Can I run multiple sessions of FMMI at one time? Do I have to log in separately for each session?

FMMI allows the user to open up six windows simultaneously.  If you are not able to open six windows, please see your local Agency technical support to check your computer settings. Please note you are not allowed to login multiple times, simply open another window during the same session.

How is user access to view other agency data being controlled in FMMI?

User access in FMMI is controlled by security, roles and authorization groups associated with Funds and Funds Center master data records.  

For example, if a user is mapped to a NASS Reporter role, then that user will only be able to access NASS-related data (that user will not see or need to filter through other agency data). A user can be mapped to access data from multiple agencies - in that case the user will see data from only the agencies s/he is mapped to.

How do I access FMMI?

FMMI is a web-based solution which can be accessed through an internet browser. Using Internet Explorer 6.0 or later version is recommended. To access FMMI, all users must have a current/valid Level 2 eAuthentication User ID and Password.

The FMMI website, https://info.fmmi.usda.gov holds the FMMI Portal is on the main page.

Can users only login to the FMMI Portal using Internet Explorer v7?  Can they login using other web browsers, like Firefox or other versions of Internet Explorer?

The FMMI Portal is designed to be compatible with the USDA standard desktop configuration which includes IE version 7.  The FMMI Portal has not been certified for use with IE version 8 or other web browsers.

I am trying to use my eAuthentication to sign-on to FMMI but am unable to login. What do I do?

If you are having problems logging in using you’re eAuthentication Account, you should contact the eAuthentication Helpdesk to resolve the issue.

If you are able to successfully login with your Level 2 eAuthentication user ID and password and receive an “Access Denied” error, you should register for access and contact your agency FMMI point of contact to ensure your request is processed. If this does not solve the challenge contact your local IT desktop support to make sure your workstation is set to Internet Explorer to allow pop-ups for FMMI.

I am able to sign in to FMMI but I do not seem to have the correct privileges. What do I do?

Please contact your local Agency Implementation Lead. They will reach out to your security administrator to verify the roles that you have been assigned. If a change is required, a FMMI User Access Requestor within your agency can initiate a request for the appropriate change.

How quickly can roles be added, changed or removed once requests are submitted?

GRC Access Control is the user provisioning system that is used for adding/changing/removing user's access in FMMI. Once a user submits the request, the request is automatically routed to the different approval stages (sequentially). After the last approval stage, the user will be assigned the requested roles (approved) in FMMI immediately by the system.

With this being said, role assignment time directly depends on the time taken by the agency security administrators for approving roles after checking for Segregation of Duties conflicts.

Who has the security administration responsibility for FMMI?

Security administration for FMMI are split between a central group within ACFO-FSPM and agency level security administrators.

FMMI will restrict users to see only their agency data.  Can security restrict down more within the agency so that employees can only see their program data within the agency? 

The current policy is that security can be implemented one level below agency (division level).  This is an agency decision  to utilize this lower level of security.

Why am I automatically logged out of FMMI after 30 minutes of inactivity?

Standard USDA Security requirements require that users are timed out after 30 minutes of inactivity for security purposes.

What happens when Internet service is disrupted?

Although an active Internet connection is required to access FMMI, the system itself will remain operational throughout local disruptions in Internet service and will continue to process business activities and interfaces.

What is the FMMI backup process?

FMMI production infrastructure is located at the National Finance Center (NFC) data center in Denver, Colorado. This data c enter has redundant power sources, including backup generators and full Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS), ensuring high availability for financial operations. During normal operations, FMMI data is replicated to the NFC Backup Computing Facility (BCF) in St. Louis, MO. In the event of a disaster, FMMI will be operational at this DR site within twelve hours.

Is IFCRS going away? If so, then how will FAS users, who use IFCRS, do commitment accounting – will they eventually start creating Purchase Requisitions in FMMI?

Yes, IFCRS (International Fund Control and Reporting System) functionality will be subsumed in FMMI. However, FAS will not be using Purchase Requisitions.

Instead, FAS resources will manually enter a FMMI Funds Reservation document (FAS Funds Commitment) to “commit” funding for a specific purpose. The following four Funds Reservation document types are available to categorize the budget commitment.

SP SmartPay – Credit Card Request
SD State Dept – Fund Cite Cable
GT GovTrip – Travel Obligation
MO All Other – Misc. Obligation

In the event that the vendor does not currently exist in the Central Contractor Registry file (CCR), what is the process for requesting vendor master data record creation for both CCR and CCR exempt vendors?

