Understanding the Journal Workflow Process

1. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process Presented by Frank Leonard March 17, 2005 1

2. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process Objective • To describe the journal process workflow • To outline the responsibilities placed on each of the roles required to complete the journal process 2

3. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process Definition of Journal Workflow Journal workflow describes how a journal moves through an organization. The goal of journal workflow can be seen as the ability to get the right work to the appropriate person at the right time. 3

4. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process Three roles are impacted by the journal workflow process: • The Journal Processor • The Department Journal Approver • The Central Journal Approver 4

5. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process Journal Processor This role is responsible for creating, edit checking, budget checking and submitting the journal entries. See Quick Reference Flow Chart 1.1 5

6. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process Department Journal Approver This role is responsible for approving all journal entries made by those they supervise. It is the responsibility of this role to verify that all journal lines are valid and accurate prior to submitting it to the ACO for Central Approval. See Quick Reference Flow Chart 1.2 6

7. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process Central Journal Approver This role is responsible for reviewing, approving, and posting all journal entries that have been approved by the Department Journal Approvers. See Quick Reference Flow Chart 1.3 7

8. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process Central Journal Approver’s Audit Criteria 1. Supporting Documentation 2. Department Identification 3. Department Approval 4. Interfund Transaction 5. Intrafund Transaction 6. Due To / Due From 7. Does Cash Balance 8

9. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process Central Journal Approver’s Audit Criteriacontinued… 1. Supporting Documentation Does the journal have supporting documentation for the entry? If not, does it indicate a reason for the absence of documentation? Also, is the documentation consistent with the journal description and the journal lines? 9

10. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process 2. Department Identification Central Journal Approver’s Audit Criteriacontinued… Does the journal header panel include the departments business unit? (ACARC, ASARC, etc.) 10

11. Enter Business Unit in the Reference Number Box 11

12. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process 3. Department Approval Central Journal Approver’s Audit Criteriacontinued… Has the journal been approved by the Department Approver? 12

13. Click this button to view Journal status below 13

14. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process Central Journal Approver’s Audit Criteriacontinued… 4. Interfund Transaction Interfund transactions are transactions between governmental funds (funds beginning with a 1, 2, or 3). If one fund uses an interfund expense account (536700- 537280) the other fund should use an interfund revenue account (778000-778350). Transactions with proprietary funds or other non-county agencies are not interfund transactions. 14

15. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process Central Journal Approver’s Audit Criteriacontinued… 5. Intrafund Transaction Intrafund transactions are transactions between departments within the same fund. The department making the reimbursement should debit a regular expense account and the department being reimbursed should credit an Intrafund expense account (571000-574200). 15

16. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process Central Journal Approver’s Audit Criteriacontinued… 6. Due To/ Due From, Ops In/Ops Out and Advance To / Advance From • “Due To Other Funds” should be offset by a “Due From Other Funds”. • “Operating Transfers In” should be offset by an “Operating Transfers Out”. • “Advance To Other Funds” should be offset by an “Advance From Other Funds”. Ideally, these transactions should contain the offsetting journal lines in the same journal. If not, the journal description should provide the journal and line number of the offsetting lines. 16

17. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process Central Journal Approver’s Audit Criteria continued … 7. CASH Balance Does the Cash Edit Panel “Difference” net to zero? 17

18. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process Communication If any of the seven criteria described remain unresolved, the Central Journal Approver will recycle the Journal, and specify the reason in the Approval Comments section on the Approval panel. As a courtesy, communication may also consist of a phone call and/or follow-up e-mail. 18

19. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process 19

20. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process Maintaining Your Journal Worklist Each Journal Processor and Department Journal Approver are responsible for viewing their Worklists for recycled and/or denied journals that they have processed. To access your Worklist, click on the Notebook icon, then choose either the Recycle Journal Entry or Journal Entry Denial folder to view your entries. 20

21. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process ACO Contacts For questions regarding journal entries, please contact: Gladys Smith at micro 5-8569 Michelle Pantoja at micro 5-9461 or Frank Leonard at micro 5-3877 21

22. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process Processor Workflow Quick Reference Flow Chart 1.1 22

23. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process Department Approver Workflow Quick Reference Flow Chart 1.2 23

24. Understanding the Journal Workflow Process Central Approver Workflow Quick Reference Flow Chart 1.3 24