CGFS Global Training Program

FY 2014 Schedule and Information

Meet The Instructors

Jacques Anime
Jacques Anime joined FSC Paris in 1985 as a Payroll Assistant. He was promoted to the supervisory position of the American Payroll Division in 1988. In 1993, he moved to the FSC Paris, Accounting Division as the deputy chief. He provides training in Accounting, vouchering and Travel. I hope to share with you the knowledge Ive picked up during my FMO and Management tours in Harare, Washington, Hong Kong, Nairobi, the African Bureau Budget Office, and most recently as the Director of the ICASS Service Center. Im a strong believer in learning through discussion and sharing ideas - so come prepared to participate and have fun! Cedric Bennett has over 24 years of experience with the USG. He started his career at RAMC/ Paris, France specializing in Disbursing/Cashiering. He moved to GFS Charleston in 2004 and now manages all cashiering courses.

Ismail Asmal

Cedric Bennett

Meet The Instructors

Lyna Katcherian
Lyna Khatcherian began

at FSTO Paris in 1995. She has been training in Accounting since 1999. She teaches: Accounting I, Accounting II, Voucher Examiner, Advanced voucher examiner, Servicing Serviced Agencies and Travel Policy.

William Marjenhoff

Bill Marjenhoff is a retired Foreign Service Officer. He served in management and consular positions in Swaziland, Botswana, The Netherlands, Thailand, and Washington, D.C. Jonathon Sides started working for the US Government in 1995. He is a Financial Analyst / Trainer in the Financial Support and Training Office. Tanya Walker has been with CGFS since 2001. She is currently a lead trainer for Travel Policy, Voucher Examination and Advanced Voucher Examination. Before joining State, Tanya worked as a Senior Technical Analyst for the software firm, Blackbaud.

Jonathon Sides

Tanya Walker

Available Courses
GFS11 - Accounting I
This course places the accounting role within the overall context of the United States Governments Business Model. Topics covered in the course include financial management, legal requirements, budget authority, funds control and limitations, obligations, principal State Department accounting classifications, COAST (including reporting capabilities such as 60 and 62 reports and their analysis), authority transfers, 477s, the RFMS accounting/disbursing systems, and Servicing Center interaction with posts. The course provides a series of interactive presentations and student activities. Students will be required to take and pass a final exam. advanced level. The Advanced course includes additional topics such as: on-line reading and summaries of Appropriation Law; ICASS agreements and cost centers as described on the web site; internal controls questionnaires; the year-end process; financial planning and budgeting; the Bureau Strategic Plan and the Mission Strategic Plan processes. The course uses participant discussions, rather than a lecture format, to incorporate individual experiences and real life situations. The course includes exercises and requires a final exam to reinforce learning. Prerequisite: Participants must have no less than two years of experience in the Financial Management Office. Audience: Primarily overseas-based Department of State employees. CGFS designed this course for Accountants who provide accounting and budgeting services to Serviced Agencies and Voucher Examiners who provide vouchering services to Serviced Agencies. Other employees assigned to the Financial Management Office (FMO) may also attend to obtain a broader understanding of the Serviced Agencies financial structures. We strongly recommend that only Financial Management Office personnel providing above-mentioned services attend this course. Enrollment priority given to Financial Specialists/Budget Analysts, Accountants, Voucher Examiners and FMOs/Certifying Officers. NOTE: This course is not appropriate for non-serviced agency or serviced agency (non-State) trainees.

GFS42 - Advanced Cashiering

The 5 Day Advanced Cashiering course goes much deeper into cashiering issues and practices. The course provides cashiers an understanding of cash management regulations and how to apply them. It delves deeper into the causes of transaction rejections and illustrates the corrective measures necessary to balance accountabil-

GFS12 - Accounting II
The 5-day Accounting II course builds on competencies learned in the CGFS Accounting I course. The course addresses functionally similar topics to Accounting I on a more

Available Courses
ity. Students discuss in detail system rejections, data entry errors, cashier reconciliation statements, and discrepancies. Additionally, the course covers internal controls, fiscal irregularities, cashiering Best Practices, and customer service skills. As an advanced course, the instructors expect active class participation and will discuss real-life situations throughout the course. dents should know the sources of Appropriations Law and its basics.

GFS41 - Basic Overseas Cashiering

CGFS offers a two-week Basic Cashiering course to newly appointed Class B Cashiers and their alternates. This course provides students with the practical experience required to work in an overseas cashiers office. The first week focuses on a basic review of cashier regulations, transactions, and accountability. In the second week, students apply knowledge gained in the first week using the automated cashier systems (WinACS and COAST Cashiering). Upon successful completion of the course materials and the mandatory exam, the USDO will give students their permanent cashier designations.

