NC IBIS FAQ
General
Please contact your agency's NC IBIS license coordinator to request access. You will need to provide your coordinator with your NCID (North Carolina Identity Management) User ID and email address.
Yes, the system uses a shared work queue and all users within a BRU will access to the same information. Internal policies are recommended to ensure that IBIS users know what actions they should and should not complete within the system.
All forms (except Worksheet II and Worksheet III) can be viewed from the work queue by using filters (click here for help using system filters). If the item is no longer in a user’s work queue and has been submitted to your agency or OSBM, it may be viewed but not edited. For Worksheet II and Worksheet III only the version that was submitted to OSBM may be viewed.
Paste the following URL into your browser’s bookmark: https://ibis.nc.gov.
IBIS is a web-based application. You will need an internet connection and access to a Microsoft Edge browser (preferred option) or a Google Chrome browser.
The IBIS team has evaluated the JAWS software with the IBIS application, and found that it works for some of the functionality. However, due to the nature of the application and the level of detail in the IBIS forms and work queue, we recommend a combination of screen magnification and JAWS for navigating the system. Moving from the work queue to the left side menu requires use of a mouse. If the screen magnification and screen reader software combination is not acceptable for your particular situation, we will be happy to work with you on an alternative approach for submitting data to OSBM. Please contact your budget analyst directly for assistance.
During the rollout of the new North Carolina Financial System (NCFS) in October of 2023, IBIS data from July 1, 2021 onwards was converted to the new NCFS financial chart of account structure. This is the data set that is available for review within the portal by searching and locating past transactions. Within the Reporting area, reports can be generated for this NCFS-based or by accessing the Legacy Reports option, users can return and review data prior to the NCFS-conversion.
A separate read-only version of IBIS (Legacy IBIS) will be available for a limited time as stand-alone application for the look-up of form submissions from the previous NCAS-based chart of account structure. The Legacy IBIS application includes data from July 1, 1995 through June 30, 2021. Form transactions may be reviewed in PDF mode only.
Yes, when viewing the read only form using IBIS, double click on the attachment to view.
Forms that are in use or closed improperly (without using the system buttons such as Save & Close) are displayed in work queues with a lock icon. This notification protects a form when it is in use. However, if a user desires, a locked form can be accessed (unlocked) by double-clicking on the form in the work queue, which will display the form. In the upper right corner of the form, there is an Unlock Form option. To access the form, click on the Unlock Form button. The system displays a screen stating that the form is in use. If you proceed and open the form, you will gain access to the form but jeopardize losing data entered by the IBIS user who was initially in the form.
There can be several different workflow statuses for each form in the system. Please review the Home Menu and Work Queue Overview user guide for a diagram that shows the general workflow of the system and what actions can take place at various workflow stages.
The standard workflow applies to all Budget Reporting Units (BRUs) within IBIS except the University of North Carolina and the Department of Health and Human Services. In those organizations, there is also an option to submit to an Agency reviewer first, which is an intermediate step between the BRU and OSBM. When a form resides at the Agency level, an Agency has the same options available to BRU users but also has the ability to return the form to a BRU.
Budget Revisions
Reference numbers are created automatically by the system in sequence based on the biennium budget code, revision type and order of creation. For example, if the first revision of a biennium for a budget code is a type 11, the revision number will be 11-0001. If the next revision is a type 12, then the revision number will be 12-0002. If the third revision is a type 14, then the revision number will be 14-0003. This will allow a maximum of 9,999 budget revisions for each budget code per biennium.
Revision numbers (001, 002, 003, etc.) will not be duplicated within the biennium. When a new biennium is started, the revision number sequence is reset and the count restarts from the beginning (001, 002, 003, etc.).
The sequence is based on creation of the request form in IBIS, not the approval date. The lower the number, the earlier the form was created. Sequence number provides no indication of approval date or priority.
There is no copy feature but there is an Excel bulk upload spreadsheet that allows bulk uploads and downloads of requirements, receipts and position data. The spreadsheet template can be located by clicking the Excel Processing button and selecting one of the options as shown below.
Both the Positions and Budget Detail pages include an Excel Processing button.
Remember, you will need to enter Requirements on the Requirements tab of the spreadsheet, Receipts on the Receipts tab of the spreadsheet and Position information on the Positions tab of the spreadsheet.
- Download Template - Select Download Template to download the Excel bulk upload spreadsheet template to your local machine.
- Upload & Process - Select Upload & Process to upload requirements, receipts or position data from an Excel bulk upload spreadsheet to a budget revision form. Remember, you will need to enter Requirements on the Requirements tab of the spreadsheet, Receipts on the Receipts tab of the spreadsheet and Position information on the Positions tab of the spreadsheet. You may use one spreadsheet to upload requirements, receipts and positions, or you may use three separate spreadsheets. Please ensure you are entering the information on the appropriate tab in the spreadsheet. The upload process specifically looks for the information based on the location and name of the spreadsheet’s tab.
