USAS Coding Instructions

About This Manual

Welcome to the Uniform Statewide Accounting System (USAS), the accounting system for the state of Texas.

USAS Coding Instructions provide detailed information about all processing screens found in USAS, including profile, inquiry and transaction entry screens. This manual is designed to function as a dictionary for USAS screens and their fields. It is organized by screen number as assigned in USAS, starting with the “D” prefixed profiles and continuing through the transaction entry screens. Since the transaction entry screens share field definitions and processing rules, they are discussed together in one section.

USAS is a profile-driven system that captures accounting activities supplied by state agencies and institutions of higher education. USAS profiles:

Are used to define processing rules for data in USAS, such as accounting rules for transactions, editing rules and posting rules for financial tables
Infer or look up higher levels within the major areas of the system, such as fund, general ledger and object
Note: For information on how the major areas of the system are defined, see the Data Classification Structure and Input Coding Requirements on the USAS Reference page.
Define valid codes
Provide titles for valid codes
Reduce the amount of required data entry

Users can navigate to USAS screens by linking to the screen directly or by using the menu screens. The main menu presents a high level of screen groupings by topic. Submenus under the main menu list specific screens available within that group. For more information, see the USAS Main Menu and Submenu Screens on the USAS Reference page.

Not all users can access all screens. The user’s security level determines which screens can be accessed. The access level granted for each user ID and user class combination is defined by a security profile in USAS.

Manual Organization

Each screen discussion includes:

Who can use the screen
What the screen is designed to do
Picture of the screen
Actions available on the screen
Field definitions
How function keys can be used on the screen

The field definitions are presented in the order they appear on the screen except:

When related fields are described together
–OR–
In the transaction entry screen section where field definitions are presented in alphabetical order.

Screen and Field Discussions

Identified in italics at the beginning of each screen discussion is who can create, update or use the screen. Screens may be created and maintained by each agency, the Comptroller’s office or both, or only used for inquiry purposes. The Comptroller’s office controls certain profiles to maintain system processing rules and data integrity. “Centrally” defined, maintained or used refers to the Comptroller’s office role and prohibits an agency from performing any action other than inquiry for that particular profile.

Information in parentheses next to the title of each field states whether a field is required, optional, system generated, etc., as it relates to adding, changing or recalling records. Required fields must be populated in order to add or change individual profile records. Optional fields may become required if other related fields are populated.

Fields may also be labeled in parentheses next to the title as For informational purposes only or Not currently in use. For informational purposes only refers to fields that can be used to supply additional information for the profile record but are not used in system processing. Not currently in use refers to system functionality that is not used in system processing.

The term “control key” refers to required fields on the screen that distinguish one profile record from another. Each control key is unique for a given profile. For example, AGENCY, FUND and FISCAL YEAR are the control key for the Fund Profile (D23). An agency can only have one fund 0001 in any given fiscal year. For each profile, control key fields are identified by Control key – Required in parentheses. Other fields are required on this profile and values can be reused; however, the control key must be unique. Control keys are required when attempting to recall a specific profile record.

Specific information related to each field is included in the field definitions. Only active values are listed as valid values unless otherwise stated. Field length is also provided as part of the field definition. The number of digits available is given for numeric fields. The number of characters available is given for alphabetic or alphanumeric fields. Date formats are also presented.

Abbreviations

Since this manual is presented on a screen-by-screen basis, each section is designed to stand alone. Common abbreviations are frequently written out to enable topic or key word searches.

Screen names are written out on first occurrence in the profile and inquiry screen sections, and then referred to by screen number for the rest for the section. In the transaction entry screen section, screen names are written out on first occurrence in each field definition, and then referred to by screen number for the rest for the definition.
Acronyms are spelled out on first occurrence in the profile and inquiry screen sections, and then referred to by acronym for the rest for the section. In the transaction entry screen section, acronyms are spelled out on first occurrence in each field definition, and then referred to by acronym for the rest for the definition.