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Non-Technical FAQs
- How do I access JEMS?
- Will training be available?
- How can I practice using JEMS without putting transactions into the production system?
- How will communication and rollout of the product be handled?
- Does electronic entry and processing of journal data make us more vulnerable?
- What is a "Journal Status?"
- How do I open a journal I already started to finish preparing it?
- Can I have a copy of a journal sent to a unit?
- How long will it take for a journal to make it through the financial system and be posted to the ADW?
- Will we receive notification when our journal has been posted to the ADW?
- How do I change the accounting period on a journal?
- What types of journals can JEMS currently handle?
- Can JEMS accommodate monthly billing journals?
- How do I maintain the connection between my backup documentation and the journal that I prepared in JEMS?
- How will the backup documentation be managed?
- When is backup documentation required?
- Will the transaction edits be enhanced?
- Will object codes be used differently in JEMS?
- Is there a limit to the amount field for a transaction?
- What do I do if my imports keep timing out?
- Why won't JEMS let me enter certain characters into the transaction description?
- Can I print JEMS journals?
- How can I view a lengthy journal?
- Explain the difference between preparer and creator.
- Can the preparer get the journal back once it is submitted for approval?
- If a preparer is unavailable to complete an entry, what options are available?
- Why can't the approver see the journals that I submitted to her?
- Can an approver retrieve a journal that has been approved to make changes?
- Does the approver have to have transaction authority?
- Can I leave the 'PROJ' and 'DUO' values empty in my import file?
- I have a set of import files that I use every month and now there is a new import template. Can I convert these files to the new format?
- How can I get more information about an account or an object code?
- How can I copy or reverse a journal?
1. How do I access JEMS?
JEMS is a completely web-based application. To acces the system you need only a valid Cornell NetID and this web page address: http://services.dfa.cornell.edu/jems/jemswelcome. You must be authorized to use the system by the Division of Financial Affairs. If you attempt to access JEMS without authorization, you will be told to contact the administrator. If you'd like to request authorization before attempting to access the system, simply contact Diane Terry at the Division of Financial Affairs.
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2. Will training be available?
Web-based tutorials are currently being updated to coincide with the new release of JEMS - version 5. These tutorials will help you understand how to use the system. JEMS is designed to be intuitive and user friendly, and most people should not require formal training to use the application. The Division of Financial Affairs offers classes on journal preparation. If you wish to attend formal training, please contact Diane Terry for a schedule of the training classes.
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3. How can I practice using JEMS without putting transactions into the production system?
The "Test" version of the online application is set up specifically to allow individuals to play with the new system without affecting production data. If you would like to practice in the "Test" system go here. If you receive a message saying you are not authorized, please contact Diane Terry to be set up as an authorized user in the test system. You can also get to the test system by clicking on the "JEMS Test System" link in the navigation menu on the left.
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4.How will communication and rollout of the product be handled?
A JEMS listserv, (JEMS-L@cornell.edu), has been created to allow individuals to remain informed of changes as they occur. This web site has been built to distribute information as well. The controller's listserv (controllers-L@cornell.edu) may also be used as a source of information. DFA will continue to put articles in the Bottom Line to keep everyone updated on the current progress and state of the JEMS system. Future rollouts of the software will be invisible to the people using JEMS. If an upgrade is needed, the amount of time to upgrade the JEMS system is minimal, and will often be preceeded by an email notification from the JEMS-L listserv.
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5. Does electronic entry and processing of journal data make us more vulnerable?
No. Actually, it's quite the opposite. The electronic system gives us better control than was available in the paper-based system. There are fewer risks with the online journals than with paper journals. For example, the NetIDs of the creator, preparer, and approver are recorded and stored with the journal in the database for all journals created in JEMS.
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6. What is a "Journal Status"?
See the Glossary of Terms for full definitions of these terms, and many others, used within the JEMS system.
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7. How do I open a journal I already started to finish preparing it?
After logging into JEMS, select the "Journals in Progress" link from the navigation menu on the left. A listing of all journals that you have begun to prepare but not finished will be generated.
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8. Can I have a copy of the journal sent to a unit?
