FAMIS

In September, ODP/TAMU's Administration Department completed its first year of operations using the new accounting system called FAMIS. The system is used to set up budgets, input transactions and produce reports. During the first few months of the year, procedures were developed for handling all routine and unique transaction types that are encountered in conducting ODP/TAMU business.

On completion of the fiscal year, Administration closed general and subsidiary ledgers and support accounts for FY96. Outstanding items (posted invoices, purchase orders, "to be obligated funds") were transferred to FY97 in a one-step process. The old IMS system first required all items being transferred to be individually deleted from the previous year's books and then reinput in the new year. The process under FAMIS was much simpler, thereby reducing the occurrence of inputting errors and allowing the closeout process to be completed in considerably less time.

Development is continuing on a supplemental database which stores financial transactions downloaded from FAMIS on a daily basis. The database, which is currently used for ad hoc queries, will meet specialized reporting and information retrieval needs for internal and external parties. Development is also continuing on formal, written departmental policies and procedures for the FAMIS system.