Using the RTA Fleet Management Software to track the fuel inventory for your pumps and tanks can help you get a handle on fuel leakage, theft, or reporting problems. To track fuel inventory, add fuel types, tanks, and pumps as needed. Then follow the eight steps to fueling.
Fuel purchases are recorded in RTA through the Tank Deliveries option or through purchase orders in the Part Inventory module. Recording fuel purchases updates tank inventories and prices per gallon. It's important to enter purchases immediately after the actual fuel drops are made or as soon as possible thereafter in order to keep the quantity in inventory and fuel price as up-to-date as possible. The tank average price is calculated as follows:
(old tank inventory x old average price per gallon) + (tank delivery x price per gallon) (old tank inventory + tank delivery) |
To manually enter a fuel purchase, do the following:
If you're using the Part Inventory module, you can order fuel through requisitions and purchase orders (PPC). When the fuel is received, the RTA system automatically creates a tank delivery transaction and updates the tank inventory and average price per gallon. To use requisitions and purchase orders for fuel purchases, the following must be set up:
Set up a part record for each tank record. If you have two tanks, you'll need to add two part records. Part records can be added through *\[Part\] File Maintenance* (MPM) or "on-the-fly" through *Tank Maintenance* (MUM). Refer to "Adding a Part"for instructions if necessary.
Once set up, each time a pump meter reading is updated, the system checks the tank inventory. When the tank inventory drops below the reorder point, a requisition is generated (as long as it's not already on requisition or on order). From this point, the process is the same for ordering fuel as it is for ordering any other partcreate a purchase order (or use an existing one), order the fuel, and receive the fuel when it's delivered. Refer to "Requisitions and Purchase Orders" if neccessary.
Fuel transactions entered remain open and are placed in a pending file until processed. Although vehicle records have already been updated with costs and usage and applicable data files have been updated for fuel taxes and fuel billing, pump and tank records don't get updated until the open transactions are processed. Open fuel transactions should be reviewed for accuracy prior to being posted to pumps and tank.
The exception to this is if you're using EFI AND have the "Auto Post Open Fuel" switch set to YES (SSM, Fuel Parameters tab , switch 9); in which case, the fuel transactions processed immediately update pump and tank records and are placed in the closed fuel transaction file.
To review open fuel transactions, select Fuel > Fuel Entry > Transaction Lists > Open from the RTA main menu (FFLO).
TIP: This report also includes tank transfers (FPP) and tank deliveries (FPT) if they fall within the search criteria range. To print a list of tank transfers, specify TRANSFER as the starting and ending vehicle. Likewise, to print a list of tank deliveries, specify DROP as the starting and ending vehicle number.
The RTA system is a real-time system. Once a transaction is entered, data is immediately updated. Original entries can't be modified; however, additional entries can be made to offset and correct erroneous transactions posted. If you find an error, the easiest way to make corrections is through the Quick Fuel Entry option (FFQ). When posting a correcting transaction, be sure to use the same fueling date and mileage as the original transaction so both the original transaction and correction will appear on reports generated by date (Closed Fuel Transactions, Fuel Billing statements, etc.)
Problem | How to Correct |
Posted too many gallons | Enter a transaction with a negative fuel quantity to back out the excess gallons (use a positive fuel price). |
Posted wrong price per gallon, fueling date, vehicle, or pump | Enter two transactions: 1) Negate the original entry by inputting the same data as the original transaction except the fuel quantity will be posted as a negative number (again, use a positive fuel price), 2) Reenter the fuel transaction using the correct data. |
Vehicle meter reading too low | No correction is needed if the fuel cost and usage are correct. However, if you would like to update the meter immediately rather than waiting until the next fuel entry, you can post a zero quantity fuel transaction with the correct meter reading. |
Vehicle meter reading too high | There are two methods for correcting the meter reading: 1) Enter a transaction with negative miles to back out the excess mileage; "Skip Miles on Fuel" must be set to NO to do this (SSM, Fuel Parameters tab , switch 30). 2) Correct the vehicle meter reading in the vehicle record or through the Change Odometer program (MVM, VH). This option does not adjust total mileage on fuel reports. |
Processing open fuel transactions entered through Many States, Quick Fuel Entry, TriCoder Input, or Electronic Fueling posts fuel usage to pumps and tanks. Pump records are updated with the total gallons from the fuel entries. These figures are compared with stick and pump meter readings to determine if there are any fuel variances. When the process is complete, the fuel transactions are closed and moved from the pending transaction file to the fuel history transaction file. Changes or deletions that need to be made to pump records must be done at this point, before new transactions are entered. To process fuel transactions, do the following:
Recording a pump meter reading updates tank usage and decreases inventory. If you've set up tank records to interface with the Part Inventory module, the system also checks the inventory level and creates a requisition if the fuel quantity drops below the specified reorder point in the tank record. The difference between the new and previous meter readings is compared to the gallons from the fuel entries posted to determine if there is a variance between the fuel that was accounted for versus the fuel actually pumped. To record a pump meter reading, do the following:
If too high of a pump meter reading was recorded, the fuel usage will be overstated and tank inventory be lower than it actually is. To lower a pump meter reading that was incorrectly input, do the following:
To adjust a pump meter reading when a meter rolls over or is replaced, do the following:
Rollover: (Max. meter reading possible – Previous reading) + New reading
Replacement: (Final meter reading – Previous reading) + Gallons pumped while meter broken + Gallons pumped on new meter
The purpose of recording stick readings is to compare the fuel usage accounted for through pump meter readings to the actual inventory in the tank to determine if there is a variance. Stick readings should be done at the same time pump readings are done to ensure the most accurate fuel variance reporting. To record a stick reading, do the following: