Financial Business Management System

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have any questions about FBMS that are not answered in this FAQ, please submit them via email.

Questions will be answered individually, if possible. General interest questions may be added to our FAQ.

What is FBMS?

The Financial and Business Management System (FBMS) is an integrated suite of software applications designed to streamline financial and administrative functions across all Department of Interior bureaus. Implementing FBMS will allow Interior to incorporate its financial and business process management into a single solution. As a result, FBMS will streamline customer and vendor transactions, reduce errors, and simplify tasks. With most data residing in one system, employees will have access to consistent, real-time information that allows them to perform their jobs and serve our customers more effectively and efficiently.

FBMS is an Enterprise Resource Planning system, which is based on SAP technology. SAP software is currently used by many major corporations in more than 50 countries for financial processing and management. It will replace approximately 80 legacy business systems across Interior, some of which are more than 20 years old.

Why is the Interior investing in FBMS?

Interior currently uses multiple financial and business management systems. The lack of integration between these systems results in more time being spent on running reports and entering information and less time going toward analyzing data. This adds to the cost of operations and the annual financial audit.

Interior aims to focus on modernization, integration, and accountability. By transferring to a system that works across all of Interior's bureaus, reduces costs, and increases transparency, Reclamation can ensure it is continuing to provide the greatest value to its customers and stakeholders.

What benefits will FBMS provide?

FBMS will integrate, consolidate, and streamline many functions within Reclamation, allowing the bureau to retire many antiquated systems and take advantage of more modern technology for day-to-day business activities and reporting. FBMS will provide:

Standardized and integrated business processes
Improved security and internal controls
Better cost information
Improved tracking and auditing capabilities
Reduction of double entry of data in multiple systems and manual paper processing
Improved department-wide and bureau-specific reporting capabilities
Increased data integrity
Replacement of unsupported legacy systems and longer system lifecycles
Single System

What will change for me?

While the content will remain the same, the main change you can expect will be the look of some of the reports. As FBMS is rolled out, Reclamation personnel will work with customers and stakeholders to be sure their reporting needs are being met.

What Reclamation offices will be affected?

Most aspects of Reclamation’s business will be streamlined and integrated to allow better reporting to the Department of the Interior and to our customers. Some areas where you can expect increased efficiency and transparency include:

Acquisitions
Budget
Core Financial
Financial Assistance
Fleet
Property

How can I learn more?

Reclamation officially began project preparation in March 2012 (but has been working on pre-planning activities since May 2011). As Reclamation moves through the project phases, and as information relevant to customers and stakeholders becomes available, more information will be posted here.

Last Updated: 6/15/15