Weekly Bulletin No. 849
Tuesday 9th February
- Supplier Database - Cache issue when browser is left open
- Updated non-standard IPO form (Word version)
- UFS Helpdesk Information
- Cognos AP: Dashboard
- Accounts Payable – Extended end dates of Tax Clearance Numbers (TCN) - Reminder
- Forthcoming course (via Teams)
- Monthly Accounting Timetable
Supplier Database – Cache issue when browser is left open
A number of colleagues have experienced issues when trying to access the supplier database. The latest version of the supplier database is more secure, so these issues will occur if the browser is left open and is inactive for more than an hour. If you experience a login issue, please clear your browsers cache.
Issued by Becky Darlow - Functional Analyst
Updated non-standard IPO form (Word version)
IPOs no longer need a header sheet to be completed if they are classed as ‘standard’. Standard IPOs being those where we are to make full payment in the invoice currency, for goods/services already received and where we only pay our own bank charges.
For non-standard IPOs a form is needed.
The Word version of the non-standard IPO form has been updated to make it easier to complete online and is available from the Finance Division website at: https://www.finance.admin.cam.ac.uk/files/ipo_non_std_2020_v1.docx
Just click on ‘enable editing’ and the form guides you through exactly what is needed on each line, with the ability to just click on a tick box of the appropriate bank charges the department wants to pay and select the date submitted from a calendar rather than manually typing.
Please always access forms via the website link rather than downloading and saving a local copy, to ensure the most up-to-date version of any form is being used. If you have any suggestions to make other Finance Division forms easier to use please contact Finance.Training@admin.cam.ac.uk
Issued by Karen Sheldon - Finance Training
UFS Helpdesk information
In order to process your queries as quickly as possible, it is important that you include as much detail as you can and submit your query to the correct email address. This Information and more is available from the UFS Helpdesk page
Please take the time to check the UFS Helpdesk page before raising a call.
Issued by Simon Miller - Helpdesk Supervisor
Cognos AP: Dashboard
The AP: Dashboard report in Cognos can be found in your Departmental (Shared) Reports folder, and allows you to see any invoices you may need to action, currently it shows:
- Invoices awaiting SIA
- Invoices on Payment Hold
- All other invoices on hold (not SIA or Payment)
- Incomplete Invoices
- Internal Trading Invoices on AZZY
- Suppliers with TCNs expiring in the next three months
- Invoices recently paid, or falling due for payment soon
We are always looking for ways to improve the information available to users, so if you have suggestions for improvements to the AP or any other Cognos reports, please contact fsg.system.support@admin.cam.ac.uk.
Issued by Paul Humphreys - Functional Analyst
Accounts Payable – Extended end dates of Tax Clearance Numbers (TCN) - Reminder
As a reminder, to improve efficiency and reduce the workload for departments, with effect from 8 February the following change will be made regarding instances where the Tax Section have approved a TCN extension in advance of the original expiry date. The departments email the Tax Section and explain the reason why there is a need to extend the original end date.
It is recommended that sufficient time is allowed to arrange for the extension before the original approval date expires. As previously demonstrated at the FUG on 9 December 2020 the AP: Dashboard highlights all suppliers used by the department with an expiry date 3 months in advance.
When a department requests an extension TCN from the Tax team in advance of an existing one reaching its end date:
- When the Tax team approve an extension to an existing Individual who has an active TCN number they will add ‘TCN ADVANCE REQUEST’ in the Subject line of their acceptance email to the department, which they copy us in to the AP supplier team.
- Daily, the Accounts Payable Supplier Team will amend the approved TCN end date in CUFS directly as per the email from the Tax Section.
- The Accounts Payable Supplier Team will append the email approval to the original record on the Supplier Search and Request Database and ‘reply all’ to the email in (a) to confirm action.
- There will be no requirement for Departments to provide an amendment request via the Supplier Search and Request Database as the action will be complete in this case.
If the end date is passed and the Supplier becomes inactive the following will still apply:
When a department request an extension TCN from the Tax Section after an existing approved date has already been automatically deactivated on the Supplier Record:
- The department must request a reactivation via the Supplier Search and Request Database as normal, they should attach an invoice and the extension email from the tax team as they do now.
- We will only be able to reactivate suppliers with a request through the Supplier Search and Request Database.
Issued by Andrew Weatherley - Accounts Payable, Receivable and Cash Management
Forthcoming course (via Teams)
Cognos Introduction, Tue 23 & Wed 24 Feb
This course is the basis for GL and Grants reporting and introduces the functionality of Cognos. It is a practical course, with tips and shortcuts being demonstrated. You will need to ensure you have Cognos access setup before the course. NB. The objective is to familiarise participants with using Cognos. Report outputs are explained in detail in the GL or Grants reporting courses.
Issued by Christine Rogerson, Finance Training
Supplier Database - Browsers
We would like to remind users that the Supplier Database no longer works with Internet Explorer.
Issued by Paul Humphreys - Functional Analyst
Monthly Accounting Timetable
To view the status of the monthly process including the month end close dates please use the following link: Accounting Timetable
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