[Academic] FW: FMS and research grant budgets

[Kirsten Munro]

Hi

The email below might be of some help whilst trying to access your grants on FMS.

Kirsten


From: Hugh Darby
Sent: 21 December 2015 08:49
To: David Littlejohn
Cc: Clare Urquhart
Subject: RE: FMS and research grant budgets

David

Apologies for the delay in responding.  We needed to double-check what was available to users, in case there were any issues we weren't aware of, and also to review the training material.

For research budgets, the appropriate report is the 'Budget Statement - Multi Year', which will give the current budget balance assessed across the duration of an award.  This is under 'Reports / Your Reports / Budget and General Ledger Enquiries / Budget Statement - Multi Year ':

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Although there's a video explaining how to use the 'Budget Statement Enquiry', the video doesn't specifically mention that the appropriate report for research awards is the multi year version.   The mechanics of how to use the budget report are, however, still relevant, although note that some of the report names shown in the video have also been superseded since the video was prepared, so we do need to update that bit of the video.

There is also a Reporting on Web<https://moss.strath.ac.uk/developmentandtraining/FMS/ResourceLibrary/Reporting%20on%20Web.pdf> document that refers to the 'Budget Statement Enquiry - Multi Year' being relevant for Research projects - page 12.  This document isn't as easy to find as it might be, even after our recent refresh of the structure of FMS web pages, so that's something we may have to revisit.  It's linked from the main FMS reporting web page<http://www.strath.ac.uk/finance/generalinformation/fmslandingpage/fms-reporting/>, via the Introduction to FMS<https://moss.strath.ac.uk/developmentandtraining/FMS/Pages/FindingYourWay.aspx> page within the training portal.

As a general comment, we're aware that we need to revisit a number of areas of the documentation, where either experience since go-live has changed our view of the best approaches, or we've amended the system.  We're working through these areas as quickly as we can.

For information, I'm expecting Corporate Comms to release the attached note to Deans, HoDs etc imminently, confirming that we intend to provide additional face to face training from as early as possible in 2016; reporting may be one of those areas on which we need to provide additional sessions.  Reporting may also be an area on which Beth could provide direct support?

Hugh


From: David Littlejohn
Sent: 15 December 2015 10:22
To: Hugh Darby <hugh.darby at strath.ac.uk<mailto:hugh.darby at strath.ac.uk>>; Clare Urquhart <c.urquhart at strath.ac.uk<mailto:c.urquhart at strath.ac.uk>>
Subject: FMS and research grant budgets
Importance: High

Dear Hugh and Clare

Several people have mentioned to me their concern about not having easily accessible information about balances on research grant budgets. They say it is possible to see transactions etc. on the FMS, but apparently not up-to-date information on how much uncommitted funds are left.

As you might imagine, knowing accurate details about balances is really important towards the end of a grant period to ensure that funds are fully spent, but also to prevent over-spend.

Can you reassure me that my colleagues' concerns are unfounded and that they just need to know how to assess the information they require? A link to the "how to" information would be helpful so when I am contacted in future I can be of direct assistance.

Thanks

Regards

David



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