Integrated Food Management System (IFMS)

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IFMS: Phase One - Replacing AIS

The Integrated Food Management System (IFMS) replaces the legacy, Automated Inventory System (AIS). IFMS consolidates food distribution transactions into a seamless, easy-to-use cloud-based platform.

In support of the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), IFMS offers more effective issuance of food in compliance with FDPIR policies as well as real-time inventory maintenance at program facilities. Access to IFMS is role-based and organization-based, supporting cross-functional capabilities within and between Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs). Other features include flexible search tools, data upload/download, change history (tracked and auditable), and ability to save attachments and notes.

https://fns.my.salesforce.com (login required)

IFMS Activity At-A-Glance

As of March 12, 2021, IFMS activity since launch includes:

• 35 ITOs using IFMS with 161 active users
• 10,542 individuals have received food distributions through IFMS
• 943,563 items issued to 5,773 households through 11,647 order transactions
• 1,342,343 items updated through 4,042 inventory transactions
• 2,275 household certifications updated
• 205 new households created

Transition Status

At the start of each month, a new group of ITOs will move from AIS to IFMS. The Transition Team is actively recruiting ITOs for upcoming IFMS launch cohorts. ITOs who are ready to move to IFMS should contact the Transition Manager to reserve a spot in an upcoming transition cohort.

With the launch of the March 2021 cohort, there are now 35 ITOs who have successfully transitioned to IFMS, including:

IFMS Release 1.3.0 Highlights

IFMS is under continuous improvement with Release 1.3.0 deployed on February 25, 2021. Additional information about these updates can be found on in the published Release Notes in the IFMS Learning Academy (login required).

Note: All updates are applied automatically; no user actions are required to use the latest version of IFMS.

Highlights from Release 1.3.0 include the following:

• Exceeds Inventory Error (Issuance) – Users are provided with options on how to correct inventory errors before saving the transaction. This allows the user to continue scanning without interruptions. Once all scanning has been completed, the user then corrects the error just once, resulting in a much more streamlined process.
• Sort Shopping Cart (Issuance) – Previously, the shopping cart only allowed for sorting in the order that the material was added. Food issuance specialists can now sort the items in the shopping cart either by the food category from the Guide Rate or in the order added. To change the sort order, the shopping cart now displays two buttons at the top of the cart labeled Order Added and Category.
• Donations to Food Banks (Inventory) – Users can now record donations to community food banks using inventory transactions. An ITO called Community Donation has been set up for this purpose. These items will appear in the Re-donated Out column on the FNS-152 Report.
• Availability Report – This new report shows materials and quantities in stock for each material grouped by Category and Subcategory for each site within the ITO.
• IFMS Logo Update – The latest version number of IFMS is displayed within the logo, located at the top left-hand corner of the Navigation Bar.

Preparing for IFMS

For each monthly launch of IFMS, the Transition Team works with a group of ITOs to confirm their readiness and to coordinate preparation activities to ensure a smooth transition to IFMS. The multi-week IFMS Transition Program includes planning, information gathering, data migration from AIS, and staff training and practice opportunities. The mission of the Transition Team is to deliver IFMS without interruptions to program operations.

System and Browser Requirements

IFMS is a cloud-based application that requires the following:

• Wired or wireless internet connection
• Minimum of 10 Mbps download speed
• Supported Web browser: Chrome (preferred), Firefox, Safari

Internet-capable computers with a mouse (or a similar device) are recommended at each location for Customer Registration, Inventory Management, and Store-concept Issuance checkout.

User Accounts

In IFMS, each user must have their own user account and eAuthentication (eAuth) login. In preparation for an organization's upcoming launch, the Transition Team will collect information for each staff member to create their user account in IFMS.

Users who do not currently have an eAuth account will receive instructions to create one when their IFMS user account is ready. To create an eAuth account, users must have a unique email address, and the ability to access this email account to complete the activation process.

Resources

The Transition Team has developed tutorials, presentations, and training curriculum along with reference materials to support ITOs as they become familiar with, and transition to IFMS. These resources will be provided throughout the transition period and are also available to IFMS users through the Learning Academy (login required).

IFMS Contacts