Identifying Errors

After production is run each night and transactions are generated for posting to the General Ledger, a Batch Proof List report (FICS 11500) and many other reports are generated and printed.  The Batch Proof List identifies all error transactions.  Error messages are provided for each error.  The messages identify the cause of each error and indicate whether the transaction was posted to a suspense account in the General Ledger or whether the entire batch was suspended in the Suspended Batch Master (SBM) file.

The front end run type defined for a company determines how errors are processed during the nightly production run.

It is important to identify processing errors and correct them on a daily basis.
 
Suspense Transactions
For most agencies, a transaction will post to a suspense account
in the General Ledger when a detail line of an otherwise correct batch, extracted from an NCAS module (PS, AP, or BC) or an external interface, contains an error.

An error in an individual line of a batch requires the system to post the detail transaction to a suspense account/center (99999999899/999999999998) to provide a balanced entry and allow all other correct batch detail transactions to post to the General Ledger.

Interface Suspense Accounts
Additional suspense account/center combinations have also been set up specifically for recording suspense entries for errors resulting from the payroll and health benefits interfaces.

The suspense accounts for interface transactions are as follows:

By using different suspense accounts, errors from these interfaces are kept separate from the default suspense account/center and can be easily identified.

Suspense Errors
The most common transaction errors resulting in entries being posted to suspense accounts are:

 An unbalanced entry can occur from one of the following: Suspended Batch Master File
Transactions posted to the Suspended Batch Master file usuallyresult from one of the following: The batch-processing conditions/types indicate the reason the batch was posted to the SBM: SBM Batches
The most common SBM batch messages reported are:
- 168-CLSD PERIOD:  The transaction batch header was keyed with an effective date related to a closed prior period.
- ** FUTURE DATED:  The transaction batch header was keyed with an effective date in the future.
- 102-PROJECT COMP:  The transaction batch header originates in the AP module and contains data in the PROJECT COMPANY CODE field.
For a complete listing of all error types reported on the Batch Proof List, see QRG 11:  BPL Errors.

How to Identify Errors
It is important to identify errors and process corrections on a daily basis.  There are many resources available to assist in the identification of errors.  Agencies may use daily production reports stored in Systemware, printed reports distributed daily, or on-line General Ledger screens to find errors.

Systemware Reports
Although Systemware reports are cumbersome to review when trying to look at an entire report, they are very useful for identifying errors.  The most useful Systemware report series is OSCOP* GL820-1 GL/FICS (Replace * with C for the P region and F for the NC23 region reports.)  This report series includes the following reports:

Identifying Suspense Entries
To identify where amounts posted to the suspense account/center during the nightly production run, access the Center Alert report first by keying F ‘FICS 10363’ at the COMMAND=> in Systemware.  If the debit and credit amounts are zero (0), then no suspense transactions were processed.  This report will also provide the beginning and ending balance in the suspense account/center and includes amounts resulting from system generated entries. Identifying SBM Batches
To locate SBM batches on the Batch Proof List, go to the beginning of the report and search for ‘SB BCH’.  An error code is provided to assist in researching the source of the error.  A complete listing of all SBM error types is available in the BPL ERRORS topic.

Printed Reports
Printed production reports are simply paper versions of the Systemware reports and are distributed daily.  To use the printed Batch Proof List to identify whether errors exist, look at the last page of the report and reference the ‘PREV ERR PGE’ at the top right portion of the report.  If the previous error page number precedes the first page number of the Batch Proof List, there are no errors in the report.  If not, go to the page number indicated to identify the type of error and its source.  Continue this process until the beginning of the report is reached.

On-Line General Ledger Screens

Suspense Transactions
Agencies can identify suspense transactions on-line by checking the suspense account/center activity and current balances through the following GL inquiry screens:
 

Agencies must still review the Batch Proof List for explanations as to why transactions have posted to suspense.

For more details on how to use these screens, see Posted Entry Inquiries in the Inquiring on the System section of this manual.

Note:  It is important to remember that a zero balance in the suspense account/center on screen 016 does not necessarily mean no transactions posted to suspense.  Both the debit and credit sides of a transaction may post to suspense, leaving a zero balance in the suspense account/center.
SBM Errors
Agencies can identify SBM batches by viewing General Ledger screen 275.  Accessing screen 275 is covered in the Processing Corrections topic.
 
Summary
Processing errors can be identified by using Systemware report series, printed production reports, or on-line General Ledger screens.  Using the Batch Proof List through Systemware or printed reports is more reliable than using the on-line screens.
 
Accounting System Home Page | Information Guide Home Page | OSC Home Page