP through the CFS/ASAP interface, thus eliminating the need for the Grants Office staff to re-key grant information into ASAP. Therefore, the Accounts Payable staff will no longer need to post an accrual for grant disbursement or need to request a daily disbursement report from FRBR by fax because this information will be stored in CFS.
Following the disbursement of grant monies, the FRBR will send disbursement notification through the ASAP system and the CFS/ASAP interface will automatically post grant disbursement information to the General Ledger. Upon the CFS/GMIS interface implementation, the disbursement information will be automatically sent to GMIS via the CFS/GMIS interface. All of this should allow NIST staff to view the status of a grant’s unliquidated obligation balance and the disbursement patterns at their desktops.
Are bankcard holders expected to enter their information into the Commerce Purchase Card System (CPCS) on a daily basis?
Cardholders will be required to keep a Purchase Card ordering log of all transactions in accordance with the Commerce Administrative Manual. Each item listed on the Purchase Card ordering log must be described in enough detail so that it may be easily recognized.
Approving officials will encourage cardholders to update information daily. Also, users will have the option of assigning one person to take responsibility for a group of cardholders and enter their information for them. Either way, cardholders will still get the same monthly statement that they currently receive, so they will have to enter their accounting information monthly at the very least.
NOTE: In order for the data in the Portal to be up to date, users will need to enter accounting information into CPCS in a timely manner.
Will users be required to enter the entire Accounting Classification Code Structure (ACCS) for each item in CPCS?
The Commerce Purchase Card System (CPCS) system will require a full Accounting Classification Code Structure (ACCS) for each line item created. However, each cardholder has a default ACCS to make this process easier. In addition, users can modify parts of the default ACCS as needed. Users can set up a “pick list” with commonly used ACCS strings and assign custom names/descriptions (e.g., Fed Ex purchases) to these pick lists. The need to actually type in the full ACCS string should be minimal.
When will feeder systems be modified to accommodate CAMS?
CAMS Interface Team members met with feeder system owners in Gaithersburg and Boulder to discuss required changes to existing feeder systems (e.g. owners of the NIST Plant System will alter the system to accommodate the ACCS). Though feeder system owners are currently working to modify systems, the changes will be not be deployed until October 2003 in order to coincide with the CAMS implementation effort.
Please note that, for some feeder systems, no system modifications are necessary. However, the data used to populate certain tables and subsequent fields within the system will change following the CAMS implementation. CAMS Implementation Team members, in coordination with feeder system owners, have evaluated and planned these changes. However, current data (e.g., cost centers) will continue to be utilized until the CAMS implementation in 2003.
TRAINING / USER SUPPORT
Can users learn about modules that do not directly correspond with their role?
Any potential CAMS users, regardless of role, can use the self-training tutorials that have been developed for use in the CAMS Lab. All users will be required to take classroom training for the specific modules that they will use in their jobs. Users are also encouraged to learn modules outside of their roles to obtain a broader understanding of CAMS.
Can users begin to schedule time in the CAMS Lab?
Users that have obtained their authenticators may begin use the Boulder and Gaithersburg CAMS Labs immediately.
- Boulder CAMS Lab: The Boulder CAMS Lab (located in Room 4560A) is available for use every Thursday from 9:00AM to 5:00PM. Users do not need to schedule time in the Boulder CAMS Lab unless they wish to train on days other than Thursday. If a group of users wishes to reserve the CAMS Lab room for training on non-Thursdays they should contact Nan Serkes.
- Gaithersburg CAMS Lab: The Gaithersburg CAMS Lab (located in Building 222, Room A209) is available Monday through Friday from 9:00AM to 5:00PM. Users should schedule time in the CAMS Lab on the CAMS Web page before they come to the Lab.
- General Navigation: Shows users how to navigate in the Graphical User Interface (GUI) and character-based screens in CAMS.
- Accounts Payable (AP): High-level overview of the CAMS AP Module. Included in this presentation are hands-on exercises on:
- Purchase Order Transaction Screen (FM040)
- Receiving Ticket Transaction Screen (PM030)
- Estimated Accrual Transaction Screen (PM050)
- Vendor Invoice Transaction Screen (PM003)
- Advice of Correction Screen (PM006)
- Automated Disbursement Process (PM102, PM103, PM205, PM005)
- Manual Disbursement Screens (PM012, PM041)
- Cost Allocation (CA): High-level overview of the CAMS CA Module.
