The following manuals have been updated and are now available for viewing and printing:

Our manuals are available in the Adobe Acrobat PDF format and text versions. To view, click on the "Manuals" link at the top of the page and login using your FAMIS UserID.

"Thank you very much for all your time and help to test the new procurement card FTP process for us."

"Thanks so much for your quick response!"

"You all are just super!!! Thanks again."

A&M System Building
200 Technology Way
College Station Business Park

- - - - - -

Map to SAGO Offices
(text version)

- - - - - -

We have just moved some new functions to Canopy Training and we would encourage you to take a look at it:

https://lab1.sago.tamus.edu/Training/canopy/

As many of you are aware, Canopy is a web-based application for creating EPA (payroll) documents and FAMIS Routing and Approval. You will need to use your FAMIS Training ID and password. If you are not sure what your Training ID is, please contact your FAMIS Security Officer for help.

Available now as menu items are:

• Account Inquiry (FRS - basic GL,SL,SA account inquiry including vouchers and open commitments)
  
  
• Fixed Assets Module (FFX Inquiry including Location Changes)

In addition, we want to let you know that CANOPY is going through development and will have a technology upgrade and re-design that will be unveiled this summer. To assist us with this effort, please notice that there is a FEEDBACK feature on the web pages. We encourage you to use this feature to make suggestions for improvements to Canopy that we can incorporate in the re-design.

The System Office of Budgets and Accounting initiated some changes which will allow us to address a variety of requests for more timely financial information. To meet these increasing requests for timely financial information, we implemented a mandatory month end close process. We will continue this process for August month end except the close will be done the night of the fifth working day. Any other entries and accruals will be made in month 13. Both topics have been discussed during the A&M System Accounting Principles and Policies Committee meeting the past two months.

Beginning with the close out for the month of April, the mandatory month-end processing schedule was implemented. The first change occurred on May 1, 2006, the first working day of the following month.

This process created a need for some internal process changes for each campus. Internal deadlines for procurement cards, service department billings and other internal processes needed to be moved to accommodate this change.

What does this mean for your operations?

• Research Foundation will continue to close the night of the last working day of the month.
  
  
• All FAMIS members will have their default processing month changed on the night of the last day of the month at midnight. (For example, the default processing month changed to May at midnight, on April 30th).
  
  
• Online FAMIS month-end entries such as cash receipts, journal entries, or budget adjustments will be made throughout the month, but MUST be complete before 5 pm of the first working day of the following month. In order to process these entries on the first working day of the month, your staff will need to have the security to change the processing month on Screen 882 in FAMIS. If entries are not made prior to 5 pm of the first working day, they will go into the next day's business.
  
  
• Beginning at 5 pm of the first working day of the month, FAMIS will process all necessary jobs to finalize month-end posting processes and data extracts for all FAMIS members. Special requests will be held to a minimum on this night so that all required data can be processed.
  
  
• The FAMIS month-end report printing process will follow the schedule already in place. In other words, your month-end reports will be printed or delivered on a schedule similar to how you currently receive your reports. FAMIS hopes to be able to produce more month-end reports sooner than they are currently being provided.

What does this mean for the non-FAMIS members?

• The file transfer from your system to FAMIS for the month being closed must be made by 5pm on the night of the first working day. (For example, April Close - by 5pm on 05/01/06).

Once FAMIS completes month-end processing for all members of the system, the data will be loaded to the data warehouse so monthly reports and analysis can begin.

We realize this is a significant change for everyone. This is a new process and it is likely that we will have some issues to resolve as we move forward. Please feel free to contact Sandy Brown at (979) 458 6090 or famishelp@tamu.edu if you need any assistance in making this transition.

Using E-MAIL can save time and long distance charges. It also allows the person on HOTLINE to research your question/problem and provide you with a more specific answer.

FAMIS Positions Available

• 2005
  11/2005
  03/2005

• 2004
  12/2004
  06/2004
  03/2004

Have a Happy,
Safe Summer!