R⋆STARS Data Entry Guide

Chapter #4

Error Correction

PURPOSE

This chapter describes the various procedures and options related to correcting financial transactions which contain errors. R⋆STARS will detect errors where the values entered don’t match the values R⋆STARS expects (e.g. total of transactions in a batch don’t equal the total per the batch header, the transaction code used is inconsistent with the General Ledger Account entered, etc.)  R⋆STARS cannot detect errors arising from valid but improper transactions (e.g. booking a security deposit as a cash receipt instead of a deposit liability).

When errors are detected, R⋆STARS will provide notification through either on-line error messages or printed error reports, depending on how and when the error is detected. Users can correct errors by recalling the transaction with the error on-line and retyping the correct information, or by using the 54A Method to quickly correct the entire batch.

Table Of Contents

4-1   Error Detection

4-2   Error Messages

4-3   DAFR2151 Error Report

4-4   Correction of Errors during on-line Entry

4-5   Correction of Errors after Batch Processing

4-6   Error Correction Methods

on-line Correction

The 54A Method

4-7   Rejected Interface Transactions

4-8   Errors not Detected by R⋆STARS

4-9   Error Correction Terms

4-1       Error Detection

If Edit Mode 1 (on-line edit) or 2 (on-line edit and post) is selected, on-line edits are performed before the transaction is accepted by the system. If errors occur during this point in processing, the user will be notified through on-line error messages.

If a transaction is entered on-line in Edit Mode 1 or 2, it will not be accepted if it contains invalid data element values. When the transaction is entered and  F10 ‑SAVE is pressed, error messages defining the errors on the transaction will appear. If the error messages are data‑related errors, the data entry personnel can either attempt to correct the error at that time or return to the originator for further guidance. In the case of fatal fund, or financial table control errors, data entry personnel will not be able to correct the error. Fund override authority is centrally maintained.

Transactions entered in Edit Mode 0 are not edited except for comparing the number of transactions and dollar total to the information entered on the Batch Header screen. If this information does not agree, the user will get error messages when attempting to balance the batch. No other edits are performed, so no other errors will be detected until the nightly batch processing cycle.

If a batch in edit mode 0 or 1 contains errors which are detected during the nightly batch cycle, it will be placed on the 530 – View Batch Headers screen, the medium used to navigate the Internal Transaction (IT) file. The batch will be given an edit mode of 3. Edit mode 2 batches with errors detected during the nightly batch cycle will remain on the 530 screen in edit mode 2 or 4 (generated cash transactions) until corrected. All fatal errors detected during the nightly batch cycle will be reported on the DAFR2151 Error Report.

4-2       Error Messages

Error messages are made up of two components, a code and a description. This structure is the same regardless of whether the error message is reported on-line or via a printed report like the DAFR2151. In the sample error message below,

E63 PCA NOT IN 026

E63 is the code. The remainder of the message is a short description that will help the user identify the error. If a more detailed explanation of the error is needed,   F9  ‑INTERRUPT to the 90 – Help Screen, type in the Error Code as the keyword and press  ↵ Enter . If the error message appears on the screen while entering a transaction and the error field is not a Cursor Position Help sensitive field, pressing   F1   goes directly to the 90 screen without having to enter a keyword. An example of the 90 screen with the error description is shown below:

Example:

Warning errors are distinguished by the letters J, K or W in the error code. Fatal errors have B, E or F in the error code. A typical warning error condition arises when trying to expend funds in excess of an allotment. Warning errors may be ignored at the user’s discretion. R⋆STARS will process the transaction. Fatal errors prevent further processing and usually arise from missing or inconsistent elements in the transaction. A summary of error types and the associated codes is shown below.

Types of Errors

4-3       DAFR2151 Error Report

The DAFR2151 Error Report is generated during the nightly batch cycle. It lists all transactions in which fatal errors were detected and includes the same error messages seen on-line. Consequently, users can access the 90 screen to learn more detail about any of these errors just as they would if the error message was displayed on-line. The only time warning messages are displayed is when the transaction also has fatal errors.