- Budget Execution (BE): High-level overview of the CAMS BE Module. Included in this presentation are hands-on exercises on:
- Budgetary Resources Transaction Screen (FM060)
- Program Authority Transaction Screen (FM061)
- Apportionment Transaction Screen (FM062)
- Allotment Transaction Screen (FM063)
- General Ledger (GL): High-level overview of the CAMS GL Module. Included in this presentation are hands-on exercises on:
- General Journal (GJ) Transaction Screen (GL005)
- General Journal (GJ) Manager Approval Screen (GL015)
- General Ledger Transaction Lookup Screen (GL081)
- Project Code Setup (CMN004): High-level overview of the CAMS Project Code Maintenance Screen (CMN004). Hands on CMN004 exercises are included in this presentation.
- Budget Operating Plan (BOP) Setup (FM066): High-level overview of the CAMS Budget Operating Plan (BOP) Transaction Screen (FM066). Hands on FM066 exercises are included in this presentation.
Will the CAMS Lab be available for use during weekends and off hours?
The CAMS Lab will be available for use from 7AM to 7PM, Monday through Friday. However, the CAMS Customer Interaction Center (CIC) Staff will not always be available during off hours (7:00-8:30AM and 5:00-7:00PM). If users of the CAMS Lab have any questions or issues during off hours they should send an email to the CIC Staff at camshelp@nist.gov or leave a message at x6100. The CAMS Lab will not be open on weekends.
CAMS LAB HOURS
WEEKDAYS 7:00AM – 7:00PM
Will users be able to access the CAMS Training instance outside of the CAMS Lab?
The CAMS Implementation Team investigated the possibility of allowing trainees to access the CAMS Training Instance from locations outside of the NIST campus. When consulted, NIST Security personnel indicated that allowing users to access the Training instance from outside would pose a security risk. For this reason, users will not be permitted to access the Training instance from outside sources (including dial-up and web connections). If trainees cannot to come to the CAMS Lab during core hours due to heavy workload they are encouraged to visit the Lab during off hours.
The start-of-year process will be divided into separate processes within CAMS: project set-up, budgetary set-up, budget operating plan establishment, and reimbursable agreements. The training for these processes will be conducted from March through July.Project Setup (CM004): An essential element of the CAMS Accounting Classification Code Structure (ACCS) is the project number. Projects are similar to Cost Centers and are set up on the CM004 screen in CAMS. For more information on the project setup and maintenance refer to the January basic CAMS/CFS education materials. CM004 training will be conducted for AOs, SMAs, and Budget Personnel in late March/early April 2003.
Budgetary Setup (FM060-FM063): The Budget Execution module of CAMS allows budget officials to establish, apportion, and allot funds. The CAMS screens FM060, FM061, FM062, and FM063 are each used in the budgetary setup process. Budgetary set-up training will be conducted for Budget personnel in June 2003.
Budgetary Operating Plans (FM066): A Budgetary Operating Plan (BOP) is a tool that can be used for financial planning and reporting on a project basis. The FM066 screen is used to create and manage BOPs. FM066 training will be conducted for SMAs, AOs, and Budget personnel in June and July 2003.
Reimbursable Agreements: Certain reimbursable agreements need to be established as a part of the start-of-year process. The CAMS Reimbursable Agreements (RA) module is currently being developed and will be ready for use in FY2004. The training timeframe for the Reimbursable Agreements module is to be determined.
What type of support will be available following the CAMS Implementation?
- CAMS Help Desk (CAMSHELP)
Upon implementation, the CAMS Help Desk will be available during normal business hours (8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) to provide direct functional and technical support services to CAMS users. Users can either call or e-mail CAMSHELP with CAMS-related issues. A CAMSHELP team member will respond to the user immediately with a unique tracking number, which will be referenced in all subsequent communications for tracking purposes.
CAMSHELP services include:
- Receiving, logging, prioritizing all incoming CAMSHELP calls and emails,
- Responding to CAMS customers with resolutions,
- Tracking and documenting resolutions for CAMS issues,
- Communicating the progress of resolving CAMS issues to users, and
- Providing a viable workaround, when possible, while a resolution is being researched.
