Chapter 6 - Project Maintenance This Section Includes: 6.1 Project Definition and Use 6.2 Adding Projects 6.3 Managing Deferred Projects 6.3.1 Allocations 6.3.1.1 Monthly Allocation of Deferred Values 6.4 Monthly Allocations Process 6.4.1 Project Deferral Dates 6.4.2 Set the month in Allocation Step 6.4.3 Save Search Criteria 6.4.4 Running Allocation Steps Each Month 6.4.5 Run Allocation Process for February 6.5 Managing Local Council Project Trees 6.5.1 Adding to the Project Tree 6.5.2 Cut-Paste on the Project Tree 6.5.3 Drag and Drop on the Project Tree 6.5.4 Printing the Tree 6.6 Recommended Project Tree Structure 6.6.1 Typical Reporting Groups of Projects 6.6.2 Standard for Deferred Project Groups 6-1
6.1 Project Definition and Use Projects are tags that must be applied to transactions in the account string that helps the local council track financial data by purpose, location, program or other definition. The control of projects is at the discretion of the council based on organizational needs. Projects should be unique in meaning usage. They may be used in all three funds and attached to any transaction. The software is configured so that a project code must be applied to each transaction used in the system. Projects are synonymous with Cost Centers. Projects can be created but not deleted. They can be made inactive, and later renamed for another use if desired. CAUTION: Other software that communicates with PeopleSoft may not be able to handle more than the traditional 3 digit code. STANDARD: Projects used in SellWise, Fundraising and Payroll should be 3 digit numbers. 6.2 Adding Projects Projects may be added at any time as needed by council operational changes. Projects may be up to 8 digits along with a description. To add a project, navigate to the following page. Click on Add a New Value, enter your Business Unit and the new project number. Then click on Add. 6-2
Then you can detail information about the project. Sample of a project being added: 1. Description Limited to 30 Characters This will appear on reports. 2. Start Date/End Date These are not important fields. 3. OPTION: Staff Responsibility may be assigned Allows effective dates for new assignments. 4. OPTION: Project Status Status is not required. You may track when the project is deferred and non-deferred if you wish. 5. Correct History Click this button prior to changing staff assignments in the past. 6. Save your work. 6-3
OPTION: Sample of a project that is deferred until September 1. Description Limited to 30 Characters This will appear on reports. 2. Start Date/End Date These are not important fields. 3. Use + and - buttons to manage Project Status 4. Project Status Enter a Deferred status on January 1 or the year then add a line. Add a Nondeferred status in the month when the event occurs. (see below for a multiple year deferral) 5. Make sure the dates are oldest at the bottom to newest on top. 6. Correct History If you are adjusting the past, click the Correct History button first. 7. Save your work. 6-4
OPTION: Example of a Multi-Year Deferral such as Jamboree For each year where the project is deferred you must have a January 1 dated Deferred status Add a Nondeferred status when the event occurs. Remember to keep the dates with the oldest at the bottom or you will not be able to save your work. Description Tab (Optional) 6-5
6.3 Managing Deferred Projects Financial transactions related to projects that we label as camps, activities or special events have the possibility of being deferred until the activity is completed. This is done because the receipt of income for a future activity is considered an exchange transaction, but the goods or services being purchased are to be delivered in a future accounting period. PeopleSoft treats this is two ways: 6.3.1 Allocations Allocations are a tool to move amounts from one account to another based upon some specific criteria. For example, if there are expenses stored in an account that is generic to the councils that you wish to spread over a series of accounts based on a percentage of usage, an allocation can be set up that reads the balance of account A and creates a journal to move X% of that balance to account B, and Y% to account C etc. Allocations are also the tool that is recommended for use in moving balances found in revenue and expense accounts for activities, camps and special events during the months they are deferred There are two sets of rules created for this purpose: 6.3.1.1 Monthly Allocation of Deferred Values 1. Tree-Deferred Activity Expense 2. Tree-Deferred Activity Revenue 3. Tree-Deferred Camp Expense 4. Tree-Deferred Activity Revenue 5. Tree-Deferred Special Event Expense 6. Tree-Deferred Special Event Revenue These rules are used at the end of each month (period) to move any revenue and expense balances for deferred camps, activities and special events to deferred accounts. The journal that moves the values will reverse on the first day of the next period. These rules should be used for deferrals in January