The Maintenance Section in FMMI will not update vendors manually for those that have to be registered in the Central Contractor Registry file (CCR). When a vendor registers, the daily CCR to FMMI interface will capture the vendor; at that time the vendor will be available for use by the agencies.

The table maintenance group at COD can assist the agencies if they have questions about the CCR process.

Is there currently any tolerance allowed for receiving an overage of what was on the purchase order on a goods receipt?

The tolerance level for FMMI is set to 0 - prohibiting any overages. If the delivery is not within the tolerance level, then the Goods Receipt Processor should inform the agency/staff office of the difference between what is stated on the PO and the actual quantity received. It is then up to the agency/staff office to have the items returned or to modify the PO to include the adjusted amount received.

Is there a way to control the date a payment will be released? Certain vendors offer a discount if the invoice is paid within 15 days. 

The invoice has several pre-defined payment terms which are selectable.  If the specific discount/payment terms are not found, they can be input manually with separate fields for the discount percent and payment due date.
 
The FMMI application will evaluate whether it is advantageous to take the discount offered by the vendor.  If it is, the payment date will be scheduled automatically and discount taken.

What is the numbering convention for purchase orders?

For direct entered purchase orders, the number range is 4500000000 to 4599999999
For IAS interfaced purchase orders, the number range is 6000000000 to 6099999999.
Online Help Procedures (OLHPs) will include the steps as well as key values for executing transactions.

What is the storage limit in FMMI for transactions and for vendor records?

There is no specified limit to the number of postings or master data records.  However an archiving strategy will be developed in Deployment 2 in order to facilitate ongoing, timely processing of FMMI.  Please note that archived postings will still be accessible to online users via separate functions on query screens.

Can the Customer ID and the Vendor ID be the same when a business is considered both a vendor and a customer?

In FMMI, customer and vendor master data records are maintained in two separate tables. Upon the creation of these records, FMMI assigns unique number ranges depending on the record type (customer vs. vendor). In the instance in which a business is considered both a vendor and a customer, the user can utilize the “Customer” field within the vendor master data record to indicate the customer master data record number.

In FMMI does each agency have its own set of sales order numbers?

In FMMI there is only one set of Sales Order numbers. Each sales order type (e.g. Reimbursable Order No Advance (RONA)/Reimbursable Order with Advance (ROWA) has its own number range.  

Is Sales Customer Master Data the same as Customer Master Data?

The Sales Customer Master Data and the Customer Master Data are the same except the view of the Sales Customer Master Data is limited, in that it doesn't show certain Personally Identifiable Information (PII) such as Tax ID#.

Will the capability to search customers by TIN be available?

Yes. FMMI provides the ability to search vendors by various criteria such as vendor name, postal code, city, country, TIN etc.

What is a WBS and who creates them?

WBS stands for Work Breakdown Structure. A WBS element is usde to plan, collect, and settle the costs of a project. A WBS can be used to collect costs accross organizational entities within a project.

The format for WBS Elements are:
• Position 1-2 = Agency Identifier
• Position 3 = “.”
• Position 4-5 = The OCFO Recommends Project Type
• Position 6 = “.”
• Position 7-10 = The OCFO Recommends Project Name
• Position 11 = “.”
• Position 12-13 =Agency Defined Field
• Position 14 = “.”
• Position 15-18 = Agency Defined Field
• Position 19 = “.”
• Position 20-24 = Agency Defined Field

The field length is 24, however the structure also includes dot separators.

The Agency Cost Management Master Data Maintainer creates and maintains WBS elements.

Can the Accounts Receivable Approver Role make changes to Invoices?

Yes, the AR Approver role needs the ability to change an AR Invoice to correct a GL Account or other piece of information that was incorrectly entered.  This role should only be granted to a person with the knowledge and authority required to validate GL account numbers and other information in the invoice. The AR Approver is the only approval step; there is not secondary approval.

Can any individual with an Approver role reverse an Invoice, or does it have to be the individual who approved that invoice?

Any individual with the Accounts Receivable Approval role can reverse an Invoice, it does not have to be the individual who approved that invoice.

What is the impact of the Contract End Date in creating a sales order? Will it prevent billing after the end date?

No, the Contract End Date will not prevent billing. The Contract End Date also does not stop expenditures.  When the year end processes run, if the contract extends into the next fiscal year, the contract will add a new line item that requires a new WBS. If the contract end date does not extend to the next fiscal year, then the year-end program will automatically close the sales order.

What is the maximum number of characters in the description field of a line item in a Sales Order?