The Error Report is an efficient source for identifying errors that occur during the nightly batch cycle.    The management of fatal errors is an important component in the efficient use of R⋆STARS. The DAFR2151 is the best resource for this process.

One option would be to scroll through the 530 screen on-line every morning to spot any batches containing errors. Since many of the batches do not have errors and are “holding” for further processing, this can be a very time-consuming process. In most cases, it is much more effective using the DAFR2151 report to pinpoint the errors.

DAFR2151 Error Report Example

4-4       Correction of Errors during on-line Entry

R⋆STARS contains on-line edits which prevent a transaction from posting until the transaction is error free. This section discusses correction of errors detected during the on-line data entry process.

on-line edits are edit mode specific.

The default edit mode on almost all User Classes is 2.

◾ This can be changed on the batch header to either 0 or 1 at agency discretion.

◾ The edits associated with edit mode 1 (data errors only) and edit mode 2 (data and fund errors) eliminate these errors from being found during the nightly batch cycle, which can hold up payment.

Edit mode 1 – Data Errors Only

◾ Pressing  F10 -SAVE successfully posts the transaction to the 530 screen (IT file) only.

◾ Edit Mode 1 batches do not post to the financial tables unless they are error free at the end of the nightly batch cycle.

◾ Data errors detected during on-line entry prevent the transaction from being saved (posted) to the 530 screen.

Edit Mode 2 – Data and Fund Errors

◾ Pressing  F10 -SAVE successfully posts the transaction to all relevant financial tables and to the 530 screen (IT file).

◾ Edit Mode 2 transactions are not re-edited during the nightly batch cycle, since they already successfully posted.

◾ Errors detected during on-line entry prevent the transaction from being saved (posted) to the 530 screen or the financial tables.

on-line entry – Data-related errors

◾ Verify entered fields match input source.

◽ Are numbers transposed?

◽ Is the data in the correct field?

If on-line entry matches the input source – 

◾ Use Cursor Sensitive Help function to choose correct data, OR

◾ Refer to agency cheat sheet of profile listings, OR

◾ Return to originator for correction.

on-line entry – Fund/Appropriation-related errors

◾ Verify entered fields match input source

◾ Screen print the entry screen showing the error message and notify the appropriate agency authority.

◾ Fund errors indicate either

◽ Not enough cash or allotment  OR

◽ The R⋆STARS system thinks an entry will drive a balance negative, even though it won’t.

◾ Fund Override authority is controlled centrally and can be requested when completion of an entry will not cause a negative balance.

◾ A screen print of the transaction showing the error message will be required. Contact your agency support analyst.

4-5       Correction of Errors after Batch Processing

When errors are detected during the nightly batch cycle in batches with edit mode 0 or 1, R⋆STARS leaves the batch with the error transactions on the 530 screen, where the batch is assigned edit mode 3. Edit mode 2 batches containing errors will remain on the 530 screen as well but will remain in edit mode 2 (or 4 in the case of cash balance errors). All transactions with fatal errors detected during the nightly batch cycle are placed on the DAFR2151 Error Report. After the transactions have been corrected on-line, the batch must be released for processing again or it will stay on the 530 screen indefinitely.

The 530 screen should be monitored regularly for transactions with errors (preferably daily). This can be done by:

1. Accessing the 530 screen and identifying batches with errors.

2. Reviewing the DAFR2151 Error Report. This is a more efficient alternative allowing the user to quickly identify the batches on the 530 screen with errors, along with the error messages. It gives the user a head start on gathering supporting documentation or other information necessary to make the corrections.

4-6       Error Correction Methods

There are two methods of error correction: on-line Correction (transaction-based) and the 54A Method (batch-based). The on-line Correction method basically replicates the original data entry process, each transaction is recalled and the fields with incorrect information are overwritten with the corrections. The 54A method uses one screen to correct individual transactions with different errors, or to mass-correct specific fields in all transactions in the batch. Both methods are demonstrated in this section.

on-line Correction

This method mirrors the data entry process and is essentially the same as the process used to correct errors during data entry in edit modes 1 and 2. The user recalls the batch with errors, goes to a transaction entry screen, overwrites any incorrect information for the first transaction, and then moves to the next transaction and so on through the batch. The last (and very essential) step is to balance and release the batch.

