System Information and Updates

This space is used to post messages regarding scheduled or emergency down-time, or other information regarding system usage or availability.

LIVE UPDATE November 4, 2008:

GR55 change  |  Security access changes  |  Impact of Budget Rescission Act

Change to GR55 (reporting) transaction code –

Four new transaction codes offer you direct access to particular report groups:

• Use t-code ZGLA to access Report Group ZGLA

• Use t-code ZBD1 to access Report Group ZBD1 (BUDCON report)

• Use t-code ZBUD1 to access Report Group BUD1 (Budget report)

• Use t-code ZFMBUD to access Report Group ZSC1

The transaction code GR55 is no longer available. if you attempt to executive transaction GR55, you will get an "authoriszation error." Please use one of the new transaction codes listed above.

Security access –

An improved method of assigning security roles to users of the ECC (Enterprise Core Component) area of SCEIS gives you streamlined security roles and shows you a User Menu screen that is organized by roles.

If you are unable to access a transaction code you need, report the problem to the SCEIS Help Desk. If the inaccessible transaction is one you have used in the past, your authorization will be reinstated relatively quickly.

Impact of Budget Rescission Act –

In the new Budget Rescission Act, the legislature reversed the previous 3 percent budget reduction and substituted line-by-line reductions, deleting or reducing specific budget lines in each affected agency.

To comply with the Budget Rescission Act, the State Budget office has prepared BD100s for each affected agency. As soon as the SCEIS Team receives those BD100s, we will first reverse the entry recording the 3 percent reduction, and then records the BD2100s.

For many if not most of you, the line item reductions wil be taken against lines that have already incurred scommitments, causing you to have a negative budget balance in the affected lines. The SCEIS Team wil contact you this week, to help you record the necessary entries to resolve the negative budget balances.

If you have any questions regarding the Budget Rescission Act work, contact Bruce Burnett at 803-734-0283.

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LIVE UPDATE November 3, 2008:

ZTRAVEL  |  ZIDT  |  new doc type ZU  |  new payment term ZSPE  |  GL Chart of Accounts crosswalk 
Two reminders about your account settings and editing options.

ZTRAVEL –

The screen layout has been changed so that the columns for Text, Quantity and Base Unit are closer together and further to the left. This should mean less “scrolling” across the screen for you.

Park not required: You no longer have to “park” your document before completing. Now you can scan your image, enter the header and line items without needing to park in between, then “save as complete.”

Reversing a ZTRAVEL document: If you need to reverse a ZTRAVEL document (transaction FB08), the reversal now must be done by the agency. The Comptroller General’s Office will no longer reverse any documents. The doc type for the reversal document is KA.

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ZIDT –

Screen layout has been changed so that the columns for Functional Area and Fund are closer together and further to the left. This should mean less “scrolling” across the screen for you.

Park not required: You no longer have to “park” your document. Now you can scan your image, enter the header and line items without needing to park in between, then “save as complete.” (Download IDT Live-to-Non-live description including screenshots pdf 268 kb)

When paying a non-live agency, complete the front of the document, “simulate” and then “save as complete.” A screen will pop up for you to enter the STARS billing data of the non-live agency. Click to see the agencies that are now live with SCEIS.

When paying a university, if the billing university does not provide the information you need for object code and mini code, you may now leave those two fields blank. You still need to use an IDT, but the blank fields will not generate an error code.

When paying the Employee Insurance Program (EIP), retrieve the information you need from the EIP website, complete the transaction in SCEIS, and fax print-outs to EIP, following these guides:

1. Log in to EIP’s website (under (BA Login) http://www.eip.sc.gov/category/ba_login.aspx

2. Retrieve the EIP credit side of IDT: Click the Forms tab, then select Interdepartmental Transfer to get the appropriate STARS codes.

3. Print the EIP Remittance Advice (last page of the Group Billing Statement) from the Employee Benefits Services website.

4. Scan the document into SCEIS as IDT.

5. Complete the transaction in SCEIS (ZIDT).

6. Screen-print the front of the SCEIS document, and write your Agency Name and Agency Code on the page.

7. Complete the EIP Group Billing Statement Remittance Advice.

8. Fax both the SCEIS screen-print and the completed Remittance Advice to your agency’s EIP Account Representative.

For questions about EIP remittances, call Shirley Coyner (734-8013) or Jennifer Broughton (734-0111).

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New doc type ZU –

Use a new doc type, ZU, when creating a Journal Entry for travel on FV50. Note: The doc type ZT is still valid for the original travel invoice transaction. ZU applies only to the journal entry.

