Web Based Data Collection Tool

Space Audit

Web based data collection tool

Utilisation Guide

For Full Economic Costing &

Estate Management Statistics

(November 2005)
Introduction

Full Economic costing, the Transparent Approach to Costing is being

implemented in all UK Universities and Colleges, and represents a uniform

approach to the costing of all HE activities. By 2005, all HEI’s should have

embedded costing and pricing processes in place which will enable them to

determine the full economic cost of all their activities. They should also be

able to demonstrate the validity of their cost calculations by appropriate audit

trails between summary reporting and base data.

Keele University is no exception to this, and therefore have been reviewing

current systems and implementing new processes to ensure that we have the

appropriate systems and processes in place to facilitate this necessity.

However, as part of this process, when allocating costs to activities we find

that some costs cannot be directly allocated to one single activity, so we shall

then need to apportion these costs to activities via cost drivers. i.e. the causes

of the costs. An example of this is Estate costs, the cost driver in this case

being the split of the utilisation of space.

It has therefore been decided to combine the fEC requirements for space data

with those arising from the annual Estate Management Statistics return, and

initially run a space audit twice annually using a web based data collection

tool.

If using the web-based system for the first time.

Firstly open Internet Explorer and go to the following web address:

We strongly recommend you use Internet Explorer to access the web

service. Other web servers may work but are not supported.

If your web browser will not connect to this address, contact KIS (Norman Bridges or John White) to ensure you have access through the Keele firewall. If you still cannot connect, contact Nick Pomiankowski in M.I.S. for assistance.

Having arrived at the above web address, click the grey button.

A message inviting you to install “Oracle Java Initiator” may be displayed. If it is confirm that you wish to install this software.

Using the Input Screen

Go to the web address:

Click on the grey “start” bar.

A new web screen will be displayed. Maximise this screen if it is not already maximised.

Enter your username, password and ‘ku’ in the database box. Then click ‘Connect’.

If you don’t have a user name and password and are new to the Admin System you will need to register for a username and password. The registration form and instructions can be downloaded and printed from:

GETTING STARTED

A screen such as the following will be displayed:

SCREEN 1

If you are using Internet Explorer, click on the View pull-down on the top of the screen and click on ‘Full Screen’.

This will enable you to view the whole of the screen.

The first screen you will see when you have logged on will be SCREEN 1 as shown above.

First of all, you need to click on fEC Diary /Space Records (1).

SCREEN 2

You now need to click on (2) on screen 2 shown above.

This will give you the following screen.

SCREEN 3

Screen 3 above is a replica of all the space details allocated to your School, and is taken directly from the University space database. Additional categories have been created for the purpose of collecting data for fEC, to the right of the vertical line, and EMS, the two columns to the left of the vertical line .

In terms of the basic space data, you are only able to amend and update the following fields of data; the “usage code” (10) the “description” (11) and the “occupier” (12), all of these are shown above on screen 3. You are not able to change ‘ownership’ of space - so if a room appears on your allocation that should not, or conversely if a room does not appear that should, contact David Firth on ext. 4146 in the first instance.

Usage Code (10) on screen 3

If a room within your allocation has changed its basic function you will need to change the code to the most appropriate code by double clicking with cursor placed on (10).

This will display the full list of codes available via a drop down list. (See Annex 1) Highlight the appropriate code and click on ok to select.

Description Field (11) on screen 3

This is a free text field and will allow you to change a room’s description. For example you might be changing the free text description from a store room to office space, to match the code change you have just made as described at (10) above.

Occupier Field (12) on screen 3

This is also a free text field. This field is only usually populated to illustrate the name of an individual occupying the space. Obviously this allows you to change Jones, Smith etc………

The following fields are new and all relate to data required to report for fEC and EMS.

Category Code (13) on screen 3

This field is to determine the category space under four simple headings. This is a mandatory field and is accessed by double clicking with the cursor in (13) which will display the full list of codes available via a drop down list and their description. (See Annex 2 at the back of this guide). Highlight the appropriate code and click “OK” to select.

In most instances you will find your previous entry still displayed. This has been left purely as a guide on the assumption that a number of entries may stay the same – it is still very necessary to fully check and confirm the current position or to amend as appropriate.

Percentage of time fields (14) on screen 3

There are 5 percentage of time fields i.e. Teaching, Research, Support, NHS and Other. (see annex 3 at the back of this guide). Each room must be analysed against the time the room is used across the complete Academic Year and a percentage applied to each of the 5 categories (or however many are relevant), but these must always add up to 100%. You will not be able to save your input percentages unless the total against each room does add up to 100%.

For Example

Where a room is used for more than one activity (e.g. an academic office,

used for both teaching and research), an allocation should be made to all

relevant activities. Please note that the hours these rooms are used is not the

same as the hours that they are available. We require a % allocation of time

that the room is in use (regardless of the number of hours used ) adding up

100%.

Specialist Space (16) on screen 3

This information field relates to data required for the annual Estates Management Statistics return and not fEC. It is NOT a mandatory field.