The maximum number of characters in the description field of a line item in a Sales Order is 36 characters.

Can the Customer ID and the Vendor ID be the same when a business is considered both a vendor and a customer?

In FMMI, customer and vendor master data records are maintained in two separate tables. Upon the creation of these records, FMMI assigns unique number ranges depending on the record type (customer vs. vendor). In the instance in which a business is considered both a vendor and a customer, the user can utilize the “Customer” field within the vendor master data record to indicate the customer master data record number.

What is a Project Definition?

Project Definitions are part of Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) creation and maintenance. There is only one Project Definition for each project.  Project Definitions relate to WBS by having a single project definition under the same project, or you would have unique and separate Project Definitions for the different sets of WBS.

What is the format for the FUND data element?

The format for the FUND data element is:
Digits 5-10 are agency defined.  
The base 4 of the TAS (application of Funds), followed by R or D, or another indicator for the Fund Type was a recommendation that most agencies took into consideration when making the decision originally.

How will we be able to identify when someone makes a fund change in the system?

There is a 'Change Documents' button on the Fund Master screen which will allow you to see all changes to the Fund Master and by whom.

What are the Business Areas?

The Business Area within FMMI financial accounting identifies USDA agencies and staff offices. The business area is a subdivision of the company code USDA which is
used for reporting purposes.

Business Areas will be established at a lower level than the Agency/Staff Office. Each
Business Area Name will begin with a 2-character alpha agency identifier. Business Area Names will be centrally maintained by the USDA, Office of the Chief Financial Officer.
- Positions 1-2 = 2-character alpha agency identifier
- Positions 3-4 = Remaining 2 characters of Business Area Name

What view of vendors customer records will Agencies have in FMMI?

The customer records converted into FMMI will be extended to all sales areas. All FMMI users will be able to view the sales area data for FMMI customers. Similarly, all vendors will be viewable and usable by the agencies.  Most non-federal vendors will come from the Central Contractor Registry file (CCR) maintained by DOD. Agencies can search to see if a vendor or customer already exists by searching on all or part of the name, taxpayer ID, city, etc.

What is a Processor Role and how does it relate to a Approver Role?

A Processor has the ability to create transactions. An Approver has the ability to approve transactions/business activities at the supervisory/management level. One person may have both a Processor and an Approver role, however, FMMI will not allow one person to approve a document they have also processed.

OMB circular A-123 defines the purpose of Segregation of Duties (SoD) is to ensure that there are controls to separate personnel with authority to authorize a transaction, process the transaction, and review the transaction. SoD exists to ensure that errors or irregularities are prevented or detected on a timely basis by employees in the normal course of business.
At the most basic level SoD means no single individual should have control over two or more phases of a transaction or operation (e.g., a user cannot approve the transaction he/she previously created). Management assigns role(s) responsibilities to ensure a crosscheck of duties.

How can I see when someone makes a change to documents or transactions?

To see when someone makes a change to documents or transactions use the 'Display Changes Made to Transaction' or click the history tab. The history tab displays the person who created the object and any individual who has changed the document.

Will agencies continue using their own lockboxes?

No, agencies will use the centrally maintained FMMI lockbox through US Bank.  The only exception is FSIS, which will continue to use it's own lockbox.

Are current vendor codes being migrated to FMMI?

Yes, the FFIS VEND vendor code will be stored in the Tax Number 4 field on the Control tab of the FMMI Vendor master record.

Are employees going to be on the Customer or Vendor master tables?

Employees will be on both the vendor and customer masters in FMMI.  

If a user has Evaluator (i.e. view-only) access to the vendor master, do they see all tabs on that master, including those containing Personally Identifiable Information (PII) such as SSN / EIN as well as a vendor's bank account?  

Users will see all the tabs on the vendor master. But the PII information such as Banking and Tax information will be masked to protect PII. A Vendor and Customer Master Data Evaluator role is being created for agencies that need access to vendor and customer PII.

Will changes to Master data for all of the agencies have to be coordinated through OCFO - COD?

The master data elements currently maintained by the agency are the Work Breakdown Structure (WEBS) Element and the statistical key figure.  All other master data elements are maintained by OCFO.

When will we use Shorthand Codes?

Shorthand codes are being used exclusively for account validation by the legacy interface systems: GovTrip, CPAIS, IAS, WebTA, TRVL, SmartPay2, ABCO, CAPS, TIME and PACS.  FMMI will contain a crosswalk table that maps the shorthand codes to full FMMI accounting.  Shorthand codes will not need to be directly entered into FMMI.

