Introduction
A district wide committee was established in 2004 to assess our current chart of accounts (COA). The committee worked through 2004 and 2005 to identify issues, to review current object and unit codes, and develop a framework for a new COA.
The major issues identified were:
• Alignment of unit codes with CIP/Rubric codes for Credit and CE for financial reporting (internal and external) and cost analyses
• Establish consistent codes across the district
• Simplify and reduce the number of codes
• Provide a better reporting mechanism for state and regulatory reports, including Grants
Planning Factors
Since the COA committee completed its work in 2005, the System Office Finance and IT departments have been collaboratively working on the implementation plan for the COA project. Factors we have worked through:
• Datatel supplied GL conversion utilities incomplete and did not work
• Datatel utilities only convert whole GL account numbers
• Lone Star College System IT analysts required to write custom programming to convert uses of GL components
• Lone Star College System IT analysts required to review and convert uses of GL codes in our in-house custom programs, including X reports
• Other required upgrades/enhancements to Colleague already scheduled
• No Datatel peer references for COA conversion
• Integration with IT schedule
• Integration with budget calendar for 2007-2008
• Development of implementation and testing plan
Project Purpose
The purpose of the GL Account Code project is to implement a new GL account structure for use in fiscal year 2007/2008.
Project Timeline
Project Start Date: February 2006 (Datatel consultation)
Target Finish Date: July 2007
Project Objectives
• Align unit codes with CIP/Rubric codes for Credit and CE
• Establish consistent codes across the district
• Simplify and reduce number of codes
• Provide a better reporting mechanism for state and regulatory reports, including Grants
New GL Structure
Based on issues identified and a review of the current COA the new proposed GL account structure is FF-LL-C-UUUUUU-OOOO, where F is fund, L is location, C is cost element, U is cost center and O is object. An example of an account under this new structure would be 10-30-1-102404-6120 where:
10 = Operating Fund
30 = Lone Star College–Tomball
1 = Instructional Cost
102404 = Biology (Credit)
6120 = Full-Time Instructional Salaries
What to Expect
• Colleague/ GL account codes will not change before June 29th
• Communication will continue
• Mandatory budget training in March – receive new COA training
• Build 2007-2008 budget using new COA
• Communication will continue
• Begin to look for (and make a note of) forms, spreadsheets, databases, etc. that use GL account numbers – you will be required to convert these applications outside of Colleague to the new COA Gl numbers.
• 2007-2008 Budget 1st lock – April 25
• Communication will continue
• Budget files reopen April 30th
• Final budget lock – June 25
• Communication will continue
• The new GL will reopen on July 5th with new COA GL numbers
• On July 5th access to Colleague will be phased-in to allow for system surveillance
• Begin using new COA GL numbers for everything on July 5th.
• Colleague history (1996 and forward) will also be converted to the new COA GL numbers.