GFS22 - Advanced Voucher Examination

The Advanced Voucher examiner course integrates a new and comprehensive Voucher Framework Model and a profound analysis of the USG business model. This course demands much more active participation and will challenge the employees to begin thinking critically for themselves. It teaches the senior employees to navigate to the appropriate regulations, read and interpret, and then apply to real-life cases. It gives the employees the tools needed to explain why they recommend a solution by using the appropriate professional language. The course includes interactive lectures and multiple case studies covering vendor claims and employee claims. The course requires students to pass a final exam.

PA215 Appropriations Law

Through lectures and discussions, exercises, and case studies participants learn the fundamentals of Appropriations Law and its impact on federal agencies, funding and spending authorities. The course provides the legal framework for agencies, use of appropriations approved by Congress with regard to purpose, time, and amount. The course is developed around decisions made and issued by the Comptroller General. Upon completion of the course, stu-

Available Courses
GFS31 - Budget Techniques
This course provides a review of the State Department budget process. Topics will include: an overview of the Federal budget process; post budget construction process; specific issues within some of State Departments budgets (State Program, DS, Representation, Leases); budgeting tools; executing budgets; tracking and review of budget comments; and best practices. Participants will discuss experiences derived at post relative to course material. The class uses practical exercises and extensive discussion to reinforce learning. Prerequisite: Nominees must have attended the Accounting I course or have at least two years of accounting experience at post. Audience: Overseas-based Department of State and other-agency employees. CGFS designed this course for Budget/Financial Analysts, Financial Specialists and other persons who have responsibility for financial plans and budgets, funds control and accounting. The course primarily draws from State Department budget examples. Enrollment priority given to Financial Specialists, Budget Analysts, Accountants, Accounting Technicians, FMOs, and Certifying Officers. 1. Cash management. Topics include internal controls, performing the monthly-unannounced cash verification, Consular Affairs reporting requirements, cashier regulations, allowable functions as well as other cash management topics such as fiscal irregularities. 2. Daily cashier operations. Topics include how to verify funds using WinACS, verification of the cashiers on-hand accountability, determine how to void collections and vouchers submitted by the cashier, understand the cause of rejections within WinACS, solutions for correcting rejections, the importance of FMA function, and how to research and balance accountability when faced with line 2 differences.

GFS43 - Managing Overseas Cashiers

This 5-day Cashier Supervisor course is designed to provide cashier supervisors with a thorough knowledge of the cashiering system from an internal controls and management perspective. Two eas main arare covered:

Available Courses
RSC01 - Certifying Officer Workshop
The primary objective of this 3-day FSN Certifying Officer workshop is to strengthen the technical skills and increase participants ability to increase their awareness on all aspects of the certification process. The workshop broadens technical and practical knowledge required of an FSN certifying officer as well as using the collective experience of class attendees to address common issues and problems. The agenda includes historical development of FSNs and Certifying Officers; Appropriation Law review; electronic research; selected GAO opinions (non-cashier); selected GAO opinions (both non-cashier and cashier issues); special topics (grants, advances, IRS compliance, and restrictions and limitations). In addition, participants will be asked to bring at least three (3) case studies from their experiences as ACOs that will be used for class discussions.

GFS13- Serviced Agencies

The 5-day Servicing Serviced Agency Course divides materials into three modules: (1) Appropriation Law, General Agency regulations including basic obligation procedures, budgets, ICASS principles and the definition of a serviced agency (2) A review of each individual serviced agency with detailed information regarding agency purpose, budget authorities and accounting data. Participants will also review each agencys main webpage online as part of the learning process. (3) Non-Serviced Agencies fiscal data with particular reference to Military agencies.

GFS52 - Overseas Payroll and Allowances

The 5-day Pay and Allowances course teaches a variety of personnel and payroll topics relating to the processing and monitoring of LES and American payroll overseas. It provides an overview of the offices involved in the pay process, the systems used to generate the documents required to pay an employee, the responsibilities of the various personnel in ensuring accuracy and timeliness of these payments and the resources available to resolve pay issues to the customers satisfaction.

Available Courses
GFS71 - Systems Workshop
This five day Systems Workshop course provides participants with an in-depth overview of various Global Financial Services financial products and resource tools from a system administrator perspective. The Systems Workshop includes hands-on training in the COAST, Global e-Travel (GeT), WinACS, and WinT& software systems at post. GFS Knowledge Base, GFS Web page, and SHIFTS will be thoroughly demonstrated as resource tools for supporting these systems. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss a variety of topics that will include system platforms, operational challenges in-line with course material, file management best practices, and future systems planned by CGFS.

GFS51 - Time and Attendance

The 5-day Time and Attendance course concentrates on the day to day processing of T&A under a variety of compensation plans. It will prepare timekeepers to carry out all practical aspects of their jobs, using Win T&A software and uploading T&A data. Additionally, it will present trainees with a wide variety of scenarios and exercises designed to introduce them to timekeeping and T&A reporting rules and regulations and payroll reports. Newly assigned T&A employees will begin on the right foot and experienced timekeepers will enhance their timekeeping skills, thus increasing the accuracy of posts reporting.

