Glossary

FAMIS has been developed and customized to support the financial and accounting needs of Texas A&M System members for many years. Like any large, complex application, it has technical terms, acronyms and jargon that can be a challenge for new and infrequent users.

Submit a glossary update request if you come across an unfamiliar term in FAMIS or in the documentation that is not listed below.

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A B C D E F G H I J L M N O P R S T U V

Terms starting with 1

10-digit account

The six-digit account combined with the four-digit subcode; therefore, an account control or object code.

1099 vendor

A vendor (usually a consultant or professional service hired by an institution) whose payments must be reported to the IRS on Form 1099.

1099 voucher

A voucher that must be reported to the IRS on Form 1099.

Terms starting with A

ABR pool table

A user-defined table assigning rules for budget pools and the subcode ranges participating in each pool. See Automatic budget reallocation (ABR).

Account

A functional unit identified by an account identification (ID) that serves a particular accounting purpose where one person has primary responsibility for it. Accounts include balance sheets (General Ledger [GL])… More about Account »

Account control

The last four digits in the 10-digit account number for a General Ledger (GL) account. The account control designates a specific asset, liability, fund balance, fund addition, fund deduction or… More about Account control »

Account control

An account control is a four-digit code that identifies the balance sheet item on a general ledger account. For example: 1100 – Claim on Cash

Account ID

A six-digit identification number for an account.

Account number

A 10-position ID within the master file of the Financial Records System (FRS). The first six positions identify the specific account, and the last four positions identify the account control… More about Account number »

Accounts Payable (AP)

An application of the Financial Records System (FRS). Accounts Payable (AP) processes vendor payments and keeps track of financial activity involving vendors.

Action/context line

The screen line (usually fourth from the top) or lines where the screen to be accessed and the key of the data to be addressed are input and displayed.

Alias

A commonly used name for a vendor other than the formal customer name (primary name) that prints on the check. The purchasing system also offers a commodity alias name, and… More about Alias »

Attributes

Descriptive data associated with a record. Examples of attributes are school, department, function, name and responsible person. Attributes support a variety of sophisticated reporting techniques.

Automatic budget reallocation (ABR)

When transactions are entered, automatic budget reallocation (ABR) is a process by which the system automatically transfers budget dollars from predefined budget pools to specific object codes. See also ABR… More about Automatic budget reallocation (ABR) »

Terms starting with B

Bank transfer

A movement of cash from one bank account to another. This allows expenditures at specific object codes to share in a single pool of money. Tutorials Core Concept: Transaction Codes

Batch

A collection of related transactions entered into the system with a header record and control totals, usually prepared by one person or subsystem feed. Also called a session. Tutorials How… More about Batch »

Budget

A plan of revenue and expenditures for an accounting period expressed in monetary terms.

Budget Category

A type or grouping of expenses used to budget. A set of categories make up a pattern, but an individual category can be salaries, travel, supplies, professional services and so… More about Budget Category »

Budget Pattern

A set of budget categories used to allocate dollars, either revenue or expense, to the operating budget. For example, a pattern could contain an expense category for salaries, wages, benefits… More about Budget Pattern »

Budget Payroll Personnel system (BPP)

Processes payroll for all System members. Workday went live in January 2018, and this system was retired.

Budget pool

A budget summarized at significant levels of revenue or expense. A single pool of money defined for use by specific object codes.

Buying account

An account that is allowed to “purchase” from a specific selling account through an interdepartmental transfer.

Terms starting with C

Cash

Coins, currency, checks and anything else a bank will accept for immediate deposit.

Cash disbursement

A non-vouchered payment for goods received, services rendered, reduction of debt or purchase of other assets.

Cash receipt

Cash received from cash sales, collections on accounts receivable and sale of other assets.

Chart of accounts (COA)

A listing at the six-digit level of all account numbers in FAMIS. The COA can define accounts at the 10-digit level also.

Claim-on-cash

The share of ownership that an account has in the institution’s money.

Clearing account

A temporary summary account (such as a payroll account) that is periodically set to zero.

