Lessons Learned from Working with VIM-ASAP
Does the system ever close or go
down?
Can more than one person work with
the data at the same time?
Is the data encrypted or safe?
What if I see differences between my
paper contract and the electronic form DD1155 in VIM-ASAP?
What functions can I perform (before
WAWF-RA registration)?
What is recommended to use as a
shipment prefix for DD250s?
Can I use my shipment number as an
invoice number?
When I create my DD250 I get an
error messaging stating “There is insufficient cut qty at the site”?
What do I do if the shipper I use is
not in the shipper list?
When do I select Final Shipment for
a DD250?
Why is there a blank page printing
when I print my DD250’s and labels?
What labels does VIM-ASAP generate?
How do I account for goods produced
in anticipation of getting a contract?.
How or when do I send my data to
DFAS for payment?
What is a 1387 label and do I need
one?
How do I transition from DAMES to
accessing my MRO data from VIM-ASAP?
Why do MROs sometimes disappear from
VIM-ASAP?
MRO DODAACs Beginning With
"P" Are Appearing As "NULL".
Which takes priority on an MRO - the
Requisition Priority code or the RDD?.
Why don't I see my MOCAS Invoices on
the Track DD250 Payments screen?
I can't view anything on the
"View Contract Shipments and Invoice" page?
Why does text on my DD250s look
jagged?
Why use VIM-ASAP?
There are many advantages
in using VIM-ASAP, but the one that is most important to the contractors is
getting paid promptly. The improvement in their payment process comes from the
fact that there cannot be any inconsistencies between data sources and
documents when it comes time for DFAS to process the payment. Everything comes
from one source. This includes the paper DD250 signed by the QAR, the
electronic invoice data sent to DFAS via WInS,
and the contract data in DFAS's database that was extracted from SAMMS. All the
old unpaid invoices and CLINs are a direct result of a mismatch in one of these
three sources. The other advantage of the new version of the program is the
elimination of the use of DAMES for processing their MROs.
Does the system ever close or go down?
The only time VIM is
scheduled to be down is late Saturday evening when we do a complete backup of
all source code and data. Access to the database is locked while the backup is
being done. We occasionally take the system down at the end of the day when we
do an update to the system. We wait until after 6:00 PM on the east coast and
then check to see if anyone is still logged in. If they are, we call them to
get them off the system for 15 minutes or so while we do an upgrade. Although
the chance of an unforeseen failure always exists, we make every attempt to
minimize that likelihood and its effects on users.
Can more than one person work with the data at the same time?
Two people can work at the same time on the same data
without causing any problems with the data.
Is the data encrypted or safe?
Encryption consumes bandwidth so we only do it when it is needed. We do not want anyone seeing user IDs and passwords, but the rest of the data is all in the public domain. Bids are private, but contracts and prices are available from a variety of public sites. We encrypt the user IDs and passwords while the user is logging in and then remove the encryption to speed up the response.
What if I see differences between my paper contract and the electronic form DD1155 in VIM-ASAP?
Because original contract
data is still manually entered, there is a chance that the paper copy of your
contract may not match the SAMMS data displayed in VIM-ASAP. When you review
your paper contracts to compare them with the electronic data in VIM-ASAP, you
have the ability to submit a Data Change Request to DSCP. This is a function
under the Admin menu, and will Email your proposed change to your Item Manager/Buyer
at DSCP. From there your Item Manager/Buyer can either approve your request or
reject it. Changes will be reflected in VIM-ASAP immediately, but will not
change existing data (i.e., existing DD250s).
What functions can I perform (before WAWF-RA registration)?
Before getting registered with WAWF-RA, users can perform
all functions except the electronic transmission of DD250s.
Can I use the WinS systems?
It is strongly recommended that you transition to WAWF-RA
before you start using VIM-ASAP. As of
the first of 2005 WIns has been phased out.
What is recommended to use as a shipment prefix for DD250s?
Each contractor is required to comply with the applicable regulations that are imposed by the government. A DD250 is prepared per the DFAR Appendix F. The pertinent paragraph for the shipment prefix is:
- (2) Block 2--SHIPMENT NO.
- (i) The shipment number has a three alpha character prefix and a four numeric or alphanumeric serial number.
