The Final Frontier Creating Effective Interfaces Between Acquisitions

The Final Frontier: Creating Effective Interfaces Between Acquisitions and Financial Systems Patricia Smith Colorado State University June 16, 2002 American Library Association Atlanta, Georgia http: //lib. colostate. edu/lts/frontier/

The Final Frontier • Where are we? • Where are we going?

Current Status of Automated Financial Interfaces in U. S. Libraries • ARL academic libraries surveyed • Public libraries in capitol cities of each state surveyed

ARL Libraries: 56 Respondents • • • 36% have automated interface 23% plan to implement an interface 38% do not plan to implement an interface • 3% other responses

Public Libraries in Capitol Cities: 19 Respondents • • • 1 library has interface (Denver Public) 2 libraries plan to implement interface 11 libraries do not plan to implement interface • 6 libraries do not have automated accounting system in library

Variety of Interfaces • 7 Innovative libraries— 3 interface with FRS; 2 with Oracle; 1 moving to Oracle; 1 with Banner; 1 with Peoplesoft • 3 Sirsi libraries— 2 interface with Peoplesoft; 1 with local system • 3 Notis/Notis Epic. Tech libraries— 2 interface with local system; 1 with CUFS and moving to Aleph library system • 2 CARL libraries interface with FRS (one also interfaces with the state system)

Variety of Interfaces, Continued • 2 Endeavor libraries— 1 interfaces with CUFS; 1 with parent mainframe • 2 Aleph libraries— 1 interfaces with Bitech; 1 with local system • 1 Geac Advance library interfaces with Peoplesoft

Typical Functions Performed in Library Accounting System • Encumbering P. O. s * • Tracking expenditures at library fund level • Tracking expenditures at parent fund level (to a lesser extent than library fund level) • Maintaining vendor name and address

Typical Functions Performed in Parent Accounting System • Tracking expenditures at parent fund level • Maintaining vendor name and address • Writing checks • Storing check numbers for resolving payment problems

Time/Cost Savings Estimates vary and depend on number of invoices handled: • • • “ 4 hours a week” “$25, 000 annually” “Several hours a week” “ 1 FTE” “ 15 hours a week”

How Long Does It Take To Develop An Interface? • Most libraries used programmer from parent institution or an in-house library programmer (a few used both) • “Few months of conversation but only days to get it up and going. ”

Paperless Process? Book and serial vendors send electronic invoices to libraries Library outputs electronic voucher to institution Institution produces electronic check and sends to vendor via Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT)

NOT QUITE PAPERLESS!! • Libraries still retain copy of paper invoices (though in many cases a copy is no longer sent to institutional accounting) • Reconciliation of data between systems and review of output requires paper • Few libraries use electronic fund transfer with vendors

Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) • Requires setup with monograph or serial vendor • Vendor Bank Account # and Routing # must be stored with vendor record per ACH standards • Saves cost of sending paper check • Work with your library system vendor to see that its system provides the fields or trigger needed to do EFT

E-Commerce and Credit Cards: New Challenges?

E-Commerce = Increased Credit Card Use

Credit Card Payments • Bypass library accounting system • Increase the need for staff manual intervention and reconciliation • Increase the paper trails needed for audit

Credit Card Payment at CSU Amazon. com order placed via library credit card. Amazon sends confirming e-mail to library. Amazon sends charge to Mastercard. Sends book to library. Mastercard Bank pays Amazon. com Library creates P. O. in Innovative for fund accounting. Library receives book in Innovative. Library keeps packing slips as paper receipt.

Credit Card Payment at CSU Mastercard Bank sends charges electronically to university ACARD System. charges default fund. ACARD system produces report for approval by library staff. Library staff print report. Library staff update ACARD fund approve payment. University FRS system pays all transactions once a month on one check. Library staff reconcile report with paper trails. Staff manually enter ACARD screens to update ACARD default funds to match Library level funds in Innovative.

Mapping a New E-Frontier • Use corporate accounts from Amazon. com to avoid credit card payments • Work with institution purchasing offices to request e-merchants to provide more detailed information for transactions • Lobby library system vendors to help simplify e-commerce, e. g. , new linking? • Coordinate efforts with other libraries

Sunset or Sunrise?

Photo Credits All photos (except the rattlesnake) are courtesy of the James A. Michener Special Collections at the University of Northern Colorado.