M-NCPPC staff should refer to this article when they need to create an internal household account in RecTrac for journal transfers between M‑NCPPC facilities or departments. It explains when these accounts are required, what to check before creating one, and the exact steps to set them up.
Internal Household Account Overview
Internal household accounts help M‑NCPPC facilities and departments pay each other for services without using credit cards, checks or other outside payment methods. This process is called a journal transfer.
These accounts allow one facility to charge another for services such as pool admissions, training sessions or team-building events. The charges are then written off using the appropriate expense account, ensuring accurate financial tracking for both the service provider and the receiving department.
For example: If the Help Desk team hosts a training session at a regional facility that provides space, equipment, or staff time, the facility can charge the Help Desk’s internal household account. This ensures the facility’s resources are accounted for and the Help Desk’s budget reflects the expense.
Each internal household is functionally tied to a cost center (a five-digit accounting unit code) and a GL code (a four-digit code representing the type of expense). These codes are used by the Finance Team to write off charges and ensure accurate reporting.
Each internal household account must correspond to a facility or department with an active cost center. While you won’t enter this code during household creation, it is essential for Finance to process journal transfers and write off charges correctly. Before creating a new internal household, verify that a cost center exists for the facility. If one does not exist, submit a ticket to the Finance Manager to request it.
Internal household accounts should only be created by MODs (Managers on Duty) or higher-level staff familiar with RecTrac and internal financial processes. If you or a team member are unsure if a new internal household account is necessary for a journal transfer, contact the Help Desk for support.
When to Create an Internal Household
Create an internal household account when:
- A new facility or department has been assigned a cost center (also called an accounting unit).
- A facility or program needs to pay another facility internally for services (e.g., summer camps using pools, team-building events).
- You’ve verified that no internal household already exists for that facility.
Example: If Southern Area Maintenance books a training session at a facility for the first time, and no internal household exists for that department, one should be created to allow for proper journal transfer and expense tracking.
Do not create internal households for individual staff members. These are legacy records and are being phased out.
How to Create an Internal Household Account
Before You Begin:
- Double-check whether an internal household account for the facility already exists.
- In RecTrac's Household Management program, filter for households with the last name Internal Household.
- Sort the First Name column alphabetically.
- Search for the facility name in the list.
- Search and verify that a cost center exists for the facility. If no cost center exists, submit a ticket to the Finance Manager to request one.
You’ll need the facility’s full name, address, phone number and email address handy to create an internal household account in RecTrac. To find this information easily:
- Go to the Facility Finder page.
- Browse the alphabetical list of facilities.
- Click Learn More for the facility to view its contact details.
1. From the RecTrac Household Management screen, click Add. The Household Update screen will open first.
2. On the Core tab, enter the following information:
-
Primary Guardian information
- Category: Prince George’s County Resident
- Status: Active
- First Name: Enter the name of the facility for which you are creating an internal household account (for example, Harmony Hall Arts Center).
- Last Name: Internal Household
- Street Address: Enter the facility’s address.
- Unit/Apartment Number: Leave blank.
- City, State, and ZIP Code: Enter the facility’s city, state, and ZIP code.
- Primary Phone: Use the main phone number listed on the facility’s website contact page.
- Primary Phone Type: Home Phone
- Primary Email: Use the main email address listed on the facility’s website contact page.
- Gender: Other Gender Identity (X)
- Birthday: 01/01/2000
- Organization Name: Enter a shorthand that internal staff might use to find the account - for example, "HHAC" for Harmony Hall Arts Center - followed by the words "Internal Household".
Always abbreviate “Community Center” to CC in the First Name field (for example, Berwyn Heights CC instead of Berwyn Heights Community Center).
3. Scroll down to Additional Primary Person Information and Household Questions.
4. Input the following answers:
- Did you verify this member’s birthdate?: Select Birthday Verified from the drop-down list.
- Primary Person’s Driver’s License Number? (Required for phone support): Enter N/A.
- How did you hear about us?: Select Existing SMARTlink Customer.
5. Click Next at the bottom of the screen to open the Financial Info tab.
6. Complete the following:
- Payment Restrictions: Select Internal Journal Transfer.
- Leave all other fields in their default state.
7. Click Next to open the Misc Info tab.
8. Under Features, select M-NCPPC Internal Account from the drop-down list.
9. Under Tickler Code, type HH Internal Household. A menu appears as you type. Select HH Internal Household from the list.
10. Click Save at the bottom of the screen. The internal household account is now ready for internal journal transfers.