Financial Management Reporting

Training for College and School Administrators

Background
As part of the change to the new structures, the Finance Office set up a
project entitled Financial Management Reporting. The objecties of this
project was to!
"roide financial management reports under the new structure.
#mpower $olleges and %chools b& allowing the running of reports within
these units. This allows for real time financial information for all $olleges
and %chools.
Meet end'user reporting needs b& getting feedbac( from wor(ing group
and a sample of end'users.
"roide training to $ollege and %chool administrators.
The project approach was as follows!
)dentif& user groups.
*esign reports.
*eelop reports.
*istribute reports for feedbac(.
Test Reports.
)mplementation and training.
A presentation e+plaining the project was made to the $ollege Transition
$oordinators ,roup on the -
th
.ul& /001. )t was agreed at this presentation
that the Transition $oordinators would nominate a person responsible for the
running and distribution of reports within each $ollege and %chool. )t was
e+plained that nominees would run and distribute all monthl& reports to
managers for all cost centres, * accounts, Research accounts and other
project accounts under that unit.
Overview
A standard suite of 2usiness Objects reports has been designed which will
address the reporting re3uirements of each $ollege and %chool.
Reports will be aailable on a real time basis to $olleges and %chools.
A standard suite of reports will be (ept in a central repositor& for general
access.
Additional reporting that ma& be re3uired can be re3uested b& emailing
Financial.)nformation4ucd.ie
Responsibilities of College/School Nominees
$ontact point for all managers of cost centres5* accounts and research
accounts within the unit.
Running and distribution of financial reports 6Monthl& and once off
re3uests7
Maintain distribution list for the unit.
How to access Business Objects Reader
2usiness Objects can be accessed on a "$ through 8A9 68oell
*eliered Applications7. The icon is located in the 2usiness Objects folder,
within the Administration folder. *ouble clic( on the Reader v5.1.2 icon to
open the application ' *iagram :.
Diagram 1 : Business Objects Access through NAL
The 2usiness Objects login dialogue bo+ will appear ' *iagram /. #nter
&our 2usiness Objects ;ser 8ame and "assword and clic( OK. The
s&nta+ for ;ser 8ames is most commonl& first initial last name 6i.e.
jbloggs7.
Remember when logging on that Business Objects is case sensitive <
and that our !ser Name and "assword has been specified in lower
case < so ensure that &our $aps 9oc( (e& is off. Once the correct ;ser
8ame and "assword hae been entered, &ou will be within 2usiness
Objects Reader and are read& to run a report.
Diagram 2 : Business Objects Login Dialogue Box
)f &ou enter an incorrect ;ser 8ame or misspell &our ;ser 8ame, &ou will
be presented with the following dialogue bo+ ' *iagram =. $lic( on the OK
button and tr& again.
Diagram 3 : Business Objects Incorrect User Name Dialogue Box
2usiness Objects allows &ou three attempts to enter the correct "assword.
)f &ou enter an incorrect "assword or misspell &our "assword, &ou will be
presented with the following dialogue bo+ ' *iagram >. $lic( on the OK
button and tr& again. After the third attempt of entering the wrong
"assword, 2usiness Objects disables &our account, preenting &ou from
logging in. )f this happens, &ou need to contact #ileen "enston, 2ursar?s
Office 6tel. :>->7 to hae &our account re'enabled and &our "assword
reset.
Diagram 4: Business Objects Incorrect Password Dialogue Box
How to Run a Business Objects Report
The 2usiness Objects Reader @or(space is shown below ' *iagram 1. )t
is composed of three parts! Menu and Toolbars, Report Manager @indow
and Report @indow.
Diagram 5: Business Objects Reader Wors!ace
The Menus and Toolbars contain all the commands for the tas(s &ou need
to carr& out in 2usiness Objects Reader.
The Report @indow displa&s the report data. @hen &ou clic( on a report in
the Report Manager, the selected report is displa&ed in the Report
@indow.
To open a report, clic( on the Open File icon ' *iagram A.
Diagram 6: Business Objects o!en "ile icon
%elect the report &ou want to open and double clic( on it. 8ote that all
2usiness Objects reports hae a .rep e+tension. 68ote! )t is intended that
all reports will be retrieed from a Repositor&7
The report will open up in 2usiness Objects and the results from the last
time it was run will be displa&ed. )f the report was saed without data then
onl& headings and empt& columns will be displa&ed.