- Export to Template - Select Export to Template to export (copy) requirements, receipts or position data from a budget revision form to an Excel bulk upload spreadsheet.
- Download Bulk Upload Report - Select Download Bulk Upload Report to view an error report which is generated in response to a failed Upload & Process attempt.
Yes, the annualized salary numbers are posted directly to Salary Control as entered. Take caution to ensure that data is entered accurately. Also, FTE information on the Positions tab will be posted in Salary Control.
IBIS will not allow duplicate rows (same selections for all NCFS account segments) to be entered on the Budget Detail tab, but duplicates ARE allowed on the Positions tab.
If you need to edit a row in the requirement or receipts grid, select the row in the grid, select the Edit Row button and then make your changes in the data entry fields.
The Effective Date of the revision serves as the part pay date in IBIS.
No, but you will have to identify the statewide budget code and add the transfer amount to the Transfer to/from table. The total appropriation must match the total appropriation transferred in order to submit and approve the budget revision.
Yes, you will need to include any transfer of appropriation information in the transfer to/from table at the bottom of the Budget Detail tab. For statewide budget codes (19XXX), a reciprocal budget revision is not required; however, for other General Fund budget codes, a reciprocal revision is required and must be included in the table prior to submission. This will require the initial creation of the budget revision in IBIS so that it can be selected in the dropdown list in the transfer to/from section of the form.
Operating budget revisions will only take whole dollars (any cents entered will be rounded to the nearest dollar). Capital budget revisions allow cents to be entered.
Certification
Contact your OSBM Budget Analyst to un-approve the certification entry in order to make a correction.
IBIS will not allow duplicate rows (same selections for all NCFS account segments) to be entered on the Budget Detail tab, but duplicates ARE allowed on the Positions tab.
If you need to edit a row in the requirement or receipts grid, select the row in the grid, select the Edit Row button and then make your changes in the data entry fields.
Salary Control
To display the Salary Control data, select the biennium and fiscal year and then click the “Refresh” button.
The source of salary dollars is the Base Budget + Certification form amounts, which are label as the BD307 line within Salary Control. Additions or subtractions to those initial starting amounts are collected and shown based on the changes entered on the Positions tab of budget revisions in IBIS.
The dollar amount reflected in the Beacon Salary column is the budget salaries of positions in the Beacon (HR/Payroll Information) system.
Manual adjustments are not allowed for most of the fiscal year. However, the Add Adjustment Transaction function is opened for use during the closeout of the fiscal year. The Add Adjustment Transaction allows a transaction to be added that adjusts the BEACON dollars or FTE, to account for a possible mismatch between systems
Allotments
The different columns are calculated as follows:
Authorized Budget: This is the current authorized budget. This is based upon the Base Budget + Certification amounts (BD307) and all approved budget revisions.
Gross Allotment: The Gross Allotment column shows the budget code actual expenditures for all closed quarters plus approved allotments for the current quarter. This data is provided by NCFS and includes quarterly reversions.
Pending Allotment: The Pending Allotment column shows the totals for all allotments in the IBIS work queue that have been submitted to OSBM but have not yet been approved.
Available for Allotment: The Available for Allotment column shows the authorized budget amount minus Gross Allotments and Pending Allotments.
Percent Allotted: The Percent Allotted column is calculated as the Gross Allotments plus Pending Allotments divided by the Authorized Budget.
No, if the allotment request is greater than Available for Allotment for requirements, receipts, or appropriation in the Budget Code Gross Allotment Summary table then the request cannot be submitted. You will need to modify the request or submit a budget revision to change the current authorized budget.
Operating Allotments are processed only for General Fund Budget codes that involve the use of appropriation.
Yes, an allotment can be back dated to ensure that the allotment is recorded for the correct fiscal month. Please keep in mind that NCFS only allows posting of transactions for the current calendar month or the previous calendar month. Months prior to those are closed in NCFS for additional transactions.
Yes, the system assigns allotment numbers as allotment requests are approved by OSBM. There is one set of reference numbers for the entire General and Highway Fund for a fiscal year.
es, complete the Allotment Amount fields for each Account grouping in the Requirements and Receipts table. This will calculate and display the Requested Appropriation on the bottom of the form. You will not need to use the “Other” category unless authorized by your OSBM Budget Analyst.
No, the account group data is for informational purposes only; it will not restrict spending for an account group during the allotment period. However, the overall allotment amount for total requirements, receipts and appropriation should not be exceeded as this is the maximum amount to be expended within the budget code.
Budget Fund Codes
Yes, after OSBM approves a new Budget Fund Code request, the approved form will be sent to OSC for review and approval. Upon OSC approval, an email will be sent notifying all stakeholders that the new Budget Fund Code is ready for use.
Technical Issues
Confirm that you are logging in using the Microsoft Edge browser, which is the preferred browser that IBIS is tested against. If you are using Microsoft Edge and still receive an error, please submit a ticket to the IBIS Help Desk and describe the problem that you have encountered: