Revised Reason Codes for AICs 247 and 647

Effective September 1, 2007, Account Identifier Code (AIC) 247, Financial Differences Overage, and AIC 647, Financial Differences Shortage, have been revised to include additional reason codes. Postmasters, managers, and supervisors at Post Offices™ and postal retail units (PRUs) must use the appropriate reason codes to report and offset financial differences.

The postmaster, manager, supervisor, or designated employee is responsible for the following:

• Researching the discrepancy thoroughly.
• Initiating a PS Form 1908, Financial Adjustment Memorandum.
• Ensuring that the adjusting entries are made in the employee’s PS Form 1412, Daily Financial Report, or the unit’s PS Form 1412 on the following business day.

Note: Some offices use a system-generated PS Form 1412, and other offices use a paper version. When this article mentions “PS Form 1412,” it refers to whichever version your office uses.

Expense reports may be monitored by using the Accounting Data Mart (ADM) Financial Performance Report (FPR) Net Financial Differences (AIC 247/647) Line Detail.

 

 

Reason Code	Description	When to Use	Action Required
01	Bank Discrepancy	When clearing an expense issued by Accounting Services to the PRU using AIC 247 or 647 for a banking discrepancy. When a closeout person identifies a banking dis­crepancy locally and expenses it using AIC 247 or 647 in the unit’s PS Form 1412.	Research the source of the difference (employee PS Form 1412 or bank deposit). Issue PS Form 1908 with the indicated discrepancy and the adjusting entries.
02	PS Form 1412 Discrepancy	When clearing an expense issued by Accounting Services to the PRU using AIC 247 or 647 for a PS Form 1412 discrepancy (e.g., unauthorized AICs, AIC 353 error, or AIC 840 error). When PRU identifies a PS Form 1412 discrepancy locally and expenses it using AIC 247 or 647 in the unit’s PS Form 1412.	Research the source of the difference (employee PS Form 1412). Issue PS Form 1908 with the indicated discrepancy and the adjusting entries.
03	Credit or Debit Card	When clearing an expense issued by Accounting Services to the PRU using AIC 247 or 647 for a credit or debit card discrepancy. When PRU identifies a credit or debit card discrep­ancy locally and expenses it using AIC 247 or 647 in the unit’s PS Form 1412.	Research the source of the difference (employee PS Form 1412 and credit and debit card report). Issue PS Form 1908 with \\the indicated discrepancy and the adjusting entries.
04	Money Order	When clearing an expense issued by Accounting Services to the PRU using AIC 247 or 647 for a money order discrepancy. When PRU identifies a money order discrepancy locally and expenses it using AIC 247 or 647 in the unit PS Form 1412.	Research the source of the difference (employee PS Form 1412 and money order list or voucher). Issue PS Form 1908 with the indicated discrepancy and the adjusting entries.
05	Stock Difference*	When clearing an expense issued by Accounting Services to the PRU using AIC 247 or 647 for a stamp stock ledger discrepancy.	Research the source of the difference (unit PS Form 1412, PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition/Stamp Return, issued to and coming from a stamp distribution office or stamp services center, or stock transfer between units). * See examples below.
06	Stamps by Mail	When PRU uses AIC 647 to replace a lost or miss­ing Stamps by Mail® order. When PRU uses AIC 247 to report a recovered Stamps by Mail order.	Customer completes PS Form 3533, Application for Refund of Fees, Products, and Withdrawal of Customer Accounts. Postmaster, manager, or supervisor approves PS Form 3533. Use PS Form 3533 as support documentation when using AIC 647 for replacement of lost Stamps by Mail orders. File PS Form 3533 locally.
11	Cash Transfer	When PRU uses AIC 647 to issue cash to an office or employee using PS Form 1096, Receipt, with name, office, and unit ID. When PRU uses AIC 247 to report cash received from an office or employee using PS Form 1096, with name, office, and unit ID.	Postmaster, manager, or supervisor must approve the transfer. The issuing office uses AIC 647, and the receiving office or employee uses AIC 247. File PS Form 1096 locally.
13	Miscellaneous: Explain	When clearing an expense issued by Accounting Services to the PRU using AIC 247 or 647 for a mis­cellaneous or other type expense (e.g., improperly accepted checks).	Research the source of the difference (employee PS Form 1412, check list, or other related documents). Issue PS Form 1908 with the indicated discrepancy and the adjusting entries.
16	Recovered POS ONE Transactions	When PRU uses AIC 247 or 647 to clear a POS ONE system-generated “Recovered Transaction” expense.	A closeout person must research and issue PS Form 1908 with the indicated discrepancy and the adjusting entries. File Recovered Transaction Report locally.
17	Master Trust	When clearing an expense issued by Accounting Services to the PRU using AIC 247 or 647 for a Master Trust balance discrepancy. When PRU identifies a Master Trust balance dis­crepancy locally and expenses it using AIC 247 or 647 in the unit PS Form 1412.	Research the source of the difference (employee PS Form 1412). Issue PS Form 1908 with the indicated discrepancy and the adjusting entries.
25	Employee Item Utility	When clearing an expense issued by Accounting Services to the PRU using AIC 247 or 647 for a dif­ference between POS ONE employee items bal­ance and ADM balance.	The unit will research the expense charge for resolution. POS ONE offices must use a manual log to track and resolve employee items that do not appear in the Unresolved Employee Items module.