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System Expert Program (DCFO only)
A System Expert is an individual who has volunteered to receive advanced, in-depth training on a module of CAMS/CFS and the corresponding business processes prior to implementation. These individuals will assist the Implementation Team in conducting end-user training prior to implementation. System Experts will serve as coaches for their groups following the CAMS implementation by answering questions, and addressing system related issues on a daily basis. Issues that cannot be handled by System Experts will then be referred to the CAMS Help Desk. System Experts will also work with the CAMS Help Desk by assisting with the identification and tracking of common user issues.
- CAMS User Procedures
The CAMS Implementation Team is currently updating the Phase I and II User Procedures and developing the CAMS User Procedures for the Phase III Implementation. The procedures will be available immediately upon implementation for all Phase III users and will contain screen prints and functionality of each screen, process flows, and step-by-step instructions on how to complete each process in CAMS.
TRACKING DATA IN CAMS
Can Projects be deleted from CAMS?
Projects cannot be deleted from CAMS, but they can be deactivated. Deactivated Projects cannot be used in any CAMS transactions. To deactivate a Project, users should unclick the ‘Active’ flag on the Project Maintenance Screen (FM066) for the desired Project.
How would Owning Organizations track charges made to their Projects using data in the CAMS Portal?
The CAMS Portal will provide users with the ability to produce reports specific to their individual business needs, including the ability to track charges made to their Projects. The Reports Parameter Form contains a number of fields that allow users to specify the data contained on a report generated in the Portal. The Portal will make reports analysis easier by allowing users to specify the exact data desired in reports.
Example: A user wishes to produce a report that shows what Organizations have made charges to a Project in a given Fiscal Year. To do this the user would select the Fiscal Year, Project, and Owning Organization as report parameters. This report would display detailed information for all charges made to the selected Project, including (among other data elements) the charging Organization, amount charged, and the date the charge was made.
See the Organization Codes Fact Sheet for more information on how the CAMS Portal can be used to manage Projects.
Will we set end-dates for Projects in CAMS?
There are no plans to utilize the Project end-date functionality that exists on the Project Maintenance Screen (CMN004). The end-date functionality will not be used because it will limit the use of Projects to certain time frames and cause more time to be spent on Project Maintenance.
When Senior Management Advisors (SMAs) and Administrative Officers (AOs) are establishing and maintaining Projects on CMN004 they should NOT enter any data into this field. If an Operating Unit (OU) wishes to deactivate a Project, they should change the Active Flag from ‘Y’ to ‘N’ on CMN004.
Will work years be tracked in CFS?
A work year is the cumulative hours worked and charged to a NIST cost center during a fiscal year, converted to years. Each year the Budget Division calculates the work hours by using a work year factor for NIST based on past leave experience for the average employee. The Budget Division currently monitors the actual work years to the work year authorization by cost center.
Work years are not captured in CFS. However, the CAMS Implementation Team is currently exploring the possibility of incorporating work years as a data element in the NIST CAMS Portal. As the decision is finalized, it will be communicated to stakeholders.
Back to Top
How will base/non-base funds be tracked in CFS?
Base funds are funds that are directly allocated to an Operating Unit (OU) directly by the Budget Office. Non-base funds are funds that are distributed from one OU to another. This is necessary to allow for resources in one Operating Unit (OU) to contribute to a project in another OU.
The direct charging process will replace the base/non-base designation in CFS (for non-carryover funds). Direct charging will allow one OU to authorize another OU to charge a specific dollar amount to a project established by the authorizing OU. Please see the December Basic CAMS/CFS education materials for more information on direct charging.
The CAMS Implementation Team is in the process of determining whether base/non-base designations will continue to be used to identify one-time funding such as carryover.
Back to Top
How will QPS information be captured in CAMS/CFS?
NIST is currently planning to deploy the Commerce Purchase Card System (CPCS) (a small purchase system integrated with the Core Financial System (CFS) and part of the Core CAMS) to replace all QPS functionality except Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs). Currently, the CAMS Implementation Team is collaboratively working with the Head Contracting Office (HCO) and Administrative Officers (AOs) to determine BPA requirements. Once the BPA requirements are determined, a solution will be designed to handle BPA functionality.
What is the CAMS process for allowing Operating Units (OUs) to charge Projects that are owned by other OUs?
