Latest update includes:

CTR Memo FY2013-03: FY2013 Interim Budget Guidance
CTR Memo FY2013-03 has been posted to the CTR Web Portal. This memo provides guidance on operating under an interim budget.

Annual Approval of Enterprise Security Systems Due Today
The Annual Approval of Enterprise Security Systems (MMARS, HR/CMS, CIW and InTempo) by your Department Head is due today.

Please refer to FY2012-24: Department Head Annual Approval - Statewide Enterprise Systems Security (issued 5/25/2012) for details, instructions, and links to the form and policy.

Updated monthly security reports are available in DocDirect and should be used for the annual certification of security by Department Heads.

If you have any questions, please contact Dan Frisoli at 617-973-2614 or Lenny Montone at 617-973-2570.

CTR Memo FY2012-28: Payroll Accounting for Fiscal Year End and Accounts Payable
CTR Memo FY2012-28 has been posted to the CTR Web Portal. This memo informs Departments of the methodology for distributing and recording HR/CMS Payroll charges in LCM and MMARS during the Fiscal Year End and Accounts Payable pay period. 

To accommodate multi-year payroll processing, certain earnings codes will charge only to FY2012.  This memo provides Payroll Directors detailed guidelines on how to charge FY2012 during the Accounts Payable Period.  Please note that the instructions in this memo are issued consistent with State Finance Law requirements which require Departments to account for expenditures in the fiscal year in which the obligation is incurred.

MMARS Saturday and Holiday Schedule
MMARS and LCM will be available Saturday, June 30 from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. The Help Desk will not be staffed and any Saturday Help Desk calls will be returned on Monday, July 2.

MMARS and LCM will be unavailable all day on Wednesday, July 4 due to scheduled system processing.  No financial cycle will be run on July 4.

CTR Memo FY2012-29: Annual FY 2012 Capital Asset Inventory Review
CTR Memo FY2012-29 has been posted to the CTR Web Portal. This memo serves as the notice that annual inventory of GAAP capital assets is underway.  Several MMARS reports can be accessed through DocDirect to assist with this effort.  Every department must return a form confirming the review is complete.

All Saturday Documents to be in Final Status
Departments are required to bring all documents processed on Saturday to Final status.  MMARS will not be processing Draft, Held, or Rejected documents. It is expected that all reports will be available in DocDirect on Monday for all Saturday documents.

Once MMARS processes all Final documents Saturday night, the CIW will be updated on Sunday.  This update will include all Saturday FY2012 work.  It will not include any work done on Sunday, whether it is for FY2012 or FY2013.

Comptroller PCI Contract Extended through October 31, 2012
The CTRPCI2007 procurement for PCI Data Security Standards (DSS) Compliance has been extended until October 31, 2012.  This contract must be used to validate PCI compliance for any Commonwealth Department accepting credit card payments.  The documents required for use of this contract are posted under the “Terms” tab and the “Vendors” page under each of the authorized Contractors under www.commm-pass.com.  The CTRPCI2007 can be located under “Search for Contracts” using “PCICTR2007” in the document number field.

Current engagements may be amended or new engagements entered into using the forms and terms of this Contract until October 31, 2012 or until this contract has been replaced and transitioned under the new Statewide Contract that will re-bid PCI Compliance Services.  PCI engagement services are limited to the terms and pricing caps listed in the RFR Responses and Pricing documents.  New or expanded services may not be negotiated without prior review of the SOW by the Office of the Comptroller eCommerce Program Director.  Questions related to appropriate scope and pricing may be addressed to the listed “Team” tab eCommerce Program Director.

New Statewide Contract for “Audit, Accounting, Quality Assurance, Compliance, PCI, and Revenue Enhancement” to be issued in July
The CTRPCI2007 contract which terminates on October 31, 2012 will be re-bid as a sub-category under a new Statewide Contract for “Audit, Accounting, Quality Assurance, Compliance, PCI, and Revenue Enhancement Services” which will be replacing the current Statewide Contract PRF08DesignatedOSC for Ancillary Audit and Accounting Services which expires June 30, 2013.  PCI DSS Compliance Services will be the first sub-category bid under this new Statewide Contract in mid July 2012 with an anticipated start date prior to October 31, 2012.   Other sub-categories will be re-bid in a staggered calendar beginning in the fall.   

Fringe Benefit, Payroll Tax, Indirect Cost Charges for Accounting Period 12 
The fringe benefit, payroll tax and indirect cost chargebacks for Accounting Period 12 (June), FY2012 will be run on Saturday, July 7. All eligible expenditures processed during Accounting Period 12 will be subject to these assessments

Departments should ensure that the budget structure tables for appropriated (payroll tax only), federal grants and other non-budgetary accounts are properly established for these charges to post without rejecting under object codes D09 (fringe benefits and payroll taxes) and E16 (indirect costs).

New Statewide Vendor Report and Search Functionality on Comm-PASS
The Operational Services Division (OSD) is happy to announce new features of the Comm-PASS System. Based on user feedback, the Comm-PASS team has designed new, easy-to-use and highly accessible Statewide Vendor Reporting and Search functionality.

Without requiring login credentials or more than a few clicks, one can browse all Active Statewide Contracts and Vendors and search for Active Statewide Contract Vendors.   Results include contracts and vendor details, and all search results can be exported to Microsoft Excel. 

