Information flows and financial management: Kuali Financial System
Module 3 - SLP
Information flows and financial management
In your project assignment for this module, you'll be pleased to know that there is no calculation involved, at least not by you directly. This time, you'll acquire some hands-on familiarity with a financial information system through exploring what they refer to as the "Kuali test drive". This is a sort of experiential tutorial intended to give financial managers considering the application of Kuali in their organizations the opportunity to see how it works and the kind of interfaces that the system would present to their staff and to users.
For this module, you should go to the Kuali test drive page, read about the system, review the driver's manual, and try the first two scenarios described in the test drive. If you are asked for a username you can use 'khuntley'.
When you have completed your activities here, write a short (2-3 page) report describing what you did during the test drive, your evaluation of the system at this point (admittedly, this will be based on limited information, but that's okay), and questions that are in your mind regarding the use of a financial information system such as Kuali.
This will be a preliminary assessment; you'll be returning to the test drive in module five, and to have an opportunity to further your understanding of it and to clarify some issues.
SLP Assignment Expectations
Use information from the modular background readings as well as any good quality resource you can find. Please cite all sources and provide a reference list at the end of your paper.
LENGTH: 2-3 pages typed and double-spaced.
The following items will be assessed in particular:
- Your ability to demonstrate your understanding of the basic transaction processing capabilities and benefits of Kuali;
- Some in-text references to modular background readings.
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Information flows and financial management: Kuali Financial System (KFS)
What I did during the test drive
During the test drive, I tried the two scenarios described in test drive: Project Code and Transfer of Funds. During Scenario 1 Project Code, I tried to add a new Project to the system. This was a 10 step process starting in the Main Menu tab and going to the Project Code in the Lookup and Maintenance section. I then logged into the application using a given username. Next, I created a new Project Code eDoc in the Project Code Lookup screen. A new Project Code form for data entry appeared on the screen. In the Document Overview tab, I filled anything that I wanted for the Description field and in the Edit Project Code tab I entered the information for my new Project Code in the provided fields. In the subsequent screen, I saw a summary of the contents of my eDoc. I also saw a confirmation message that the Document was submitted successfully. I then reviewed the Route Log, and sent an ad hoc request.
During Scenario 2 Transfer of Funds, what I did is that I created and routed a Transfer of Funds, which is another eDoc in KFS. This was essentially a fiscal transaction that entailed transferring funds among different accounts. I started in the Main Menu tab by clicking on Transfer of Funds in the Transactions section. I then created a new Transfer of Funds eDoc. I clicked on the Accounting Lines tab and was able to fill in the values for individual fields in order to add rows in the To and From lines. I tried to utilize a magnifying glass Lookup to Find Information. In the From account, I entered the information for an Accounting Line. Using direct entries and Lookups, I was able to load an accounting line in the From section. Moreover, I imported information ...