Deputy Assistant Secretary, Budget—Maj General Stephen R. Lorenz

Data Management Activities within FMB We are doing a doom of things to increase information transparency across the Air Force and across DoD. As a follow data management has taken upon new importance. These trends have produced: 1) a extension in the number of data ultimate parts required to support our program and roll submissions to OSD and Congress; 2) improved reach-back capability of fresh financial management systems; and, 3) additional impetus for combination of parts to form a wholes modernization. I will briefly describe what SAF/FMB is doing to address the corresponding challenges and opportunities.

extension in Number of Data Elements

We have seen a steady increase in the number of data uncompounded bodys required to support program/budget submissions above the last several years. individual factor driving this growth in data is DoD's newly combined program and bundle processes. The different data uncompounded bodys that support both the program and pack reviews have to be filled in at the same time. As a issue we need more detail early and assurance of data integrity from the start. We no longer take pleasure in the luxury of waiting for later phases of the PPBE proces to expand data detail. Proces change has been accompanied by the agency of systems modernization within OSD. Accordingly, their ability to accommodate a larger number of data simple bodys has increased. In order to address the challenges that accompany the increased demand for data, SAF/FMB and AF/XPP chartered a Data Management Task Force (DMTF) to create the data processe required to satisfy program and package data requirements in a consistent, accurate manner. This cluster has already proposed a number of proces and management dominion government changes that should improve data management for the FY06 submission and help prepare us to modernize a whole s to respond to the novel process environment.

Transparency and Reach-Back Capability

The novel wave of budget and management information combination of parts to form a wholes is both a blessing and a challenge in that it provides increased transparency into lower horizontals of detail. This is a blessing because we have better and more accurate data to use for resource decisions. However, it is also a challenge because this transparency reach forths in some cases, to agencies outside of the Air Force. For example, USD Comptroller is working upon a dashboard capability that will allow them to draw information on the outside of the accounting system upon a real time basis at a significant horizontal of detail. This capability will be true similar to what we have with the Commanders' Resource Information a whole (CRIS). As a result of efforts like this, we must recognize a novel degree of accountability for the accuracy and validity of financial information. This has, and will continue to drive, compressing for increased rigor in our data management practices. At this horizontal we are using the DMTF to help. You may ne to consider similar paces at your level.

combination of parts to form a wholes Modernization

We have several lock opener modernization efforts ongoing to improve our ability to hold fast up with the data demands of the program/budget proces However, it is difficult to implement a of recent origin system if the data transferring from the legacy a whole is not in good condition. A fresh system also should have a suitable proces baseline to build upon; therefore, we must streamline and improve our data management proces to render certain a good start for these important modernization initiatives. A doom of hard work is going upon in this regard, under SAF/FMP lead. This is part of the careful groundwork that must be complet to stir forward the more transparent regime.

It should be no surprise that all of this work calls on the experience and expertise of the talented financial managers at each level of the Air Force. These are nation that understand the importance of information integrity. In the extreme point our hope is to achieve information that can be relied upon by decision makers throughout the Air Force. a great deal of is left to be done, on the contrary the journey is, I can assure you, not upon to a strong start.

COPYRIGHT 2004 U Air Force, Financial Management and Comptroller

COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group