Documentation

Menu Options

FIT provides users with a Menu Bar at the top of each window (directly below the Title Bar). The following tables list the menu, the menu item, and a brief description of the action that will occur when the item is selected.

FIT Launch Window

Menu Menu Item Description
File Exit Exit FIT
Actions Refresh Central Objects Retrieves an up-to-date copy of the Central Object Codes from the mainframe.
Refresh Fringe Indirect Cost Rates Retrieves an up-to-date copy of the Fringe/Indirect Cost Rates from the mainframe.
Options Default Window: allows users to specify the window that will open automatically after FIT has been started.
Default Account, Cost Center or Mnemonic: allows users to designate default organizational units. Entry dialog boxes will then be initialized with the values specified as the default.
Help What's New Review the release notes for the version of FIT installed.
Update Info Identifies the version information of FIT updates downloaded and installed.
About FIT... Identifies the version of FIT installed and the date of release.

Reporting

The Reporting feature allows users to select an existing report template, specify an organizational unit, and retrieve IBIS Financial Data from the mainframe, which is summarized to complete each line of the selected template.

Menu Menu Item Description
File Export to File Exports the report as a comma delimited text file to the IBISFIT directory.
Print Sends a completed report to the printer.
Print Blank Report Sends a blank report to the printer.
Exit Exits the Reporting window and returns to the FIT Launch window.
Each of the following methods of identifying report criteria include a "Select from List" feature. This feature allows users to select an account or cost center from a list based on the user's security access to a department mnemonic and/or extended financial access.
Select by Account
  • Select a report template
  • Complete the account criteria
  • Specify a date range (This option is only necessary if the user needs to restrict data retrieval to a specific time period)
  • Select the desired type of data retrieval:
    • Populate is the standard report population. All fields of information are retrieved from IBIS
    • Quick Report retrieves only the Post Date, the Record Type, the Cobj, the Amount, the Fiscal Year, the Qnty Sobj and the Discount fields
by Cost Center
  • Select a report template
  • Complete the cost center criteria
  • Specify a date range (This option is only necessary if the user needs to restrict data retrieval to a specific time period)
  • Select the desired type of data retrieval:
    • Populate is the standard report population. All fields of information are retrieved from IBIS
    • Quick Report retrieves only the Post Date, the Record Type, the Cobj, the Amount, the Fiscal Year, the Qnty Sobj and the Discount fields
Display Details (Selected Line) Displays the underlying details for a selected line of the report.
Details (Report) Displays the underlying details for the entire report.
Detail Counts Displays the number of downloaded details and retrieval time.
Line Amounts Displays all amounts for a selected report line in a format similar to ISTR.
Line Attributes Displays the central object codes used to build the selected line.
Generic Lines Cost Centers Only: Displays generic subobject lines as defined in Report Builder.
Unassigned Generic Lines Cost Centers Only: Displays the generic lines which could not be matched with the available subobjects.
Options

Auto Report Population:

  • Select to retrieve data for either the default Account or the default Cost Center
  • Set a default organizational unit (Account or Cost Center) in the FIT Launch Window Options
  • Specify a default report in the Reporting Window Options

When the Reporting option is selected from the FIT Launch Windows, a dialog box will pop-up requiring a "Yes" or "No" response:

  • "Yes" allows FIT to proceed with population of the default report against the default organizational unit
  • "No" terminates the auto report process and opens the Reporting Window

Suppress lines with no amounts: when selected, will not display the lines of the report that have no details ("0" lines)

Display contract-to-date amounts: when selected displays the CTD balances rather than the YTD balances. Useful for research funds but is not applicable to general funds.

Calculate fringe/overhead: calculates the F&O for all details not included in the monthly central posting of fringe and overhead. For restricted, university services, and auxiliary enterprise accounts but is not applicable to general funds.

Display perm/temp budget columns: when selected, permanent and temporary budget columns will be displayed in addition to the total budget column.

Display percent columns: when selected, these columns display the percentage of the budget represented by actuals and the percentage of the budget represented by encumbrances plus actuals.