through December of each year, and then the project tree should be updated for use in the next year. 6.4 Monthly Allocations Process Camps, activities and special events conducted by local councils often will be deferred for a period of time pending the completion of the event. Fees may be collected and expenses paid in anticipation of a future event and by accounting rules they are considered deferred to a future period. Deferred expenses will report as an asset on the Statement of Financial Position. Deferred revenues will report as a liability on the Statement of Activities and Changes in Net Assets and the Statement of Operation. When the event is completed the incomes and expenses are no longer considered deferred and should then appear in their normal setting on statements as income and expense. Historically, local councils have preferred to initially record deferred incomes and expenses in their normal accounts and use software to display them as deferred on statements. That historical process is in accordance with common accounting practices. In PeopleSoft this is accomplished by monthly journals that move values from income and expense accounts to actual deferred accounts. To manage the deferral of income and expense for deferred projects, there are specific steps that will need to be taken each month. 6-6
6.4.1 Project Deferral Dates At the beginning of every year each council should update the project tree with respect to all projects that have any deferred periods in the coming year. You should work from a checklist of projects that are camps, activities or special events. Reminder: Projects should be listed on the project tree under the deferred node in months that they are in a deferred status. For example a camp that closes in August would be deferred in each month from January to July but not in August. National Jamboree for a year where it is not conducted would be deferred in each of the 12 months of that year. If you choose the option of tracking deferral dates on each project code described above, you may use this query to see what projects are deferred in January of each year. Follow the bread crumbs above and search for the query LC_PROJ_JAN_DEFERRED Select your business unit and 01/01/2XXX through 01/31/2XXX. Download it to Excel for printing 6-7
6.4.2 Set the Month in Allocation Steps Navigate to the allocations steps for your business unit and update each step to read the January deferred tree node in each of the steps as indicted below. Start with the Tree-Deferred Activity Expenses step on the list. 1- Find an Existing Value 2- Enter your Business Unit 3- Enter TD and Click Search 4- Select the first step: TD-ACT-EXP Tree Deferred Activity Expense 6-8
Once you click on the step, it will open the page where you will update the tree node to find the deferred projects. 1. Click on the Pool tab. 2. Find the Pool Fields blue ribbon Click on the View All link. 3. Scroll down to the bottom of the page where you will see the section below 1- Click on the search icon and find the deferred tree node for the month you are about to close. In this case the 01-JAN-DEFERRED node. Click the Save button. After a save, you should scroll down again tand click on Next in List to go to the next Step. 6-9
Update the monthly tree node in all six steps. Your next list will be the Defer Activity Revenue where you will repeat the process of the Pool tab, View All, select the proper deferred month on the project tree and save. Complete this for all 6 projects: TD-ACT-EXP TD-ACT-REV TD-CMP-EXP TD-CMP-REV TD-SPE-EXP TD-SPE-REV NOTE: It may be useful to run any Project Management Reports that you desire PRIOR to processing the Allocation for the month if you wish to review revenue and expenses before they are moved to deferred accounts. To Run Allocations in January (and ensuing months): Navigate to the Allocation Request page 1. Click the Add a New Value tab 2. Run Control ID: Allocation-Request (No spaces allowed) 3. Click on Add to create the Run Control. After initial creation, it may be searched and used in the future. You should only need one control for this effort. 6-10
The run control details are then entered. 1- Process Frequency Select Always from the dropdown list. 2- Unit Enter your Business Unit. 3- Allocation Group Search for MONTH-DEF 4- Request Date Option Select As of Date from the dropdown list. 5- As of Date Put in the end of the month for which you are processing allocations. In this case, 01/31/2103. Note: Do not change Output Options or Description 5- Save your work The next time you will only need to change the date to the next month and run again. 6- Click the Run button On the next screen Select a server and Click OK. WARNING: You may receive a Warning message which likely indicates that one or more rules did not find any transactions to move. This is entirely possible, for example, if one deferred project list had revenue but no expenses yet, or if there were no deferred projects of one of the types (activity, camp or special event). 6-11