Back to TopIn CAMS, users will have the ability to charge those Projects for which they have been authorized, even if the charging Operating Unit (OU) is not the Project owning OU. It is expected that employees will follow the business rule of receiving authorization from the OU that owns the Project before charging the Project. Senior Management Advisors (SMAs) and Administrative Officers (AOs) will be able to run reports to see all charges made against their Projects. If unauthorized charges are made to a Project, SMAs and/or AOs will see this on reports. If unauthorized charges are found to be made, the OU that improperly charged the Project will be responsible for seeing that the charge is successfully backed out.
Please refer to the Transferring Funds vs. Direct Charging Fact Sheet for more information.
"TO-BE" PROCESSES
How frequently can Budget Operating Plans (BOPs) be modified?
BOPs can be changed at any time by creating a BOP Change Order on the Budget Operation Plan Transaction Screen (FM066). The following table lists the types of BOP Change Order that can be performed.
| Error Correction | Redistribution of Competence Funds |
| Internal Reprogramming | Reorganizations |
| Rescissions | Program Increases |
| Transfers In | Program Decreases |
| Transfers Out | Redistribution of Initiative Funds |
| Adjust Authorizations | Redistribution of Adjustments To Base (ATBs) |
| Redistribution of Carry-Overs | Pay Raises/Payouts |
| Advances on Prior Year Recoveries | Labor/Other Objects Redistribution |
| Refunds | Redistribution of Unallocated Funds |
NOTE: The Budget Office is currently analyzing the types of BOP Change Orders that will be available after the CAMS Implementation. The list may change as a result of this analysis.
What are the implications of using multiple Budget Operating Plans (BOPs) for a single Project versus having multiple Project and Task combinations with one BOP per combination?
Setting up multiple BOPs for the same project will reduce the number of Project-Task combinations and result in less Project-Task maintenance.
Tasks are used to help organize the system actions that can reference a specific Project. Multiple Tasks can be specified for a Project using the Task Popup on the Project Maintenance Screen (CMN004). The following system actions can be specified using the Task Popup: Budget Execution (Apportionments, Allotments), Purchase Orders, Accounts Payable (Invoices), Purchase Requisitions (not used by NIST), Accounts Receivable (Customer Billing), General Journals, and Labor Transactions.
Will Administrative Officers (AOs) be required to enter Reimbursable Agreements into CAMS?
The Reimbursable Agreement Team within the DCFO Receivables Group will be responsible for entering Reimbursable Agreements into CAMS using the CAMS Reimbursable Module.
AOs will be responsible for setting up Reimbursable Projects on the Project Maintenance Screen (CMN004), creating Budget Operating Plans (BOPs) on the BOP Transaction Screen (FM066), and requesting the establishment of new Customers and Contacts using the Customer Maintenance Form on the Customer Web Lookup Screen.
NOTE: The Data Control/Cost Execution group will enter customers into CAMS using the information provided by AOs on the Customer Maintenance Form.
How will convenience checks be processed in CAMS?
Convenience checks will be paid and tracked through the Commerce Purchase Card System (CPCS) module. In the To-Be environment, the person handling CPCS processes will need to have access to the CPCS interface and receive proper training. CPCS training will begin in the last week of July and will continue through the first week of August.
How do you transfer funds from one Project to another in CAMS?
Same Operating Unit: If an Operating Unit (OU) wishes to transfer funds from one Project to another within the same OU, they would use the Budget Operating Plan Transaction Screen (FM066) to decrease the authorization amount of the Project to be reduced and add this amount to the Project to be increased.
Different Operating Unit: If an Operating Unit (OU) wishes to transfer funds from one Project to a Project owned by a different OU, they would first use the Budget Operating Plan Transaction Screen (FM066) to decrease the authorization amount of the Project to be decreased. The Budget office would then need to re-allot the funds to the desired OU on the Allotment Transaction Screen (FM063). Finally, the funds can be added to the desired Project on FM066.
NOTE: Once CAMS is implemented users will be able to utilize direct charging instead of transferring funds. Direct charging allows one Organization to authorize another Organization to charge a specific dollar amount to a Project established by the authorizing Organization.
Please refer to the Transferring Funds vs. Direct Charging Fact Sheet for more information.
When a Reorganization occurs, whose responsibility will it be to update the “Created by Organization” code on the Project Maintenance Screen (CMN004)?