Details

Details enables users to retrieve and view IBIS Financial Data detail records for an account, a cost center, a form number, or a PO/LO number. For a selected line of detail, users may select options from the Display menu (or from a Mouse menu) to view Detail Info, view an underlying EASY form and Form history, view resolution to Subobjects, or view an electronic representation of Purchasing Card Charges.

Menu Menu Item Description
File Export to File Exports the detail records as a comma delimited text file.
Exit Exits the Detail Data window and returns to the FIT Launch window.
Select by Account Identifies an account to be used for the selection of detail records (a "Select from List" feature is available to assist with selection).
by Cost Center Identifies a cost center to be used for the selection of detail records (a "Select from List" feature is available to assist with selection).
by Form Number Identifies an Easy Form to be used for the selection of detail records.
by PO/LO Number Identifies a Purchase Order Number or Limited Order Number for the selection of detail records.
by Encumbrance Number Identifies an Encumbrance Number to be used for the selection of detail records (a "Select from List" feature is available to assist with selection).
Display Detail Counts Displays the number of downloaded details and retrieval time.
Detail Info Displays all detail information for a selected line in a single window (mimics the "Additional Info" screen in ISTR and ICAG).
Sub-objects Displays the subobject resolutions for a selected detail.
EASY Form Displays the electronic representation of the originating IBIS document associated with the selected detail.
Form History Displays the form history associated with the selected detail.
Purchasing Card Displays the electronic representation of a purchasing card charge for the selected detail. The selected detail must have a procurement number in the first ten characters of the description column.
Options

Allows the selection of automatic data retrieval for a default account or a default cost center. The default selection must be set in the FIT Launcher window using Options under the Actions menu.

Column Display:

  • Description Column: allows users to select from four different views
  • Cobj Description: when selected, displays a Cobj Description column next to the Cobj column.
  • Report Line Description: when displaying details from a populated report line or report, the line description(s) from the FIT report will be displayed as a column in the detail window.
  • Account Number: when selected, displays the Account Number column.
  • Cost Center: when selected, displays the Cost Center column.
  • Report Month: when selected, displays the report month column.
  • Payee Name: when selected, displays the Payee Name column.
Sort Ascending Sorts details by the column selected in ascending order.
Descending Sorts details by the column selected in descending order.
Multiple Fields Sorts details by a combination of multiple columns.
Find (Select Column) Searches within the column selected for a specific data value.

Encumbrances

Encumbrances enables users to retrieve and view encumbrance data records for an account or a cost center. The Encumbrance Data window includes a set of radio buttons in the upper right corner. Different combinations of these buttons provide users with a customized view of their encumbrances. For a selected line of detail, users may select Display menu or Mouse menu options to view an underlying EASY form or Form history.

Menu Menu Item Description
File Export to File Exports encumbrance records as a comma delimited text file.
Exit Exits the Encumbrances window and returns to the FIT Launch window.
Select by Account Identifies an account to be used for the selection of encumbrance records.
by Cost Center Identifies a cost center to be used for the selection of encumbrance records.
Display Encumbrance Count Displays the number of downloaded details and retrieval time.
EASY Form Displays an electronic representation of the originating IBIS document associated with the selected encumbrance.
Form History Displays the form history associated with the selected encumbrance.
Options

Allows automatic data retrieval for an account or cost center specified as the default in the Options feature of the FIT Launcher Actions menu.

Column Display:

  • Cobj Description: when selected, displays a Cobj Description column next to the Cobj column.
Sort Ascending Sorts details by the column selected in ascending order.
Descending Sorts details by the column selected in descending order.
Multiple Fields Sorts details by a combination of multiple columns.
Find (Select Column) Searches within the column selected for a specific data value.

Basic Financial Reporting

Basic Financial Reporting provides a secondary menu with options to view header information, to view invoices from Research Accounting, to view an IBIS EASY form, to view the form history for an IBIS EASY form, to select an additional reporting option which provides users with a summary report of all cost centers on an account or a summary report of all accounts on a mnemonic, or to browse purchasing card charges on the default account.