The screens used in this process are:

◾ 530 screen. This screen lists the batches. A batch with an edit mode of 3 indicates the batch has errors and is being held for correction

◾ 520 – View a Batch (select batch on 530 screen and press   F2  ) – This screen displays the transactions in the batch. Select the first transaction, and then scroll (  F5  ) through each transaction in order, or, by using the DAFR2151, identify the particular transactions which have errors and go directly to them. By tabbing to the sequence field, typing a specific sequence number and pressing   F8   the screen will move to the desired sequence number. This saves time scrolling through large batches.

◾ 510 – Recall a Batch for Correction (on 520 screen press  F11 ) – This screen displays the batch header information. Select a specific transaction from the 520 screen and press  F11 . The 510 screen comes up with the sequence number displayed of the transaction selected. Pressing   F4   brings up the transaction entry screen.

◾ 511 – Change Batch Header (on 510 screen press   F2  ) – If the errors were on the Batch Header (e.g. wrong transaction count or batch total) this is where they are corrected.

◾ 5XX – Transaction Entry (select a transaction on 510 screen and press   F4  ) – Four transaction entry screens are available for error correction (e.g., 501, 503, 504, and 505), based on the batch type.  Incorrect information can be simply overwritten on these screens or the appropriate profile action taken and the transaction saved by pressing  F10  to make the changes.

530 – View Batch Headers

The 530 screen shows batches which have not yet posted in the nightly batch cycle. Those with edit mode 3 contain errors.

This is a scroll and select screen.

◾ Press   F8   to scroll to the next page.

◾ Press   F7   to scroll to the prior page.

◾ Place an s in the (S)elect column and press   F2   to see the details of the batch on the 520 screen.

Example:

520 – View a Batch

In the 520 screen, select the transaction to be corrected by placing an s in the first column and pressing  F11 . This will bring up the 510 screen.

Example: 

S520   UC: 17                   STATE OF OREGON               06/23/14 09:22 AM

LINK TO:                         VIEW A BATCH                              PROD

BATCH ID: AGENCY 603 DATE 062314 TYPE R NO 957 SEQUENCE 00001   ERRORS I/E:

MODE EDIT ONLY       EFF DATE 062314     STATUS H       PRINTER ID:

S P  SEQ  CUR DOC/SFX  REF DOC/SFX  M AGY TC  INDEX  PCA  AY         AMOUNT R

s   00029 ZW062314 000                603 390 41100 31001 05          50.00

ENTERED COUNT: 00039                      ENTERED AMOUNT: 00000013393.00

COMPUTED COUNT: 00001                     COMPUTED AMOUNT: 00000000050.00

NO MORE DETAILS IN THIS BATCH

F1-HELP  F2-SELECT  F4-PRINT F5-DOC TRACK F6-BALANCING F7-PRIOR PG F8-NEXT PG

F9-INTERRUPT  F11-CORRECT BATCH  F12-HEADERS  ENTER-FIRST PAGE  CLEAR-EXIT

NOTE: If you wish to view a transaction prior to correcting it, press   F2   after selecting. The appropriate transaction entry screen showing that transaction will appear. This mode is for transaction viewing only. No corrections can be made.

 

510 – Recall a Batch for Correction

If transactions within the batch have errors, the user can enter the transaction sequence number on the 510 screen and press   F4  . This takes the user to the appropriate transaction entry screen to make corrections.