Administrative Officers (AOs) will be responsible for updating the “Created by Organization” field on the Project Maintenance Screen (CMN004). However, the CAMS Implementation Team is exploring options for developing functionality to execute mass changes resulting from a reorganization.
How are discounts and interest fees handled in CAMS?
Current Method: Currently, each Operating Unit applies interests and discounts to the NIST Working Capital Fund. Any interest charges or discounts received are not applied to the individual Cost Center.
CAMS Method: Interest charges and discounts received will be reflected at the individual Fund Code/Project level (Cost Centers will be known as Projects in CAMS). These types of transactions will no longer be applied to the NIST Working Capital Fund due to the fact that the Core Financial System (CFS) computes discounts and interest fees at the Fund Code/Project level. For this reason, Operating Units are encouraged to approve invoices in a timely manner so that they can capitalize on discounts being offered and avoid paying late fees.
Yes. The current title file process will be divided into 3 separate processes under CFS. Project data will be established on CM004, authorizations will be established on FM066, and any additional reimbursable agreement data will be established in the CFS Reimbursable Agreement module. Project set-up is a one-time effort that will not have to be duplicated from year to year. All projects currently in the Cost System which are continuing in FY03 will be converted in CFS and therefore will not need to be referenced. Only Budget Operating Plans (BOPs) on FM066 will have to be created at the beginning of each fiscal year for projects.
Will estimated accruals still take place within Core CAMS?
Estimated accruals will still take place within core CAMS. They will be fed through the Accounts Payable Standard Interface (APSI). Transactions that occur on a Bankcard will need to be manually entered directly into CFS as estimated accruals if they do not post to Citibank by the last day of the fiscal year. All other Bankcard transactions will be processed as normal.
What are Local and Institute Overhead (OH) rates and how will they be applied in CAMS?
Local OH comprises Division and Laboratory OH. Division OH cost centers/projects accumulate a division’s amortization charges from invested equipment purchases. Laboratory OH cost centers/projects accumulate the cost of developing, managing, and coordinating the overall program of the Laboratory.
Institute OH accumulates cost of:
- Executive Management and Planning,
- General administration and staff services,
- Operation and maintenance of facilities,
- Technical support, and
- Activities where operating efficiency, practicality, or equality are gained by centralizing the activity.
The Core Financial System’s (CFS) Cost Allocation module will be used to apply Local and Institute Overhead rates.
Using a rate applied to labor and benefits, the CAMS Cost Allocation Module will be able to provide NIST with overhead applications based on Organization Code. NIST Operating Units (OUs) no longer need to transfer funds between themselves in order to manage their labor base. OUs can allow other OUs to charge directly to their projects without them losing their labor base.
What information is sought from stakeholders during the To-Be meetings?
- The To-Be meetings (Conference Room
Pilots/Working Groups) offer the opportunity for the CAMS Implementation
Team to work collaboratively with stakeholders to determine the most
efficient financial business processes for the CAMS To-Be environment.
The information provided by stakeholders during the To-Be meetings is
extremely valuable to the CAMS Implementation Team and to the success
of the implementation. Participating in the To-Be meetings will allow
stakeholders to contribute to the overall design of the CAMS To-Be environment
in supporting NIST, TA, and NTIA functionality in the future. For example,
stakeholders will be able to collaboratively design and implement their
own business processes, eliminating unnecessary steps to streamline
activities under the CAMS environment. In addition, participation in
To-Be meetings will allow any stakeholder issues, concerns, and gaps
to be identified and addressed early in the implementation process.
Stakeholders are encouraged to be open and candid in providing the following
information:
- opportunities to improve business process efficiencies,
- opportunities to provide increased benefits to the stakeholder group under the CAMS To-Be environment, and
- anticipated problems and concerns.
Will CAMS be adapted to accommodate current procedures and structure or will current procedures and structure be adapted to accommodate CAMS?
- To take advantage of CAMS functionality and efficiencies that can be gained (e.g., eliminate redundancies, reconciliations, etc.), current business processes may be changed.
- Since the CAMS/CFS software originated as a Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) software package which is intended as a Department-wide financial management solution, the CAMS Implementation Team is limited as to the extent of software modifications and/or enhancements that can be performed. In limited cases where software functionality is critical, we will work on behalf of the stakeholder groups with the Department’s CAMS Support Center (CSC) to get essential software modifications/enhancements on the CSC’s development schedule. Enhancements must be approved by a DoC Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) before the CSC commits resources to develop the modification.
