Agency Create and Approve Journals (10.2.3)
  • 10 Jun 2024
  • 21 Minutes to read
  • Dark
    Light
  • PDF

Agency Create and Approve Journals (10.2.3)

  • Dark
    Light
  • PDF

Article summary

Business Process Overview

General Ledger (GL) journals are created via an online journal, using the Spreadsheet Upload Tool, or imported from external systems. Agencies will use GL journals for Trust Fund investing or disinvesting using the simplified investment activity page, record summarized account receivables, record account receivable write offs, create summarized adjustment entries, create year-end accruals, and balance adjustments.

The roles for agency users are Agency GL Journal Processor and Agency GL Journal Approver. The processor role is responsible for creating the GL Journal with the appropriate agency coding and submitting the journal for approval. The journal Workflow progresses to the Agency GL Journal Approver for review and approval. In accordance with workflow, denied journals or journals with errors go back to Agency Processor for review, update, or deletion. Agency Processors monitor their GL {{glossary.WorkCenter}} for notification of journals that are awaiting approval and journals with errors. Approved journals will either continue with budget/cash check or continue to route for additional approval by {{glossary.DFS}}. If additional approval is needed, ad hoc approvers can be added to the {{glossary.Workflow}} process. Budget/Cash check will run after all approvals have been granted. After successfully passing budget/cash check, journals post to update ledger balances.

Business Process Diagram

Business Process Diagram for 10.2.3 Agency Create and Approve Journals (part 1)

Business Process Diagram for 10.2.3 Agency Create and Approve Journals (part 2)

Business Process Diagram for 10.2.3 Agency Create and Approve Journals (part 3)

Business Roles

The Business Process Flow Diagrams use horizontal swim lanes to depict where activities are performed by different parties or systems. Each swim lane is titled with a role, either agency-based or within DFS, and in some cases, are representative of an external entity or system. The swim lanes may change from page to page within a single business subprocess as more or fewer roles are required to execute sections of the business subprocess. 

Business Process Flows Details

The tables below describe steps in each business subprocess as reflected on the Business Process Flow Diagrams. The tables also reflect information associated with each step describing the intent of the specific process. Florida PALM screenshots are included within the sections to allow connections to be made from specific business subprocess steps to screens within Florida PALM. This information should be read in conjunction with the Business Process Flow Diagrams.

Process Step ID

Process Step Title

Description of Process

1

Prepare to Record Journal

Supporting documentation to create GL journals is provided to the Agency GL Journal Processor through an established internal agency process. The Agency GL Journal Processor reviews the documentation for accuracy and to ensure a journal is required to complete the request.


If it is determined a journal is needed to perform an investment or disinvestment the processor goes to the investment activity page.


If the journal is not related to investment activity, the Agency GL Journal Processor can create the journal using three different methods: directly online journal through Florida PALM, the spreadsheet upload tool provided by Florida PALM, or importing a file from an external system.


2

Investment Activity Page

Investment transactions are entered and processed using the Investment Activity Page. This page is a tool to aid in the creation of investment-related journal entries. Before performing investment-related journals, the agency reviews the fund cash balance and determines whether cash is available to invest or if a disinvestment is needed to cover expenses.


3

Identify Investable ChartField string

If an investment transaction is needed, identify the investable ChartField String based on the Fund, Budget Entity, and Category.


4

Verify Investment Appropriation Authority

The agency verifies the remaining investment Appropriations authority by using the budget overview page, other internal reports, or the investment activity detail page to ensure budget is available to perform the investment transaction.


5

Process Investment

After verifying the remaining investment Appropriation authority, the Agency GL Processor can process the investment transaction on page. The investment activity entry page will have validations to ensure that investment request does not exceed the appropriation authority and uses the selected ChartField String.


6

Create Investment Journal

Once the Agency GL Processor has completed and submitted the entry for the investment, Florida PALM systematically produces the related GL Journals. The journal is created, and the journal ID is returned to the Agency GL Processor for reference.


7

Submit Investment for Edit Check

Journals are stagged and available to be edit-checked. The edit check process performs final validations of the accounting entries before the journals are posted to the Ledger. For more information related to the edit check process reference business process model 10.2.2 Edit Check.