Example:

S510   UC: 10                   STATE OF OREGON               06/27/14 08:31 AM

LINK TO:                RECALL A BATCH FOR CORRECTION                      PROD

BATCH AGENCY: 914

BATCH DATE: 062014

BATCH TYPE: 3

BATCH NUMBER: 027

SEQUENCE NUMBER: 00000 (REQUIRED IF CHANGING, DELETING, OR VIEWING A

TRANS)

BATCH BALANCING-

ENTERED COUNT: 00039        ENTERED AMOUNT: 00000014402.00

COMPUTED COUNT: 00036       COMPUTED AMOUNT: 00000012024.00

PAYMENT DIST TYPE:

DISB METH IND:

ORIGINAL USER ID: SFMSUSR     LAST NAME, FIRST NAME

USER CLASS: 17

LAST USER ID: SFMSUSR     LAST NAME, FIRST NAME

F1-HELP    F2-CHGE HDR  F3-DEL TRANS F4-CHGE  F5-VIEW F6-BALANCING  F7-DETAILS

F8-DOC TRK F9-INTERRUPT F10-ADD      F11-RECOMPUTE    F12-HEADERS   CLEAR-EXIT

Selecting a specific transaction on the 520 screen and pressing  F11  also takes you to the 510 screen. In this instance, the selected transaction sequence number is displayed. The user would then press   F4   to enter the transaction screen.

If the user did not select a particular transaction prior to entering the 510 screen, the sequence number defaults to 00000. The SEQUENCE NUMBER field must be cleared or a transaction sequence number must be entered prior to pressing   F4   to bring up the transaction entry screen with the error transaction. If the SEQUENCE NUMBER field is cleared and   F4   is pressed, transaction sequence #1 comes up for edit if available. If   F4   is pressed while the field is zero-filled or if the field is cleared and there is no sequence #1 transaction, an error code

Z23 NON-NUMERIC DATA. PLEASE CORRECT HIGH-LIGHTED FIELDS AND RE-SUBMIT

will appear and the field will be highlighted.

5XX Transaction Entry Screens

On the transaction screen, any error messages will be displayed at the bottom. Press   F4   to view additional information about the transaction (e.g. titles for the T-Code, PCA and Objects).

Example:

To correct the errors, overwrite the incorrect information with the required data or take the appropriate profile action and press  F10  to save the changes.

To determine what the value for a field should be, take advantage of the cursor position sensitive help.  

Cursor Position Sensitive Help

On the transaction entry screens, R⋆STARS offers on-line help for looking up data for the following fields:

If the User places the cursor in one of those fields and presses   F1   a list of the valid values is displayed for that field.

Example:

The user can then select the valid PCA typing s in the Select column and pressing   F9  . The value is then carried to the transaction entry screen. Use of this Help feature is explained in detail in Chapter 3 section 3-6.

511 – Change Batch Header

If there are errors in the Batch Header (e.g. wrong transaction count or batch total) the user can press   F2   on the 510 screen to correct the Header on the 511 screen. The batch count, amount and effective date are the only fields allowed to be changed.

Example:

The 54A Method

An alternative to the on-line Correction method is the 54A or Batch Method. The 54A Method uses a module of four screens. These screens make corrections to batches by changing a particular field in all transactions at once (e.g. changing the effective date for the entire batch) or multiple fields within a single transaction. This is particularly desirable when large batches need correction. It is an effective tool for making corrections when on-line corrections are not allowed.

Only the 54A Batch Header Correction screen can be accessed directly. Each subsidiary screen (54B, C & D) has a specific corrective action and is accessed from the 54A screen using function keys.

Using the 54A method provides substantial flexibility and increased efficiency in correcting errors. This method allows correction to data in batches with Edit Modes of 0, 1, or 3. This section describes the various levels of corrections which can be made using these screens and the procedures to be followed.

The 54A Batch Error Corrections option from the Financial Data Entry Menu involves four separate screens

◾ 54A – Batch Header Correction – With this screen you can:

◽ Select a batch

◽ Change elements on the Batch Header (such as Batch amount)

◽ Release a batch

◽ Put a batch on hold

◽ Delete an entire batch (including all transactions within the batch)

◾ 54B – Detail Correction – provides the ability to:

◽ Change transactions

◽ Delete transactions

◽ Make mass changes to all transactions or specified transactions in the batch

◾ 54C – Field ID – provides assistance in determining the Field ID for each of the data elements to be corrected.

