What are the appropriate uses of the description and explanation fields in TP?
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The description field on TP documents is a mandatory field. The information in this 40
character field will print on monthly standard reports in order to describe the
transaction that has taken place.
Because of this use of the description field, initiators should include as much
information as possible to assist in identifying the transaction later on. However, given
the size limit of the description field, it makes sense that initiators actually use
abbreviations in order to get as much information into the description field as possible.
This is actually the proper use of this field.
The explanation field is a free-form text field that allows approximately 400
characters. Its use is to provide initiators space for a greater amount of detail than can
be made available in the small description field. Although not universally mandatory, the
explanation field of all documents is very important. This field should help explain
completely and coherently, the reason for the transaction. Where abbreviations have been
used in the description, full text should be entered in the explanation field. Approvers
and auditors who are reviewing the transaction will depend on this section to provide a
level of detail that is not available in the description field. When initiators use this
section properly, approvers' or auditors' questions should be immediately answered,
thereby eliminating the need for the approvers or auditors to contact departments for a
more detailed explanation of a transaction.
The following examples may help to further clarify the use of these fields.
EXAMPLE 1
Description: Wire 125 to NBD for Courses 11/18/98
Explanation: Funds being wired to National Bank of Detroit, wire #125, for the November
11, 1998 daily reimbursement to CourseSource Medical Plan.
EXAMPLE 2
Description: Trans to 40-11-11 from 10-111-11
Explanation: Funds being transferred from the vice-president for administration's
operation account to sponsored research account 40-111-11 to cover travel expenses that
the vice-president agreed to match per the award agreement with the Nation Science
Foundation. This is the first of three such matches.
EXAMPLE 3
Description: Corr expense code 6000 to 6070
Explanation: To correct a prior transaction, #_______ that utilized object code
6000--In state travel to 6070--In state recruiting travel. This travel was for the
recruitment of graduate students for the department of philosophy.
Document Information:
Filename: kb-141
Date: 3/18/1999
User: cohenou
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