State Accounting Office newsletter

State Accounting Office Newsletter
Sound Fiscal Leadership for Georgia

Inside This Edition: 1 SAO Overview 2 Spotlight on our New
Directors 3 Streamlined Banking
Updates 3 Training Events 3 System Announcements 4 Employee Corner 4 Charitable Contribution 5 State Accounting Officer's
Message 5 Want to be in the know? 5 SAO Helpdesk and
Options 6 Monthly Calendar
Upcoming Events:
Financials Upgrade to 9.0 is in the planning stages and will support E-Procurement. Look for an update next month.
Next phase of Streamlined Banking implementation is to be decided.
Benefits Administration (in conjunction with the State Personnel Board)
E-Procurement will allow the State to utilize a centralized purchasing system that will standardize the process and reduce costs using state-wide contracts.
We're on the Web! See us at:
www.sao.georgia.gov

Issue 1

SAO Overview

The State Accounting Office was established in October 2004 with an executive order from the Governor.
Over the past several years, the State Accounting Office has grown to include the following divisions/sections:
Financials - This team provides functional support for all Financials modules (AP, AR, AM, Budget, General Ledger, PO & PC). They are responsible for responding to all Financials Helpdesk calls and emails from Financials users. They are also responsible for leading the implementation of all Financials PeopleSoft modules as well as supporting the financials database. This team is responsible for 1099 printing.
Human Capital Management (HCM) - This team provides functional support for all HCM modules (Human Resource, Benefits, and Payroll). They are responsible for responding to all HCM helpdesk calls and emails from all HCM PeopleSoft users. They are also responsible for leading the implementation of all HCM PeopleSoft modules as well as maintaining the PeopleSoft HCM database. The team runs all payrolls for the state agencies as well as processes annual events such as Open

Enrollment, Salary Increases, and W-2s.
Financial Reporting - This team prepares the State's CAFR, Budgetary Compliance Report and Statewide Single Audit Report. They also
maintain the State chart of accounts and, in cooperation with OPB, issue the Statewide
Travel Regulations.
Streamlined Banking - This team is responsible for bringing agencies onto the Streamlined Banking Model. They partner with OTFS to maintain consistency for the banking practices for agencies that have converted to the State's Streamlined Banking Model. They provide business support to Streamlined Banking Agencies and are also responsible for answering calls made to the SAO Helpdesk for Streamlined Banking business operational issues. Agencies still call the Financials/HCM Helpdesk for PeopleSoft issues.
Maximo AMP - This team implemented and is responsible for the maintenance of the new asset management tool. They monitor the addition of the state's vehicles and maintenance to the Asset Management System and the interface to PeopleSoft Asset Management. They will be

October 2007
responsible for implementing any future phases of Maximo for the State. They provide functional support for the Maximo tool and are responsible for answering calls made to the Maximo Helpdesk.
Enterprise Performance
Measurement EPM - This
team is responsible for implementing the new data warehouse tool and the performance measurement reporting in the future.
Information Systems - This area is responsible for shaping all technological aspects of application development, application management, setting the strategic direction for information technology, and providing automated capabilities to support SAO and its customers.
Training and Communications - The Training Team prepares and distributes all SAO communications, develops the self taught PeopleSoft training modules (UPK), and partners with all SAO project teams to deliver instructor led training when possible.
With this new newsletter format, we will strive to include news from each and every section/division of the State Accounting Office.

