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Commonwealth Accounting and Reporting System (CARS) - Month-End Closing Schedule

Enclosed is the monthly close/rollover schedule the Department of Accounts will observe for Fiscal Year 2012.

The CARS Weekly reports will be executed on Fridays except for the Friday preceding a scheduled CARS Monthly close. In that situation, the Weekly reports will be executed the same night as the Monthly reports and then again the following Friday.

The Rollover Date is the date CARS will be "opened" to accept data for that particular fiscal month. The Month-end Close is the last day transactions will be processed in CARS for that fiscal month. Agencies must establish their own internal cut-off to allow sufficient time for transactions to clear pre-audit hold and possibly the error file prior to the Month-end Close. The supporting documentation (batches and transmittal listings) must be received at DOA, by 5:00 p.m., on the last working day of the month (except for decentralized agencies). Deposit Certificate data must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the first working day of the next month. Agencies are not required to submit Deposit Certificate documentation to DOA.

Important Daily Cut-off Times:

• Non Month-end Close Edits:
  • 7:00 p.m. - Disk transfers must be complete to be included in that night's edit.
  • 7:00 p.m. - Nightly edit update is begun - CARS unavailable.


• Month-end Close Edits:
  • 6:00 p.m. - Disk transfers must be complete to be included in that night's edit.
  • 6:00 p.m. - Nightly edit update is begun - CARS unavailable.

If your disk transfer is not complete by the times listed above DOA will have VITA cancel your job so that the edit update can begin on time.

Occasionally problems occur which could affect the distribution of reports, however, please do not call DOA unless you have not received reports within a reasonable time period from the distribution date.

Changes to this schedule will be communicated on the CARS Broadcast screen.

* Estimated date for Preliminary close. The actual date will be communicated to agencies in the Fiscal Year-End Closing Procedures which will be sent in May. Additional year-end closings will be scheduled as needed.