Copy

The process that creates a new pattern from an existing version (specified on the action line) or automatic budget reallocation (ABR) as specified in the resulting pop-up screen.

Cycle

Two or more programs that are run in a specific sequence.

Terms starting with D

Default

The value that the system will assign if no other value is entered.

Default

The value that the system will assign if no other value is entered.

Default mandatory

A flag indicating whether the transfer is mandatory. If no value is entered in the detail lines for this field, the transfer will be flagged with the default value after… More about Default mandatory »

Delete flag

A data element whose condition signifies that a document will be permanently removed from the database during the next archive cycle.

Demand voucher

Voucher to be paid during the next check cycle.

Diagnostic message HELP

An on-line feature that assists the user with data entry by providing an explanation of a message and the appropriate action to take.

Diagnostics

The messages that describe the results of processing. These messages may indicate an error and provide information about a process by noting what action to take to correct the error.

Digit 3 of TC

The third digit of the transaction code (entry code), which specifies the type of transaction.

Disbursement

Record money paid out by the institution from General Ledger (GL), Subsidiary Ledger (SL) and spending account (SA) or bank account. A disbursement can reverse an encumbrance. A payment for… More about Disbursement »

Discount account

The account credited for discounts taken by the system when a check is written.

Discount table

A table containing user-defined values representing discount terms for vendors.

Dollar data

A record of the dollar amount and the type of financial transactions posted to an account.

Dollar limit

A code used in Accounts Payable (AP) to specify a check amount. If the amount of a vendor’s check is greater than this value, the check will not be generated.

Drop flag

A data element whose condition signifies that a document is to be removed from the database immediately.

Terms starting with E

Earnings code

Codes that identify the type of payment coming from Workday. Earnings Codes and Title Codes are combined in FAMIS and linked in FAMIS to an expense code to post to… More about Earnings code »

Employee Payroll Action (EPA)

Employee Payroll Action (EPA) documents were used historically to process Payroll changes created in FAMIS that then updated the Budget Payroll Personnel system (BPP). When an EPA document was closed,… More about Employee Payroll Action (EPA) »

Encumbrance

An obligation incurred in the form of a purchase order or contract. Also referred to as an open commitment.

Endowment

Funds received by an institution from a donor who specifies the condition that the principal not be spent.

Endowment income

The income generated by investing the principal of an endowment fund.

Entry code

The initial three-digit code on a transaction that denotes the transaction type. This code, which is mandatory for all Financial Records System (FRS) transactions, is predefined by the system. It… More about Entry code »

Expended

When a resource (money) is depleted, spent or used up.

Expense

Money (cost, disbursement, payments) spent on something.

Expense code

An Expense Code is a type of Object Code. It is a four-digit code that classifies the type of expenditure made. For example: 4010 – Supplies – Office General

Terms starting with F

Feed

Transactions from other systems that are transferred to the Financial Records System (FRS).

Field

That part of a control record or transaction established for displaying or entering information.

File

A storage area established within a computer system or database for organizing similar kinds of data.

Financial accounting (FA)

A Financial Records System (FRS) application that balances the General Ledger (GL) and Subsidiary Ledger (SL) while providing a complete audit trail of all transactions.

Financial Records System (FRS)

A system that supports the financial record-keeping and reporting of a college or university.

Flag

A data element used to set controls or conditions on a process or program.

Freeze flag

A data element whose condition signifies that new transactions cannot be posted. This includes no feeds or invoice postings for the document.

Full-time equivalent (FTE)

A calculation of hours worked by one employee on a full-time basis used to convert the hours worked by several part-time employees into the hours worked by full-time employees. FTE… More about Full-time equivalent (FTE) »

Function

Purpose.

Fund

An accounting entity (a six-digit General Ledger [GL] account) with a self-balancing set of 10-digit accounts for recording assets, liabilities, fund balance and changes in the balance.

Fund balance

The equity of a fund. The difference between assets and liabilities.