To check for completion, search for journals at the end of January with a source code of ALO. The reversals should be posted on February 1. To perform such a search, see the below: 1. Business Unit 2. Journal Date Set option to Between and enter the earliest date (in this example May 15). 3. Set end date Enter the latest date (in this example June 15). 4. Source All allocation journals are ALO. 5. Click Search That search should yield the listing below: 6-12
1. Click on the Journal Date header to sort You may sort by any of the columns by clicking on the header. 2. These are the deferral entries for January 31 They move the revenues and expenses to deferred accounts. 3. These are the automatic reversals on February 1 They move the values back to revenue and expense accounts. 6.4.3 Save Search Criteria Hint: It is a good idea to save this search criteria so that when you run it again, all you need do is change the date range. Search criteria can be saved for various searches you perform regularly. To save the criteria for a commonly used search, click on the link at the bottom of the page labeled Save Search Criteria. 1. Name of Search Give your search a name so you can recognize it again 2. Save your search. Using the search again. Navigate to the Create/Update Journal Entries page. 6-13
1. Click the drop-down for Use Saved Search 2. Select your saved search 3. Make needed changes to the date range 4. Click Search 6.4.4 Running Allocation Steps Each Month (repeated for each month through December as the last step of Month-end process. 1- Start on the Find an Existing Value tab. 2- Enter your business unit 3- Enter TD and click on Search 4- Select the first step from the list. 6-14
On the next page: 1. Click on the Pool tab. 2. Click on the View All link on the Pool Fields blue ribbon. 3. Scroll down to the bottom where you will manage the deferred projects. 1- Click on the search icon and find the deferred tree node for the month you are about to close. 2- Click the Save button. 3- Click on Next in List to go to the next Step. 6-15
Update the monthly tree node in all six steps. Your next list will be the Defer Activity Revenue where you will repeat the process of the Pool tab, View All, select the proper deferred month on the project tree and save. Complete this for all 6 projects: TD-ACT-EXP TD-ACT-REV TD-CMP-EXP TD-CMP-REV TD-SPE-EXP TD-SPE-REV NOTE: It may be useful to run any Project Management Reports that you desire PRIOR to processing the Allocation for the month if you wish to review revenue and expenses before they are moved to deferred accounts. 6.4.5 Run Allocation Process for February Navigate to the Allocation Request page as below. Search for your run control and open this page. 1- These first 4 fields should be correct from your last save in January. If not update as shown here. 2- As of Date Put in the end of the month for which you are processing allocations. In this case, 02/28/2013. 3- Save your work The next time you will only need to change the date to the next month and run again. 4- Click the Run button On the next screen Select a server and Click OK. 6-16
WARNING: You may receive a Warning message which likely indicates that one or more rules did not find any transactions to move. This is entirely possible, for example, if one deferred project list had revenue but no expenses yet, or if there were no deferred projects of one of the types (activity, camp or special event). You may search for the ALO Journals to see that they processed and posted. NOTE: Repeat for the same steps above for March through December. At the end of each month repeat the Allocation Request process from above using the tree node on ALL SIX STEPS that applies to the period you are about to close. In December, it should only be those projects that are deferred over the year end such as Jamboree, Philmont or early next year events. 6.5 Managing Local Council Project Trees The local council Project Tree is the replacement for the Group Codes in ScoutNet. The council must maintain the tree for reporting purposes. The tree should have nodes for any reporting options the council wishes to use such as Camping, Activities etc. Under those main nodes would be nodes for other groupings such as Camp A, Camp B, Day Camps, and Council Training etc. There would normally be nodes for such other things as: Administration Camping Activities Funding Staff Deferred Others as desired Offices, Departments etc. Camp A, Camp B, Day Camps ec. Council Activities, Dist 1 Activities, Dist 2 Activities etc. Special Events, Annual Campaigns, Project Sales, Product Sales etc. Projects listed by position, DFS, DSS, FD, PD, Dist 1, Dist 2 etc. Here you should have a node for each month in the standard format: 01-JAN-DEFERRED 02-FEB-DEFERRED etc. 6-17
Navigate to the bread-crumb trail shown and search for your business unit projects tree: 1- Click the Find an Existing Value tab. 2- Enter your Business Unit 3- Click the Search button 4 - Click on the link to LXXX Project Tree The local council should not try to create a new tree. There are complex parameters that need to be set correctly depending on the use. If you feel the need for an additional tree, please submit an incident to the National Support Center for assistance. 6-18
When you click on your Projects tree you will see: Click on a Node that you wish to work with and you will see several icons: = Expand Node = Insert Sibling Node Same level = Insert Child Node Level below = Insert Detail Load projects numbers here. = Update Node Properties (not used) = Edit Data (Change the Description of the Node) = Delete Node (deletes the node and all branches and leaves beneath) = Cut Node (to attach somewhere else) = Branch (NOT USED) When you have selected a Node with Cut, and then click on another node for insertion you may see one or both of these icons: = Insert as a Sibling to this Node = Insert Child to this Node 6-19
6.5.1 Adding to the Project Tree If you wish to add a new node under All Projects named Funding (for example). Click on the All Projects node. Then on the Symbol for Insert a Child Node as shown. Fill in the desired name Funding then click on Add. HINT: This field below is difficult to type in so you may want to open a blank Word document and type it there then copy and paste. If you type quickly, you will be OK in the raw field. HINT: The description below is that which will print on reports when you select this tree node for combined reports. This name can be modified later if you are unhappy with your first effort. 6-20
Now click on Funding and then on the Insert Child Node icon as below to add a type of funding. Let s add a node for Special Events. NOTE: If the Tree Node Name has two words, use a -, or _ between. NOTE: Each node of the tree must have at least one detail at the bottom of the node structure in order for the tree to be saved and Valid. If a node no longer contains any detail it must be deleted. 6-21
Now we can add specific special events by project number by clicking on Special-Events and then on the Green Leaf to add detail. You should add projects by single numbers for clarity on report printing later. NOTE: In this field, you cannot do a look-up of projects have a handy list. You should add projects one at a time and not a range. This will facilitate better reporting later. Enter the project number you wish to add must be an active project in your data. Click Add. The result will be.. Add other Special Events as needed. Save your work. 6-22
6.5.2 Cut-Paste on the Project Tree If you place a node or leaf in the wrong place, or need to move it for any other reason it is not necessary to delete and recreate the node or leaf. You may move it. Moving a node will also move all the nodes and leaves underneath that node along with it. To move 115 under Special Events, click on 115 and then the Cut Icon. That will highlight the 115 line. Then click on the Special Events node, and a new icon will appear to allow pasting as a child under Special Events. Click on that Icon and the 115 project will move. This same procedure is used to move a node and all that is under it to another location on the tree. You may paste these nodes as either a child or a sibling to the one you want. 6-23
6.5.3 Drag and Drop on the Project Tree An alternate method of movement is available using the drag and drop method. Click on the node or detail you wish to move and drag it to the node where you wish to attach it. You will see a little green check mark on locations where you are allowed to drop the selected node or leaf. You will see a small red X where you may not drop the node of leaf. NOTE: The particular order of leaves or nodes under their parent is not important for reporting purposes. However, order can be very helpful visually in the management of projects on the tree. When you add a node as a sibling the new node it will be inserted just below the node you select to complete the addition. When you add multiple nodes or detail as children, they will insert at the top of the child list below. Be sure to save your work.. 6-24
6.5.4 Printing the Tree If you wish to have a printed copy of the Project Tree 1. Click on the Expand All link. 2. Click on the link Print Format on the blue ribbon. 3. Use CTRL-P and send to a printer. 6-25
6.6 Recommended Project Tree Structure While each local council is quite different, the pattern recommended for Project Tree structure is below. 6.6.1 Typical Reporting Groups of Projects 6-26
6.6.2 Standard for Deferred Project Groups Projects that are deferred for certain months in the fiscal year should be listed using the standard below. These nodes will be used in the monthly allocation of deferred revenue and expenses throughout the year. As new activities, camps or special events are added, they should be added to the tree. As dates change adjustments should be made to the tree to reflect the date change in the deferral process. As projects are discontinued, they may be removed from the tree. Deferred Projects Listing Standard 6-27