This is the first of a series of weekly updates that will be provided to GCSS-Army users. It will address key topics that will help transition our Army to GCSS-Army. As most are aware, in December 2012, the GCSS-Army Program received Office of the Secretary of Defense approval to continue fielding to the rest of the Army. The GCSS-Army Team is working closely with its trading partners and users to begin fielding in February.

GCSS-Army Users Have to be in GFEBS

Although GCSS-Army is our tactical and installation-level logistics system, it also incorporates all associated financial management operational capabilities. This will provide, for the first time, an integrated logistics and financial system. In order to make this work, GFEBS and GCSS-Army must share a common financial master data structure.

A Basic Rule is that a Supply Support Activity (SSA) customer’s financial master data structure and information must be loaded into BOTH GFEBS and GCSS-Army if the unit expects to receive logistics support from GCSS-Army. Currently, this is not the situation for some customers. Some SSA customers are not in GFEBS; instead they are using another financial system, some customers are in GFEBS but are not in the Federated Financial template and in the last case, all the required master data is not in GFEBS.

The Solution is to load the all the required financial master data structure into BOTH GFEBS and GCSS-Army so that when necessary, funding can be executed in support of the organizations’ logistical needs.

Way Ahead: GCSS-Army and GFEBS PMs are building the data structures to enable a common financial functions in both GCSS-Army and GFEBS. In addition, they are developing a complete list of both logistics and financial customer POCs for each SSA. These are the key players required to plan and execute this conversion. The concept will be initially fielded to the Kentucky and Alabama National Guard in late February.