To refresh or re'run the report with &our own specific criteria, clic( on the
Refresh button ' )tem f in *iagram B below.
Diagram 7: #tandard Business Objects Reader $oolbar
A dialogue bo+ prompting for certain alues will appear ' *iagram -.
%pecif& &our parameters in the dialogue bo+ and $lic( OK.

Diagram 8: #am!le Dialogue Box with Prom!ts
H#$" ON %H&' 'O #N'#R (N "&R&)#'#RS
Account %tructure in all cases is A
$ost $entre %tructure is now R
*epending on the report being run &ou will be as(ed to insert &our $ost
$entre $ode, &our %chool $ode or &our $ollege $ode < *etails will be
supplied to each school.
The date to begin is entered in the format 0:5:05/001 and will depend on
the dates for which data is re3uired < usuall& one month.
The date to end is entered in the format =:5:05/001
*epending on the report being run &ou ma& be prompted for the &ear this
is the current financial &ear. @hich starts with October each &ear ie
October /001 it actuall& in the financial &ear /00A.
Cou ma& also be prompted for the period < this must coincide with the end
date. ).e! for =:5:0501 the period is 0:
@hen running reports for Research or Other funds &our will be prompted
for a .ob code and a .ob %tructure. The code will be &our R+++ or *+++
code and the %tructure will again be R
@hen all fields are completed select the run button and &our report will be
produced < depending on the report and the dates selected this might ta(e
a few minutes.
)f &ou are not e+actl& familiar with the codes &ou want to use then it is best
to clic( the Vales button on each prompt field. This will proide &ou with a
$ist of *alues from which to select.
Once all parameters are specified clic( OK and 2usiness Objects will
commence processing the report. Cou will (now the report is processing b&
the status bar at the bottom of the window which will moe from
Anal&sing to Time to Rows
To print an& 2usiness Objects report &ou hae produced just clic( the
!rin" button ' )tem $ in *iagram - or choose File # !rin" from the Menu
bar. Cou ma& be prompted to select a printer depending on &our set up
when OD is hit the report will spool for printing.
@hen finished with the report close it, &ou will be as(ed do &ou want to
sae changes. $lic( 8O.
The report will remain in the repositor& to be used b& someone else or
wheneer &ou re3uire it again.
Retrieving Reports 'hrough Business Objects
The 2usiness Objects application allows reports to be sent to and retrieed b&
users er& easil&. The process of retrieing reports that hae been sent to &ou
ia 2usiness Objects is outlined below.
Open 2usiness Objects Reader through 8A9 and enter &our
;sername5"assword.
)f &ou hae been sent 2usiness Objects Report6s7 &ou will see a message
as *iagram below!
Diagram $ : Business Objects Noti"ication o" #ent Re!orts Dialogue Box
To retriee report6s7, go to File % Re"rieve Fr&m % 'sers. A dialogue bo+
should appear showing 2usiness Objects Reports that hae been sent to
&ou and hae &et to be retrieed.
$lic( on the document name and hit the Re"rieve button
This will automaticall& import the 2usiness Objects Report into &our
standard 2usiness Objects user document director&. As stated earlier this
is generall& E!F2usinessObjects.
To open and run &our retrieed report, go to File % Open and locate the
report &ou hae recentl& retrieed.
,o to the menu and choose Da"a % Refresh Da"a or clic( on the icon
below.
Exporting Business Objects report data to Excel
The steps below highlight how to e+port raw data from a 2usiness Objects
Report into Microsoft #+cel where it can be manipulated as the user wishes.
The raw data is e+ported from 2usiness Objects as a te+t file and can be
opened in an& data manipulation pac(age. @e hae used #+cel in our
e+ample below, as it is the most commonl& used spreadsheet pac(age in
;$*.
Open 2usiness Objects.
Open and refresh the releant 2usiness Objects Report.
$lic( on the #dit Menu and choose (&p) *ll.
Open up Microsoft #+cel. A new blan( wor(sheet should appear.
Eighlight the column in the blan( wor(sheet into which the student number
data will be pasted. $lic( on the Format menu and choose $ells. $hange
the format of this column to Te+t.