Menu Item Description
Show Contract for Account Displays header information for a restricted account.
Show Invoice for Account Displays invoice and income data for a research account (similar to BINR).
View IBIS EASY Form Displays an electronic version of the IBIS originating document (mimics IGFM).
View Form History Displays the history of actions on an IBIS EASY Form.
Summary Reporting Displays a summary report of all cost centers on an account or a summary report of all accounts on a mnemonic.
Purchasing Card Browse Displays the purchasing card charges on the default purchasing card account.

Summary Reporting

Menu Menu Item Description
File Export to File Exports the completed report as a comma delimited text file.
Print Report Sends the completed report to a printer.
Exit Exits the Summary Reports window and returns to the Basic Financial Reporting window.
Select by Mnemonic Summary of all Accounts on a specified mnemonic.
by Account Summary of all Cost Centers on a specified account.
Display Summary Count Displays the number of Cost Centers or Accounts that are included in the report.
Line Attributes Displays the central object categories used to build the selected line.
Options

Suppress lines with no amounts: if selected, lines that have no details ("0" lines) will be removed from the display.

Display contract-to-date amounts: displays CTD balances rather than YTD balances. Useful for research funds but is not applicable to general funds.

Display percent columns: when selected, two columns will be added to the display—one showing the percentage of budget represented by actual expenses and one showing the percentage of budget represented by the encumbrances plus actual expenses.

Display perm/temp budget columns: when selected, a permanent and a temporary budget column are displayed in addition to the total budget column.

Display income lines: when selected, the income lines will be displayed.

Display expense lines: when selected, the expense lines will be displayed.

Comment line after organizational unit: when selected, a blank line is placed after each organizational unit (i.e., after each account or cost center).

Total line for all income lines: when selected, a total line will be displayed for all income lines.

Total line for all expense lines: when selected, a total line will be displayed for all expense lines.

Net line for Organizational Unit: when selected, a "Net" line will be displayed for each organizational unit (i.e., for each account or cost center).

Net Line for Report: when selected, a "Net" line will be displayed for the entire report.

Report Builder

The Report Builder provides features that enable users to clone (copy) and modify existing reports or build custom reports. Enhancements include a "drag and drop" feature which allows users to reorganize report lines.

Menu Menu Item Description
File Save Report Saves the report as currently seen in the Report Builder.
Print Prints the report template with line descriptions, line type designation and assigned attributes.
Exit Exits the Report Builder and returns to the FIT Launch window.
Actions Add Report Custom Report: creates a report from scratch.
University Report: adds a report which lists a separate line for each central object code.
Category Report: adds a report that is similar to the Monthly Operating Budget report.
Modify Report Allows a saved report to be modified.
Rename Report Changes the name of a saved report.
Clone Report Creates a copy of an existing report (similar to the "Save as" capability in Windows-based programs) which can then be modified.
Delete Report Deletes a report that is no longer needed.
Misc Line Description Lower Case: converts all description lines to lower case.
Upper Case: converts all description lines to upper case.
Mixed Case: converts all description lines to mixed case.

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Subobject Reporting

The report builder in FIT includes the ability to add subobject lines to a report. This new feature is similar to working with central objects. You first add a subobject line; then, select from a list of available subobjects and move them to a list of assigned subobjects. The details for these subobjects will then be accumulated into the new subobject line when you populate the report.

The main difference from the central object function is that you have to specify, which list of available subobjects you want to work with and retrieve them from the mainframe server. Subobjects are created on the mainframe with the AUSO function and then associated to an organization unit.

In FIT, you can identify a group of subobjects by this organization unit--currently cost center or account. The group of subobjects associated to the account or cost center is then returned to FIT and placed in the list of available subobjects. When you request the subobjects for an account, you will get the subobjects for that account, plus any that were created for the fund range, agency, or fund type that that account belongs to. You can then select from this list and place them in the assigned list.

Things to Keep in Mind When Assigning Subobjects

When working with subobjects that divide a single central object, you can only assign one of these subobjects to a subobject line. You can use total lines to summarize multiple subobject lines if necessary. For example, central object code 447 is divided into three subobjects; radio, TV, and newspaper.

