Costpoint Addresses Lab Needs
Gives account managers more flexibility, quicker access to data

Jefferson Lab successfully converted to a new project-based, financial tracking system in November.

The new system, called Costpoint, is used by Business Services to take care of the Lab's accounting and procurement functions such as accounts payable, billing, travel, procurements, etc.

Costpoint also gives Cost Account managers a more timely and efficient tool for managing their budgets, according to Sharon Parkinson, Costpoint Transition Team chair.

This was the first change made to the Lab's nearly 15-year-old financial tracking program. The need for a better system was identified during the 1996 Administrative Peer Review. The Costpoint Transition Team was formed in January 1997. One of the team's charges was to ensure the new account structure used with Costpoint met Cost Account manager needs.

The team spent the first year performing that task, studying the Costpoint modules, and identifying programming changes. Once the Transition Team completed the preliminary work, they continued to work closely with the Business Services Team chaired by Mark Waite as they began setting up the Costpoint modules and screens for the Business Services functions.

For the last several months, Costpoint has been running parallel to the older Deltek accounting program. This allowed Business Services and the Computer Center staff to test, identify, and fix potential problem areas while preparing to implement Costpoint throughout the Lab.

To help Lab staff with the transition, two training sessions held early in December, covered the new accounting structure, and reviewed the purchase requisitions system (REQ) and the employee time sheets system (ETR).

The move to Costpoint will be nearly invisible to much of the staff; we will continue to enter and access data through various local area network 'db1' programs: REQS, ETR, STOCK, etc. as we have in the past, Parkinson explained. The most noticeable difference between Deltek and Costpoint is the accounting structure.

Tracking is no longer through an account number and transaction code, but through a Project, Organization, and Account (POA). If you are filling out an electronic form and need a listing of valid projects, organizations or accounts, you can access them by using the "more" key (the period key on most keyboard keypads).

"Use the system; let us know about problems you encounter so we can work them. Tell us what your needs are," Lyn Wells said during staff training.

Contact points for the Accelerator Division are Wells and Chris Holdzkom; Administration: Elizabeth Lawson; Physics: Mike Syptak; Computer Center: Mark Davis; and for the Director's Office: Sharon Parkinson.

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