MISCELLANEOUS
What will the CAMS Portal be used for?
The Portal has been specifically developed by the CAMS Implementation Team to suit the needs of the NIST CAMS administrative user community. The NIST CAMS Portal will provide users with a user-friendly central location to retrieve timely financial management and accounting information. In addition, the Portal will provide users with commitment tracking ability. Examples of data elements to be accessed in the Portal are summary balance information, ACCS, document numbers, quantities, dollar amounts, and vendor names.
The Portal will contain a day-old copy of CAMS/CFS Production data as well as data entered through established interfaces. The majority of commitment and obligation data will be automatically uploaded into the Data Warehouse database via various interfaces, reducing the number of manual reconciliations. A small amount of commitment data will be entered manually via the Portal, which will include funds checking capability.
See the Portal Fact Sheet for more information on the NIST CAMS Portal.
Do the terms ‘Created by Organization’ and ‘Owning Organization’ refer to the same concept?
Yes, these terms are synonymous within CAMS. Both terms refer to the Organization that is responsible for all charges to a Project. The term ‘Created by Organization’ is used in the Budget Module, while the term ‘Owning Organization’ is used in the CAMS Portal. These fields have the following functions:
- Budget Module: The ‘Created by Organization’ field on the Project Maintenance Screen (CMN004) is a required field that is used to specify the Organization that ‘owns’ a Project.
- CAMS Portal: The Reports Parameter Form and many Portal Reports contain an ‘Owning Organization’ field. These fields also are used to specify the Organization that ‘owns’ a Project.
What Accounting Code Classification Structure (ACCS) information will NIST employees need to take with them when they go to the Storeroom?
Employees will only need to know the first four segments of their Organization Code, the Project Code, and the Task Code to which the goods are being charged.
Has a decision been made as to whether NIST will utilize accrual or obligation-based accounting?
A working group composed of CIO personnel, Senior Management Advisors (SMAs), Administrative Officers (AOs), CAMS Implementation Team Members, and DCFO Finance and Budget personnel is currently examining the potential impacts and benefits of transitioning from accrual-based accounting to obligation-based accounting. If the decision is made to transition to obligation-based accounting, it will be communicated to the users via the CAMS Education Materials (among other communication methods).
Why will a single CAMS production database be used by all Department of Commerce CAMS users?
The CAMS Implementation team conducted several working group sessions to evaluate a number of CAMS installation options. With input from various DCFO personnel, it was determined that a single CAMS production database will house data for NIST, TA, NTIA, and the NIST customer bureaus (BEA, EDA, ESA, MBDA, OIG, OS). In the past, NIST, TA, and NTIA data has been physically separated from customer bureau data. However, it is the organization’s goal to centralize accounting practices across all bureaus to allow better cross-service deployment of DCFO resources and, as a result, lower overall implementation costs. The CAMS Implementation Team has identified the following key benefits that will result from implementing a single installation of CAMS:
- Single, comprehensive configuration management plan for software updates,
- Single testing effort for every software release,
- Simplified training curriculum,
- Simplified ongoing maintenance data upkeep,
- Single user name and password for each user,
- Opportunity for TA to access cross-bureau information necessary for oversight purposes, and
- Single source of reporting information via the data warehouse where reports can be shared across bureaus while continuing to accommodate the need for specialized reporting formats.
In addition, supporting multiple production databases would greatly increase ongoing maintenance and operational support in terms of testing, training, design and development and maintenance of id’s and passwords. Although this would ensure a secured separation of data between NIST and its customers, the duplication of effort would result in high support and maintenance costs.
What is a Budget Operating Plan (BOP)?
A Budget Operating Plan (BOP) is developed for reporting purposes to compare budgeted authorizations to actual obligations by Project and can be created by month, quarter, or annually. Currently, CFS generates a report comparing budget against obligations. The To-Be business processes associated with implementing BOPs are currently being analyzed utilizing input from various stakeholder groups. As To-Be processes are finalized, they will be communicated to stakeholders.
Does CAMS/CFS provide management reports?
- Financial management reports are distributed monthly to current Phase I and II NIST Customer Bureaus (Office of the Secretary (OS), Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Economic Development Administration (EDA), Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA), Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), and Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Examples include:
- Current Month Detail Report (GLT177) – This report is used to track undelivered orders and accruals (total obligations). The report displays the amount of undelivered orders and accruals for a project by object class for any point in time.