"lace the cursor in cell A: of the blan( #+cel wor(sheet. $lic( on the #dit
menu and choose !as"e. The data from the 2usiness Objects report will
appear in the wor(sheet.
This is raw data and does not include formatting that was on the 2usiness
Objects Report. This raw data can be manipulated as &ou wish 6e.g.
deletion of headings, creation of additional columns to compute oerall
mar(s totals etc.7
%ae the wor(sheet as an #+cel file.
&dvice on saving Business Objects Reports
To minimise the space ta(en up on &our E drie b& 2usiness Objects reports,
it is recommended that &ou do not sae the reports when closing them. This
means that each time &ou open a report it will appear with no data in it, and
&ou will hae to refresh the data.
)f &ou accidentall& sae a report with data in it and &ou wish to remoe the
data, clic( on the Giew *ata icon below or go to the menu and choose Da"a %
Vie+ Da"a.
The *ata Manager dialog bo+ will appear. $lic( on the "urge button to remoe
the data.
Business Objects Reports &vailable
College Reports
Fin 0=1a $ollege &ear to date ariance report
Fin :HBa Research %ummar& b& Manager5%chool for entire $ollege 6M7
"a& reports to be supplied to $ollege
All reports below
School Reports
Fin 00:b $ost $entre detail report for an indiidual cost centre.
Fin 00:d $ost $entre detail report for all cost centres in %chool. 6M7
Fin 0::a $ost $entre summar& report for an indiidual cost centre.
Fin 00H $ost $entre summar& report for all cost centres in %chool. 6M7
Fin 0:Ha %ummar& report of %chool position at point in time.
"roject Reports
Fin 0/= "roject detail report for an indiidual project.
Fin 0/>a "roject detail report for all projects assigned to an indiidual
manager.
Fin 0/Aa "roject detail report for all projects in a %chool 6M7
Fin 0/B "roject summar& report for an indiidual project.
Fin 0/Hb "roject summar& report for all projects assigned to an indiidual
manager.
Fin 0/Ha "roject summar& report for all projects in a %chool. 6M7
Fin :HB Research summar& for %chool.
Fin :H>b 9abels for all "roject accounts in %chools
Running reports
+re,uentl &sked -uestions
Colleges and Schools
@hat is a $ost $entre $odeI
This is a bottom leel four'digit numeric posting code assigned to
&ou. )t is described as a leel H $ost $entre $ode.
@hat is a %chool $odeI
This is a code assigned to a %chool that has more than one cost
centre in the reporting structure. )t is a four digit alphanumeric code
made up of % and three numeric digits #g. %00:. )t is described as
a 9eel A $ost $entre $ode.
@hat is a $ollege $odeI
This code is assigned to a $ollege for reporting purposes so we
can group all the schools within that college. )t is an alpha code
made up of two letters. )t is described as a 9eel = $ost $entre
$ode.
Eow do ) find m& $ollege, %chool or $ost $entre $odeI
$entral Finance (eeps a database of all $odes on the %&stem. The
*ean, $ollege Administrator, %chool Administrator or Eead of
%chool can re3uest details of their codes. Alternatiel& b& referring
to recentl& printed reports from the 2ursarJs Office that show the
releant codes at the top of the first page.
M& report re3uests a $ost $entre %tructure
$ost $entre %tructures for the purpose of reporting is alwa&s! R
M& Report re3uests a Account $ode %tructure
Account $ode %tructure for the purpose of reporting is alwa&s! A
@hat start date and end date should ) enterI
%chool 2udgets run from the start of our academic &ear from
0:5:05++++ to =050H5++++ i.e. starts October /00> and ends
%eptember /001. For interim periods use that month end date.
M& report re3uests a "eriod
The period is the months in our academic &ear. For e+ample
October is the start of our academic &ear and the period is alwa&s
0: while %eptember is the end of our academic &ear and the period
is :/. )nterim periods follow i.e. .anuar& is period 0>. 8ote! for
eas& reference most reports hae been modified to as( for start
and end dates.
M& reports re3uests a Cear
The &ear for reporting purposes is alwa&s the &ear in which our
academic &ear ends. For #+ample to run a report in October /00>
the parameters to enter is period 0: and &ear /001.