Spotlight on our New Directors

State Accounting Office Newsletter

Hi! My name is Jarnice Anderson and I am the new SAO Financial Systems Director and have been a member of the SAO leadership team since July 2007. I am most recently from BellSouth where I was the Director of Internal Audit which included the assessment of IT risk and controls. Prior to my employment with BellSouth, I was the CIO and Director of Business Process Consulting for Global Tech Financial, and a Senior Manager within Deloitte's Enterprise Risk Services practice. I also worked at Coca Cola, Coopers & Lybrand, and the Pyramid Management Group.
I have over 18 years of experience in information technology auditing, business process reengineering, and internal control/process efficiency assessments within various ERP and other business application systems. I earned a Bachelor of Accounting degree from North Carolina A&T State University, am a Certified Information Systems Auditor, and reside in the Alpharetta area.
Over the last two months at SAO, it has certainly been a pleasure to work with the SAO team and our customer organizations toward the realization of key strategic objectives. We definitely have significant opportunities ahead of us to make positive contributions to our customer organizations and stakeholders, and that is definitely our goal.
Hi! My name is Bill McCleary and I am the new SAO Division Director for Statewide Accounting. I have been involved with financial accounting and reporting for more than twenty years in the private sector.
I was a plant controller for over ten years, primarily focusing in on financial, operational and system aspects for two local manufacturing companies. I also have extensive experience in the cost accounting discipline as well as experience in enterprise IT functions and analysis such as; system design, development and analysis, hardware and software configuration and system maintenance and upgrade. I enjoy working with diverse operational departments as they provide me with a different perspective to the accounting and financial functions, while challenging me to develop new ideas and ways to provide enhanced support for their operations.
I look forward to working with the entire SAO team as the system moves forward. I have lived in Georgia for over fourteen years and currently reside in Lawrenceville.

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"Sound Fiscal Leadership for the State
of Georgia"

State Accounting Office Newsletter

Streamlined Banking Update

The September User Group Governance Committee was held on September 11 at the State Accounting Office. Topics discussed included:
Check Stub Review
James Cooper from SAO's Streamlined Banking team led a discussion regarding the process of standardizing invoices among state agencies. All pilot agencies participated with the exception of DOAS. The

agencies came to a consensus regarding the best invoice format to use when there is an invoice number given on the bill. The next steps will be for James to compile the information into one document with a summary of the results to be shared with the strategic eight agencies.
Agency Review Training Session
A transition session for

Group 1 & 2 will be held to discuss development changes. The topics which will be discussed will be bilateral netting, automatic bank signing in PeopleSoft, and making cash accounts "controlled".

Training Events

Governor's Office of Customer Service Training
The State Accounting Office is proud to be one of the partners helping deliver the training developed by the Governor's Office of Customer Service. All state employees (approx. 150,000) will be expected to participate in the 5 half day sessions of the Customer Service

Training course that was developed.
Training for the State Accounting Office will begin with Part 1 in November 2007. The other parts of the training (five in all) will be presented each month until all five sections have been delivered to all State Accounting Office employees.
Be on the lookout for the

official announcement which will be forthcoming and will detail class dates and sign up instructions.
UPK Updates
All Enterprise Learning UPK topics will be completed by October 10, 2007 to include the "Portal" look and feel. Check out this link for new updated HCM UPK topics!
http://route88upk.state.ga. us

System Announcements
Monday, October 8th is a State holiday. Financial Systems will be available 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. (No Batch Run). HCM System will be available from 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. (No Batch Run).
The conversion to the consolidated customer file in FSCMPROD for the Technical Colleges and GTA will occur the weekend of October 12, 2007. The consolidated file will be ready for use on Monday, October 15, 2007.

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Employee Corner

State Accounting Office Newsletter

Please welcome our new employees to the State Accounting Office!

SAO - Administration Group
Tarsha Bowie Technical Group
Ryan Momberger Jerry Costner Paula Knowles Marilyn Page Anthony Key Alexys Flores Jagadish Pothapu
Eddie Hernandez Streamlined Banking Group
Jerri Darnell Denette Peyton Maximo Asset Management Performance Group
Bobby Arrington Dan Lawson Human Capital Management Business Strategy Group
Michelle Wilson FeLoy Gibbs

Enterprise Performance Management Group Perry James
Financials Production Support Group Debra Hall Fretwell David Howell Ellen Bradley Terrence Jenkins Marcia Moore John Krellner Irma Colaire
Human Capital Management Production Support Group
Edin Smajlovic Fatisha Grimes Financials Reporting Group Chris Evans Eddie Hicks

Charitable Contribution Program

The State Charitable Contribution Program kicked off the first week of September 2007 and you have until November 30, 2007 to return your completed forms to your campaign coordinator.