- Bankcard Supplement Report to the GLT177 (NSTBC100) – This report is used in conjunction with the GLT177 Current Month Detail Report to track undelivered orders and accruals for individual Commerce Purchase Card System (CPCS) transactions. Each document number listed on the NSTBC100 can be linked to the transaction number provided on the GLT177 Current Month Detail Report.
- Status of Funds Report (GLT172) – This report is used to identify remaining unobligated funds and highlight those funds available for obligating/spending. For any point in time, the report displays total budget amounts established in the Budget Operating Plans (BOPs) by bureau, fund, and fiscal year, as well as year-to-date amounts of actual spending.
- Travel Report – GTA/SATO Bills (GLT175/NST175) – This report is used to detail funds obligated for travel purposes and highlight any outstanding vouchers (orders). For any point in time, the report displays undelivered orders, accruals, and total obligations by bureau, fund, and fiscal year.
- Payroll Summary Detail Reports (NSTPY Series) – These reports display total payroll amounts and hours by employee for a given pay period (current amount/hours) as well as over the period of the fiscal year (cumulative amount/hours). The reports are broken out into three levels of detail: Payroll Detail Report, Payroll Summary Report by Project and Task Code, and Payroll Summary Report by Fund Code.
- Profit and Loss Statements (GLT178/NSTBEA) – This report is used to identify gains/losses in accounts. For any point in time, the report displays surpluses, deficits, and year-to-date amounts of actual obligations.
- Undelivered Orders by Project (GLT173) – This report is used to identify undelivered orders by project. For any General Ledger end date, the report displays a list of undelivered orders and reports dollar values of obligations not completely expended or paid.
The CAMS Implementation Team maintains user documentation that details the purpose and content of the reports listed above. The Team plans to post this documentation on the CAMS website. Until these materials are posted, additional information regarding CAMS/CFS reports can be obtained by contacting the CAMS Help Desk (CAMSHELP) at 301.975.6100.
The CAMS Implementation Team is conducting preliminary analysis of Corporate Information System (CIS) reports and functionality (e.g., ad hoc querying, downloads, etc). Once this preliminary analysis is complete, the team will conduct extensive data gathering sessions with NIST stakeholders to collaboratively ensure that the CAMS environment will support stakeholders’ reporting needs. Following the completion of this analysis, a crosswalk from current CIS reports to To-Be CAMS/CFS reports will be developed.
Why is the CAMS Implementation Team examining the Working Capital Fund (WCF) and what is the process for determining the outcome of the WCF?
- Implementing CAMS presents an opportunity to reexamine the business justification and legality for maintaining the current state of the WCF for NIST, Technology Administration (TA), and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and to ensure proper support for WCF activities in the CAMS To-Be environment.
- The CAMS Implementation Team is conducting preliminary analysis of WCF functionality to prepare for targeted data gathering meetings with stakeholders. The CAMS Implementation Team will then work collaboratively with stakeholders to finalize how WCF functionality will be supported in the CAMS To-Be environment.
When will the structure of the ACCS be finalized?
-
The ACCS Team has held numerous planning, brainstorming and discussion sessions with CAMS stakeholders over the past few months, including Senior Management Advisors (SMAs), Administrative Officers (AOs), Budget, Finance and Program personnel. The ACCS team met with representatives from these groups on May 15, 2002 for a joint summit discussion to finalize a recommendation on the ACCS structure. This discussion resulted in the group’s recommendation on the population of the CAMS/CFS Bureau, Program, Project, Task, Organization and Object Class segments. The final decision regarding the structure of the ACCS will be communicated to all stakeholders.
What application is CAMS programmed in?
-
The CAMS/CFS system is based on Oracle’s integrated product suite. The CFS environment is based on an Oracle RDBMS (Relational Database Management System). The CFS Data Warehouse module, a “read-only” reporting environment, is incorporated using an Oracle RDBMS as well.
What is the Program Management Plan (PMP) and why is it important?
-
The PMP serves as a primary resource for outlining the communication, systems planning, and decision-making processes among senior managers, technical experts, financial personnel, and end users during the Phase III CAMS Implementation. The high-level details of the PMP will provide the CAMS user community with information to understand the overall CAMS implementation strategy.