Transitioning from CA$HLINK II

CA$HLINK II Shutdown Newsletters

• CA$HLINK II: Countdown to Shutdown Volume 1, Issue 3, September 2012
  (888 KB)
• CA$HLINK II: Countdown to Shutdown Volume 1, Issue 2, June 2012
  (502 KB)
• CA$HLINK II: Countdown to Shutdown Volume 1, Issue 1, March 2012
  (750 KB)

A Comparison: TRS to CA$HLINK II (CL II)

Many people think that the TRS is a replacement for CA$HLINK II. However, the systems have different data, functions, and features. TRS is a reporting mechanism for deposits and detail of collections transactions, while CA$HLINK II supports multiple functions. CA$HLINK II does provide deposit reporting but it also allows for some transaction processing, cash concentration, and voucher corrections. Functions of CA$HLINK II that are not provided by TRS will be performed in other Treasury systems.

While CA$HLINK II reports only on deposits, TRS will be the primary mechanism for collections reporting, including both deposits and detail. TRS also provides data across collections sources, enabling agency users access to information from a primary source.

TRS also supports reporting of Treasury Account Symbols (TAS)/Business Event Type Code (BETC) or Classification Keys (C-Key), facilitating reporting to CARS.

For a detailed comparison of data, features and functions of TRS and CL II used by Federal Program Agencies, select this link.

Shutdown of CA$HLINK II (CL II)

In January 2010, FMS provided a CA$HLINK II Sunset Update with a proposed target shutdown date of 2012 in an e-mail to agenciesfrom Tamara L. Whitaker, Director, Accounting and Data Management Division.

David Lebryk, Commissioner of FMS, sent further information to CFOs in January 2011. FMS Commissioner Lebryk provided updated information in a letter dated March 23, 2012. All agencies are required to convert from legacy systems to the new end-state systems and enterprise architecture for collections by December 2012.

Impacts of TRS on CARS Reconciliation

The Central Accounting Reporting System (CARS, formerly named the GWA system) and Collections and Cash Management Modernization (CCMM), though separate FMS initiatives, are inter-related by the objective of reporting collections information the “CARS Way”. CCMM enables the reporting of revenue collections in support of GWA modernization efforts. Modernized collections channels will record receipt classifications and report them to the Transaction Reporting System (TRS). TRS will support a new, simplified CARS accounting process. TRS will receive and report the Treasury Account Symbol (TAS) and Business Event Type Code (BETC) or Classification Key (C-Key) for collections on a daily basis. This will facilitate agencies to become CARS reporters, to use the Classification Transactions and Accountability (CTA), and to use the CARS Account Statement. That will help eliminate the two-step classification process (Statement of Transactions and Statement of Differences) and use of GOALS II.

Availability of Data in TRS

TRS has been deployed using a phased-implementation strategy where the various collections sources began reporting their financial transaction information to TRS one by one. The TRS Data Availability Plan is here.

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