8

Identify Invested ChartField string

If a disinvestment is needed to meet the fund cash needs, the GL Processor will identify the invested ChartField String.


9

Verify Invested Cash Balance

The agency verifies the invested cash balance by using the budget overview page, other internal reports, or the investment activity detail page to ensure the budget is available to perform the investment transaction.


10

Process Disinvestment

After verifying the invested cash balance, the Agency GL Processor can process the disinvestment transaction on the page. The investment activity entry page will have validations to ensure that the disinvestment request does not exceed the invested cash balance and uses the selected ChartField String.


11

Create Disinvestment Journal

Once the Agency GL Processor has completed and submitted the entry for the disinvestment, Florida PALM systematically produces the related GL Journals. The journal is created, and the journal ID is returned to the Agency GL Processor for reference.


12

Submit Disinvestment for Edit Check

Journals are stagged and available to be edit-checked. The edit check process performs final validations of the accounting entries before the journals are posted to the Ledger. For more information related to the edit check process reference business process model 10.2.2 Edit Check.


13

Inbound Journal Spreadsheet Upload (GLI011)

The Agency GL Journal Processor creates journals in mass by using the spreadsheet journal upload tool. The spreadsheet template contains prepopulated ChartField column headers and allows the Agency GL Journal Processor to quickly create a journal with many lines. To ensure data accuracy, the Agency GL Processor can use SpeedKeys within the Spreadsheet Upload. The SpeedKey’s ChartField values expand once the journal is loaded into Florida PALM. The journal ID is also automatically assigned to the journal once it is successfully loaded into Florida PALM.


If the file is rejected, the file error is detailed in the interface handling process. Reference business process 120.1 Interface Error Handling Process for more information and how to reprocess errors.


14

Inbound Journal Entry (GLI006)

Agencies may create journals in an Agency Business System or an external third-party system. These external business systems create a file to be staged for batch processing to create GL journal entries within Florida PALM.


If the file is rejected, the file error is detailed in the interface handling process. Reference business process 120.1 Interface Error Handling Process for more information and how to reprocess errors.


15

Perform Interface Error Check

Edit validations are performed on each interface and Spreadsheet Upload before the data is allowed to load to the Journal Entry tables. The edits will perform validations on all journal lines and include the following:

  • ChartField Validation
  • ChartField Combination Edit Validation
  • Amount Validation
  • Open Period Validation


If the file is rejected, all journal lines associated with a journal header in the file are rejected and the complete journal must be resubmitted once the issue is resolved.


The rejected transactions are managed through the Interface Error Handling Process. Reference business process 120.1 Interface Error Handling Process for more information and how to reprocess errors.


16

Load Journal Entry files

Journals that pass the interface error check are loaded into Florida PALM and proceed with the journal processing lifecycle. Journals that meet the criteria for review will be routed for review or audit. Journals that do not meet the criteria for review continue with budget/cash check, if needed.


17

Create/Modify Journal

The Agency GL Journal Processor can perform an online entry to create journals. The processor enters the required information for journal processing, based on enterprise and internal agency policy, using the appropriate journal source. To ensure data accuracy, the processor can use SpeedKeys on the screen to have the appropriate ChartField values populate the journal.


Journals can be entered and saved with incomplete information. Incomplete journals are reported on the GL Journal WorkCenter. Saved journals receive the system-generated journal ID. If the journals have been saved and not posted to the GL, the journals can be deleted by the processor. Journals in deleted status do not impact GL balances, cannot be edited, and are available for reporting.


When the Agency GL Journal Processor is ready to complete the journal, it is updated, saved, and ready for edit check. Journals waiting for further processing are available to be reviewed using the Journals Ready for Processing report on the WorkCenter.


Journals that are complete are eligible for edit check. Journals are edited by either the batch process, which will perform edits on qualified journals, or the processor can manually select the edit process to run. The edit check process performs final validations of the accounting entries before the journals are posted to the Ledger. Please see 10.2.2 Edit Check for more information.


18

GL Journal Approval Workflow (GLW001)

A valid journal, which results from a successful Edit Check, systematically routes to the Agency GL Journal Approver.


19

Review Journal

The Agency GL Journal Approver uses the Journal Pending My Approval report, on the GL WorkCenter, to view all journals that require approval.


