Columbia University Finance Training Efficiency Tools in ARC

March, 2017

Within ARC, there are various time-saving methods you can use when entering transaction information. This job aid will outline the tools that can be applied across all ARC modules as well as tools that are specific to the Procurement modules.

All Modules

Favorites Upon logging into ARC, you will see two menus at the top of the page – the Favorites Menu and the Main Menu. The Favorites Menu helps personalize the system by recording pages you used recently and allowing you to bookmark pages you use most frequently. Under the My Favorites section of the Favorites Menu, you can add and edit favorites to reflect the pages you most frequently access in ARC. This will decrease the amount of clicks needed to access these pages and help tailor the system to your personal needs.

Columbia University Finance Training Efficiency Tools in ARC

Page 2

Look-Up Function The Look-Up Function allows you to easily search for/select information when creating or processing a transaction. The Look-Up Function, which is symbolized by a magnifying glass, appears next to most editable fields in the ARC system. For example, if you need to look up a Vendor to enter on a transaction and are unsure of the exact Supplier ID, you can click the magnifying glass next to the Supplier ID field on the vendor record:

Clicking this magnifying glass will open a separate screen with different fields applying to Suppliers. You can then enter a part of the Supplier Name or Classification to filter the Supplier information, allowing you to locate and select the appropriate Supplier ID for the transaction.

Columbia University Finance Training Efficiency Tools in ARC

Page 3

Accounts Payable Template Vouchers Oftentimes, School/Admin Units transact with the same vendor more than once or process recurring invoices. In cases like this, it is efficient to create a Template Voucher. A Template Voucher is never paid or posted; it is a model for other Vouchers that will be entered in the future for the same vendor. Template Vouchers decrease time needed to create a Voucher, as using the Template will automatically populate Line and Distribution Information on the Voucher. The process of using a Template Voucher is as follows:

From the Voucher Creation Page, you will locate the “Copy From” field in the “Copy From Source Document” box.

You will select Template from the list of available options and click “Go”

You will identify the appropriate Template Voucher using the Template ID associated with the Template Voucher. You will then click the “Copy from Template” button to populate the Line and Distribution Information on your original voucher.

Columbia University Finance Training Efficiency Tools in ARC

Page 4

You will then notice that Line Item Information, such as Unit Price and Quantity and all Distribution Information has been automatically completed using information from the Template Voucher.

Columbia University Finance Training Efficiency Tools in ARC

Page 5

SpeedCharts SpeedCharts are another method of decreasing time entering Distribution Information on a Voucher (and Requisition). If there are certain ChartStrings you use frequently, you can create a SpeedChart. You can select the SpeedChart from the Voucher Entry (or Requisition Entry) page, which will then automatically populate the Distribution Information on the transaction instead of having to populate each individual field manually. For additional details on the SpeedChart process, see below:

From the Voucher Creation page, you will find the SpeedChart field within the Line Information section. You can use the Look-Up function to identify the appropriate SpeedChart.

Identify the appropriate SpeedChart by looking at the SpeedChart Key and SpeedChart Description that were created with the SpeedChart. Click the desired SpeedChart to automatically populate Distribution Information on the transaction.

Columbia University Finance Training Efficiency Tools in ARC

Page 6

Notice that after selecting the appropriate SpeedChart on the Voucher, the Distribution Information is populated.

Columbia University Finance Training Efficiency Tools in ARC

Page 7

Purchasing Requestor Defaults When creating a Requisition in ARC, certain information on the Requisition will default based on the Requestor’s profile that is configured in ARC. Upon selecting a Requestor on the Create Requisition page in ARC, the Ship To, Bill To, and Department Information will be pre-populated based on these defaults, eliminating time needed to enter the information manually. If the Requestor Defaults don’t apply for certain Requisitions, you can modify the defaults. Note: Requestor defaults can be established by submitting a Security Request Form that provides the default values for ShipTo, Location, and Department.

Columbia University Finance Training Efficiency Tools in ARC

Page 8

Line Item Templates When creating a Requisition, you will need to add Line Items, which detail the goods/services the Requisition is requesting. One time-saving tool that can be utilized to add frequently used Line Items to a Requisition is a Template. Templates consist of groups of items that are frequently ordered together. After a Template has been added to a Requisition, the Requisitioner can change the quantity of any item, delete items, or add items to the request. The process of using a Template to add Line Items is as follows:

Within the “Add Items and Services” step of creating a Requisition, you can select the Template tab to display the list of available Templates.

Once you have identified the appropriate Template, you can add the desired quantity and click “Add”.

From the “Review and Submit” step of a Requisition, you can see that the Line Item information from the Template has been added to the Requisition.

Columbia University Finance Training Efficiency Tools in ARC

Page 9

Columbia University Finance Training Efficiency Tools in ARC

Page 10

Line Item Favorites Favorites are similar to Templates in that they are a more efficient way to add Line Items to Requisitions. Unlike Templates, however, Favorites are single frequently used Line Items as opposed to groups of items. The Favorites process is as follows:

From the “Add Items and Services” step of creating a Requisition, select the Favorites tab to display the list of available Favorites. Select your desired item by clicking the corresponding “Add” button.

From the “Review and Submit” step of creating a Requisition, you can see that the Line Item information from the Favorite has been added to the Requisition.

Columbia University Finance Training Efficiency Tools in ARC

Page 11

Getting Help Please contact the Finance Service Center

http://finance.columbia.edu/content/finance-service-center

You can log an incident or request a service via Service Now

https://columbia.service-now.com

Or, you can contact the Service Center by phone: (212) 854-2122