Outreach Events

TAS/BETC Preparedness Overview – Gearing up for 2014

Overview offered to NTDOs to discuss the necessary changes to become a CARS Reporter by submitting TAS/BETC, to the PIR, via the SRF. The one hour session will provide a high level review of the SRF and discussion of steps each NTDO should take in order to prepare for the October 2014 deadline to become a CARS Reporter.

Target Audience: Individuals who have responsibility for CARS Reporter compliance

TAS/BETC Preparedness Training Session Dates:

To Register, click here

TAS/BETC & CARS Reporting Sessions for NTDOs

Purpose
These sessions are being held to provide our Non Treasury Disbursing Federal Program Agencies (FPA’s) information on the Payment Information Repository (PIR) and how the PIR will support Non Treasury Disbursing Office’s (NTDO) reporting of Treasury Account Symbol/Business Event Type Code (TAS/BETC).

Why Should I Attend?
On March 23rd, 2012, Commissioner Dave Lebryk, signed a follow-up memo to the January 14th, 2011, memo regarding the various Financial Management Service’s (FMS) modernization initiatives. A key initiative that impacts NTDOs is the Government-wide Accounting Modernization Program (GWAMP). Central to the success of this initiative is that by October 1, 2014, all Federal agencies will be required to submit valid component TAS/BETC information on all transaction types (IPAC, Payments, & Collections).

To comply with this requirement for payment transactions, NTDO agencies will submit payment data, including TAS/BETC data, to the PIR using a flat file format called the Standard Reporting Format (SRF). The PIR then delivers this data to Central Accounting and Reporting System (CARS) on behalf of the NTDO. Additionally, the data will be housed in PIR for transparency reporting in compliance with federal mandates currently underway. To view the memos: CFO Letter March 2012

The SRF is the only mechanism available to NTDOs for reporting TAS/BETC data to GWA CARS. The session will be devoted to a walk-through of the format as well as the steps NTDOs need to take to prepare for the upcoming October 1, 2014 deadline. It is imperative that NTDO agencies begin preparations now in order to schedule the business process and programming changes that are necessary.

Who should attend? PIR Users, Accounting Staff, Disbursing Officers, Programmers or the Agency’s IT Vendor, and Subject Matter Experts who understand the payments process or individuals who will be tasked to use the SRF to submit files to Treasury should attend one of the sessions.

Please note that if your agency does not currently use PIR and/or is a Treasury Disbursing Office (TDO) this session will not be relevant.

Session Topics

The following topics will be covered during the session:

• Future plans for PIR – A quick look forward to provide you with a glimpse of the future for PIR.
• Becoming a CARS Reporter – An integral component of the accounting modernization initiative is the enabling of your agency’s reporting of TAS/BETC data. GWA staff will be on hand to share the details around the transition to GWA reporting.
• Data flows for CARS Reporters – The data flow from the origination of the SRF file within your agency to CARS reporting and everything in between.
• Where does my check issue file go? - If your agency makes payments via check you’ll want to hear how the SRF will replace the issue reporting process.
• Preparing for the SRF – An overview of the file format, data fields and validations of that data to introduce you to the SRF.
• Mapping my payment data to the SRF – Examples of how agencies have mapped existing payment data to SRF fields.
• Transmitting the SRF to PIR – What you need to know to prepare your agency to securely transmit payment data to PIR.

Participating Applications
Governmentwide Accounting (GWA/CARS) and Payment Information Repository (PIR).

Session Dates
It’s recommended to only attend ONE session as all sessions will cover the same material.

• March 7, 2013 (9 AM to 3 PM) Washington, DC Liberty Center
• Other session dates TBD

Session Materials and Logistics:
Presentation materials and logistical information will be provided to registered participants via email one week prior to the scheduled session.

To Register, click here