FreeBalance Accountability Suite Modules

Addresses

Overview

User 's address is taken into record through this tab. Users may have more than one addresses.

Fields

The following is a screenshot of the Addresses feature.

The following table lists and describes all visible fields for the Addresses feature, in their default order. Note that some fields depend on System Parameters and Rendering Control configuration to be visible and/or editable by users. Field names are subject to change through language label configuration.

Image is shown as reference material; position and names for labels, fields, and buttons are subject to the configuration of installed revision, System Parameters and Rendering Control.

Attachments/Additional Information

Overview

The purpose of this feature is to enable users to attach different file types to a related record.

Fields

The following is a screenshot of the Attachments/Additional Information feature.

The following table lists and describes all visible fields for the Attachments/Additional Information feature, in their default order. Note that some fields depend on System Parameters and Rendering Control configuration to be visible and/or editable by users. Field names are subject to change through language label configuration.

Image is shown as reference material; position and names for labels, fields, and buttons are subject to the configuration of installed revision, System Parameters and Rendering Control.

Contacts

Overview

Contacts refer to contact of the said user. A user may have more than one contacts.

Fields

The following is a screenshot of the Contact feature.

The following table lists and describes all visible fields for the Contact feature, in their default order. Note that some fields depend on System Parameters and Rendering Control configuration to be visible and/or editable by users. Field names are subject to change through language label configuration.

Image is shown as reference material; position and names for labels, fields, and buttons are subject to the configuration of installed revision, System Parameters and Rendering Control.

Customize My Menu

Overview

This feature helps users add shortcuts to frequently used GRP features, as to avoid having to navigate or drill down from the main menu option repeatedly. Users can add the list of frequently used shortcuts with only one click, the cusomized list is exclusive for each application-user.

Add a Shortcut under My Menu

To add a shortcut under My Menu, follow the steps below:

Navigate to the feature to add (for example Admin ► System Security ► Users ► Change Password).

1. Then, right-click on it.
2. A message is presented asking if users want to create the shortcut.

4. Click OK to confirm.
5. Click on My Menu to view the added shortcut.

Remove a Shortcut under My Menu

To Remove a shortcut under My Menu, follow the steps below:

1. Navigate to the shortcut under My Menu. 
2. Then, right-click.
3. A message is presented asking if users want to remove the shortcut.

4. Click OK to confirm.

Generating a Report

Generating a Report

System reports are documents containing information organized in a tabular form, generated on as required basis. Reports may refer to specific periods, events, occurrences, or subjects. This section shows the basics for generating pre-defined reports available on the GRP. In general, each module has a set of reports available. For each report, users can specify the period, sorting criteria, ascending/descending order options, and other optional values. The following image of a sample report shows the different section of a report screen.

1. Select the desired report from the appropriate module report menu (e.g. Purchasing >> Reports >> Purchase Requisition Listing Report). The report definition screen appears.
2. Complete the Filter Criteria fields, according to particular needs.
3. Add a note in the Comment field if users want to have a special note printed out on the report.
4. Define the Sort By criteria, by passing one or more fields from the available left field list to the Sort By criteria list box at the right:

• ​Click the Move all items to other list  or Remove all items from list  icon, to add or remove all fields to/from the Sort By criteria list box. 
• Click the Move selected items to other list  or Remove selected item from list  icon, to add or remove fields from the Sort By criteria list box. 
• Click the Move selected items to top of list  or Move selected items to bottom of list  icon, to add or remove fields from the Sort By criteria list box. 
• Click the Move selected items up one in list  or Move selected items down one in list  icon, to change the sorting sequence.
• Click the Refresh Sorting Order  icon to update sorting fields.

5. Specify sorting direction for each field that defines the sorting criteria:

• ​Click the Upward  or Downward  icon to change the sorting order to downward / upward, respectively.

6. Specify Additional Options, as required.

How to Create, Modify and Delete Records

Create a Record 

To Create a Record follow the steps below:

1. To create a new record, click on the New button   (screen is in Insert Mode).
2. Complete all mandatory fields and tabs. Fields denoted by an asterisk (*) are mandatory.
3. Click on the Save button  at the bottom to save the new information.  

A confirmation window appears to indicate that the record has been inserted.

Modify/Update a Record

To Modify or Update a Record follow the steps below:

1. Enter the information to be used as retrieval criteria in the appropriate field(s). If users prefer to see the list of all records, leave all fields blank, and click on the Find  button.
2. Click on the record to modify (screen is in Update/Delete Mode).
3. Make the necessary modification(s).
4. Click on the Update  button at the bottom of the screen to save the modifications.

A window appears to confirm the modification. Click OK to confirm.