If you try to assign both radio and TV to a subobject line, you will get the message: 'This subobject can not be added to this line. Only subobjects with the same subobject ID can be added.' You will need to add a subobject line for radio and then another for TV. If you have a subobject that divides multiple central objects, you can assign multiple subobjects to a subobject line as long as they are from the same group. For example, central object code 755 and 455 were divided into Computer, Lab and Furniture.

So you have six subobjects:

Viewed another way:

In this example, you can assign Computer 455 and Computer 755 to the same subobject line.

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Building and Sharing a Custom Report

The FIT Launch Window offers a Report Builder menu option, which can be used to build a report from the ground up to meet specialized reporting needs. The following are offered as guidelines in the purpose and use of each Report Builder option available in the creation of custom reports.

Building Custom Reports

Sharing Reports

FIT stores report templates as documents in the "ibisfit\fitrpts" directory. The reports must be created using the FIT Report Builder option; FIT will not recognize any other format (i.e.: a Word document).

To copy an existing report to a 3.5" disk:

To retrieve a FIT report from a 3.5" disk:

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Custom Report Line Types

Comment Line

A "Comment Line" places a report, category, or section heading in a report or inserts a blank line in a report.

Select Line Type Comment and Click on Add Line:

Press Enter to update the report.

Central Line Object

A "Central Object Line" assigns one or more central object codes to summarize related transactions on a line of the report.

Add a Central Object Code line to a report:

Change the central object codes assigned to a report line:

Subobject Line

The "Subobject Line" assigns one or more subobjects to a report line to summarize related transactions.

Add a Subobject line to the report:

Total

Total assigns other lines of a report to a summary line for categories, calculate a report total, or calculate net income/expense.

The line of the report will be highlighted and the lines you selected to be included in the total calculation are now listed in the "Lines In Total Line" box at the bottom right of the Report Builder window.

Unassigned Income

Unassigned Income captures all income central objects not assigned elsewhere in a report.

All income central objects not previously assigned to an income line of the report will automatically be assigned to summarize on this line.

A list of the income central objects will appear in the Assigned Central Objects box in the bottom right corner of the Report Builder window.

The Unassigned Income line type is reviewed by FIT each time the report is run to ensure that recently added income central objects will be included in the report.

Unassigned Expense

Unassigned Expense captures all expense central objects not assigned elsewhere in a report.

All expense central objects not previously assigned to a line of the report will be automatically assigned to summarize on this line.

A list of the expense central objects will appear in the Assigned Central Objects box in the bottom right corner of the Report Builder window.

The Unassigned Income and Unassigned Expense line types are reviewed by FIT each time the report is run to ensure that any new central objects recently added to the code set will be included in the report.

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Export Data Files

FIT allows you to export data to an Excel file from four different reporting screens:

To export data from any of these reporting screens, choose File from the menu bar and click "Export to file".

Export to file menu

A save dialog will appear.

Save dialog box

In the text box area at the bottom of the window, type in the appropriate name of the report and remember to keep the extension ".csv" (example: testreport.csv).

Note: All export files will now automatically go to the 'ibisfit\excel\' directory. After creating the export file from FIT, you can move the file to a directory of your choice.

FIT will not allow an existing export file to be over-written. If you choose a filename of an existing export file in your 'ibisfit\excel' directory, you will receive a 'Filename already exists...' warning. There are two options you can choose to avoid this warning and export your data:

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Tips and Techniques

Group Selections

To select a group of items from a list, click on the first item in the list, then find the last item in the list. Hold down the 'shift' key while you click on the last item in the list. All items between the first and last item will be selected.

Multiple Selections

To make multiple selections in a list, hold down the 'ctrl' key while you click on the item you want to select. Only the items you click on will be selected.

Using Shared Reports

FIT stores reports as documents in a directory called C:\IBISFIT\FITRPTS. Simply copy the reports you wish to use into your FITRPTS directory and open the desired report from within FIT. When asked to open a report, FIT will search the FITRPTS directory for valid reports. FIT will not recognize any other kind of document (i.e., a Word document). More on sharing reports can be found above.

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