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UAFR - FABweb Common Issues: Acquisitions

This article outlines the common issues that Unit Reps may encounter when reviewing acquisition records in FABweb and also provides a recommended solution for each issue.

Equipment Purchase Returned for Credit

Issue: A Unit Rep sees a credit OTag record in FABweb.

  • Recognizing this Issue: The Unit Rep would recognize this issue when a credit OTag displays in FABweb New Acquisitions.
  • Cause of this Issue: A credit was entered by University Payables when they received a credit invoice from the original vendor of a previous purchase. The credit will show up on the same C-FOAPAL used for the original purchase.

Solution: The Unit Rep must contact their UPAR New Acquisitions Processor to request that the credit OTag record be inactivated against the original purchase. If the original purchase was re-coded to an Account code other than 127XXX or 163XXX, the credit must be moved to that same Account code.

  • Unit Rep Responsibility: The Unit Rep must email their UPAR New Acquisitions Processor with a request to inactivate the credit OTag record against the original purchase OTag record due to a return of the original purchase. In the email, the Unit Rep should always include the credit OTag number and the original purchase OTag or PTag number to assist UPAR in locating the two records.
  • UPAR Responsibility: The UPAR New Acquisitions Processor will create a Journal Voucher to inactivate both the credit OTag record and original purchase OTag or PTag record which will remove both records from FABweb and Banner inventory.

Non-Inventory Equipment Purchase Displays in FABweb

Issue: A Unit Rep sees an OTag record in FABweb for an item that should not be put in Banner inventory, such as office supplies.

  • Recognizing this Issue: The Unit Rep would recognize this issue by noticing an OTag record in FABweb that has an amount under the $2,500 inventory threshold.
  • Cause of this Issue: In this example of office supplies, the cause of the issue is an incorrect Account code used at time of purchase; specifically, either a 127XXX or 163XXX Account code was used in the requisition C-FOAPAL, instead of 124000 for office supplies. When an Account code of 127XXX or 163XXX is used for a purchase, Banner will automatically create an OTag record for that purchase upon invoice payment.

Solution: The correct Account code must be updated on the OTag record in Banner.

  • Unit Rep Responsibility: The Unit Rep should email their UPAR New Acquisitions Processor with a request to inactivate the incorrectly-coded OTag record and request the expense be moved to Account code 124000 or other appropriate non-inventory Account code.
  • UPAR Responsibility: The UPAR New Acquisitions Processor will create a Journal Voucher to inactivate the incorrectly-coded OTag record in Banner which will cause the OTag record to eventually leave FABweb.

Inventory Equipment Purchase Expected in FABweb is Missing

Issue: A Unit Rep is expecting to see an OTag record in FABweb for an inventory equipment purchase with a cost of at least $2,500, but the OTag record is not displaying.

  • Recognizing this Issue: The Unit Rep would recognize this issue by either having knowledge of an expected purchase (including the details of the inventory equipment items of the purchase) or by asking the unit purchaser as to why a physically-received purchase did not have a PTag on it.
  • Possible Cause of this Issue: The invoice has not been paid or an incorrect Account code was used at time of purchase.

Solutions: The two possible solutions are outlined below in sections A and B.

  1. Invoice Has Not Yet Been Paid: If an Account code of 127XXX or 163XXX was used when the purchase order was created, then Banner will automatically create an OTag record when the invoice is paid. Nothing needs to be done here unless there is a concern about the length of time passed since posting the purchase order.
    1. Unit Rep Responsibility: The Unit Rep can look up the purchase order using Banner Document History Page (FOIDOCH) to discover if an invoice has been received. If there is no invoice, then the. Unit Rep can discuss with the unit purchaser to decide if it is necessary to contact the vendor to request an invoice copy. If an invoice is listed in Banner and the status shows anything other than “PAID,” this too should be discussed with the unit purchaser to decide the necessary next steps to resolve the issue.
    2. UPAR Responsibility: N/A
  2. Incorrect Account Code Used at Time of Purchase: The original purchase order must be located to discover what Account code was used at the time of purchase so that a Journal Voucher can be posted to correct the Account code.
    1. Unit Rep Responsibility: The Unit Rep should use FOIDOCH in Banner to look up the original purchase order to find the Account code used. The Unit Rep must email their UPAR New Acquisitions Processor with a request to correct the non-inventory Account code. In the email, the Unit Rep should always include the original purchase order to assist UPAR in this request.
    2. UPAR Responsibility: The UPAR New Acquisitions Processor will create a Journal Voucher to move the expense(s) to an Account code range of either 127XXX or 163XXX and will then manually create the needed OTag record(s) to show up in FABweb. As needed, the UPAR will communicate with the Unit Rep to offer any additional details that may be beneficial.

OTag Record Account Code is Incorrect for Equipment Cost

Issue: There are two possible instances of this issue: either (1) the OTag record Account code is 163XXX and the equipment item cost is not at least $5,000 or (2) the OTag record Account code is 127XXX and the equipment item cost is $5,000 or more.