Fund group

A related collection of funds (6-digit General Leger [GL] accounts). Examples include Current Unrestricted, Current Restricted, Loan, Endowment, Annuity and Life Income, Plant and Agency.

Fund group ID

A one-digit identification number representing the fund group with which an account is associated.

Fund transfer

A movement of dollars from one fund balance to another.

Terms starting with G

General Ledger (GL)

A balance sheet account for the institution. All General Ledger account numbers begin with “0” (zero). See also Transaction Codes (T-codes). Related Documentation Core Concept: General Ledger (GL) AccountsCore Concept:… More about General Ledger (GL) »

GL / SL relationships

User-defined structures relating Subsidiary Ledger (SL) revenue / expense accounts to General Ledger (GL) fund accounts.

Global subcode edit (GSE)

A system edit that checks each new 10-digit account against a table that specifies valid combinations of six-digit accounts and subcodes.

Group Insurance Premium (GIP)

The employer contribution to an employee’s health insurance cost. GIP must be funded to a cost center (FAMIS SL accounts). The cost of GIP is spread over the various regular… More about Group Insurance Premium (GIP) »

Terms starting with H

Header

The portion of a purchasing document that contains basic information such as the document’s number, date and amount.

HELP

An online feature which accesses PREDICT in order to supply descriptions, valid values and suggested actions.

Higher Education Assistance Fund (HEAF)

State legislative appropriations to universities, health-related institutions, and Texas State Technical College institutions. HEAF as an acronym is used to indicate this type of code number.

Terms starting with I

Indirect updating

The automatic posting of real dollar activity to a General Ledger (GL) balance sheet account as a result of a direct transaction.

Inquiry screen

A screen which only displays information and cannot be used for entering data.

Interdepartmental transfer (IDT)

An invoice, bill or charge to another department within the same agency as the selling department.

Interface

A communication link between data processing systems or parts of systems that permits sharing of information.

Interfund borrowing

The transfer of an asset or liability from one fund to another.

Terms starting with J

Job control language (JCL)

A problem-oriented language, used in IBM that expresses the statements of a processing job. It is also used to identify the job or describe its requirements, usually to an operating… More about Job control language (JCL) »

Journal entry

A noncash transfer of dollars between two or more accounts.

Terms starting with L

Ledger

A collection of account records for an organization. Financial Records System (FRS) contains two ledgers, the General Ledger (GL; balance sheet) and the Subsidiary Ledger (SL; revenue and expense).

Liability account

In Accounts Payable (AP), a General Ledger (GL) account that is credited for the liability when a voucher is processed. Any GL account that accepts a transaction creating a liability.

Liquidate

To reduce encumbrance through payment; to pay off debt.

Terms starting with M

Mandatory

A flag indicating whether a transfer is mandatory. If no value is entered in the detail line(s) for this field, the transfer will be flagged with the default value after… More about Mandatory »

Map code

A five-digit attribute code in a Subsidiary Ledger (SL) account indicating the General Ledger (GL) fund ID to which it relates.

Memo bank account

An account that represents the balances of demand deposits for operating accounts.

Terms starting with N

Name rotation

A feature that allows users to print a vendor name in one format on checks and then rotate it to another format for sorting on reports.

Terms starting with O

Object code

Generic term that refers to either the four digit Expense Code or Revenue Code

Object code

A four-digit number identifying specific items of revenue / expense or attribute records.

Open commitment

An encumbrance.

Terms starting with P

Parameter

A variable assigned a constant value for a specific purpose or process and providing the user with defined choices for report selection, processing or output requirements.

Partial cost recovery (PCR)

Funds derived from fee-based programming and services. These funds are not appropriated or restricted.

Payroll cost transfer (PCT)

A process for adjusting posted payroll in FAMIS / Canopy.

Purpose

Function.

Terms starting with R

Receipt

Cash received from cash assets, collections on account receivable and sale of other assets. The purpose is to record money received by the institution to the General Ledger (GL), Subsidiary… More about Receipt »

Recommendation

The budget projection version that is submitted to the Budget Office for approval.

