Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve compiled the most common questions asked about Actus. Don’t see the answer you’re looking for? Contact us anytime.
Does Actus really automate my whole procure-to-pay program?
Yes! Or at least everything that can be automated. Our users tell us that their most burdensome activities tend to be filling out approval forms, maintaining purchase logs, tracking partial shipments, reconciling transactions, and answering audit record requests. Actus handles each of these processes and more.
What if I want to buy something that is not available online?
For purchases out-of-network, a simple wizard will help you create your request. From there, it’s a breeze! Custom approval workflows, electronic signatures, and financial data capture are all done by Actus. Approval forms for integrated vendors, marketplaces, and GWACs are automatically populated.
Does Actus replace my purchase log in SharePoint or Excel?
Yes! All transaction activity is captured and entered into your in-platform Actus purchase log. You will no longer have to keep a separate log of purchases or manually update transaction activity.
How does Actus help me simplify my monthly reconciliation duties?
Bank transactions are automatically matched to purchases, making reconciliation fast and easy. Your statement packet will be electronically generated and routed to your Approving Official for final approval and archiving. No printing. No file cabinets.
Does Actus make Audits easier?
Audit records are automatically generated which means that you don’t have to prepare anything! Actus Active Audit checks against your organization’s audit checklist and flags all items that need attention. We make audits so fast and easy, you can audit every day if you need to.
Can I create a custom approval workflow for my team?
Yes! While your organization will have a standard approval workflow, you can create custom workflows to suit your needs. Use cases can include special projects, restricted goods purchasing, and grant funds expenditures.
Can someone in an oversight role see purchasing activity for the whole program?
Yes! Actus is built on the idea that transparency is critical to good governance. Oversight roles in Actus have visibility into all areas of activity, including item-level detail, supporting documentation, and spend reports.
I don't purchase things myself. How can I use Actus to make requests and get them purchased by my buyer?
Actus is a great way to search across commercial marketplaces and access Schedule, GWAC, and AbilityOne items. Actus will auto-generate your request and approval form which you can send to your buyer with one click. You will be able to see the status of your request all the way through approval, purchase, and fulfillment. No need to email/call/text your buyer to see what’s happening with your request. You can even message with your buyer and approvers as questions arise.
How does Actus help someone in charge of auditing for an agency?
Auditors love Actus. Fully electronic purchases, inclusive of all supporting documentation, are available on-demand to auditors. Auditors don’t have to wait for a buyer to put together and deliver bankers’ boxes, and more importantly, auditors don’t have to wade through them!
How does Actus identify items that need to be corrected for audit?
With every auto-reconciled statement packet, Actus Active Audit generates an automated audit checklist which alerts them to any red flags that require further attention. It’s like a magnet for all of your needle-haystack problems!
Can Actus automate reporting, spending, and obligation tracking for budget officers?
Yes! Our Budget Officers tell us that the two major burdens they face is:
- getting accurate and granular purchasing data to roll up for settlement of purchase card obligations
- real-time visibility of obligation vs. actual spend
Actus handles both.
Our Budget Officers reports package spend data across your program in the right format for easy entry into your Financial Management System. You can get rid of the pivot tables and let us do the heavy lifting.
Actus also gives you real-time visibility of obligations at the Program, Object Class, Source of Funds (Fund Type) and CAN (budget account) level.
Is Actus secure?
Yes! Actus is built with government security controls and standards to ensure the level of security required by your Information Security Office. Actus is in process of receiving FedRAMP and StateRAMP authorizations, and is prepared for agency Authority to Operate (ATO) security reviews.
How do purchase orders get placed with my vendors?
Actus creates and sends the Purchase Order to the vendor through cXML arranged on the back end with the vendor. All you do is place the order in Actus and we handle the rest.
What are my shopping options in Actus?
Actus provides three ways to place orders with vendors: Punch Out to vendor, hosted catalog, and manual request.
- Vendor Punch Out allows you to click out to the vendor’s website to shop and create a cart. When you are ready, a click brings your cart back to Actus for approvals and purchase. Once an approved order is placed, Actus creates and sends a purchase order directly to your vendor. Our two-way communication with the vendor provides you with order status, tracking number, and invoice all in one easy to use portal and ties the information together automatically for P-Card reconciliation.
- Hosted Catalogs provide you a place to search for GSA, GWAC, Ability One, and Open Market items all in one place. When you search for an item, you will see shopping results from hundreds of vendors so that you can compare and decide all within Actus. We even help you create a Comparison attachment that travels with your Actus requisition all the way through purchase, receiving, and audit.
- Manual Requests and Orders are easy with Actus too. If you want to buy an item that is not listed in our platform, or pay for a service such as a training class or event, you can create a manual order that will be tracked, reconciled, and audited with the same automations as an in-network order.