The answer to this question is not a simple Yes or No. JEMS does not generate copies of journals. It stores journals in a database. Currently you can view a journal's details if you share the same Home Dept as the creator of the journal. Anyone who has access to the JEMS software can identify who prepared and/or approved a journal and the purpose of that journal. Note: You may name someone in another unit as the approver of the journal if you wish to ensure that another unit sees the journal. Standard reports are available in the accounting data warehouse (ADW) for JEMS journals.
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9. How long will it take for a journal to make it through the financial system and be posted to the ADW?
The new process will take less time than the paper-based process. Our review procedures are currently being evaluated to speed up the review process of journals. The shortest possible time frame required to post a journal to the ADW is 24 hours. Journals approved in JEMS and released by the Division of Financial Affairs will be available in the ADW. The ADW is loaded only on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights, except during month-end closing, so journals prepared on Fridays will not appear in the ADW before the following Tuesdays. Complex entries will take longer to review and get into the ADW.
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10. Will we receive notification when our journal has been posted to the ADW?
No, but you have the reference number when the entry is submitted to search ADW for the journal. The status of QUEUED in JEMS will indicate that the entry is available for posting. This does not guarantee that the journal has been posted. The ADW is loaded nightly from the financial system, therefore no journal data will be available from the ADW until at least the day following approval.
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11. How do I change the accounting period on a journal?
Unfortunately, you cannot currently change the accounting period on a journal. The accounting period of the journal is fixed as soon as you create that journal. We ask that you pay close attention to which accounting period is the current default and choose the appropriate accounting period. If you create a journal with an incorrect accounting period, we have two suggestions:
- You can "Copy" the journal, creating a new one, choosing the correct accounting period; you will want to "Purge" the incorrect one as well.
- You can "Purge" the journal and create a new one, choosing the correct accounting period.
You may also consider posting the entry to the accounting period selected in error.
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12. What types of journals can JEMS currently handle?
JEMS currently offers preparation of regular (type 2) journals and budget (type 8) journals for authorized individuals. There are plans to add more journal types to the JEMS system in the future.
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13. Can JEMS accommodate monthly billing journals?
JEMS currently allows for importing of journal data from a tab-delimited text file. A user may wish to create a file, using Excel, and import the same data into a new journal each month. This will aid in reducing the work necessary to enter similar data into a journal each month by the same person. A link to the import template is available after you select the "import" option.
You may also choose to "Copy" an existing journal; this will create an entirely new journal with the same subjournals and transactions, allowing you the ability to change the journal description and choose another accounting period. You may then proceed to add or delete entries from this new journal as needed.
14. How do I maintain the connection between my backup documentation and the journal that I prepared in JEMS?
A simple backup documentation cover sheet may be generated for attaching to backup documentation if you select "Dept Kept" or "Sent to DFA" when identifying the backup documentation for a journal. This cover sheet should be used if you plan on sending the backup documentation to DFA. You may also use these backup documentation cover sheets for your own records or to attach to locally stored backup documentation. These cover sheets can only be produced if you select "Dept Kept" or "Sent to DFA" in the backup documents section of the journal. Open a journal and click on the"view cover page". If the backup documentation is being kept in the unit, please make sure to note this in the journal by selecting the "Dept Kept" option in the backup documentation pull down box. Also, if you have chosen backup documentation, the cover page will be displayed when you submit the journal.
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15. How will the backup documentation be managed?
Currently, if you select "Sent to DFA" a cover sheet will be generated. You will be reminded to view the backup documentation cover sheet for printing at the point you submit the journal on to be approved. You may also click on the"view cover page" link within a journal to view the cover page for printing. Back-up documentation should be sent to the Division of Financial Affairs within 24 hours. The Division of Financial Affairs will hold all journals marked as expecting backup documentation until that documentation is received. An accountant may request additional documentation, if he/she feels it is necessary to support the purpose of the journal.
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16. When is backup documentation required?
The backup documentation needed is dependent upon the transaction being processed. Documentation is required when it is necessary to support the purpose of the journal.
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17. Will the transaction edits be enhanced?
Yes. The JEMS system automatically validates accounts and object codes to determine whether or not these values are valid. The journal must also be in balance before it can be submitted for approval. There are also many other rules in place. We plan to add more edits to this process in future releases.
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18. Will object codes be used differently in JEMS?