Research and School +unds
@hat is a .ob $odeI
This is a bottom leel alpha numeric posting code that usual begins
with a letter followed b& four numeric numbers. This code is
assigned when a re3uest is sent to the Office of Funded Research
for a new research project or Finance Office for capital fund
projects. )t is usuall& described for reporting purposes as a 9eel H
.ob $ode.
@hat is a Manager 8umberI
All projects are assigned to a manager whihch will be either Eead
of %chool or "rinciple )nestigator and in the case of research
manager ma& hae more than one fund.. The Manager 8umber is
used to report on all jobs held b& a particular manager in a %chool.
)t is usuall& described as a 9eel - .ob $ode and is a four digit
numeric code.
Eow do ) find m& .ob $ode or Manager 8umberI
$entral Finance (eeps a database of all $odes on the %&stem. The
"rinciple )nestigator can re3uest details of their .ob codes or
Manager 8umbers. Alternatiel& b& referring to recentl& receied
reports b& the 2ursarJs Office that show the releant codes at the
top of the first page.
M& report re3uests a $ost $entre %tructure
$ost $entre %tructures for the purpose of reporting is alwa&s! R
M& Report re3uests a .ob %tructure
.ob %tructure for the purpose of reporting is alwa&s! R
@hat start date and end date should ) enterI
Research K *epartmental Fund 2udgets run from the start date of
when the project was originall& set up on the s&stem. #financials
was installed in October :HHB so an& projects with a start date prior
to this should enter 0:50:5:HHB as all transactions were carried
oer.
M& report re3uests a "eriod
The period is the months in our academic &ear. For e+ample
October is the start of our academic &ear and the period is alwa&s
0: while %eptember is the end of our academic &ear and the period
is :/. )nterim periods follow i.e. .anuar& is period 0>. 8ote! for
eas& reference most reports hae been modified to as( for start
and end dates.
M& reports re3uests a Cear
The &ear for reporting purposes is alwa&s the &ear in which our academic
&ear ends. For e+ample to run a report in October /00> the parameters to
enter is period 0: and &ear /001.
Corporate (nformation %ebsite Overview.
The $orporate )nformation "roject is a uniersit&'wide project sponsored
b& the Registrar *r "hilip 8olan with the support of the 2ursar and the
Gice "resident for %taff Affairs K Administratie %&stems.
The long'term goal of the $orporate )nformation project is to deelop
;$*Js corporate information enironment, with a iew to ensuring the
consistent and transparent dissemination of information from
administratie s&stems, both internall& and e+ternall&. For the first time,
this project brings together information relating to serice from the three
major administratie s&stems 62anner %tudent )nformation %&stem,
$OR# ER5"a&roll %&stem, and the eFinancials %&stem7.
This site features a lin( to the $orporate )nformation $atalogue, which is
an inde+ of sources of management information around the uniersit&. )t
also details the current polic& with regard to rollout of administratie
s&stems, and proides information for users of administratie s&stems on
how to get access to them and how to use them. Finall&, it proides
statistics on re3uests for serice from the administratie s&stems.
@e encourage feedbac( and comment from users of this site on how it
can be made more useful. "lease email corporate.information4ucd.ie
with &our comments.
Corporate (nformation / #/financials.
#ileen "enston 8iamh Eagan #mma Acton
%&stems Administrator
Assistant %&stem
Administrator
"O" Admin. Eelp *es(
e'mail!
#ileen."enston4ucd.ie
e'mail! 8iamh.Eagan4ucd.ie
e'mail!
#mma.Acton4ucd.ie
e+t. :>-> e+t. :>0B
Management and deelopment of the $edar eFinancials %&stem.
*eplo&ment of eFinancials 6including Accounts Receiable and
"urchase Order "rocessing7 uniersit&'wide.
*elier& of 2usiness Objects reports from eFinancials to academic
and support units, and to research project managers.
%&stem securit& and integrit&.
Functional s&stem testing, configuration and data modelling.
"roision of a ?Eelp *es(? function for users to proide non technical
support.
!tilising the Corporate (nformation %ebsite.
The $orporate )nformation website is a catalogue of reports that are aailable
to end'users. All reports that are aailable to the $olleges and %chools will be
included in the $orporate )nformation catalogue.