Delete a Record

To Delete a Record follow the steps below: 

1. Enter the information to be used as retrieval criteria in the appropriate field(s). If users prefer to see the list of all records, leave all fields blank, and click on the Find  button.
2. Click on the record to delete (screen is in Update/Delete Mode).
3. Click on the Delete  button.
4. A window appears asking to confirm the action: 

  4. Click OK to confirm and delete the record. 

  5. A window is displayed confirming the delete action.

To verify that the record has been deleted follow the steps below:

1. Click on the Search  button.
2. Enter filter criteria matching the record.
3. Click on the Find  button.
4. A 'No results' message appears.

Users need to close the dialog box to continue working on the main window.  

How to Search for a Record or Element

Perform Basic Search

The following steps are to be followed to perform a search for existing records.

1. By default, when users access a form the screen opens in Search Mode. To access the Search Mode while in Update/Delete Mode, click the Search  button. Once clicked the screen changes to search mode.
2. Enter the information to be used as retrieval/filter criteria in the appropriate field(s). Leave all fields blank to see a list of all records or apply appropriate filters. 
3. Click on the Find  button. 

Supporting Documents

Overview

The purpose of this feature is to enable users to attach supporting documents to a related record.

Fields

The following is a screenshot of the Supporting Documents Information feature.

The following table lists and describes all visible fields for the Supporting Documents feature, in their default order. Note that some fields depend on System Parameters and Rendering Control configuration to be visible and/or editable by users. Field names are subject to change through language label configuration.

Image is shown as reference material; position and names for labels, fields, and buttons are subject to the configuration of installed revision, System Parameters and Rendering Control.

Workflow Transitions

Overview

Workflow transitions are the different options available in a workflow process that helps in proceeding the approval/rejection process of a transaction into different stages.

Transitions

The table below depicts the default Workflow Transition states that are configured by default into the system for each feature; the transition column describes each available transition into the system and the resulted status upon selection of each transition:

Transition to Approve from Approval Requested

1. Position in the record to change status to Approved.
   • Note: As shown in default workflow transition states, to set a record as Approved, record status must be Approval Requested.
2. Select Approve from the drop down list in the transition field and then click the Transition  button
3. A transition window is presented, confirming the transition to apply. Add a description in the step note field in the transition window:
4. Click on the Finish  button to complete the transition transaction, or click the Discard  button to abort the transition. Upon clicking the Finish  button a window is displayed confirming the record workflow transition executed.
   • 
5. Click OK on the workflow transition executed window. The record status is now set to Approved.
6. Once a record has been created or selected from the search results window, the Workflow History  button allows users to view the workflow history of the item. The following screen appears:

Creating Coding Blocks

Navigation

Click New Icon  under  or  or  at  Contract Payment Retention.

Overview

This entity contains the collection of Coding Blocks used in Contract Line Items, Payment Retention and Guarantees entities.  It is a collection because Coding Blocks are registered per Fiscal Year and Contracts can be multi-year.  It is necessary a collection of Coding Blocks for all fiscal years covered by the Contract:

A Coding Block can be added by SELECTING a pre-existing one already recorded in the System, or by COMPOSING a Coding Block out of segments pre-defined in the Chart of Accounts.

To SELECT a Coding Block, follow these steps:

1. In the Coding Block window, click the Lookup icon  next to the Coding Block field, then click the Find icon  on the Coding Block window for recovering the list of all pre-defined Coding Blocks. 
2. Select the desired Coding Block from the list, and
3. Click the Save and Return icon  to record your selection and return to the previous window or click the Discard icon  to clear your current selection and return to the previous window.

To COMPOSE a Coding Block, follow these steps:

1. In the Coding Block window, click the New icon next to the Coding Block field.  Another window will display.
2. For each Coding Block segment displayed select the appropriate element from the pull-down list.
   Alternative, you can click the Lookup icon , then click the Find icon  on the Element window for recovering the list of all pre-defined elements, and then click the required element to return to the previous window.  Also, you can click the Hierarchical Element Selection icon  to compose the Coding Block using the values from the pull-down lists; once all  hierarchical segments have been specified, click the Save and Return icon  to record your selection and return to the previous window or click the Discard icon  to clear your current selection and return to the previous window.
3. Once all Coding Block segments have been specified, click the Save and Return icon  to record your selection and return to the previous window or click the Discard icon  to clear your current selection and return to the previous window.
4. Click the Save and Return icon  to record your selection and return to the previous window or click the Discard icon  to clear your current selection and return to the previous window.

1. Overview of the FreeBalance Accountability Suite

The FreeBalance Accountability Suite or GRP is the only public financial management (PFM) solution designed exclusively for government. It is a flexible, modular financial management system that starts off simple but can scale to reflect the evolving needs of government and public-sector organizations.

The FreeBalance Accountability Suite is a web-based Java-powered platform designed for government financial management. Its applications support centralized environment, but are also flexible enough to accommodate decentralized & hybrid models. This capability allows Government officials, NGO’s and citizens to gain access through authorized users in a secure and stable web base environment.