The approver reviews the journal and any attached documentation to ensure the journal is accurate and valid. Based on the documentation, the Agency approver has three approval options:

  • Approve the journal
  • Deny the journal and recommend updates
  • Deny the journal and recommend deletion


If the journal is denied, the journal is updated with comments to detail the reason the journal is being denied. The Agency GL Journal Approver considers if the GL Journal is needed. If the journal is still needed, it is denied and routed back to the Agency GL Journal Processor to make corrections and resubmit the journal for approval.


20

Deny Journal and Recommend Deletion

If the Agency GL Journal Approver determines the journal is not needed, a comment is added to recommend the journal for deletion, and the journal is denied. The denied journal is routed back to the Agency GL Journal Processor for deletion. The Agency GL Processor receives notification of a denied journal through email and on the WorkCenter.


21

Delete Journal

The Agency GL Journal Processor reviews the recommendation provided on the denied journal and deletes the journal.


GL Journals that are not posted are eligible to be deleted if they are not needed. Deleted journals do not impact balances and cannot be altered once deleted. Journals in a deleted status can be viewed after being deleted.


22

Approve Journal

Journals that pass the review are approved by the Agency GL Journal Approver. Based on a pre-defined enterprise criterion, the journal may qualify for review or audit by the DFS. If it does not meet the criteria, the journal will continue for the journal life cycle.


After final approval by the Agency GL Journal Approver the following processes are triggered to update the appropriate ledgers:

  • Budget Check
  • Cash Check


The systematic budget check compares the transaction to available spending authority, including allotments. Sufficient spending authority must exist for a journal to proceed with processing.


The systematic cash check compares the transaction to the available fund cash balance. Sufficient spending authority must exist for a journal to proceed with processing.


The Agency GL Processor receives notification of an approved journal through email and on the WorkCenter.


23

Review/Audit Journal

If the journal qualifies for review by DFS, a DFS GL Journal Approver reviews the agency journal and any attached documentation to ensure the journal is accurate and valid based on the documentation. Journals selected for audit or review are identified on the GL WorkCenter. The WorkCenter can be filtered to see only relevant journals. Internal policy should provide guidance on WorkCenter filtering.


The DFS GL Journal Approver has two options

  • Approve the journal
  • Deny the journal


If the journal is not approved, the DFS GL Journal Approver, adds a comment about the denial and denies the journal. The journal is routed back to the Agency GL Journal Processor to make corrections and resubmit the journal for approval.


24

Approve Journal

If the journal meets all the requirements for approval, the DFS GL Journal Processor approves the journal.


Depending on the account values provided on the journal, the following processes can be triggered:

  • Budget Check
  • Cash Check


The systematic budget check compares the transaction to available spending authority, including allotments. Sufficient spending authority must exist for a journal to proceed with processing.


The systematic cash check compares the transaction to the available fund cash balance. Sufficient spending authority must exist for a journal to proceed with processing.


The Agency GL Processor receives notification of an approved journal through email and on the WorkCenter.


25

Run Budget/Cash Check

Upon final approval, the journal continues processing through the systematic budget/cash check process. The Budget Check process will run at the designated interval. Based on the budget check design, the appropriate ledgers are checked and updated, as needed.


26

Review Allotment Warning/Manage Budget Exceptions

Agency established allotment balances are checked by the Budget Check process. If the transaction amount is less than the available allotment balance, the journal will continue processing. If the journal exceeds the available allotment balance, a warning will be generated, or the journal will result in a budget exception based on the budget structure. For warnings, a message will display stating that the journal has passed allotment budget checking but with warnings. For allotments with budget exceptions, the transaction will stop processing until the exception is resolved.


Journals can proceed with a warning. Internal agency policy should guide the Agency GL Journal Processor regarding journal processing when a warning or budget exception is returned. 


Please see 20.2 Budget Execution and Management for more information on managing warnings, budget exceptions, and the resulting negative allotment balances created.


27

Manage Budget Exceptions

If the journals exceed the available Appropriations (includes appropriations and releases) balance the transaction fails Budget Check  The journals will not be processed by the system until the exception is resolved. The Agency GL Processor and Approver use the Journals with Errors report or the Journals with Commitment Control Exceptions reports, on the GL WorkCenter, to identify journals that have errors.