  • Recognizing this Issue: The Unit Rep would recognize this error when researching a new acquisition in FABweb. The opening screen in FABweb shows the C-FOAPAL string of the new purchase as well as the cost of the item.
  • Cause of this Issue: An incorrect Account code was used at time of purchase.

Solution: The equipment Account code must be updated on the OTag record in Banner.

  • Unit Rep Responsibility: The Unit Rep must email their UPAR New Acquisitions Processor with a request to correct the Account code on the OTag record to reflect the purchase amount. In the email, the Unit Rep should always include the OTag number and paid invoice number to assist UPAR in this request.
  • UPAR Responsibility: The UPAR New Acquisitions Processor will create a Journal Voucher to update the Account code on the OTag record to the appropriate one. As needed, the UPAR will communicate with the Unit Rep to offer any additional details that may be beneficial.

One OTag Record Created for Multiple Equipment Items

Issue: The Unit Rep observes one OTag record is listed in FABweb and has knowledge that the single OTag record should be multiple OTag records.

  • Recognizing this Issue: The Unit Rep would recognize this issue by having knowledge of an expected purchase, including the details of the inventory equipment items of the purchase, and comparing this information against the quantity of OTag records displaying in FABweb.
  • Cause of this Issue: There could be several reasons why this issue occurs, including: the purchase order may have been submitted as one line item rather than multiple lines or the vendor invoiced for a lump sum in agreement with or despite the itemized purchase order.

Solution: The single OTag record must be corrected to reflect the actual pieces of equipment to be inventoried.

  • Unit Rep Responsibility: The Unit Rep should email their UPAR New Acquisitions Processor with a request to split up the single OTag record into multiple OTag records to reflect the specific pieces of inventoried equipment as needed. In the email, the Unit Rep should always include the paid invoice number to assist UPAR in this request.
  • UPAR Responsibility: The UPAR New Acquisitions Processor will create a Journal Voucher to split up the single OTag record to reflect the unit request. As needed, the UPAR will communicate with the Unit Rep to offer any additional details that may be beneficial.

Multiple OTag Records Created for One Equipment Item

Issue: The Unit Rep observes multiple OTag records in FABweb and has knowledge that these multiple OTag records should be fewer OTag records.

  • Recognizing this Issue: The Unit Rep would recognize this issue by having knowledge of an expected purchase, including the details of the inventory equipment items of the purchase, and comparing this information against the quantity of OTag records displaying in FABweb.
  • Cause of this Issue: There could be several reasons why this issue occurs, including: (1) the purchase order may have been submitted with several lines of itemized pieces on a 127XXX or 163XXX Account code; (2) some items in the purchase may be supplies, shipping, installation, or even training costs; (3) the unit purchaser may have used one Account code rather than changing the Account code for each line item; and (4) it is also possible that the vendor required that each purchased item be listed on its own line of the invoice. Ultimately, for each of these possible examples, the issue is that when the invoice is paid in Banner, each line and quantity on the invoice is read as a separate piece of equipment and is assigned an OTag number.

Solution: The multiple OTag records must be manually sorted out to create the correct number of OTag records for Banner inventory. Fees such as installation, shipping, design, and training are all handled in different ways depending on what they apply to and when they were invoiced.

  • Unit Rep Responsibility: The Unit Rep must email their UPAR New Acquisitions Processor with a request to use the multiple OTag amounts to create the desired number of OTag records to reflect the specific pieces of inventoried equipment as needed. In the email, the Unit Rep should always include the paid invoice number to assist UPAR in this request.
  • UPAR Responsibility: The UPAR New Acquisitions Processor will create Journal Voucher(s) to cancel any OTag records that are not needed and apply the fees noted on the invoice as appropriate to the re-coding and creation of new OTag records. Once the necessary Journal Vouchers are processed, the new or updated OTag records will display in FABweb. As needed, the UPAR will communicate with the Unit Rep to offer any additional details that may be beneficial.

Organization Code Field Issues in FABweb

Issue: When viewing the new acquisition record in FABweb, the Organization code field is blank OR only the first 3 digits of the Organization code are correct.

  • Recognizing this Issue: After selecting the Update button under the Unit Info tab in FABweb, the Unit Rep may notice that the Organization code field is empty or only the first 3 digits are correct.
  • Cause of this Issue: This field will typically be empty upon initial processing of a new acquisition record. The Organization code is a 6-digit code used at time of purchase and present in the C-FOAPAL string under the Acquisitions Doc Info tab.

Solution: Unless otherwise instructed, it is the responsibility of the Unit Rep to enter the correct six-digit Organization code in FABweb.

  • Unit Rep Responsibility: The Unit Rep should enter the correct 6-digit Organization code from the original purchase for the responsible organization in the empty Organization code field in FABweb and then continue entering attributes for the record and forward the record to UPAR when complete.
  • UPAR Responsibility: N/A


KeywordsUPAR, Unit Rep, equipment management, inventory   Doc ID120841
OwnerLearning Systems SupportGroupUI Training and Development Resources
Created2022-08-23 09:13:12Updated2023-08-07 13:01:34
SitesUniversity of Illinois Training and Development Resources
CleanURLhttps://answers.uillinois.edu/training/uafr-fabweb-common-issues-acquisitions
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