Last week, we talked about the setup for letting site users enter journal entries. This week, let’s look at an example of how this would work in the real world.
I have to admit that we have some customers that think that Admin (site) users should never be able to enter journal entries, but we also have customers that think this is the wave of the future: delegation, empowerment, and local control. The following is a perfect example of how an organization can have their Business Office (Fiscal) users focus on the power tasks and let the Admin users fix problems for themselves.
In this example, the Admin user entered a requisition for instructional supplies using an unrestricted account. Of course, the requisition goes through the approval process, supplies are received, and the invoice is paid to vendor. Perfect! Except, the Admin user realizes that the supplies could have been paid for with the First 5 Project grant. Oops!
There are two options to fix this problem:
- Admin users can email the Business Office, writing an explanation of what happened and what they need changed, which the Business Office then needs to wade through to determine what they need to do.
- Admin users can fix the problem themselves.
If you let the Admin users fix it themselves, the process is hassle-free! The Admin user enters a journal entry, crediting the unrestricted account originally charged and debiting their special grant account. Of course, the journal entry can only be for their location and must go through approval process, allowing the Business Office user to approve the journal entry instead of having to create and submit it.
Check it out. The only fields the Admin user has to fill in are the comment and the accounts.
After the Admin user saves/submits, Escape Online does the heavy lifting, adding the cash accounts and the transaction type.
Now the Business Office can see the account movement and with a click of the mouse approve the journal entry.
That’s it. The work is done. No emails that can be misunderstood. No missed phone calls. No hassles. Just everyone doing their job as they know best.