Searching Vendors, Invoices, and Funds - Class Materials and Script

Handouts and display documents for the class

Handout – Vocab handout (google doc)

Handout –  (word doc)

Display on screen –  (word doc)

Display on screen –  (excel doc)

Pre-reading and reference documents for the class

• Funds and Ledgers pre-reading

• Alma dataload services: orders, invoices, and update inventory pre-reading

• Vendor and Vendor Account Records for reference

• Acquisitions-Focused Navigation & Customizations for reference

• Alma vendor setup form (excel doc) for reference 

Outline for the class and links to related documentation

Script for the class

Introduction

Welcome to Searching Vendors, Invoices and Funds for Selectors and Acquisitions Staff. My name is ..... (and our facilitator/s in this class is/are... ).

In this class, we will review the new financial structure in Alma and practice searching for funds, vendor information, and invoices. You can follow along with me as I demonstrate, or wait until each practice break to try it yourself.

This class builds on what you learned in Search and Sets - has everyone taken that class?

A few notes:

• Alma went live on July 3rd and, as expected, we're learning new things about it as staff work with real data in the system. Everyone is continuing to learn Alma, and will have the support they need to do so.
  
  

• We are training on the tool of Alma, and while there is usually more than one way to do anything in Alma, we will show you one verified or preferred way to do tasks. Once you've learned the best practice, we encourage staff to discuss local procedures and workflows in your units.
  
  

• We also encourage everyone to come together in Learning Circles - either cross-functional within units or on the same functions across units - to discuss how the implementation is going and how the new features and workflows in Alma might change work at Harvard.
  
  

• Please continue to use the LTS Alma Support form to ask questions and report issues with Alma data, workflows, or roles & permissions. Asking these questions, and working groups providing answers, is an important part of everyone learning more about Alma. You can find the link in the Notifications widget in Alma, along with the link to Alma documentation on the LTS wiki.
  
  

• You have a 1-page handout that contains a link to the Alma sandbox, the wiki page for this class, and a few other useful links. (If there are other handouts, describe them.) The script and all materials for this class are available to review on the wiki, and will continue to be updated with any changes in procedures.

Some quick logistics information: 

Let's start by introducing ourselves. (Go around the room and ask everyone to share their name, library/unit, and primary role(s).)

Class overview

Today we will cover Funds, then Vendors, then invoices.

• I will show you how to search for and find information about each of these topics; after each section we'll take a break so you can practice what I demonstrated.
  
  

Funds

Let's begin with funds.

Vocabulary notes:

• Alma uses the term Funds instead of budgets, and the term Code includes what we have called the "string" or portions of the string (tub, org)

• Alma divides funds up into three levels:  Ledgers, Summary funds, and Allocated funds.