New payment term ZSPE –

The new payment term ZSPE allows you to flag an invoice for expedited handling by the Comptroller General. This code will follow the document to the CG's Office, where it shows as red in the inbox – an electronic version of the red “special” stamp that was used to flag paper invoices for rush handling.

General Ledger Chart of Accounts Crosswalks –

Updated Crosswalk charts for General Ledger Chart of Accounts to STARS Object Codes are available to currently-live agencies, direct from the Project Team. Contact sceis@sceis.sc.gov if you have not received these charts.

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Reminder: Account setting (FB00) –

Set your system to show you the IDT billing information, using the t-code “FB00.” This transaction allows those in the approval process of an IDT to see the IDT billing information. After you have completed adjustment to your account settings, you will be able to execute the billing information for all IDTs live-to-non-live in SCEIS. You only need to change this setting once.

Log into your SAP Easy Access screen and enter FB00 in the transaction field. On the Editing Account Options screen, click the tab Doc.Display. In the Line Layout field, choose “A1,” then Save.  (Download FB00 description with screenshots ( pdf 399 kb)

Reminder: Editing-options change –

Be sure your editing options are set to: “Calculate tax on net” and “Entry with short name” when you pay a ZTRAVEL or IDT.

If you have any questions, please contact the SCEIS Help Desk or your Agency Advocate.

LIVE UPDATE October 30, 2008:

Changes in the areas of SAP Easy Access user menu screen and security roles structure, in the MM area and in the FI area.

 SAP Easy Access User Menu screen: Security roles are now streamlined, and your roles are categorized in folders and are more readily accessible to you.

We have improved the method of assigning security roles to users of the ECC (Enterprise Core Component) area of SCEIS. This will give you streamlined security roles, and show you a User Menu screen that is organized by roles. Roles are now process-based, with fewer transactions per role. You will not see a large number of transactions that you do not need.

Every effort has been made to minimize impacts to you as a result of this new process. You will continue to have the security access you need to perform the functions that you are required to execute. There is no change in the way you execute your transactions, and this is the only screen that will look different.

No action needs to be taken by you. The new security assignments were applied automatically to current users, as of the opening of business on Monday, November 3, 2008.

If you encounter any problems with accessing transactions that you need, notify the SCEIS Help Desk (SCEISHelp@sceis.sc.gov or 803-734-0343).

Click to see before-and-after screenshots.

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 MM area: Improved processes, and changes requested by current end-users

You’ll find several changes that were requested by Live Users in June. Some updates are already in place, although most will become available with the FF2 Go-Live on November 3. There are changes to the Asset Process, Sourcing, Goods Receipt and Finance Master Data procedures. There is also now a way to Monitor Shopping Cart, and to use single UserID.

Click for descriptions of the MM changes, with links to simulations and demonstrations in uPerform.

Note, the SCEIS Materials Management team will present these changes at the November 12 Live User Group meeting.

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 FI area: Changes for funds Availability Checking, Grants Management, Functional Area, and Cost Center/Funds Center

Funds Availability Checking (AVC): A change to AVC will allow you to write and record a payroll check even when budget is not available. While you can now issue over-budget checks without generating an error file, you must monitor your budget independently and take responsibility for correcting any deficit. This change is already in place.

Posting to grants: A new approach for grant-related postings means that new grants will be entered somewhat differently from the grants you now have in the system. There will be no immediate impact for your existing grants (numeric), which will continue to post as they have been. When you need to enter a new grant into the system, the SCEIS Project Team will help you use the new procedure. This change goes into effect November 3.

A new Functional Area for revenue receipts generated outside SCEIS and interfaced into SCEIS: Because STARS does not use a specific mini code to identify the proper functional area, such interfaced revenue receipts generated an SAP error code and required manual correction by the Project Team, causing a delay in posting. This new Functional Area for each Business Area, “RevClr,” will automate the posting and should eliminate the delay caused by the need for manual error-correction. This change goes into effect October 30.

A new Cost Center/Funds Center for transactions originating outside SCEIS and interfaced into SCEIS: Because STARS does not have a field that represents Cost Center/Funds Center, you will use the new Cost Center (assigned per Business Area) for all transactions that originate outside SCEIS. This change goes into effect November 3.

Click for detailed descriptions of the FI changes.

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SEPTEMBER 3, 2008: The Master Data enhancement went into effect on Wednesday, September 3. If you have questions or encounter problems, please contact the SCEIS Help Desk (734-0343 or SCEISHelp@sceis.sc.gov)