How can I track the status of my orders?
Actus provides order status, shipment tracking, and invoices directly from your vendor. There is no need for you to go chasing down orders with multiple vendors. Simply log in to Actus and view your order, where you will find all order information together in one place. Card holders will be notified automatically of any orders that haven’t been delivered yet so that no orders fall through the cracks or get forgotten.
Do I get shipping and fulfillment notifications?
Yes! Actus pulls shipping and fulfillment information directly from your vendor and provides a copy of your vendor invoice within your order record. You no longer have to call your vendor to find out the tracking number or whether the order has been shipped. When you need your invoice for reconciliation, it is already attached to your order for you.
How does Actus handle receiving of goods and services?
Actus provides all the information needed for receiving. Once an item is delivered to its destination (whether full order or partial order), your receiving personnel will be notified to log in to Actus and complete Receiving in the system. Your order will then be ready for reconciliation and audit with no further effort needed from you!
What if the items were shipped two different times so the amounts would equal the correct amount but it has two different amounts?
Receiving and reconciliation matching functions will help you identify and report split shipments for proper reconciliation.
How does Actus provide protections for separation of duties?
Actus is fully customizable to the P-Card Program rules for your department, agency, and office. Actus is implemented to fully match your current work flows including separation of duties, so that no person will be able to complete an action they are unauthorized for, and everyone is notified when it is their turn to take action on an order.
How does Actus control access to data and reporting?
Actus is fully customizable to all P-Card Program rules for your organization. Access for users is role-based, which means each person is only able to access information they are authorized to see. Users cannot see information that is not assigned to them according to their role in a hierarchy and workflow.
Does Actus require integration with our Financial Management System?
Although Actus is fully capable of integrating with your Financial Management System, that integration is not required for a full and robust P-Card Management Program with Actus. Actus is a stand-alone solution that does not require being tied to any outside financial system to provide all the benefits of an automated, paperless management and oversight tool.
Can Actus accommodate all my financial fields required for reporting?
Yes! Actus is configurable to meet all your financial reporting needs. If our existing suite of reports doesn’t meet all of your needs, we will provide custom reports for you. No longer will you need to create pivot tables and Excel charts! We will provide you with all the information you need from Actus at the push of a button.
How does Actus compress the time from obligation to audit?
Actus Active Audit automates this time consuming task, so put your feet up! By automatically filtering all order activity within your organization or work group and comparing that to the pre-loaded audit checklist provided by your organization, Actus provides you clear and orderly feedback to help you quickly work through all audit issues and clear your plate in no time.
I thought the bank already does this for me?
Although your bank provides some information about transactions such as vendor name, amount, and a description, the banks can not provide true Level 3 item data like Actus does. 60% of vendors in the U.S. do not provide actual Level 3 detail in their charge data, mostly because the banks provide an unstructured data field entry with no requirements, which leads to worthless unmineable data. Actus provides actual Level 3 data with every transaction, matched to the bank charges. The granular item level data achieved with Actus allows real analysis of data by providing item level details to measure what is being purchased, how much of it, and at what prices. Data becomes infrastructure for applying research when you manage your P-Card Program with Actus.
How complicated is Actus to set up?
Actus setup is easy. Our onboarding process makes it simple for you to identify the information we need to configure your organization’s rules and workflows. All you have to do is start using the system!
How long does it take to set up Actus?
Typical setup time is less than 30 days from initiation to launch.
Can Actus track COVID and emergency spend?
Yes! Actus provides COVID spend tracking and can be configured to track and report any emergency use spending required at any time.
Is Actus utilized for federal and commercial applications?
Yes! Actus is utilized by both federal government and commercial companies to manage their P-Card Programs. Because Actus is the only solution to manage the P-Card spend all the way from obligation through audit, all kinds of organizations depend on Actus to ensure Accountability, Compliance, and Transparency for their micro-purchase activity.
Who controls cardholder spend limits in Actus?
Actus can be configured one of two ways depending on the needs of the organization:
- AOPC can control all cardholder purchase limits as a central administrator.
- Cardholders can control their own purchase limits in their profile.
Are items being sourced from our required sources? ie. Ability one? GSA Advantage etc?
Actus catalog vendors include dozens of GSA and AbilityOne sources of supply (approximately 10 million items) and will be adding more as we continue to build out vendor resources.
Can we shop on GSA Marketplaces in Actus?
Yes. Fisher Scientific and Amazon GSA Marketplaces are enabled as punch out vendors. You can shop on the GSA Marketplace and make your order in Actus for centralized Purchase Card management and oversight.
Once an item is in my favorites list, can I later delete that favorite if I find out it was a bad decision?
Yes, you will have individual control over your favorites list.