◾ 54D – Batch Detail Correction – used to make mass changes to all transactions or specified transactions in batch mode.

These screens are used by first selecting a batch on 54A, then selecting a transaction on 54B and finally, if necessary, using 54C to provide a Field Identification (FID). When the number of transactions in a batch exceed the maximum number of transactions that can be changed on-line (controlled by the MAX CHG TRANS number on the System Management Profile), the 54D screen is used to enter the changes. Once the records are added using this screen, the nightly batch cycle will initiate the corrections. The following examples demonstrate typical usage of these screens.

Select 54A from the Financial Data Entry submenu to see all the batches in error for the batch agency.

Example:

To delete a batch (including all of its transactions) select the batch by placing an s in the Select column and press   F3  . The batch status changes to D for delete.

Examples:

Example of Detail Transaction Correction

Select the batch containing the transaction(s) to be corrected by typing an S in the Select column. Press   F5   to go to the detail screen.

Example:

Example:

S selects one of the edit mode 3 batches. Mass changes can be done on the 54B & D screens.

◾ 54B (Using  F11 ‑MASS CHANGE)

◽ Limited to 1000 transactions per change

◽ The change registers immediately within the batch

◽ Used for both mass change and individual transaction changes

◾ 54D (Using  F11 ‑ADD)

◽ “Tricks” the system by adding the correction during the nightly batch cycle

◽ The change does not register within the batch before the nightly batch cycle

◽ Used for both mass change and individual transaction changes

Enter an s in the Select Column and the desired Sequence Number (in this example 00001 as shown above). Then press   F4   to see the Valid Field IDs on the 54C screen.

To view the next page of field ID values, press   F8  .

Example:

Select the field to be corrected by tabbing to the Field Identification (FID) number and pressing   F2  . The FID number is carried over to the 54B or D screen. (If the FID number is already known, just type it on the 54B or D screen.)

Enter the Correction Value and press  F10  to process the change.

Example:

Multiple changes/deletions can be entered before pressing  F10 .

Example:

For Mass Changes, enter s in the first field and only the Field Identifier and the correction information. Leave the Sequence Number field blank. Press  F11 .

Example:

Example of Batch Transaction Correction

Select the batch containing the transaction(s) to be corrected by typing an s in the Select column and press   F6  . If there are too many transactions in the batch to process on-line, a message is displayed indicating a batch change is necessary.

Example:

Press   F6   to go to the 54D screen.

Example:

To determine the maximum number of transactions that can be changed on-line, interrupt to the 97 – System Management Profile. The maximum number of transactions that can be changed on-line is defined in the MAX CHG TRANS field.

Example:

Link to the 520 screen and enter the Batch ID to determine the number of transactions in the batch.

Example:

Press   F9   to return to the 54D screen. This process works in much the same way as the 54B screen. The only differences are that the changes do not become apparent until after the nightly batch cycle. Once again, pressing   F4   will bring up the 54C screen and, by tabbing to the desired FID and pressing   F2  , the value can be carried back to the 54D screen. Enter corrections and press  F11  to add the correction records.

The steps for using multiple error correction are summarized below:

◾ Batch Header Correction (54A)

1. Input the Batch Agency for the batches you want to view. Batch Agency defaults to the Security Agency when the Batch Header Correction screen is first displayed.

2. For each batch that you want to modify, select the batch by placing an s in the select column and choosing the appropriate function key as follows:

3. Use FID (Field Identification) to identify the field that will be changed on the batch header. The valid FIDs can be accessed by pressing  F4   when the cursor is in the FID field.

4. Enter the correct value for the field identified for change by the FID. Correction values are not edited on-line for valid values. Dates are edited for valid formatting (MMDDYY).

◾ Detail Correction (54B)

  The 54B screen is normally accessed through the 54A screen.

1. Enter a valid Sequence Number for the selected transaction. The Sequence Number is required for a delete or change action, unless it is a Mass Change.