Who is responsible for monthly accruals?

Monthly accruals are performed at the National Finance Center (NFC) and by agencies. Each agency is responsible for entering data  into FMMI, associated with each of their accruals.  However, COD will schedule and execute a batch job to reverse the relevant accruals based on the reversal date entered by the agency on the original date of posting.

Why does the Accounting System in FMMI have 16 accounting periods?

Period descriptions are as follows:
Periods 1-12 is for each month of the year
Period 13 is for year end adjustments
Period 14 is for audit adjustments
Periods 15 and 16 are used for conversion data and as needed

Upward and Downward adjustments are automatic in FFIS, how will this be accomplished in FMMI?

FMMI provides the functionality for the Upward/Downward adjustments.  The system will reference the prior year purchase order/invoice/sales order and the upward/downward posting is automatically created based on the change to the prior year's document.

Where will FMMI data be stored?

Disk storage will be provided by the internal disk drives on each server until storage requirements are such that a Storage Area Network (SAN) is needed at both the primary and secondary data centers.

How many End Users will be on FMMI for Deployment 1?

Deployment 1, once completed in April 2010, will bring nearly 1500 end users into the FMMI system.

What is FMMI?

The Financial Management Modernization Initiative (FMMI) will improve financial management performance by efficiently providing USDA with a modern, core financial management system that provides maximum support to the mission. The technology behind FMMI is SAP, a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) financial management system. The FMMI implementation will replace the legacy mainframe systems with an advanced, web-based financial management system. The solution complies with Federal accounting and system standards and provides general accounting, funds management, and financial reports.

Is transition to the FMMI system mandatory?

Transition to this new system is mandatory. USDA is taking steps to modernize its financial systems through the Financial Management Modernization Initiative (FMMI). FMMI makes way for the use of a state-of-the-art software package that will provide online, real-time transaction capability and access to both Department-level offices and all agencies. It will replace the Foundation Financial Information System (FFIS) and program financial systems, as applicable, so if your agency is transitioning to FMMI it will be mandatory.

What will be different after FMMI is fully deployed?

Currently, the USDA does not have integration across its financial systems or among other domains; FMMI will integrate a majority of the financial capabilities of the USDA. This integration allows for a single data entry into the system – significantly decreasing the number of manual reconciliations currently being performed throughout USDA. Integration also improves planning, programming, budgeting and execution through the use of integrated output data from financial and non-financial sources. The FMMI system will feed vital, up-to-the-minute information to senior leadership. FMMI will put in place and maintain financial management systems that will not only give Congressional overseers the level of financial accountability they need from the Department, but also provide top-tier leadership with timely, accurate data that will enable them to make sound business decisions. Additionally, there will be significant savings in personnel-related matters as a result of the implementation of FMMI. Roles will be re-distributed and realigned in order to appropriately work within the new system.

What is the benefit of FMMI?

FMMI makes way for the use of a state-of-the-art software package that will provide online, real-time transaction capability and access to both Department-level offices and all agencies.

Benefits of FMMI:

Provides access to leading business practices by using a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS), Web-based Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP) system
Saves time across USA by eliminating redundant data entry, re-working same data among multiple systems, and then reconciling data differences
Consolidates/eliminates many legacy systems
Secure single sign-on
Improves financial performance and management reporting to help with decision-making
Streamlines financial-business processes
Improves functional integration, accountability, internal controls, and the ability to audit transactions
Complies with Federal system standards

What is the schedule for deployment?

The FMMI Project Team will work with all Agencies and Staff Offices in preparation for their deployment. The first deployment will begin October, 2009. Deployments 2 and 3 will deploy at the beginning of October in 2010 and 2011 respectively.

What can I do now to prepare for FMMI?

FMMI is sharing information as it is known through various channels. These channels of communication are designed to provide leadership and end-users with current information and points of contact for their Agency or Staff Office. To ensure we are providing enough information at the right time, relevant to you and your Agency or Staff Office, please let us know what topics you would like to hear by sending feedback, comments and suggestions to the FMMI Mailbox at FMMI@usda.gov. Please use Need Information in the subject line so your e-mail is routed to the appropriate party.

Where can I find more information on FMMI?

The FMMI website has information located in a variety of areas depending on the information being sought. Further information is also available by taking training. FMMI training is available via AgLearn.

Do we have an agency crosswalk list? 

The Agency Identifiers and Codes are posted to the FMMI website > Configuration Decision and Reference Documents page: http://info.fmmi.usda.gov/Policy/Reference.html

Is IAS is still going to work the same?  Will purchases still be initiated through IAS not FMMI?