JEMS does not follow the Cornell accounting rule of using alphabetic characters in the first position of the object code to represent a reverse debit or credit. JEMS requires that the person entering the transaction enter a negative dollar amount and use the numeric object code needed to represent the purpose of the given transaction.
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19. Is there a limit to the amount field for a transaction?
Yes, you can only enter dollar amounts of up to $9,999,999,999.99 per transaction (single billions of dollars).
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20.What do I do if my imports keep timing out?
Unfortunately, there are a number of contributing factors to this problem. Your network connection, the number of people currently hitting the database, and the speed of your computer can all be contributing factors. If you do not need to prepare this journal immediately, wait a few hours and then come back and attempt to import your transactions again. If the journal needs to be prepared immediately, attempt to break up the import into two or three imports. Then attempt to import these smaller files, one at a time. Currently, JEMS has a timeout of 2 minutes and a limit of 1000 transactions per import.
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21. Why won't JEMS let me enter certain characters into the transaction description? The accounting data warehouse (ADW) cannot process certain characters, such as apostrophes, double quotes, or single quotes. For this reason, JEMS will not allow these characters to be entered into any transaction fields.
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22. Can I print JEMS journals?
JEMS is an online system. One of the primary goals of JEMS has been to eliminate paper copies of journals. Currently, except for backup documentation, all relevant journal information can be retrieved and viewed from within JEMS. There is no print functionality in the JEMS application. The resources were not available to research and develop printing capabilities. We would rather make the data accessible on line, so printing is not necessary.
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23. How can we view a lengthy journal?
There is an alternate display screen available. Click on the "view all transactions" link to view all of the transactions in a journal.
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24. Explain the difference between creator and preparer.
The creator is the person who started the journal. The preparer is the person
who submitted the journal to the approver for approval. In the current JEMS system,
the creator and preparer are the same person. The separate roles were created
to ensure some form of audit tracking and to allow us to consider different roles
in the future.
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25. Can the preparer get the journal back once it is submitted for approval?
The approver may return the journal to the preparer instead of approving the journal. The administrative services staff in the Division of Financial Affairs may return the journal to the preparer if the approver is not available to do so and appropriate authorization is received.
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26. If a preparer is unavailable to complete an entry, what options are available?
If a preparer is unavailable to complete an important journal, the administrative services staff in DFA can send the entry to another preparer for completion, with the appropriate authorization.
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27. Why can't the approver see the journals that I submitted to her?
The most common cause of this problem is that the preparer created or the approver is looking for the submitted journals in the "Test" version of the software. If you are both working in the "Production" environment and you are still experiencing this problem, please contact us for more assistance.
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28. Can an approver retrieve a journal that has been approved, so he or she can make changes?
Once approved, a current month journal goes to QUEUED status instantaneously. Once a journal has the status of QUEUED, it cannot be retrieved for editing by the JEMS system.
Note: If an approver has approved an entry for a future accounting period, the administrative services staff in the Division of Financial Affairs has the ability to change the status from APPROVED to PREPARED so that editing can occur, provided the appropriate authorization is available.
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29. Does the approver have to have transaction authority?
Currently, the university does not require internal transaction authority. University Policy 3.14, Business Expenses, states that units must identify who is authorized within each unit to initiate expenses on appropriate unit accounts.
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30. Can I leave the 'PROJ' and 'DUO' values empty in my import file?
You cannot leave the values in the 'PROJ' and 'DUO' columns empty. You must specify at least one 0 for each value. These will be converted to three 0's when the file is imported into JEMS.
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31. I have a set of import files that I use every month and now there is a new import template. Can I convert these files to the new format?
Yes. Please follow the instructions below exactly as they are written in order to convert your files.
- here
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32. How can I get more information about an account or object code?
When you are in JEMS looking at a particular transaction line that has already been saved, you can click on the account code or the object code and a window will popup, displaying details about the particular code.
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33. How can I copy or reverse a journal?
When you are in JEMS, search or view the journal you want to copy or reverse. When the journal is displayed there will be an action titled "copy/reversal;" select this action. You will be taken to another page to select the action (copy or reverse), an Accounting period, and optional description change for the journal. Once you click the 'OK' button, the new journal will be displayed with all transactions that are still valid, and informational messages displayed for the transactions that are no longer valid to the JEMS system.
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