February 10, 2006

New cash management system will streamline department deposits

Early this spring, the MGH will introduce a new cash management system to replace the Shared Hospital Accounting System (SHAS) program that currently is used to record cash receipts in the financial systems. The new system is part of the PeopleSoft software suite and will offer many advantages with minimal impact to employees.

In the new system, deposits will be recorded using PeopleSoft department and account numbers. Walker numbers — the department and account numbers used in the past to record deposits to department budget reports — no longer will be needed. All cash, check and credit deposits will be immediately posted to the appropriate business unit, department and account, eliminating the need for staff in the Accounting Department to manually separate the deposits. Deposits also will be reconciled daily, allowing for easier and more rapid identification and resolution of misdirected funds and more accurate financial reporting.

A new deposit form will replace the existing one brought to the cashier's office. The green SHAS receipts will be replaced with a system-generated receipt given out by the cashier's office staff when funds are received. A limited number of high-volume areas will have the ability to input deposit information into the online system prior to going to the cashier's office. These areas currently are being identified and will be notified directly to arrange training.

"With only minimal changes required for those who bring cash deposits to the cashier's office, the new process will be much more convenient as well as efficient and will ensure more timely posting of deposits to department budget reports," says Marilyn Lugenbeal, controller for the MGH Finance Department.

For more information about the new system, contact Lugenbeal at (617) 724-2322 or Heidi Collins at (617) 726-6429.