Yes; Purchase Orders are triggered within IAS and sent to FMMI. Purchase Orders (POD's) can also be direct entered into FMMI.

Will PCAS be used for billing?

PCAS is a module within FFIS and will not be used for billing.  FMMI will execute the billing process for all agencies and staff offices.

Will the US Bank feeder system run over night or will it be real time data?

The SmartPay2 Interface for Payment Vouchers and Reallocations will batch overnight.  
The Client-Side Validation of the Shorthand Code from US Bank is near real-time.

What USDA legacy/feeder systems will be interface vs integrated. What systems would be considered "real time" versus having to be updated into FMMI via "batch" processing? What is happening with the ABCO system for non-employee type transactions?

Below are the systems interfacing into FMMI:
Payroll PACS - Batch Interface
Payroll CAPS - Batch Interface
Payroll ABCO - Batch Interface
TRVL - Batch Interface
TELE - Batch Interface
UTVN - Batch Interface
CPAIS - Batch Interface
CCR - Batch Interface
NEMP - Batch Interface
SmartPay2 - Batch Interface
GOALS/Treasury - Batch Interface
Lockbox - Batch Interface
ACRWS - Outbound Batch Interface
FSDW - Outbound Batch Interface
WebTA - Real-Time Interface
IAS - Real-time Interface
GovTrip - Near Real-Time Interface

IAS, GovTrip and WebTA will be near real-time.    

Non employee related transactions will be processed in FMMI not ABCO. Employee related transactions will be interfaced from ABCO.

Will office supply orders (normally ordered through GSA Advantage, Staples, OfficeMax, etc.) be processed thrugh FMMI, or will the supplied be ordered same as they are today?

FMMI is not subsuming any current ordering processes.

Will FMMI be able to track congressional budgeting, in other words, will each agency be able to see the budget they submit versus what congress approves?

The budget formulation (submission) is currently not in scope. The Agency will only see the budget established in FMMI.  

What happens to prior year data? Will users be able to utilize BRIO and the FDW and FFIS on-line inquiry screens?

Select users will have read only access to FFIS for FY 2010, at least. The FDW, or a replacement system, will serve the retention requirements and allow on-line inquiry screens.

Will we be able to create ad hoc reports in FMMI?

FMMI does not allow users to create reports for "ad hoc" purposes; reports which are available to users are listed in the Portal. However, using parameters or 'criteria selection', users can choose what type of data is displayed.

Do I have to use parameters when running a report?

Like any reporting system, executing a report without any parameters may result in poor system performance or a report timing out before the execution can complete. Also, running a report without parameters or 'entry criteria' may return too wide an expanse of data. Reports can have required and non-required entry criteria. The required entry criteria must be completed to execute the report. The criteria which are required are chosen in order to ensure the results produce a report with meaningful results – not to limit the results artificially.

How does FMMI's reporting tool compare to what we currently have in FSDW and FDW?

FMMI will have similar, but not identical reporting capabilities.  Some FDW reports will be replaced by standard ECC reports.  Other FDW reports will be replaced with standard BW reports in January.  

FSDW will continue to receive data from FMMI and will be available for reporting after October 1, 2009. FDW will no longer receive data for agencies in FMMI.  

Brio and Hyperion are similar to SAP ECC and BW. Each tool extracts data from a data source and provides end user with the ability to query data.

How can I see all available Variants?

To tell which Variants are available in FMMI, from the report transaction click the 'Get Variant' button and search for the appropriate option.

Variants are not agency specific.  Variants can be accessed by any users but can also be protected by the creator to prevent them from being changed or deleted.

What is a Variant and how do I use them?

A variant is a collection of saved parameters, such as the setting for a particular table or a set of report selection criteria. Variants allow you to save data sets that you may use repeatedly without having to re-enter the data each time you run a particular transaction.

The person who creates a variant can protect a variant to prevent it from being changed. Variants should be protected and saved with the agency identifier as the first 2 characters followed by an underscore then followed by a unique name. For example, DA_acctsreceivreport. Spaces should not be used as part of the naming convention.

All Variants are public, so if left unprotected, a variant may be altered or deleted by any user with access to that report.

When should we / can we use the 'Back' button when navigating in FMMI?

The "Back" button on the FMMI Portal takes you back to the process role tab screen.  The "Back" button within the FMMI system takes you to the previous screen.

Users should use the Back button withing FMMI to navigate within a given business process.