- (A) The prime contractor shall control and assign the shipment number prefix. The shipment number shall consist of three alphabetic characters for each "Shipped From" address (Block 11). The shipment number prefix shall be different for each "Shipped From" address and shall remain constant throughout the life of the contract. The prime contractor may assign separate prefixes when shipments are made from different locations within a facility identified by one "Shipped From" address.
Can I use my shipment number as an invoice number?
Some manufacturers use the shipment number as their invoice number. This leads to payment tracking problems with the data from VPIS. For this reason, VIM-ASAP does not permit the use of duplicate invoice numbers. Each invoice number should be a unique number that is totally independent of the shipment number.
When I create my DD250 I get an error messaging stating “There is insufficient cut qty at the site”?
The
message is generated when you have not started production for that specific
NSN. You will have to go into the
Process Contracts/Orders Start Production page and start your quantities into
production for the specified contract and delivery order. If this is not
the case then contact VIM-ASAP for assistance in resolving your issue.
*Another reason could be that you started shipments on a
specific contract before using VIM-ASAP and quantities have been posted wrong
to your contract and delivery order. If
this is the case you will have to contact your Contracting Officer and work
with them to get your quantities synchronized.
What do I do if the shipper I use is not in the shipper list?
We periodically encounter manufacturers who may use a local shipping company or another carrier of which we are not yet aware. When this does happen, please either call us toll-free at 1-888-940-7348 or Email us at vim-asap@ct-dscp.com and we will add the shipper to the available list.
When do I select Final Shipment for a DD250?
You
only select the Final Shipment button when you are invoicing your last DD250 on
a specified Delivery Order or if it’s the last shipment on a contract. You will see a “Z” on the shipment number of
that DD250 when you opt “YES” for Final Shipment when preparing the DD250.
Why is there a blank page printing when I print my DD250’s and labels?
If
you see that your pages are being cut off or starting on another page and they
shouldn’t you will have to check your margin settings. To do this click on your Internet Explorer
File menu and select Page Setup then click the Margins tab. Make sure there is no data in the Header and
Footer boxes and also make sure that you have .25 on all your margin settings.
What labels does VIM-ASAP generate?
VIM-ASAP generates both interior container labels and exterior shipping labels in strict compliance with MIL-STD-129N. The Avery labels meet MIL-SPEC requirements and are commonly available at office supply stores.
Interior container labels measure 2" x 4" and are formatted to match standard Avery 5263 labels (10 per sheet) for use in any inkjet/laser printer.
Exterior shipping labels are formatted to fit an 8˝" x 11" sheet of paper.
How do I account for goods produced in anticipation of getting a contract?
The function to manually enter manufacturer owned finished goods is almost never used because few manufacturers produce items without a contract. It is used if a manufacturer is expecting a contract for items that they do not currently produce and they want to record the existence of the items in their FG count. They can add the missing NSNs and then record the count using the Admin function for "Adjust Cut Qty and Finished Goods Counts". DSCP has burned manufacturers on this topic in the past so they now say that they will not do this.
How or when do I send my data to DFAS for payment?
If you are using Wide Area
Work Flow (WAWF), the DD250 is transmitted to WAWF at the top of the hour after
you click the "Finish" button. Your QAR can normally see it in WAWF
within 15-30 minutes after the hour and accept it, which will forward the
Invoice to DFAS for payment. If your DD250 is Fast Pay and/or Destination
Inspection and Acceptance, it will transmit into WAWF and then directly to DFAS
for processing because the QAR signature is not required.
If you are still using
WInS, all DD250s are transmitted to DFAS at the end of the day. WInS
transactions are batch-processed once per day, and you should see the results
in VIM-ASAP in 24-48 hours. * Please note that our information indicates that
WInS will be discontinued in the near future, and DCMA is encouraging all
vendors to start using WAWF (which will likely become mandatory in the near
future).
What is a 1387 label and do I need one?
The 1387 is a shipping
label for one or more DD250s or one or more MROs. It goes on the outside of the
most external container, e.g., a shrink-wrapped pallet of boxes for many MROs.
You need as many 1387s as you have external and separable external containers,
e.g., two pallets going to the same place (maybe even for one MRO or DD250)
require two 1387s because they may get separated.
How do I transition from DAMES to accessing my MRO data from VIM-ASAP?
The hardest
part of getting started is getting their requisitions from SAMMS synchronized
with what they really need to ship. The problem comes from data entry errors in
DAMES that cause violations and inconsistencies that DAMES creates when updates
take a day or two or three to get into SAMMS. There are a couple of different
ways to get started.
