CARS/GEARS Updates

May 2023

GEARS is moving forward!

Parallel tests are working well!

• Are contracts, expenditures, and adjustments being processed correctly? YES!
• Are payments accurate? YES!
• Is the information in GEARS reports accurate and consistent? YES!

The transition from CARS to GEARS is going full steam ahead…

Use these tips to stay on track

• Use the CARS Expenditure Reporting form for reports submitted on or before May 15, 2023.
• On or after May 16, 2023, use the GEARS Expenditure Reporting form for all reports submitted. This includes current, prior, and all other subsequent reports.
• Beginning May 16, 2023, update the subject line when you email your GEARS Expenditure Reporting form to the GEARS format: Agency # - GEARS Agency Type Code - Contract Year - Reporting Month/Year - Agency Name.

Remember these important points 

• The GEARS Agency Type code is 2-digits (same as the last two digits of the CARS 3-digit agency type code).
• You will need to enter the full 4-digit calendar year in which the contract(s) end in the GEARS Contract Year field.
• Continue reporting costs in GEARS in full dollars—no cents.
• The expenditure reports submitted on or after May 16, 2023 will be entered into GEARS. Then GEARS will generate your July 2023 payment!

All about GEARS Reports Beginning mid-June, GEARS Reports will be available on the CARS Data Queries Page along with prior CARS reports (voucher 092314 and prior). The schedules for posting and retaining CARS and GEARS reports are unchanged. Voucher 092314 will generate the last official CARS reports. Out of an abundance of caution, we will continue parallel testing after GEARS goes live mid-June. As part of the parallel process, we will continue to generate CARS reports. We intend to suppress external viewing of post-go live CARS reports. Because of how the CARS reports are generated and displayed this is a fairly tricky update. If vouchers numbered 0924XX appear in the CARS drop down list, please DO NOT USE those reports. As noted above, we will retain the CARS drop down list and access to reports for all CARS reports associated with voucher 092314 and prior. To get your GEARS Reports, you will need to know ... Your Agency number. An organization’s GEARS Agency number is exactly the same as its CARS Agency Number. Your Agency type code. This is a two-digit code. It is the same as the last two digits of an Agency’s CARS Agency Type Code. Note that Agencies will select their agency type code from a drop-down listing. The Contract Year you are interested in. As in CARS, the GEARS-603 is limited to a single Contract Year, while the GEARS-620 report can include a single year or ALL years. Note that Agencies will select the Contract Year or ALL from a drop-down listing. The Processing Date. Note that unlike CARS, GEARS will no longer list the voucher number and the expense month. Instead, GEARS reports will be selected by the processing date. Please refer to the CARS Processing Date Schedule cars-processing-dates-thru-0224.pdf (wisconsin.gov) for GEARS processing dates. To access a GEARS report, you will select the Processing Date from a drop-down listing. We are updating How to Read the -603 and -620 Report to provide more information on how to access and use GEARS reports. This will continue to be available on the CARS Home Page before and after updating.

CARS information migrated to GEARS

Information from CARS for active contracts was migrated to GEARS. We updated it during parallel processing. The CARS/GEARS team continues to sync-up GEARS information to CARS for active contracts.

Agencies may see an adjustment in GEARS during June processing to bring the GEARS information into final agreement with CARS. These adjustments are due to the difference in how GEARS and CARS recover amounts due back to DHS (accounts receivable). They are expected to affect primarily county agencies. Since February 2023, DHS has been manually mirroring the GEARS accounts receivable process in CARS. However, it is likely a final adjustment in GEARS (to equal CARS) will be necessary for some agencies.

Let's get in synch - together

You can help us ensure that GEARS has been correctly synced-up to CARS by taking the following steps: 

• When you reconcile GEARS reports for your July 2023 payments, please verify all contract to date (CTD) information on your GEARS-603 reports. This includes columns F (Reported CTD Expenses), G (EXPS Rolled +In/-Out), H (Actual CTD Expenses) and K (CTD Payments/Advances).
• Verify all contract amounts, column I (Contract/Addendum) and the Unexpended Contract amounts (final column on the -603 report).
• If you find problems or have questions, please contact us by email at DHSDESBFSCARS@dhs.wisconsin.gov.  Set up the subject line as: Agency # - GEARS Agency Type Code - Contract Year - Reporting Month/Year - Agency Name.

It took a team to get here

While it has been said that it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a team to build a system as important and complex as GEARS.

And it will take a team as we fully transition to GEARS. We hope that those of you who prepare and submit expenditure reports or use CARS/GEARS reports will see yourself as part of that team. As you prepare the GEARS expenditure reports or use the GEARS reports, if you find problems or have questions, please let us know. We are excited to be moving GEARS forward.

See you at the WHSFMA Conference!

For those attending the Wisconsin Human Services Financial Management Association’s 2023 Conference, the leader of the DHS GEARS team, Vanessa, will be presenting information on GEARS and will be available for questions.

Please do not reply directly to this email message.  Please direct questions to DHS DES BFS CARS.