Fixed-Price Award Balance Transfers
The Extramural Funds (EMF) team is actively working on transferring fixed-price award balances to Sales & Service (S&S) accounts. These transfers ensure compliance with university policies by moving unspent balances (less applicable IDC) to an established Organization Sales & Service Fixed Price Surplus Fund.

The EMF team is developing a new request form and implementing a streamlined process for fixed-price balance transfers. These improvements will provide clear guidelines and enhance processing efficiency. To ensure a smooth transition, we kindly ask departments to refrain from emailing EMF directly at this time. Stay tuned for further updates!

Relocation and Gift-Related Purchases
Friendly reminder: Departments are responsible for ensuring compliance with policy requirements and maintaining records for relocation and gift-related purchases from suppliers such as Burgess, Pods, and Barnes & Noble. For applicable purchases, all supporting documents should be attached to the purchase order (PO).

Department responsibilities include:
    • Obtaining the required levels of approval before making purchases.
    • Maintaining proper cash handling procedures for bulk gift card purchases.
    • Retaining all supporting documentation for audit purposes.
    • Ensuring compliance with applicable policies:
      • BFB-G-13: Policy and Regulations Governing Moving and Relocation
      • BFB-G-41: Employee Non-Cash Awards
      • BFB-G-42: Gifts Presented to Non-Employees on Behalf of the University

    Web Recharge Enhancements
    We are excited to introduce new enhancements to Web Recharge, improving service request submissions, billing accuracy, and audit controls for over 120 Service Providers on campus.

    What’s New & What’s Coming Soon?

     ✅ Request a New Service Provider – Live, with new training resources here!
     ✅ Template Billing – Live, with training resources on the way.
     🔄 Service Provider Update Request Form – In testing, deployment coming soon!
     🔄 Mass/Batch Billing – Design will kick off soon to address this highly requested feature! 

    Training Resources are Available! Our training guides and videos will help you learn how to submit requests, manage billing, and conduct audits. Just search "Web Recharge" in Training Resources. 

    Read the full notice here.
    New Process for Manual Salary Cost Transfers (MSCTs)

    Effective immediately, new forms and an updated submission process for Manual Salary Cost Transfer Exception Requests are in place to improve tracking and streamline processing. 

    Each request must include the MSCT Exception Request Form, Pre-Journal File Template, and applicable supporting documentation (e.g., Looker Payroll Distribution Report, Notice of Award Letter, Approval Email Thread). Once complete, submit a Universal Request (UR) ticket to Finance and Administration Support under Payroll Coordination and Analysis.

     

    To access the required forms and submission details, visit the Manual SCT Exception Requests webpage under Forms & Resources or the PCA/ORG Teams collaboration channels. Note: It is essential to follow the submission procedures and naming conventions. 

    UCPath SCT Process
    The UCPath SCT process encountered

    some defects when SCT transactions were processed through the GL processes: 
    1. Vacation Leave Assessment (VLA) was applied to restatements of transactions that had originally zero VLA amount.
    2. Grad Tuition Remissions were erroneously applied to a few transactions.
    3. Payroll Coordination & Analysis (PCA) Team is also looking into another finding related to Work study.

    UCPath is collaborating with each location on corrections. For UCR, Payroll Coordination & Analysis (PCA) is leading this effort. Corrections will occur in phases: the first by February 28 and the second sometime in mid-March. Updates will be shared as available.

    UCPath identified that the phased GL rewrite processes in July and Nov. 2024 caused these errors. As a result, the SCT GL confirm process has been paused since February 3 and will resume after testing a fix on March 3. Thank you for your patience as we resolve these issues.

    SCT & Payroll Certifications
    The Payroll Coordination & Analysis (PCA) team is prioritizing FY24 manual Salary Cost Transfers (SCTs), collaborating with ORGs to reconcile and process all requests.

    Backlog Status (as of Feb 25, 2025):

    • ~220 manual SCTs remain in the queue (subject to change as reconciliation continues).
    • Target completion: End of March (dependent on ORG collaboration and assistance).
    The new Payroll Certifications system will roll out after FY24 SCTs are processed. A new SCT form is also in development—stay tuned for updates!

    Manual Non-Payroll Cost Transfers Tips

    To ensure successful submission of your Manual Non-Payroll Cost Transfer (NCT) form, please follow these important tips:

    • Submit both a signed PDF and Excel copy of the manual NCT form.
    • Ensure all signatures are completed by the appropriate individuals, including the Preparer, Principal Investigator (PI), and Chief Financial Administrative Officer (CFAO),  if applicable.
    • Don't forget to attach copies of the invoice(s) related to use tax corrections.
    • Make sure all attachments are clear and concise for efficient processing.
    • Consolidate requests by including up to 10 lines per NCT form (if possible) rather than submitting separate forms and tickets for each request. 
    • Check the Universal Request/support ticket comments for any follow-ups from Accounting— we may require additional details!  

    Lastly, please remember that NCT requests under $5 for non-C&G fund sources and under $1 for C&G fund sources will not be processed. Let's work together to make this process efficient!

    Save on Sales Tax for Research Equipment
    Visit the Research Equipment Partial Sales Tax Exemption webpage to learn how to take advantage of the reduced sales/use tax rate on qualifying purchases. The webpage includes eligibility definitions, a list of commonly used purchasing categories, and instructions on requesting the exemption when submitting a purchase requisition! 

     

    To be eligible, all three (3) conditions must be met:
    ✔  Qualified Property – The item must meet state-defined criteria.
    ✔  Qualified Person – The purchaser must be engaged in certain types of business.
    ✔  Qualified Activity – The property must be used for research-related activities.

     

    Important Reminder: The reduced tax rate only applies to qualifying inventorial equipment valued at $5,000 or more.

    Thinking About Buying Furniture? 

    Before making any furniture purchases, please take a moment to look over the Furniture Products guidance to ensure a smooth and compliant process. This guide walks you through essential steps, from obtaining quotes to understanding building permit requirements. 

    Special orders? No problem! Get guidance on patio furniture, lab stools, and event seating. Once your furniture arrives, "receive in" the lines on the PO so the supplier’s invoice can be processed for payment. Failure to do this delays payments!

    Finance & Administration Support Portal 

    We are enhancing the Universal Request form to increase clarity and improve routing efficiency. Choosing the appropriate Service/Business Area will lead to quicker processing. Here are the main updates:

    • "COA Guidance & Cost Transfer Support" → "COA Guidance"
    • "General Accounting & Web Recharge" → "General Acct, Web Recharge, & Cost Transfers" (applies to non-payroll cost transfers (NCTs)

    "Cost Transfers" will soon be replaced with “NCTs.” Salary Cost Transfers will continue to be categorized under "Payroll Coordination & Analysis." Please visit the Request Help - Submit a Ticket webpage for further information.

    Known Issues Tracker 

    Review the Known Issues Tracker for the latest information on issues affecting financial processes and reports. 

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