- Have the contractor pick a date to get started and we
will only show them new requisitions that show up from that day forward.
The contractor will need to use DAMES to complete everything before that
date.
- Use DAMES and VIM-ASAP together. Use DAMES to see the
list of each new day's requisitions and then use VIM-ASAP to create all
the documents and MILSTRIP transactions. The MROs that they see in
VIM-ASAP that are not in DAMES are ones where they already made the
shipment, but the transaction never got into SAMMS. VIM-ASAP will send the
correct transaction. The contractor will need to throw away the paper and
not make the shipments for these already shipped items. Tennessee Apparel
used this second method for synchronizing their data. It took them a week
to clean out all the old requisitions that had been violated. Once finished,
VIM-ASAP only showed each day's new requisitions.
Why do MROs sometimes disappear from VIM-ASAP?
VIM-ASAP automatically handles MRO cancellations and denials. When a cancellation is received prior to printing the MRO, the MRO is deleted from VIM-ASAP. If a cancellation is received after it has been printed by the manufacturer (while the manufacturer is pulling the items from their shelves and preparing to ship them), the cancellation is automatically denied.
One other scenario when an MRO can disappear is when another manufacturer transmits an AR0 with an error in their data that looks like it's your requisition. Although this is relatively rare, it does happen to those people who manually generate DAMES transactions.
MRO DODAACs Beginning With "P"
Are Appearing As "NULL".
When a DODAAC appears as a "(NULL)" when you go to Review Orders And Generate MROs, this is usually because the requisition is for Foreign Military Sales (FMS). If this is the case, you will need to contact DSCP to resolve the order. DSCP's Point Of Contact for these issues is currently Gene Graziano at (215) 737-5117. He can provide the address information for you.
Which takes priority on an MRO - the Requisition Priority code or the RDD?
According to DSCP, a DLA Depot responds to the Required Delivery Date (RDD), not the requisition's priority code. If you have an MRO with a "777" or "999" RDD, that takes precedence over the Priority Code.
Why don't I see my MOCAS Invoices on the Track DD250 Payments screen?
MOCAS-formatted payment data
cannot be tracked at the current time due to VPIS payments not being associated
with specific Invoices and CLINs, however MOCAS-formatted data can be viewed
online in VPIS at http://www.dfas.mil/money/vendor/index.htm.
VIM-ASAP does display SAMMs-formatted payment data, primarily focused on unpaid invoices. Fully paid invoices will remain in VIM-ASAP until the user decides they no longer need that invoice listed by clicking on the Delete button. Unpaid or partially paid invoices will remain until paid in full and also until the Delete button is used. The list is ordered by Invoice Number and can be sorted, with the oldest being listed at the top. Payment data for each CLIN can be reviewed by right clicking the mouse button and selecting View DFAS detail for each invoice.
I can't view anything on the "View Contract Shipments and Invoice" page?
The "View Contract Shipments and Invoice" page uses an embedded Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to display and calculate the data. This is generated from an ActiveX control. Your browser's security settings are optimized by running the VIM-ASAP Configuration Utility, and can be verified on the ActiveX Controls page.
We have found that some combinations of Operating Systems
and Microsoft Excel (or Microsoft Office suite) have conflicts, and will not
display the Excel data correctly. Below is a chart that shows the combinations
that work together -- if your Operating System and version of Office do not
match, you may need to install the correct version of Excel for your system.
|
OPERATING SYSTEM |
SOFTWARE REQUIRED |
|
Windows 98 Second Edition |
MDAC 2.5
or higher |
|
Windows NT 4.0 or Server |
Service Pack 6a |
|
Windows 2000 |
|
The
MDAC update may be required if the version of ODBC that you currently have does
not support XML. Likewise, you may not need to upgrade or replace your
entire Office suite, only Excel. The hyperlinks for "MDAC 2.5 or higher”
are to the Microsoft website, where you can download the update.
Why does text on my DD250s look jagged?
This problem has been seen only when
a standard font, in this case Arial, has been deleted from the user's computer.
Windows then uses a "default" font such as Times, which is a
different width and thus extends outside the blocks. (To see an example of
this, click the DD250 image at right.) To remedy this, you will need to
reinstall the Arial font. This font should be available on the Microsoft
Office CD.