Finance

New Frequency and Threshold for Retail Floor Stock Count at SIA Offices

Effective July 1, 2007, the Postmaster/Field Guide is revised with a new policy for the frequency and threshold for retail floor stock count at Segmented Inventory Accountability (SIA) Post Offices™ and postal retail units. At SIA offices with Point-of-Service (POS) ONE equipment, the Retail Floor Stock count must be con­ducted by the postmaster, manager or supervisor and a witness no less than once during each fiscal year quarter.

Postmaster/Field Guide

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Procedures

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Employee Overages and Shortages—Count Results

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[Revise the Accountability Count Chart (page 102) to read as follows:]

 

Accountability Count Chart

Accountability Credit	Tolerance	Frequency	Overages	Shortages
Unit Reserve Stock
Bargaining Employee	F-1, 429.16	4-Months1.	AIC 057	AIC 767
Non-Bargaining Employee	F-1, 429.16	12-Months*.	AIC 057	AIC 767
PMR	F-1, 429.16	12-Months*.	AIC 057	AIC 767
Unit Cash Reserve
Bargaining Employee	$0.00	1-Month*.	AIC 068	AIC 764
Non-Bargaining Employee	$0.00	1-Month*.	AIC 068	AIC 764
PMR	$0.00	1-Month*.	AIC 068	AIC 764
SIA Cash Credit
Bargaining Employee	$5.00	1-Month*.	AIC 068	AIC 764
Non-Bargaining Employee	$5.00	1-Month*.	AIC 068	AIC 764
Cash & Stamp Stock Credit
Bargaining Employee	F-1, 429.16	4-Months*.	AIC 057	AIC 767
Non-Bargaining Employee	F-1, 429.16	12-Months*.	AIC 057	AIC 767
PMR	F-1, 429.16	12-Months*.	AIC 057	AIC 767
SIA Retail Floor Stock
Difference is = or < .1% of sales	$0.00	Once a FY Quarter	AIC 239	AIC 639
Difference > .1% of sales	$0.00	Once a FY Quarter, must also count Unit Reserve	AIC 239	AIC 639
SSPC/Vending Credits
Bargaining Employee	$0.00	4-Months*.	AIC 175	AIC 612
Non-Bargaining Employee	$0.00	4-Months*.	AIC 175	AIC 612
PMR	$0.00	4-Months*.	AIC 175	AIC 612

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[Insert new procedure (alphabetically):]

SIA Retail Floor Stock Count Frequency and Threshold

The postmaster/manager or supervisor has the respon­sibility for the required count of the retail floor stock and the maintenance of established inventory levels. There is no tolerance applied for retail floor stock counts.

Note: The retail floor stock count must be performed using the POS ONE “Count Inventory and Cash” workflow, which ensures that the count values and final results are posted in the system.

Count Frequency

A retail floor stock count must be conducted no less than once during each fiscal year (FY) quarter. FY quarterly periods are as follows:

 

This Fiscal Year Quarter…	Includes the following months…
I	October–December
II	January–March
III	April–June
IV	July–September

The goal in operating a Retail Floor Stock is to maintain a threshold of within .1 percent variance (over or short) of total sales since last count. Total sales are computed by calculating the total amount reported on the unit's PS Form 1412, Daily Financial Report, in AIC 852, minus AIC 086, 094 and AIC 096, since the last count.

 

Threshold	Type of Action	Accounting Process
If the result of the Retail Floor Stock count is equal to or less than .1% (1/10%) inventory variance of total sales since last count...	Then no other count is required.	Enter the count into the POS ONE count inventory workflow.
If the result of the Retail Floor Stock count exceeds the inventory variance of .1% of total sales since last count…	Then count both the Unit Reserve Stamp Stock and the Unit Cash reserve in conjunction with the Retail Floor Stock.	Enter the count into the POS ONE count inventory workflow.

The postmaster, unit manager, or supervisor is respon­sible for compliance with the minimum requirements defined in this section. The district Finance manager (DFM), the district Retail manager, and other concerned opera­tional department managers may establish additional requirements to satisfy the district business needs.

Count Procedures

The retail floor stock inventory is counted separately by two employees. One of the participants must be the post­master/manager or supervisor responsible for the unit. Do not conduct floor stock counts during business hours. To conduct a retail floor stock count, do the following:

• Use PS Form 3294-P, Cash and Stamp Stock Count and Summary, or the POS ONE system generated count sheet.
• Verify the retail floor stock closing balance from the Clerk's Balances report as of the last Unit Form 1412.
• Perform the physical count of the retail floor stock.
• Enter the retail floor stock count into the POS ONE “Count Inventory and Cash” workflow. (POS will automatically post the count results into the corre­sponding AICs).
• Print the Cash/Stamp Count Summary report, and attach it to PS Form 3294-P.
• Record the amounts in the corresponding section on page 4 of PS Form 3294-P.

Signatures of employees that performed the count are required on the bottom of page 4 on PS Form 3294-P.

Note: Do not include packaging or retail products in this count.

Documenting Count Results

To document retail floor stock count results, do the following:

• Use PS Form 3294-P and attach the POS count sheet to document counts of the retail floor stock.
• Post the results of the retail floor stock counts to PS Form 3368-P, Accountability Examination Record.
• For discrepancies of $100 or more, complete and submit PS Form 571, Discrepancy of $100 or More in Financial Responsibility, to the appropriate Office of Inspector General field office.
• Forward a copy of PS Form 571 to the DFM.
• File documents locally as supporting documentation for retail floor stock count.

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We will incorporate the revision into the next online edition of the Postmaster Field Guide on the Postal Service Intranet.

• Go to http://blue.usps.gov/finance.
• Under “Other Links” click on Accounting Center Support (ACS).
• Under “What’s New with Accounting Services” click on the Updated Postmaster/Field Guide link.

(The direct Web site address is http://acs/pubs/pmfg.php.)

— Accounting Policy,
Finance, 6-21-07