You only need to complete these fields if the space you are analysing is academic space and is defined as specialist, and used only for teaching and/or research. Once you have resolved the space is specialist the percentages identified for teaching and/or research MUST add up to 100%. The full definition provided by EMS is as below:

The total amount of academic floorspace (ie teaching and research space) that can be classified as ‘specialist’ in terms of its use for a limited number of academic disciplines: ie Net Internal Area designed for specialist use (either teaching or research) and which cannot easily be used for other non-specialist activities. It includes rooms or facilities with abnormal or exceptional equipment where such a feature inhibits the use of the room for other non-specialist activities, such as general teaching.

Types of space included in this category may include laboratories, specialist theatres and drama studios, catering facilities used as part of academic courses, dark rooms, recording studios etc. Exclude all general seminar and classrooms, lecture halls and lecture theatres (raked or non-raked).

Analyse Figures (15) on screen 3

Having completed the data against each room, you will be able to access the “Analyse Figures” (15), which will illustrate your completed departmental fEC analysis. It is this data that once combined with all other departmental returns will formulate the Institutional space element of the fEC exercise.

You are encouraged to retain the process of analysis for the purposes of continuity because fEC requires this information gathering process to take place on a regular basis.

Finally – having successfully completed all the above stages, including running ‘analyse figures’, you will automatically be e mailed the completed data and are then required to print off the completed data for your area and you will note there is provision at the foot of the report for signature of Head of School/Department and date. This must be duly completed and a copy sent to David Firth, Head of Projects, Keele Hall to complete the space data audit.

You can note potential changes of space ‘ownership’ here by amending your space allocation by hand. If these changes are agreed this will be confirmed to you at the end of the space audit process.

Annex 1

Useage Code:

ACTDay Nursery - KFM

CDComputer Room - Departmental

CHChapel

CLECleaners Cupboards

DERDerelict Space

EXHCB Gallery/Raven Mason Suite

FCFacilities Staff (Changing)

FOYReception Foyer

FSFacilities Staff (Common Room)

HHHotel - KFM

KDKitchen - Departmental/Pool

KHKitchen – KFM

KPAKeele Postgraduate Association

LEILeisure Sports Activity

LIDLibrary - Departmental

LIMLibrary Main (Information Services)

LLLab – Language

LMDLab – Air Photo Library

LPBLab – Private Business

LRLab – Research/Research Space

LRDLab – Research Dark Room

LTLab – Teaching/Teaching Space

LT/LRLab – Research/Teaching

LTDLab – Teaching Dark Room

MEDMedical/Dental Practice

OAOffice – Academic Staff

OAEOffice – Academic Staff – Emeritus

OAFOffice – Academic Staff – Fellow

OMOffice – Management (Admin)

OMSOffice – Management Support Staff

OMWOffice – Management Workshop

OPOffice – Private (Union)

OPBOffice – Private Business

OROffice – Academic Research

OSOffice – Academic Support Staff, Tech, Admin, Sec

OSWOffice – Academic Workshop

PDDepartmental Seminar/Lecture Theatre

PDHDepartmental Seminar – KFM

PMDepartmental Seminar – Management

PPPool Seminar/ Lecture Theatre

PPCComputerRoom – Pool/Public Access

RHRestaurant Area – KFM

RPBRetail Private Business

SDStore - Departmental

SDGStore - Departmental Garage

SEStore - Estates & Buildings

SHMDStore - KFM Residences

SMBStore - Departmental Management

SMXStore - Xerox (Admin)

SPStore - KFM (P+F)

SPBStore Private Business

SUStudents Union Building

SXStore – Xerox/Printing/PC Room

T Toilet

TDToilet - Disabled

TGToilet - Gents

TLToilet – Ladies

U Plant/Maintenance Room

VAVacant

VIDVideo Room

WDWorkshop – Departmental

WEWorkshop – Estates & Buildings

WPBWorkshop – Private Business

Annex 2

Category code:

(A)Low Cost space e.g. Barn, shed, some animal houses

(B)Medium Cost Desk or office

(C) Medium/High Cost Serviced laboratory or facility (e.g. laboratory, computer laboratory)

(D) High Cost Highly Serviced laboratory or space (e.g. laboratorywith air conditioning, or a Major facility)

Annex 3

Activity Classifications:

(T) Teaching:

Higher Education, Further Education, Teacher training, (NHS nursing etc)

Including all students on UK based award/credit bearing courses-self funded, sponsored, overseas (domiciled in the UK), and all teaching activities funded under e.g. European Social Fund, TEMPUS, ERASMUS

All levels – sub-degree, degree, PGT

Full cost short courses/continuing education (non credit/award bearing), overseas courses and other non publicly funded commercial teaching.

(R) Research:

Including the training and supervision of all PGR students including RTSG’s, CASE, self-funded. All publicly funded from Research Councils, institution -/own-funded activity, UK government, European Union (European Commission). All non-publicly funded from UK based charities, UK Industry, commerce and public corporations, EU governments and all overseas bodies

(S) Support:

Central management and administration

Academic School costs relating to:

-Activities in support of T, R, O

-institutional management and administration

-contribution to sector or economy as a whole

(O) Other:

Consultancy (excluding private)

Other services rendered, including testing, non-R clinical trials

Residences, catering, and conferences

Other non T commercial activities (trading companies)

Costs of services sold externally by library, estates services, repographics

NHS Other (Clinical Services)

Services provided to the NHS under knock for knock arrangements

Maintained by David FirthPage 111/17/2018