Project Cost Accounting (PCA)
Introduction
On November 29, 2005, Chris Laubenthal sent a memo launching a new initiative in Radiology called Project Cost Accounting, or PCA for short.
Benefits
Benefits of PCA for Radiology are described in the PCA Case Study. They include improved financial detail, greater access to information, faster reporting, and most importantly, better data with which to make decisions -- all essential to a department as large and complex as Radiology.
How PCA Works
At University of Washington, financial systems provide three fields for PCA codes: Task, Option and Project (TOP). These codes are defined individually by each department. In Radiology, the codes indicate:
- T - Who (Which faculty member is responsible for the
transaction?)
- O - Where (Which site is affected by the transaction?)
- P - Why (Which element of the Radiology Department's mission does the transaction relate to?)
For a list of these TOP codes, please see the PCA Chart of Accounts.
Using PCA
Unless you're using a grant, contract, or cost center budget, codes are always entered when you first initiate a transaction, whether through a paper form, an e-mail, or an information system. (Note: Task code is sometimes entered on Grant budgets as well -- please see Business Rules)
To enter TOP codes, first review the PCA Chart of Accounts to see which Task (Faculty Member), Option (Site) and Project (Purpose of the transaction) best apply. Next, enter these codes into your source document.
Please see Using PCA and Financial Desktop's PCA Help Pages for more information on entering codes and creating reports.
