​Introduction

A template can be created and saved and then used to create a Budgetary document – though it is not required. A template can be used for Appropriations, G/P Budgets, or Alloc/Plans transactions that would have the same or similar GL types, transaction codes, amounts, and other fiscal coding. Once a template has been created, it is imported into a Budgetary document to automatically create all of the rows of transactions needed.

Create a Template

1. From the Budgetary main menu, select Appropriations, G/P Budgets, or Alloc/Plans.

2. Click the Templates tab.

Figure 1 - Templates tab example

3. Enter an eight character (alphanumeric) document number in the Doc # field.

• Do not use a document number that you plan on using for an Appropriation, G/P Budget, or Allocation document.
• These document numbers and the template document numbers should not be the same.

4. For G/P Budgets, or Alloc/Plans, click the GL Type drop down menu and select an appropriate GL. For Appropriations, no drop down menu is displayed.

• ​Allocation​ - N/A
• ​Alloc/Plan ​- Allocation, Financial Plan, Revenue Plan
• ​G/P Budgets ​- Grant Budget, Subgrantee Budget, Project Budget 

5. Enter an Effective Date or select a date from the calendar. (When importing the template, this will not change the Effective Date entered on the document.)

6. Type a Description to describe the template. Do not use special characters or symbols, such as &, ', “, <, and \.

7. If your agency uses Group names, select a Group from the drop down menu, .

8. Click Save & Continue or Save & Clear.

• Save & Continue will save the document and open a “grid” in which you can add rows of transactions and fiscal coding.
• Save & Clear will save the document and clear the screen.

9. If you plan on entering more than the default number of 10 rows of transactions, change the number of Rows per page so that all of your transactions can be viewed on one page.

10. Click Add Row. Do not exceed 20 rows. Exceeding this number of rows may cause an error when the template is applied and the document is completed or submitted to an approver.

Figure 2 - Example of a new row added

11. Enter a transaction code in the TC field or press F3 to search for a transaction code, and then press TAB or click into another fiscal code field. Other fiscal codes required by the transaction code will be highlighted. Fiscal codes not used by the transaction code will not be available.

Figure 3 - Required Fiscal Codes example

12. Enter the fiscal coding (Amount, the PCA, Index, the Subobject, etc.) as needed. Fiscal code fields designated with an asterisk may automatically enter other, related fiscal codes if set up in STARS to do so.

13. You can enter the codes manually, or you can also search for a fiscal code in those fields marked with an asterisk (also known as doing a “look up”):

• Place the cursor in the field and press F3.
• In the look up dialog box, enter any combination of search criteria – transaction code number or the title. You can enter just the first few numbers or letters or use the wildcard (%).
• Click Find.
• Click the fiscal code you want to use. The code will be entered on the distribution grid.

Figure 3 - Transaction Code lookup example

14. To add another blank row, click Add Row. To create a duplicate of a row, including the amount and fiscal coding, click Dup next to that row. You can then change just the few fiscal codes that you need to.

• If you enter any codes or rows incorrectly and have not saved the document, click Undo Updates. Anything you have entered and not saved will be deleted.
• To delete a row from the document, click Del next to the row.

15. When finished adding the transaction rows, click Save & Continue or Save & Clear. If there are any data entry errors, these will be highlighted for you to correct.