Internal agency policy should guide the Agency GL Processor regarding transaction processing when an error is returned. The Agency GL Processor can update the amount and/or ChartField String, delete the journal, or work with the Agency KK Budget Maintainer. Budget check exceptions continue to be systematically checked until they are resolved.


Please see 20.2 Budget Execution and Management for more information. Journals that fail budget/cash check do not update additional ledgers until all errors are cleared.


28

Manage Cash Exceptions

If the transaction exceeds the spendable cash balance the transaction will fail cash check. The Agency GL Processor and Approver use the Journals with Errors report or the Journals with Commitment Control Exceptions report, on the GL WorkCenter, to identify journals that have errors.


Internal agency policy should guide the Agency GL Processor regarding transaction processing when an error is returned. The Agency GL Processor can update the amount and/or ChartField String, delete the journal, or work with the Agency KK Budget Maintainer. Cash check exceptions continue to be systematically checked until they are resolved.


Please see 20.2.2 Manage Cash Checking and the Chart of Account Design for more information regarding spendable cash balances. Journals that fail budget/cash check do not update additional ledgers until all errors are cleared.


29

Update Budget/Cash Ledger Balances

Budget ledgers and cash ledgers are not updated until all budget/cash exceptions are addressed. Journals that successfully pass budget/cash check update all ledger balances by the amount of the journal.


30

Post Journal

GL journals that successfully pass all checks (edit check, Budget Check, and cash check) are posted manually, or periodically via a scheduled automatic process. Upon posting, balances and appropriate ledgers are updated and are available for reporting purposes. Agencies can query for posted journal details within Florida PALM.


31

Outbound Actuals Extract (GLI002)

The Outbound Actuals Extract is created daily and represents the summarized financial balances that are posted to the Acutals Ledger within Florida PALM. Agencies can use this information within their Agency Business Systems as needed.


32

Outbound Detail GL Journal (GLI051)

The Outbound Detail GL Journal file is created daily and represents the journal accounting entry details which occurred within Florida PALM. Agencies can use this information within their Agency Business Systems as needed.


33

EOG Transparency Interfaces (GLI014), (GLI015), (GLI057)

Florida PALM will provide the following interface data files for Executive Office of the Governor's (EOG) transparency website, on-demand and nightly.

  • Outbound Financial Balances to Transparency Site (GLI014)
  • Outbound Cash Transaction and Balance Data (GLI015)
  • Outbound Trust Fund Revenue and Cash Balance Information (GLI057)


34

Outbound Disbursement Load (GLI071)

The Outbound Disbursement Load interface file is created for LAS?PBS containing all month-to-date (daily) and Actual Prior Year (annual) cash disbursements issued by Florida PALM.


GL Journal Entry Page, Header Tab:

GL Journal Entry Page, Header Tab

GL Journal Entry Page, Lines Tab:

GL Journal Entry Page, Lines Tab

GL Journal Approval Page:

GL Journal Approval Page

Accounting Events

Accounting events originate during transaction processing in the applicable source module. The accounting events impact the source module, Commitment Control ledgers, and the General ledger (Actuals).

  • Source Module accounting entries require user input (U) of the primary line (i.e., expenditure, revenues) with an automated system (S) offsetting line (i.e., payable, receivable) during transaction entry. The source model transaction must pass Edit Check, Budget Check, and Cash Check (on applicable entries) prior to posting the transaction.
  • The Run Budget Check (Commitment Control) process automatically affects balances in the appropriate budget ledger (i.e., Appropriations, spendable cash) if the transaction passes the budget check process.
  • After the transaction is posted in the source module, an automated system process summarizes and posts the entries in the General Ledger module to the Actuals Ledger.

The table below provides the most common accounting events applicable to this business process.

