Finance UBASE User Group

Internal Trade uBASE User Group Notes from the meeting on 17th May 2012

Attendees:

Robert Hebblethwaite (Chair) Chris Day (Medical School) Audrey Pang (Law) Michelle Baraclough (CiCS) Andy Bassett (Biological Services) Lynda Hodge-Mannion (Faculty of Arts & Humanities Finance Hub) Tracey Garner (Accommodation & Commercial Services) Yvette Everitt (Finance) Andrew Wood (Finance) Kellie Hall (Finance) Jamie O’Brien (Finance) Judy Hair (Finance) Paul Thacker (CiCS)

Agenda Item 1 - Apologies

Alison Lougheed (CiCS) Amanda Elliott (Room and Parking) Susan Cross (Biological Services) Lisa Knight (Animal & Plant Sciences) Andrea Sargent (Materials Science) Claire Kennedy (Finance) Andy Jamieson (Finance)

Agenda Item 2 – Notes from the Previous Meeting

 No amendments to the Notes were proposed.

Agenda Item 3 – Matters arising/Action Points

 Yvette Everitt gave an update to the group on developments re Central Stores reservation reporting. She provided members with examples of the report with specific extracts by Purchasing Group. The group discussed the issue re consistency of use of the text field “Unloading point” and where the protocol of inputting a Purchasing Group plus some free text was working and where it was not. It is possible to use search functions in the report on fields such as cost centre and reservation number. We also discussed how the Central Stores team had accumulated knowledge of purchasing groups and storage locations that were not held systematically. ACTION: YE to arrange for the report to be made available as part of the General Purchasing Report folder. Suggested name was “Z_Central Stores Res”. YE to write a user guide for the report.  RH reported that there has been no progress with work on the myPurchase and uBASE Training Request and Profile update process.  RH has completed a new Financial Advice Note on the appropriate use of Internal Trade and this was circulated to user group members in advance of the meeting. This supplements the document previously written by Clare Vincent on the five unique criteria/steps required to ensure completion of the Internal Trade process. ACTION: RH to make both documents widely available by loading them to the A-Z of Financial Advice Notes under “I” for “Internal Trade guidance”. The group also discussed an issue where a Department were contributing to the costs of a student’s accommodation. It was agreed that this was not internal trade between ACS and the Department and instead a journal to credit the student’s customer account was appropriate.  No further action had been taken in relation to the previously discussed topic of resolving small value discrepancies in the Internal Trade process. ACTION: RH/AJW to revisit this with Business Systems colleagues.  Tracey Garner reported that the Internal Trade Seller’s guide document had not been finalized and issued. ACTION: Tracey Garner to finalise the Internal Trade Seller’s Guide document and RH to make this available to UG members via uSpace.

Agenda Item 4 – Current Queries/Questions from Users

 No items were raised at this stage.

Agenda Item 5 – On line catalogue for Internal Catering

 Tracey Garner provided the group with an update on the operation of the on-line catering system. After some initial access issues in relation to the server on which the system is held, from an ACS point of view the on line system is working well and feedback from users is positive in that they are finding it easier to use. Tracey confirmed that the on line system is only for delivered services and not for any other areas of ACS business such as conferencing.  Concerns were expressed that Approvers for the cost centres or WBS elements being quoted when orders were being placed were not getting an email notification early enough. Tracey confirmed that ACS are aware of the need for an email notification to the uBASE approver in advance of the supply actually being made so that this would provide an opportunity for the supply to be cancelled if the approver felt it was not required or there was insufficient budget to cover the cost. ACS are currently testing the email to approver development and it is hoped that this will go live before 30.6.12. Although the registered user of the ACS on-line system does receive an email asking that they send a copy of the supply and cost details to the approver for the code, there was some evidence that this was simply not being done.  Tracey also outlined that developments to the system were planned in order to ensure the capture of hospitality data. The information to be provided by the user had been agreed with the Tax team to ensure compliance with HMRC regulations.  Lynda expressed concern that the system for placing orders was open to any staff. The Arts and Humanities finance hub were trying to ensure that people in the Faculty did not order catering from codes that either had no budget or where this would be an ineligible cost. ACTION Tracey Garner to provide Lynda with a list of those staff in the Arts and Humanities Departments that have registered to use the system. If problems in relation to inappropriate orders being raised persisted (e.g. where insufficient budget was in place), ACS would need to delete/de-register from their database any staff where a Faculty Director of Operations or Senior Manager instructed them that they were not permitted to place ACS orders.

Agenda Item 6 – Developments re Print Services

 Michelle Baraclough updated the group on the progress being made with the development of on-line ordering for Print and Design solutions. This is currently in place for students in the Faculty of Science however the payment for these services by students is clearly external income and not internal trade. The proposal is to roll out this functionality to staff to access on-line services where ordering items for Departmental use. After accessing the initial catalogue type screens, staff would then be routed via a portal to a page where a University charge code will be nominated, then validated and notification sent to the uBASE approver. The value threshold for orders is proposed to be £500 and hence this is much higher than the typical value of ACS delivered supplies. As such it will be very important that approver notification is made well in advance of any work commencing on an order and that users of the system are made aware that certain externally funded project codes may NOT have budget to support printing related costs. Pilot Departments identified for the staff version of the on-line system were the Faculty of Science and the Careers Service. ACTION: RH to help in communication with Faculty and Professional Service Finance Managers in relation to the staff on-line Print system and approval or budget availability issues.

Agenda Item 7 – Year end preparations

 Kellie updated the group on the latest position with regards to clearance/matching of documents in the Internal Trade process. This is not specifically a Financial Year End task (as it should be a regular feature of good financial housekeeping) however it takes on particular importance at year end so that final statements of income and expenditure for suppliers and purchasers of IT are as accurate as possible.  Kellie reported that there were currently 1300 IT documents still open, 954 transactions needing the “billing block” to be removed and 1600 items still needing to be Goods Receipted. In terms of value differences preventing matching, there were only 42 transactions where this was a problem which is a very welcome large reduction. ACTION: Users to spread the word about the importance of continuing to focus on these tasks in relation to the IT process and to do them now rather than waiting to the end of July.

Agenda Item 8 – Getting the most out of the User Groups

 RH led this discussion by asking for user group members’ views on how we can continue to improve what we get out of having these meetings. The user group format has been in place for 4 years now and it should be a means by which news and information is cascaded outwards from the Finance Department and also a channel for views or development requests to be brought from users. I.e. a 2 way communication.  User group members are responsible for disseminating information they receive at the meetings to Faculty colleagues as well as pulling in others views. Whilst it is appreciated that this is not always easy, the user group meetings are always more rewarding and productive where members have gathered feedback from colleagues via their Finance Operations Groups or the like.  RH reminded user group members that they are free to hand over the task of representing a Faculty or a Professional Service area to another colleague at any stage. (just let me know of any changes to membership) The high level of apologies received for these meetings (despite the fact they are held only twice per year) could be a sign that new blood is required although it IS acknowledged where apologies were given simply due to other diary commitments.

Agenda Item 9 – Any other business

 It was agreed that the next meeting would be held in approx 6 months time. As usual, any Agenda items to be emailed to RH or posted via uSpace.