|
The
Financial Reporting Department generates and distributes daily and monthly
reports to County agencies and departments, providing detailed and
summarized information about financial activity. Financial Reporting
also compiles and publishes the Comprehensive
Annual Financial Report (CAFR), in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles. This report reflects the financial position
of the County and the results of its operations. A second report,
the Popular Annual
Financial Report, is more "user friendly," providing
significant information about the County in a clear and concise format.
Click here to receive
a copy of the CAFR and PAFR.
^Top
Certificate
of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting
The financial records for more than 30
County agencies are compiled by the Fiscal Services Division into the Comprehensive
Annual Financial Report (CAFR). The CAFR is published each year
and submitted to the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for
award consideration.
-
The
GFOA has awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in
Financial reporting to Franklin County every year since 1983.
-
Award
for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting
In an effort to enhance communication with
the citizens of Franklin County, the Fiscal Services Division also
publishes a Popular
Annual Financial Report (PAFR). The PAFR supplements the CAFR,
translating the technical information into a more
"user-friendly" format.
-
The
County has received the GFOA’s Achievement in Popular Annual
Financial Reporting every year since 1995.
^Top
Most
County purchases are made through the issuance of a purchase order.
The agencies key enter requisition or purchase order information directly
into the automated financial management system. Once the sufficiency
of cash and available appropriation to meet the obligation has been
determined, the money is "encumbered" (ear-marked) and the
Auditor's certification is affixed to the purchase order. Upon
approval by the County Commissioners or other governing board, the
purchase order is mailed to the vendor. The direct voucher program
permits certain purchases under $1,000.00 to be made without a purchase
order.
-
During
the prior year, 17,056 purchase orders were issued.
^Top
Once
the goods or services and the related invoice have been received, the
agency enters pertinent information into the accounts payable software,
serving as an order to the Auditor to pay the vendor. The Accounts
Payable Department reviews all such orders to verify the authenticity of
the billing and the authorization for payment. The order is then
posted and a warrant is generated. Accounts Payable staff members process
stop payments and issue replacements. The Department also maintains
the vendor master file and issues Form 1099s to qualifying vendors.
-
The
Fiscal Services Division processed 211,080 payment requests last yearand issued 5,274 Form 1099s.
-
- 95%
of the payment batches are processed within three business days of
receipt in Accounts Payable.
^Top
At
the beginning of each fiscal year, or at the inception of a grant,
appropriations are established for anticipated expenditures. The
original appropriation and any subsequent transfer or modification are
key-entered into the financial management system. Appropriations
cannot exceed the estimated resources during the fiscal year or grant
period.
^Top
The
Payroll Department processes the payroll for the County's 7,000 employees.
The County agencies enter their own employee and time and attendance data.
Payroll is deposited directly to the bank and credit union accounts of
those employees who have selected that option. All payroll warrants
and direct deposit notifications are distributed by the Payroll Department
to the various agencies and departments. The Payroll Department also
complies with all federal, state and local tax requirements, including
monthly, quarterly and annual filings. Other responsibilities
include remittance of voluntary and non-voluntary deductions and
withholdings to the appropriate payees, such as retirement plan
contributions, garnishments and child support payments, and completion of
reports and forms for various external entities, such as the Ohio
Department of Job and Family Services, retirement systems and the Internal
Revenue Service.
8,601
W-2s were issued last year.
^Top
The
Financial Reporting Department tags newly acquired capital items and
maintains the records of these fixed assets, tracking subsequent
transfers, retirements and disposals. The listing serves as the
basis for identifying the County's investment in land, buildings, roads,
bridges and equipment, and is used to evaluate insurance needs.
Periodically, the capital items are reinventoried through physical
inspection.
-
The
County’s investment in land, buildings, roads, bridges, vehicles and
equipment was approximately $546 million at the end last year, net of accumulated depreciation.
^Top
- The
Fiscal Services Division serves as trustee of the County's unclaimed
funds and wages accounts, and processes valid claims upon receipt of
a notarized claim form. Click
here to search the unclaimed funds data base.
-
Vendor
payments and payroll warrants totaling almost $1,683,000 were
stale-dated and unclaimed as of Dec. 31.
^Top
>>System
Administration
- The
financial system uses a software product called MUNIS®. Since
it operates on its own server, the system administrator monitors
that all interfaces with the County's NT network and the network
printers are working correctly. The system administrator also
monitors the software's performance and reports bugs to the vendor.
The system administrator applies system upgrades in a timely manner
and provides assistance to all County users, when needed.
Broader issues of process change and redesign are also part of the
system administration.
We
provide support to more than 300 County financial system users.
^Top
|