GFS61 - Travel Policy

This course provides students with comprehensive information on the rules and regulations governing: Foreign Affairs Agencies travel, Temporary Duty travel (TDY); Fly America Act, City Pair Fares, Rest & Recuperation travel; Education Travel and the travel portion of the Education Allowance; Travel of Children of Separated Parents; Per Diem and Actual Subsistence; Emergency Visitation Travel; and cost constructed travel. Training is provided on E2 and participants will prepare travel documents. The topics of invitational travel, home leave and PCS travel are briefly covered. Participants will discuss their on-the-job experiences with other participants to enhance the learning process. Instructors use practical exercises and case studies to reinforce learning. This course is designed for State Agencies. Oth-

Available Courses
er agencies may apply, but should keep in mind that only State regulations will be covered. munications between posts and the Financial Management Centers and how to correct errors within the voucher processing system. The Course is built around a series of interactive lectures and student activities. Students will be required to take and pass a final exam. post. Audience: Overseas-based Department of State and other-agency employees. CGFS designed this course for personnel who are responsible for preparing, maintaining, and operating the ICASS budget through the Web.ICASS software at post; mainly Financial Specialists, Budget Analysts, and their backups, and other agency personnel whose duties require a very extensive hands-on knowledge of the ICASS cost distribution software.

GFS21 - Voucher Examination

This course provides the voucher examiner with a framework for auditing both vendor and employee claims and places this framework within the overall context of the United States Governments Business Model. It then examines the voucher elements common to all valid claims before focusing on those elements specific to each of the main types of voucher commonly encountered within the Financial Management office. The course also teaches how to interpret fiscal data by explaining the constituent elements of a strip code. Participants will learn about the internal controls associated with financial management operations, the flow of com-

GFS32 - WebICASS Software

This course, offered jointly by CGFS and the ICASS Service Center, offers an extensive hands-on experience for LE Staff in using the ICASS software. On the last day of class, students will examine, evaluate and critique ICASS reports from their own posts, and will work on a software mastery exercise. Prerequisite: and GFS34. ipants should have a basic standing of all operations at GFS33 Particalso underICASS their

Accounting I
Bangkok 12/16/2013 2/24/2014 6/16/2014 Charleston 3/24/2014 6/2/2014 Paris 12/16/2013 3/31/2014

CGFS Global Training Summary of Courses - FY2014

Accounting II
Accounting I

Servicing Serviced Agencies

Servicing Serviced Agencies

8
Quito 1/6/2014

Bangkok 6/23/2014 7/28/2014 Charleston 5/19/2014 Paris 8/4/2014

Accounting II

Bangkok 3/3/2014 7/21/2014 Charleston 5/12/2014 Paris 6/23/2014

Basic Cashiering (2 weeks) Bangkok 2/3/2014 Basic 8/18/2014 Cashiering Charleston 3/17/2014 6/16/2014 Paris 5/12/2014

Advanced Cashiering This course has been temporarily suspended due implementations of COAST-Cashiering. GFS will update the course in 2014.

Managing Overseas Cashier Ops Charleston 10/21/2013 MOCO 7/14/2014 Paris 3/3/2014

Basic Voucher Examination

Bangkok 3/10/2014 7/21/2014 9/8/2014 Charleston 10/28/2013 4/7/2014 7/14/2014 Paris 11/4/2013 3/24/2014
Basic Voucher Examination

Advanced Voucher Examination

Bangkok 10/28/2013 4/21/2014 6/2/2014 10/6/2014 Charleston 11/4/2013 3/31/2014 6/23/2014 Paris 7/7/2014
Advanced Voucher Examination

10
Johannesburg 9/30/2013 Lima 12/2/2013 Lima 12/2/2013

Overseas Payroll and Allowances

Bangkok 2/10/2014 8/25/2014 Charleston 3/10/2014 6/16/2014 Paris 4/7/2014 7/28/2014
Overseas Payroll and Allowances

Budget Techniques
Bangkok 6/9/2014 Charleston 3/10/2014 Paris 8/18/2014
Budget Techniques

Web.ICASS
Bangkok 11/4/2013 6/16/2014 Charleston 3/17/2014 Paris 8/25/2014
Web ICASS

Page 1

September 2013 (V.1)

How to Register
Prospective students should register through the CGFS Training Intranet site at http://training. cgfs.state.gov after obtaining supervisor approval. Prospective students who do not have access to the State OpenNet should contact the Global Training Coordinator at gfstraining@state.gov to register. Please including the following information: Course Name Course Date Nominees Name Nominees Job Title Years of Experience Agency and Section Email Address

DEAdLINE
TO

REGISTEr
The deadline for submitting nominations is six weeks prior to the course start date. CGFS Training will approve requests for participants who meet the course requirements on a first-come basis. If a class is canceled, CGFS will notify participants at least 15 days in advance. Post should assist participants in obtaining travel visas as soon as their registration is confirmed. Need to Know More? Name: Post: Email Address: Click the button below to submit the information.