cemetery undelivered verification project avoiding common errors

Cemetery Undelivered Verification Project

Avoiding Common Errors

November 21, 2006 2

Agenda• Avoiding common

errors• Review

documentation required for proof of delivery

• General reminders• Resources for help

November 21, 2006 3

Avoiding Common ErrorsFive Common Errors

1. Status changed from undelivered to delivered on the Master Listing when no delivery had actually taken place

2. Cancelled or rewritten items were marked as delivered or as cancelled with a delivery date

3. Stored items reported as undelivered4. Errors in recording the correct dates5. Items are incorrectly marked as delivered when

multiples of one type of item were purchased on a single contract and at least one of the items has been delivered and one or more items remain undelivered

November 21, 2006 4

Avoiding Common ErrorsError #1

• Status changed from undelivered to delivered on the Master Listing, but it should have been marked with an “X” to indicate no change in status.

Legacy No

November 21, 2006 5

Avoiding Common ErrorsPossible Reasons For Error #1

• Looked at the wrong contract• Used IOA/IWO from a different contract and

assumed that it was for the one on the Master Listing

• The reviewer assumed that merchandise or service were delivered because they were in the At-need section of the Master Listing

• Used an IOA/IWO for a different item on the same contract– Contracts with multiples of the same item will be

explained in detail in error #5

November 21, 2006 6

Avoiding Common ErrorsHow to Avoid Making Error #1

• Carefully compare the contract information on the Master Listing to the physical contract to be sure that you have the correct one.

Legacy No

November 21, 2006 7

Avoiding Common ErrorsHow to Avoid Making Error #1

• Carefully compare the contract & item numbers on the Master Listing to the information on the IOA or IWO.

Legacy No

November 21, 2006 8

Avoiding Common Errors How to Avoid Making Error #1

• Don’t assume delivery of an at-need marker even if it is an old contract. The contract may have an outstanding balance due.

• Don’t assume delivery of an at-need interment. The item may not be a true at-need service, but rather:– It could have been entered into the system incorrectly

or– It could be a preneed item written on the same

contract as the at-need items for a spouse.

November 21, 2006 9


• Don’t make any assumptions about the status of an item on the Master Listing just because it is in the “At-need” section.– Perform the review of at-need items with the same

thoroughness that you would use to review any preneed items.

– Verify that the items are really at-need items by checking the customer file and other records that indicate a death.

– When in doubt, perform a physical inspection.

November 21, 2006 10

Avoiding Common Errors Error #2

• Cancelled or rewritten items were marked as delivered or as cancelled with a cancellation date in the “Del Date” column

Cancellations should be marked

with a “C”

Cancellations should be marked

with a “C”


Avoiding Common Errors Possible Reasons For Error #2

• Not being careful• Thinking you need to list the cancellation

date in the “Del Date” column on the ML

Do not write a cancellation date in the “Del Date”

column.

Do not write a cancellation date in the “Del Date”

column.



• Be sure you understand the instructions for documentation

Legacy No



• Items stored at manufacturer’s facility reported as undelivered

Should be marked with a “S-20” and a storage date of

1/31/2001

Should be marked with a “S-20” and a storage date of

1/31/2001



• Misunderstanding instructions for coding the Master Listing

• Thinking that all merchandise is “undelivered” if it has not been physically installed on or in the grave

• Not knowing what criteria determine storage



• If the item is stored with the manufacturer, – And the ML shows the current status to be “S-

20”, then write an “X” to indicate no change in status

– And the ML shows the current status to be “U”, then write an “S-20” to indicate storage

Enter the storage date

from the certificate of ownership.

Legacy No



• Criteria for stored merchandise at vendor– Must be stored at the

manufacturer’s bonded facility

– Certificate of Title or Ownership must be on file

– Memorials stored at the location should be S-30



• Review the instructions for stored merchandise in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document on the Global Village

• If you have questions, call your Market Coordinator



• Errors in recording dates– Recording delivery dates on the ML other than the

actual delivery date, such as: • Date the IOA/IWO was verified• Date the IOA/IWO issued• Date merchandise was released from storage • Estimating delivery dates incorrectly when documentation is

not available• Failing to write an “e” beside the date on the ML when using

an estimated delivery date • Estimating delivery dates when documentation exists

showing the actual delivery date– Date entered in HMIS does not match Master Listing



• On the Master Listing:– Analysts are not trained properly on how to identify

the correct delivery date from the documentation– Numbers are transposed when the date is recorded

on the Master Listing– Instructions are not followed for calculating estimated

delivery dates—See Appendix D– Location managers are not performing a thorough

review of the analysts’ work – Location managers are signing off on “Initials Rvw of

Del” column without actually reviewing the file



• During HMIS Data Entry:– Accuracy of the data is not checked as entry

is performed– Product Delivered Report is not being

checked thoroughly against the Master Listing– Errors were found but never corrected in

HMIS



• On the Master Listing:– Location manager’s review of the file must be

done thoroughly—do not sign off without checking the file and verifying the delivery date!