Acct Event ID 

Accounting Event

Commitment Control Ledger(s) Impact

Source Module Accounting Entry

General Ledger (Actuals) Entry

GL03

Investment Transaction

(Investment Activity Page)

Reduces Available Appropriations, Allotment, and Release balances

Reduces Fund Cash

Increases Invested Cash Balance

No Entry

Debit: Pool 1 Inv -Treasury (U)

Credit: Interunit Cash (S)

Debit: InterUnit Cash (S)

Credit: Due to Pool 1 (S)

GL04

Disinvestment Transaction/ Redistribution (RED) Transactions

(DIS) Reduces Available Appropriations, Allotment, and Release balances

(DIS) Increases Fund Cash

(DIS) Decreases Invested Cash Balance

(RED) Decreases Invested Cash balance in fund and Increases Invested Cash balance in fund

No Entry

Debit: Pool 1 Disinv or Redistrib (U)

Credit: Interunit Cash (S)

Debit: InterUnit Cash (S)

Credit: Due to Pool 1 Disinv (S)

Reports

Key Reports are displayed as icons with the Report Number on the Business Process Flow Diagrams. The table below provides the reports identified to be produced at a particular process step or is used to support the completion of a process step.

Report Number

Report RICEFW ID

Report Description

Report Source

Report Frequency

Audience

R2

GLR133

Incomplete Journals (WorkCenter) - A delivered report in the WorkCenter used to display a list of journals that are saved with an incomplete status.

PeopleSoft

Periodic

Agency, DFS

R3

GLR132

Journals Ready for Processing (WorkCenter) - A delivered report in the WorkCenter used to display a list of journals that are not posted but available for processing (edit, Budget Check, and post).

PeopleSoft

Periodic

Agency, DFS 

R4

GLR136

Journals Pending My Approval (WorkCenter) - Journals that are pending approval from the current user.

PeopleSoft

Periodic

Agency, DFS 

R5

GLR143

Journals - Commitment Control Exceptions (WorkCenter) - A delivered report in the WorkCenter is used to display a list of journals with budget check exceptions that require action.

PeopleSoft

Periodic

Agency, DFS 

Note: A complete list of reports may be found in the Reports Catalog.

Interfaces

The table below provides the Interface IDs for each interface identified on the Business Process Flow Diagrams.

Interface Number

Interface Description

Interface Frequency

Source

Target

GLI002

Outbound Actuals Extract – Outbound interface containing transactions posted to the Actuals Ledger.

Daily

Florida PALM

Agency Business System

GLI006

Inbound Journal Entry – Inbound Interface containing journal entries from select agencies.

Daily

Agency Business System, DFS

Florida PALM

GLI011

Inbound Journal Spreadsheet Upload - Inbound interface containing journal entries loaded into the system en masse via the spreadsheet (Excel) upload functionality for select agencies.

Daily

Agency, DFS 

Florida PALM

GLI014

Outbound Financial Balances to Transparency Site - Outbound interface containing transactions and financial balance information provided to the EOG transparency sites.

Daily

Florida PALM

LAS/PBS

GLI015

Outbound Cash Transaction and Balance Data - Outbound interface providing cash transaction and balance information by Fund and Fund Type to the EOG Transparency Portal.

Daily

Florida PALM

LAS/PBS

GLI051

Outbound Detail GL Journal - Outbound interface file containing detailed GL journal information, to include ChartField and transaction details.

Daily

Florida PALM

Agency Business System

GLI057

Outbound Trust Fund Revenue and Cash Balance Information - Outbound interface containing trust fund revenue and cash balance information is provided to the EOG transparency site.

Daily

Florida PALM

LAS/PBS

GLI071

Outbound Disbursement Load - Outbound interface to LAS/PBS containing all Month-to-Date (daily) and Actual Prior Year (annual) cash disbursements issued by Florida PALM.

Daily/Annual

Florida PALM

LAS/PBS

Note: A complete list of interfaces may be found in the Interface Catalog.

Forms

The table below provides the Form Numbers for any forms identified on the Business Process Flow Diagrams.

Form Number

Form Description

Audience

N/A

N/A

N/A

Workflows

The table below provides the Workflow Numbers for any workflows identified on the Business Process Flow Diagrams.

Workflow Number

Workflow Description

Audience

GLW001

GL Journal Approval Workflow - Workflow for approving general ledger journals.

Agency, DFS

Version History

DateRevision Description
12/22/2023Original Version
Attachments

Was this article helpful?

Changing your password will log you out immediately. Use the new password to log back in.
First name must have atleast 2 characters. Numbers and special characters are not allowed.
Last name must have atleast 1 characters. Numbers and special characters are not allowed.
Enter a valid email
Enter a valid password
Your profile has been successfully updated.