Would the favorites work for recurring expenses that are not the same price each month, such as UPS and Fedex?
Yes. Favorite Catalog items will automatically update to the current price. Manually entered Favorite items allow you to update the price when you add the item to a new request.
At what point will I see whether I've met a vendor's minimum purchase requirement?
Terms and conditions of GSA and AbilityOne contracts will apply when choosing schedule items. Some vendors may charge a fee for commercial (non-schedule) items. Vendors should disclose minimum order amounts and fees in the line item description.
If there is a required financial field and I don’t know the value, will Actus allow the cardholder or requestor to finish the request and send it to the next step?
Yes. Actus will allow you to proceed as a cardholder without completing required financial fields. If you don’t know the correct value, you can select Unknown. However, before the last Approving Official approves the request, a number needs to be filled in.
Can the Funding Official change dollar and/or quantity amounts in Actus?
Yes! It is the Funding Official’s option whether to change the dollar or quantity amounts, to reject back to the cardholder with comments to fix errors, or to send a chat to the cardholder to make corrections.
Can the Approving Official see the supporting quote for the purchase?
Yes! If the cardholder has a supporting quote, they can enter the quote number in the line item and they can attach the merchant’s quote in Documents which can be viewed from the Purchase Approval Request.
When a Funding Official or Approving Official rejects a request, does it go back to the cardholder for corrections without them having to create a new request?
Yes! When a request is rejected, the cardholder can make corrections to the same request, including changes to the vendor, items, prices, quantities and any custom fields.
When a cardholder adds an extra fee/charge after Approval, how does the Funding Official approve this additional expense?
A Post Approval Mod workflow will be available for pricing changes and fee additions made after the original approval of the purchase request.
Is the approval for the additional funds done before the purchase is made or after the purchase is made?
Funding increases will be approved prior to the purchase.
Can the Approving Official generate a report, for their reference, that shows the purchase order and the financial fields?
Yes! Yes, there are a variety of reports available to help AOs keep track of information.
Will Actus work on the government phone?
This is a web application but not a mobile application. Approvers can review and approve/reject on the phone via web browser.
Can cardholders select more than one person in a role, for example, can they list more than one Approving Official?
We provide an Approver Pool, where all Approving Officials in the Pool will be notified of an approval request. The first Approver who claims the approval is the Approver for the request, and everyone else in the pool will no longer have access to make the approval.
Can you copy previous requests in Actus?
Yes, you can copy previous requests. Use the Reorder button to clone the request, including line items, to a new request. The new request can be edited for price, quantity, financial fields, and approvers.
Who determines the Hierarchy I am a part of in Actus? Do you have to enter it on every request or will they be able to see everything at any time if set up permanently?
Hierarchy is set based on bank hierarchy. Users are restricted from seeing anything outside of their hierarchy, roles, and permissions.
Are approval workflows configurable to my agency’s approval rules?
Yes. Actus is configured to the approval workflows defined for use by your agency.
As a card holder will I be able to see the activity log of approvals on my requests?
Yes, you will have the list of your requisitions and their status whether approved or pending approval.
I'm a Funder, but I'm also sometimes a Requestor. Will I have to have two different logins or one login that will allow me to both fund and create a request?
You will have one login for all of your responsibilities. You can view your roles in your Profile.
Can the AOPC later edit the required fields the Funding Verification Official fills in?
Yes, the AOPC has the ultimate authority.
Can the system make sure addresses are in the correct format?
Facility addresses are approved by the AOPC so that you can select from a dropdown list which is configured to the proper format.
Are ActiveAssist parameters configurable? For example, what if we want to see requests that haven't been filled after 1 month?
Alerts begin after 7 business days and remain until resolved. 92% of all orders placed online are filled within 7 business days.
Will we be able to copy a request after it has been completed? or do we have to remember to copy it before we complete it?
You can copy a request with the Reorder button at any time after it has been created.
Can I copy an archived request?
The Reorder function creates an editable copy of the original request. You may edit all fields and send for approval.
What if my request must go through several special approvals? Will I be able to select multiple approval workflows?
Approval workflow combinations are provided in Actus and are configurable to the procedures used by your agency.
The funding code assignment is usually done by the Funding Verification Official. Can I just leave it blank for the fund approval?
Requestors and Cardholders can choose Unknown on the financial code field assignment. The Funder or Approving Official will need to verify the correct values are entered when they are doing their approval review.
How much does Actus cost?
Actus is offered on a Value-based Subscription model to keep the cost low. Our customers report that we save them money from day one because we eliminate time-consuming tasks like manual reconciliation and audit. When added to the cost of manual processes if your organization uses paper for approvals and audits, Actus will save more in those costs than the price of our subscriptions. Plus, we only charge for user roles that will use the system daily (based on user roles) – everyone else is free!