– Retrain analysts on how to identify the correct delivery date on the documentation



• On the Master Listing:– Stored merchandise:

• Delivered to Storage: use the date on the storage certificate

– Matthews: “Storage Date”– Vantage: “Issue Date”– GranitBronz: “Date of Issue”

• Delivered from Storage (i.e., installed): use the installation date on the IWO

• Delivered Not Stored (i.e., installed and never previously in the system as stored): use the installation date on the IWO



• On the Master Listing:– Encourage analysts to be careful when writing

the dates on the ML and to double check their own work

– Review the instructions for calculating estimated delivery dates—See Appendix D

– Replace temp analysts who are consistently making mistakes



• During HMIS Data Entry:– Data-entry clerk should check the date as it is

entered– Delivery Verification Report must be run and

thoroughly checked against the ML every day– Be sure to follow-up on any errors found, and

make the necessary corrections in HMIS and on the ML, if required



• Items are incorrectly marked as delivered when multiples of one type of item were purchased on a single contract, and at least one of the items has been delivered and one or more items remain undelivered.

Example: Two outer burial containers were sold on a single contract.

One was used for an interment three years ago, and one remains undelivered.

The Master Listing shows one undelivered outer burial container because the first OBC was delivered in the system at the time it was used.



• The original contract was not checked for the number of items sold

• The analyst assumes that the IOA/IWO in the file is related to the item on the Master Listing



• Always compare the number of items sold on the original contract to the number of items on the Master Listing

• Don’t assume that the proof-of-delivery documents pertain to the undelivered items on the Master Listing

• Do the math: Number of like items sold— Number of like items delivered

Number of like items to remain on the ML as undelivered


Thinking Through It

• Master Listing shows two undelivered interments and two undelivered outer burial containers

Legacy No


Thinking Through It

• Contract shows four outer burial containers and four interments were purchased


Thinking Through It

• File contains two IOA’s.

• One OBC and one interment were delivered on 4/12/03

• A second OBC and interment were delivered on 6/28/04


Thinking Through It

• Doing the math: 4 Outer burial containers sold- 2 Outer burial containers delivered 2 Outer burial containers remain undelivered

4 Interments sold- 2 Interments delivered 2 Interments remain undelivered


Thinking Through It

• Master Listing is updated with an “X” in “Verified Del Status” column

Note: If we had not checked the original contract for the number of items sold, we might have easily assumed that the four items on the Master Listing were the ones delivered on the two IOA’s in the file.

Legacy No


We did it!

Wow, we got through that one without any

trouble!

I’ve changed my shirt, now let’s change the example and solve

another problem just to make sure I’ve got it.


Thinking Through It One More Time

• Master Listing shows three undelivered interments

Legacy No



• Contract shows four interments were purchased



• File contains two IOA’s.

• One interment was delivered on 11/4/1999

• A second interment was delivered on 5/28/03


• Doing the math:

4 Interments sold

- 2 Interments delivered

2 Interments should remain undelivered on the ML


Three undelivered interments on the Master Listing tell us that one of the interments that was used has never been entered into the system.

We have to deliver one of the interments, but how do we know which interment date to use on the Master Listing?



• Old IOA’s don’t have the delivery processing information on them

• Recent IOA’s have the delivery information at the bottom, but may not have been

completed in HMIS

“Processing Completed” is unsigned, but there is a

check mark next to the item.

Did the processor forget to sign?

“Processing Completed” is unsigned, but there is a

check mark next to the item.

Did the processor forget to sign?



• Checking the Contract Delivery Tab in HMIS is the only way to be sure which IOA was previously delivered.

Note the date of the interment delivered in the system is 5/28/03.

Note the date of the interment delivered in the system is 5/28/03.



• Update the Master Listing– Mark the used interment as delivered indicating the

actual interment date from the IOA (11/04/99)– Place an “X” in the “Verified Del Status” column for

the two items that remain undelivered

Note: Again we checked the original contract for the number of items sold and used the IOA’s to determine how many were actually delivered.

In order to determine which delivery date to use on the ML, we had to look in HMIS to see which of the two had previously been entered in the system.

Legacy No


Proof of Delivery Documentation

– Interments– Entombments– Inurnments– Caskets/Alternative Containers– Outer Burial Containers (vaults)– Cremation – Urns– Miscellaneous Merchandise– Miscellaneous Services

• Interment Order and Authorization (IOA) verifies delivery of the following types of items:



– Memorials/Monuments– Bases– Marker Installations– Miscellaneous

Merchandise• Vases• Scrolls

– Miscellaneous Services

• Installation Work Order (IWO) verifies delivery of the following types of items:



• Receipt of Delivery from third-party funeral home, cemetery, or from a customer– Outer burial containers – Markers– Urns

• Bills of Lading/Receipt from vendor (used for estimating delivery dates)– Bases– Memorials/Monuments– Miscellaneous merchandise


Proof of Storage Documentation

• Storage Certificates– Outer burial containers– Markers– Bases


General Reminders

• Print & check HMIS Product Delivered Report daily

• Close your HMIS batches every day

• Take your time!– Why is there never enough time to do

something right the first time, but always enough time to do it over?

– Ask for help as soon as you need it!


Resources For Help

• Coordinators– Remote Coordinator– Market Coordinator

• Global Village– Applications—Cemetery Undelivered Verification

• Pat Adams– [email protected]

• Juhli Farrell– [email protected]

• Sara Beaves– [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



Resources For Help

• Email questions for Q & A session to:– [email protected]– [email protected]– [email protected]– Subject line: “CUVP Questions”



cemetery undelivered verification project avoiding common errors

Documents

common errors error

undelivered slide

common errors possible

master listing

rewritten items

preneed items

different contract

contract information