Regular order

A type of purchase order that denotes a typical order.

Remit-to address

The address to which a check for goods and / or services rendered will be sent.

Requisition

A type of document that internally requests goods and / or services to be acquired. A requisition must be authorized before converting it to a purchase order.

Retention months

A data element defined when creating a vendor that indicates the number of months a vendor is to be maintained on file after all outstanding items have been paid or… More about Retention months »

Revenue

Income or receipts.

Revenue code

A Revenue Code is a type of Object Code. It is a four-digit code that classifies the type of revenue received. For example: 0037 – Tuition-Law School

Run parameter

A parameter from a control record or a program control transaction (as opposed to a file maintenance transaction).

Terms starting with S

Save

The process that creates a budget version.

Screen HELP

An online feature that assists the user with data entry by providing information on the purpose and operation of a particular screen.

Secured submitted version

A submitted budget version that has been locked. It can be flagged to indicate it is an “official” version.

Selling account

An account that is allowed to “sell” to specified buying accounts through interdepartmental transfers.

Session

A collection of related transactions entered into the system with a header record and control totals, usually prepared by one person or subsystem feed. Also called a batch. Tutorials How… More about Session »

Six-digit account

For General Ledger (GL), an entity that consists of a self-balancing set of 10-digit accounts. For Subsidiary Ledger (SL), an entity of revenues and/or expenses.

Split encumbrance

An encumbrance that applies to several accounts.

Standing order

A type of purchase order used for (recurring) services like those provided by telephone and electric companies.

State Group Insurance Premium (SGIP)

Usually referred to as simply GIP, which is the employer contribution to an employee’s health insurance cost. GIP can be funded from any source of funds (not state funds); however,… More about State Group Insurance Premium (SGIP) »

Subcode

Generic term for an account control or an object code.

Submit

The process of attaching a budget version to a budget account as a budget of an account.

Submitted version

The budget version submitted for approval as the official budget of an account.

Subsidiary Ledger (SL)

Revenue and expenditure accounts for the institution. All Subsidiary Ledger account numbers begin with ledger number 1 through 9. See Transaction Codes (T-codes). Tutorials Core Concept: General Ledger (GL) Accounts… More about Subsidiary Ledger (SL) »

Support Account (SA)

Revenue and expenditure accounts for the institution. Tutorials Working with Account BalancesEntering a Budget Adjustment

Suspense account

A General Ledger (GL) clearing account reflecting real-dollar activity directed to the suspense file.

Terms starting with T

Tax code

A code that identifies a record in the PO tax table (for the Purchasing System) and in the tax currency table (for Accounts Payable). The code must be the same… More about Tax code »

Tax ID

A Social Security number or federal Employer Identification number that is available for 1099 report preparation.

Taxes

An additional charge on the acquisition of goods that is imposed by the taxing authority and should be paid with the invoice.

Temporary vendor

A vendor from whom only one purchase or service is required. No further transactions for this vendor are expected.

Transaction code (T-code)

FAMIS uses the concept of transaction codes (or T-codes) to classify accounting transactions and determine how to post an individual transaction to the General Ledger and Subsidiary Ledger accounts. In… More about Transaction code (T-code) »

Terms starting with U

Uniform Statewide Accounting System (USAS)

The integrated financial system of record for the State of Texas financial records.

Update screen

A screen that allows a user to enter data for updating the files.

Terms starting with V

Valid value

A value of a data element that has been defined for input.

Value based

A mechanism used to restrict operator access to information by comparing operator security authorization with the value stored in the field.

Vendor

A provider of goods and/or services.

Vendor address

See order-from address and remit-to address.

Vendor automatic

A feature that automatically assigns a specific number assignment to the vendor in the Action/Context Line.

Vendor commodity

A good or service purchased from a specific vendor.

Vendor file

A record of all attributes, dollar data and control information for all vendors.

Version

Account budgets created by departments. These can later be submitted as the budget recommendation for the account. Once a version is locked, it is a secure version and can never… More about Version »