2. Client-Side System Requirements

There are certain standard client-side requirements that must be met in order for authorized users to access and take advantage of all the benefits of using the FreeBalance Accountability Suite. The following sections detail each of those requirements. Third party software configurations not mentioned within these sections, which are deemed as necessary by clients or FreeBalance implementation specialists, are to be subject of individual risk and impact analysis by FreeBalance Technical and Implementation specialists.

Overview of Client Side

The FreeBalance Accountability Suite is accessed through a secure and stable layer architecture.

The initial point of access is gained through a Web Browser, through an internet or intranet connection. A decoupling point exists between the Client Side and the Server Side, this allows requirements from the Client Side to be independent from those on the Server Side. Providing flexible, yet stable and secure, software configuration combinations.

The Client Side consists of the systems platform that hold the software tools used by end-users to access the FreeBalance Accountability Suite. These systems are conformed at a minimum by a Web Browser and office suite applications used to manage information extracted from the FreeBalance Accountability Suite.

The specific requirements for the Client Side are as follows:

Systems Platform Requirements

This section refers to requirements regarding essential software used at the client end System Platform (personal computer, notebook or laptop). Personal computer and laptops configurations vary depending on the manufacturer, model and year of make of the computer, the following list depicts the minimal recommended configuration that is to be used with the FreeBalance Accountability Suite.

Compatible Operating Systems

• Microsoft Windows versions 7 Pro and 10 Pro
• CentOS Linux 7,8
• Canonical Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, 18.04 LTS

Web Browser Requirements

This section refers to requirements regarding the web browsers compatible with the FreeBalance Accountability Suite. Because of the large number of different web browsers on the market, and their different versions, the list of recommended browsers centers itself around those that are certified and recommended for use with the FreeBalance Accountability Suite.

Recommended Web Browsers

• Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 and 11
• Microsoft Edge
• Mozilla Firefox 68.0
• Google Chrome 75.0.x
• Safari 12.1.2

Report Software

This section refers to requirements regarding the custom report generation software compatible with the FreeBalance Accountability Suite.

Compatible software

• Cristal Reports 12.2
• Jaspersoft Reports 6.0.1

Other Software Product Requirements

Other client side applications that are optional are listed below. These applications enable users to exploit the full potential of the FreeBalance Accountability Suite reporting capabilities, allowing them to execute information analysis for quick and effective decision making.

The following versions of office utility suites (word processors, spreadsheet programs, pdf readers) are recommended:

• Microsoft Excel 1997, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016
• Microsoft Word 1997, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016
• Libre Office 4.x, and 5.x
• Open Office 3.x
• Adobe Reader 6.x

3. Server-Side System Requirements

The web application is deployed as a series of layers that offer both stability and security when accessing the information managed through the FreeBalance Accountability Suite. The following sections detail the requirements necessary for providing users with all the benefits of using the FreeBalance Accountability Suite. Third party software configurations not mentioned within these sections, which are deemed as necessary by clients or FreeBalance implementation specialists, are to be subject of individual risk and impact analysis by FreeBalance Technical and Implementation specialists.

Overview of Sever Side

The Server Side consists of the systems platform that hold the software tools used to deploy FreeBalance Accountability Suite’s services to end users. This platform is conformed by a Web Server, Application Server and a Database Server.

Within the Server Side, a decoupling point exists separating the Web, Application and Database Server. Through the use of Hibernate ORM, the FreeBalance Accountability Suite can be seamlessly implemented with different Databases.

The specific requirements for the Server Side are as follows:

Web Server Requirements

This section refers to requirements regarding supported software versions for the Web Server to host the FreeBalance Accountability Suite. The FreeBalance Accountability Suite main services are delivered to the end user through the web page published on this server.

• Apache Web Server 2.4

Application Server Requirements

This section refers to requirements regarding supported software versions for the Application Server to provide the FreeBalance Accountability Suite services. The Application server is compatible with the following software versions:

• Java JVM 6 (1.6.0.45)
• Java JVM 7 (1.7.80)
• Java JVM 8 (1.8.201)
• Apache-tomcat- Version 6.0.45, 7.0.94

Database Requirements

This section refers to requirements regarding supported software versions for the Database Server to host information managed through the FreeBalance Accountability Suite.

Supported DBMS Platforms:

• Oracle MySQL 5.7
• Oracle 9i, 10g, 11g, 12c, 18c
• Microsoft SQL Server 2008, 2012, 2016, 2017

Cluster Deployment Software Requirements

This section refers to requirements regarding supported software versions for deploying a server cluster used by the FreeBalance Accountability Suite.

• Apache Active MQ 5.10.2

4. Compatibility Matrix

The following table summarizes the current compatibility matrix for FreeBalance Accountability Suite implementations.