How do I print in FMMI? Can I print across process areas?

The majority of form-based documents will originate from IAS and be subsequently procesed in FMMI. So FMMI users should use the print screen function to print documents in FMMI.

If you encounter a challenge printing from FMMI check to ensure your printers are still mapped correctly. Users will be able to map to printers just the same as they do now.

In "Print Preview" will all tabs be shown or does each tab need to be previewed separately?

The print preview only shows the tab in which the user is currently on and "Print" will only print the tab shown in the preview.

How do I search in FMMI?

Search is used to find information, a specific record, or a specific field entry based on a characteristic of the information. When searching for information in FMMI, use asterisk symbol as a wildcard character.

How do I save a document vs. submit a document for approval?

Saving a document versus submitting a document for approval depend on two factors: role and process area.

• The role dictates the buttons that are available to the user
• The process area controls the functionality of the buttons used to perform these transactions. In addition, the process area impacts the name of the button (e.g. Purchasing may call a button “Hold,” whereas Accounts Payable may a button with the same function “Save Parked Document”)

For guidance on how to save or submit a document for approval, please review the Online Help Procedure (OLHP) for your process area.

How can data be imported and exported to and from Microsoft Excel and FMMI?

To export a report to Microsoft Excel please see the Online Help Procedure (OLHP) FMMI Training >300 Level > Hands or activitiies> Export to Microsoft Excel. It provides detailed instructions.

At this time we are not able to import from Excel to FMMI. Leadership is aware of the request for this functionality but it is still under consideration.

When exporting date out of FMMI, using Excel 2003 which has a 66,000 line limit which does not allow enough space for the exported plan, what should a user do?  

 A query result containing more than 66,000 lines (Excel 2003 limit) can be split into multiple queries using entry criteria such as date or fiscal period.  Or use of a text file and other software options, such as Microsoft Access, could be used as appropriate to accommodate the amount of data.  

When will I receive training as an end user?

FMMI Training began in June 2009 for Deployment 1 Agencies and Staff Offices. Detailed training curriculums may be obtained from your Agency Training Lead. Your Agency Training Lead will work with you to determine the appropriate time for you to attend training. Specific dates for training are based on work location and individuals' FMMI role(s). Everyone will register for training via AgLearn.

How much training will I be required to take for FMMI?

FMMI Training is offered through a sequence of courses and are specific to a user role(s). So the length of training per person will vary depending on the number and complexity of roles assigned.

100 Level: Introduction to FMMI – What is FMMI and why is it being implemented? This training provides an overview of the new FMMI processes and system.

200 Level: Process Overview – What are the financial concepts based on industry leading practices? This training provides detailed information about each of the business processes involved for individuals’ new jobs and roles.

300 Level: System Navigation – How do I navigate the FMMI application? This training provides hands-on practice with the commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) application that individuals will use in their new jobs and roles.

400 Level: Role-Based - What are the processes in the core functional areas (e.g., General Ledger, Funds Management, Accounts Payable, Purchasing, Accounts Receivable, and Cost Management)? This training provides hands-on practice of the activities and tasks that individuals will be responsible for in their new jobs and roles.

Will there be access to a sandbox as part of training for FMMI?

In the 100 and 200 Level training, the content is focused on providing an overview of FMMI and the processes. In 300 Level training, users will learn how to navigate FMMI through a combination of hands-on exercises via step-by-step simulations. Simulations are recordings of the FMMI application that allow users to practice in a “safe” environment. At the 400 Level, users will continue to use these simulations to learn the detailed transactions. In addition, they will also complete course challenges in a FMMI Training environment to reinforce their learning.

How do I access FMMI Online Help (OLH)?

To access OLH login to the FMMI Portal following these steps:
1. Using Internet Explorer , navigate to the FMMI Portal: https://portal.fmmi.usda.gov
2. Login to FMMI using a valid Level 2 eAuth ID and password
3. Click the Help link on the right side of the FMMI Portal banner to access FMMI Online Help

How will new staff be trained since they will be required to take training before receiving access to FMMI?

Agencies can enter into a reimbursable agreement with CLTB to provide sustainment training after the Deployment 1 training window has ended (November 2009), similar to the FFIS training CLTB provides today.  
 
For Deployment 1 training (both Pre and Post Go-Live) the FMMI Security team will be sent a list of users who have completed all required training and can grant them system access.  After Deployment 1, the Agency's Security Admins will work with Agency Training Leads to ensure new employees have completed required training prior to receiving FMMI system access.