Results
The results of these efforts were immediate and substantial. Travel obligations were recorded with reasonable estimates that allowed program managers to plan and allocate resources with greater accuracy. The client was able to verify $15 million worth of invalid annual travel obligations, which had been recorded as valid at one point. Financial managers liquidated the obligations and reallocated the budget to other current year uses.
By using IDEA to automate the manual entry process for 75,000 annual transactions, the client was able to reallocate five full-time equivalent staff positions to have them focus on higher value work. The automated process also eliminated delays in recording transactions in the system, which eliminated a $30 million journal voucher improving financial reporting.
Management reports were provided weekly to financial and program managers, which allowed them to identify and respond to issues in a timely manner and maximize the use of limited budget authority to meet program goals. AOC applied their expertise and use of IDEA to save time, effort and strengthen organizational processes.