2. Use FID (Field Identification) to identify the field that will be changed for the transaction. FID is entered for change and mass change actions. The valid FIDs can be accessed by pressing   F4   when the cursor is in the FID field.

3. Enter the correct value for the field identified for change by the FID. Correction values are not edited on-line for valid values. Dates are edited for valid formatting (MMDDYY).

  For screen 54B the following processes are performed by using function keys:

4-7       Rejected Interface Transactions

Rejected Interfaced Transactions are transactions that were improperly classified or batched. There are three conditions that lead to rejections:

◾ Unbatched accounting transactions

◾ Records that are not classified as accounting transactions

◾ Duplicate transactions

◾ Batch/documents not in balance

Rejected transactions are not posted to any of the financial tables or transaction files; therefore they cannot be corrected on-line. Instead, the condition causing the rejection must be identified, corrected, and then the batch must be re-submitted. The DAFR2021 Details Rejected Report identifies the rejected transactions and amount.

Rejections typically occur with Interface Transactions, where R⋆STARS is reading data from another source and the format of that data does not match the format expected. SFMS Systems Management (SM) programming staff can assist you to ensure your data is in the correct format. Any changes made to the interface file must be approved by SFMS SM before implementation in the system.

4-8       Errors not Detected by R⋆STARS

This section describes correction procedures for those errors that are not directly detected by the system and which result from such occurrences as:

◾ Valid, but improperly used Index

◾ Valid, but incorrect PCA which may cause improper posting of accounting transactions

◾ Valid, but improperly used Document Number

◾ Valid, but incorrect Amount

◾ Valid, but improper Effective Date causing an accounting transaction to be posted in the incorrect accounting period

◾ Improper posting of an accounting transaction flagged with a default J or warning K or W Error Code

These errors are more difficult to correct and adjust than those discussed in previous sections because they are not usually detected until after they have been posted to the financial tables. The basic methods used in correcting this type of error are to reverse and re-enter the transactions or to prepare accounting transactions to correct the financial table balances. These procedures are discussed in Chapter 8 under the section entitled Journal Entries.

4-9       Error Correction Terms

54A Method – Correction method using a series of screens (54A, B, C and D) to correct edit mode 0, 1 and 3 batches. Quickly changes specified fields within specified transactions individually or en-mass. More efficient than the on-line Correction method for large batches. See on-line Corrections.

DAFR2151 Error Report – The primary error report for R⋆STARS. Includes both Fatal Errors and Warning Errors. Note that transactions with Fatal Errors will not post and will instead be on the 530 screen, while those with Warning Errors will have posted normally.

DAFR2021 Details Rejected Report – A control report that shows transactions rejected by R⋆STARS. Sometimes, programming help will be required to correct rejected transactions.

Error Code – The first three digits of an error message, the code has the format of A99, where A is an alphabetic character representing either Fatal or Warning errors and distinguishing between Data or Fund related errors. The two numeric digits are an ID code for the message. See Section 4-2 Error Messages. Also, more information can be obtained by using the error code as a keyword on the 90 screen.

Fatal Error – An error that prevents further processing of the transaction. These are typically caused by missing or invalid data elements, or insufficient budget or cash. Fatal errors are distinguished by having E or F as the first digit in their error code.

Internal Transaction (IT) File (530 screen) – A “holding” place for transactions that are either awaiting processing (e.g. authorized payments not yet due) or which cannot be processed due to errors. Transactions with errors from batches originally input with edit modes 0 or 1 are indicated by having an edit mode of 3.

on-line Corrections – Available in all edit modes. Basically mirrors the data entry process. Correct data is typed over the identified errors in the entry fields or the appropriate profile action is taken (e.g., activating a profile). Corrections are saved by pressing  F10 . Used for all edit mode 2 batches. See 54A Method.

Warning Error – An error message that provides the user information that there may be an error. A typical example arises when trying to overspend a grant, project or contract budget. Warning errors are distinguished by having J, W, or K as the first digit in their error code.