The Vendor list contains many attributes users have requested in such as designated icons to show Small Business Purchasing Program participation or Supplier Diversity Program SDO certification. This enhancement saves time and makes Statewide Contracts more accessible for all users.  Learn how to utilize these new features and more!

Close FY2012/Open FY2013 News

Summary Receivable Reporting - Department Guidance for Closing FY2012 and Opening FY2013 
This procedure applies to departments that report open AR via a BARS Summary RE document.  This procedure does NOT apply to departments who bill via a detailed BARS RE document.

Department that maintain authorized delegated Accounts Receivable (AR) systems in-house are required to report AR to MMARS via a Summary Receivable (RE) document.

NEW SUMMARY RE DOCUMENT FY CLOSE/OPEN PROCEDURE:

In order to maintain accurate year-end reporting on departments’ Summary Receivable balances, departments must do the following.

      1. Prior to July 2, all FY2012 cash received must be applied to the FY2012 Summary RE balance.
      2. Prior to July 4, 2012, departments must ensure their FY2012 Summary RE balance is modified to accurately reflect open RE balances maintained on their delegated AR systems.
      3. ALL FY2012 SUMMARY RECEIVABLES WILL ROLL INTO FY2013 on July 4; this allows FY2012 accrued revenue to be accurately reported.
      4. Beginning 7/5/2012 (after the FY2012-FY2013 Receivable Roll), departments must decrease their rolled Summary Receivables to zero and reestablish their open AR balance in a new FY2013 Summary Receivable.

Please see page 74, section “Summary Receivable Management Across Fiscal Years” of the FY2012 Closing / FY2013 Opening Instructions for more detailed information.

For instructions on how to modify or establish a new Summary Receivable document, please contact the MMARS Helpline at 617-973-2468.  For questions regarding this procedure, please contact the Comptroller’s General Accounting Non-Tax Revenue Unit at 617-973-2438.

Reminder – Departments Responsible for Close/Open Fiscal Compliance
Departments are reminded that all FY2012 closing and FY2013 opening activities must be performed in compliance with the Close and Opening Instructions issued May 1, 2012 which include all listed policies, forms and Job Aids. 

All obligations are subject to appropriation, must be recorded in accordance with the Expenditure Classification Handbook and may not be incurred except in accordance with the applicable Interim Budget or General Appropriation Act.  (See CTR Memo FY2013-03.) Chief Fiscal Officers and General Counsels are responsible for ensuring that all staff involved with any obligations have these materials. See: http://www.mass.gov/osc/docs/forms/other/dept-key-fin-law.doc.  See also: G.L. c. 29, s. 66.

Close/Open Key Dates June 30 – July 7
June 30, Saturday

      • Irregular balances must be resolved in appropriation types 1CN, 1CS, 1RN, 1RS, 1IN, 1IS, 2CN, 3TN.
      • Last day to receive goods, services and other performances for FY2012.
      • Last day to enter FY2012 payroll holds in MMARS.
      • Last day to receive cash for FY2012.

July 1, Sunday

      • FY2013 Opens for business.
      • FY2012 Accounts Payable payments begin.

July 2, Monday

      • Enter final FY2012 PRRV, ER, and CR.
      • Last day to enter all deposits for FY2012. Deposit slips must be stamped before noon on July 2.

July 3, Tuesday

      • Enter final FY2012 ARs.
      • Final day to enter FY2012 REs.
      • Final day to verify that all FY2012 REs and CRs referencing REs are in final status and are ready for the RE Roll on July 4, 2012.

July 4, Wednesday

      • RE Roll.

July 6, Friday

      • All FY2012 reject transactions (PRLDE_PRLIF_PRADJ) and payroll accounts with negative uncommitted and unexpended balances must be corrected in MMARS.

July 7, Saturday

      • Run Fringe, Indirect & Payroll Tax Accounting Period 12.

Upcoming Training Sessions and Meetings

  • HR/CMS Fundamentals – Monday, July 9, 9:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M. One Ashburton Place Boston 9th Floor Training Lab
  • Intro to State Finance MMARS Navigation – Tuesday, July 10, 9:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. One Ashburton Place Boston 9th Floor Training Lab
  • Encumbrance Management – Thursday, July 12, 9:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. One Ashburton Place Boston 9th Floor Training Lab
  • Payment Management – Thursday, July 12, 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. One Ashburton Place Boston 9th Floor Training Lab
  • Intro to MMARS Warehouse – Tuesday, July 17, 9:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. One Ashburton Place Boston 9th Floor Training Lab
  • LCM Management – Wednesday, July 18, 9:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. One Ashburton Place Boston 9th Floor Training Lab
  • Fraud Awareness and Prevention – Wednesday, July 18, 9:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. One Ashburton Place Boston 9th Floor Executive Conference Room
  • Establishing a Federal Grant in MMARS – Thursday, July 19, 9:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. One Ashburton Place Boston 9th Floor Training Lab

Register for these sessions via the Comptroller's Training and Meeting Schedule which lists classes scheduled for three months and Payroll User Groups through December 2012.

MMARS Hint of the Week - CD Forms Submitted to Treasury
When sending CD forms to the State Treasurer, be sure to manually draw federal funds to record deposits. The CD form must contain the following or it will reject:

  • Fund
  • Sub Fund (derived from the BQ82 level 3 budget screens)
  • Department
  • Revenue Source
  • Unit
  • Fiscal Year
  • Budget Year

If this is a federal grant draw, the CD must also contain the program code.