* Stock Difference Examples

 

Stock in Transit

Accounting Services will expense the unit after 30 days for the in-transit stock shipment using AIC 247 or 647. The postmaster, manager, supervisor, or designated employee must do the following:

1. Contact the sender (stamp distribution office, stamp services center, or other office) and request docu­mentation for the shipment.

2. Research and identify if the shipment was received.

3. If the shipment is received but not reported, pick up the in-transit stock into the unit’s accountability. (This will generate a credit expense offsetting the original debit expense.)

4. If the shipment is identified as lost or missing, do the following:

• Notify the Office of Inspector General (OIG).
• Notify the mail processing center (registry section if shipment was registered).
• Obtain OIG memorandum.
• Complete PS Form 2130, Claim for Loss.
• Follow the Claim for Loss process.

Partial Stock Shipment Loss

The postmaster, manager, supervisor, or designated employee is responsible for the following:

1. Report the total amount as shown on PS Form 17 in AIC 841.

2. Record the shortage in AIC 767.

3. Clear the shortage in AIC 367 with an offset to AIC 647; use Reason Code 05.

4. File the appropriate supporting documentation along with a statement from either the stamp distribution office or stamp services center confirming stock was shipped.

Stock Discrepancies in Sealed Packages

The postmaster, manager, supervisor, or designated employee must do the following:

1. Report the total amount as shown on PS Form 17 in AIC 841. Complete PS Form 8144, Stamp Discrepancy Report, in duplicate.

2. Forward the original PS Form 8144 to the address printed on the form.

3. Record the shortage in AIC 767 at the unit reserve stock.

4. Clear the shortage in AIC 367 with an offset to AIC 647; use Reason Code 05.

5. File appropriate supporting documentation along with a copy of PS Form 8144.

Stamp Stock Destruction Discrepancy

If the district transfers an expense from the SDO/SSC to the unit for a stamp destruction difference, the postmaster, manager, supervisor, or designated employee must research and resolve the difference and do the following:

1. Conduct a count of stamp credit(s) if necessary.

2. Clear any related overages or shortages as follows:

• AIC 457 with an offset to AIC 247; use Reason Code 05.
• AIC 367 with an offset to AIC 647; use Reason Code 05.

3. File PS Form 17 certified by the stamp destruction committee as supporting documentation for the AIC 247 or 647 entries.

— Accounting Policy,
Finance, 8-16-07