When fully implemented by the end of FY 1996, acquisitions via Purchase Cards are projected to increase to 90 percent. This will result in major operational changes at both the AFC and VA field facilities. This system ensures timely and accurate processing of credit card billings and recording of payments in VA's accounting system. The CCS was developed around a relational database which front-ends to VA's accounting system. Accounting transactions are formatted from data embedded in the account number scheme that is provided each time the purchase card is used.
Transactions are then uploaded to the accounting system.
The CCS includes a feature that allows AFC customers to access each transaction on the database and make changes, as needed, to more accurately record distribution of expenditures by cost centers. AFC customers are the principal beneficiaries of this system. It eliminates manual input of billing transactions from the purchase card provider, results in a more timely, accurate status of accounts, and provides more informed budget and expenditure management. The goal of purchase card centralized billing is to enable the purchase card bank to bill daily and the VA to pay the same day. A fully electronic payment mechanism has also been developed for use on large contracts.