Everyone's gift is needed and valuable so please give from your heart!

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State Accounting Office Newsletter
State Accounting Officer's Message

Welcome to the State Accounting Office's inaugural newsletter. Since our inception we have realized the importance of developing and maintaining close working relationships with our partners and customer agencies. The State of Georgia is marching forward with direction to be the best

managed State. Budget, accounting, and payroll functions supported by the State Accounting Office play a key role in obtaining that lofty goal. There are many initiatives currently in development that will help move the state forward on the path to excellence. We have been through upgrades of the PeopleSoft system and changes to the budget requirements these last few years that have challenged all of us. We will continue to be faced with change as we implement the many initiatives to improve the business

processes of the state. We look forward to a continued partnership with all state agencies to obtain the goal of becoming the "Best Managed State".
This newsletter provides a vehicle to increase our communications to keep you informed of the ongoing operations, system enhancements, and accounting standards affecting all of us. We recognize the tremendous effort from each of you and look forward to working together as we continuously improve the business of government.

Want to be in the Know?
Want to be "In the Know"?
"FS Official Communications" are e-mailed on a regular basis to users who have subscribed to the Listserv system. One way to be "in the know" and receive these communications is to sign up for a Listserv!
Put yourself in the "LOOP"! There is no cost to subscribe and it's easy to do! You can also unsubscribe at any time. Please be aware, however, that the more elists (modules) that you sign up for, the more emails you will receive in your inbox. We recommend only signing up for the lists applicable to your job duties.
Listserv is one of the most effective ways for you to obtain information and communications relative to your PeopleSoft system. If you have not already done so, sign up now.
Available lists include: Financials -AP, AR, AM, GL, PC, Labor, Budget, and PO HCM - Human Resources, HR Budget, Payroll and CSB's Financial Reporting - PeopleSoft Agencies, NonPeopleSoft Agencies, Audits and CPA Audits
Visit the SAO Website and click Financial Systems > Related Links > ListServ and subscribe today!

SAO Helpdesk and Options
404-657-3956 or 888-896-7771 Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm Option 1 - Financials Help Desk 1 Financial Accounting (GL, AR, CU, Budgets, AM) 2 Financial Distribution (Vendors, AP, PO) Option 2 - HCM 1 HCM Application Support Option 3 - ID, Password, Security Option 4 - Connectivity, Printing Option 5 - Streamlined Banking Operational Support 1 Streamlined Banking for Payroll 2 Streamlined Banking for Accounts Receivable 3 Streamlined Banking for Accounts Payable 4 Streamlined Banking for Bank Administration 5 Streamlined Banking for Check Reconciliation Option 6 - AMPS (Maximo Asset Management System)

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Monthly Calendar

Sun

Mon

1

Tue 2

State Accounting Office Newsletter

October 2007

Wed 3

Thu 4

Fri 5

Sat 6

7

8

Holiday

14

15

Customer Consolidation
Conversion

21

22

9

10

11

Open

Enrollment

16

17

18

Benefits Fair Twin Towers 10AM - 2PM

State Business Microcomputer Users Group SBMUG Rm. 1514W 12PM -
1:30PM

23

24

25

28

29

30

31

Customer Service Summit 9AM 5:30PM

12

13

Customer Consolidation Conversion

19

20

26

27

Breast Cancer "Stride Walk" 9AM

Contact Us State Accounting Office 200 Piedmont Avenue Suite 1604, West Tower
Atlanta, GA 30334
PHONE: (404) 656-2133
FAX: (404) 463-5089
E-MAIL: stateaccountingoffice@sao.ga.gov
We're on the Web! See us at:
www.sao.georgia.gov

State Accounting Office of Georgia Lynn Vellinga, State Accounting Officer COMMUNICATIONS Toni Kennelly Mario Covington Deval Lott CONTACT 404-651-2133 saocommunications@sao.ga.gov
http://www.sao.georgia.gov
Thank you for reading our SAO Newsletter. We want to know what you think about us. Please share your feedback by clicking on the link
below. Customer Service Survey
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