CALS Business Operations Newsletter |
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Get CBO Help at:
919-515-4226 or cbo_help@ncsu.edu
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COVID-19: CBO Updates Webpage
Keep up-to-date on business operations updates and guidance related to COVID-19 on the CBO Updates – COVID-19 webpage.
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CALS 2021 State Fiscal Year Close Out Schedule
The CALS 2021 State Fiscal Year Close Out Schedule is now available at go.ncsu.edu/cals2021closeout, or on the CBO website’s Documents & Forms page under “Administration.” Please be sure to reference this CALS-specific schedule for important financial deadlines to help ensure the college meets NCSU deadlines for the end of the state fiscal year.
Please note, this schedule only applies to the financial activities and transactions that impact state and federal capacity funds in ledgers 2-, 3-, and 4-. This schedule does not apply to auxiliaries, F&A accounts, 5-ledger contracts and grants, gift and endowment income 6- and 7- ledger accounts.
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Business Partners Bi-Weekly Meetings
Bi-weekly meetings with primary business partners and HR coordinators are held virtually every other Tuesday to answer questions and provide updates surrounding the COVID-19 situation and other HR and CBO items.
Recordings of each meeting along with the agendas are posted to the CBO Business Partners webpage as they become available. If you have questions regarding these meetings, please contact Molly Bradshaw, Process Efficiency and Training Manager, at mqbradsh@ncsu.edu.
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Purchase Order (PO) Invoice Process Update
In February, University Accounts Payable created a new system for Purchase Order (PO) invoices to be uploaded for payment. Previously PO invoices were emailed or mailed directly to University AP for payment. Currently, PO invoices are still allowed to be emailed in for payment. Most of you already submit the PO invoice through ServiceNow using the voucher/invoice form, and include the PO number - which you may continue to do. Additionally, the University has not provided an end date for email submissions.
Starting July 1, 2021, the CBO would like to encourage you to submit your PO invoices to the CBO for processing. A new form for PO invoices will be available in ServiceNow to help with ensuring a smooth & consistent process. We will provide more information and a short training/tip sheet soon.
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Questions on Honorariums?
There is a new resource available on the CBO training page to help with submitting Honorariums. Please click the following link to view the Quick Reference to Honorariums.
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Purchase Authorization (PA) versus Purchase Order (PO)
At times vendors may ask for a purchase authorization to satisfy an order of any value. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has a purchase authorization system. This system provides quick access to a purchase authorization number, however, it is not the same as an NCSU Purchase Order. The NCSU Purchase Order is required when a supplier/vendor will be providing goods or services over a twelve-month (fiscal) period greater than $5000. The purchase authorization number is not officially approved by NCSU Procurement Services, however, is a resource for providing a vendor a purchase authorization number. The purchase of goods or services must still be an allowable expense. Prior to making purchases, you should refer to the Basic Spending Guidelines.
Important: The Purchase Authorization does NOT pay for an invoice. It is a number that allows the vendor to fulfill your order, and then the vendor sends an invoice referencing the PA number which the CBO uses to then pay the invoice. If you receive an invoice after placing an order using a Purchase Authorization number you should submit the invoice to Service now for review and processing if needed.
Please contact the CBO Helpline for assistance at (919) 515-4226 or email cbo_help@ncsu.edu.
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State Fiscal Year-End Travel Reimbursements
Fiscal year-end is right around the corner. The last day to submit travel reimbursements is June 8, 2021. CBO will process all travel reimbursement requests, but we can not guarantee travel reimbursement for this fiscal year if sent in the past June 8, 2021.
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Travel Restrictions
Travel restrictions are still currently in place. All overnight travel and travel outside of North Carolina requires an approved travel exception from EMMC. Without an approved travel exception, overnight travel is NOT ALLOWED. To request an exception to the travel restrictions, individuals can submit an appeal by completing the Travel Appeals Form. The approval form must be uploaded to the Travel Authorization (TA) and Travel Reimbursement (TR); otherwise, the TA and/or TR will be denied back to the traveler. We will ask the traveler to reimburse the college for all unauthorized charges. Restrictions may be reviewed at https://controller.ofa.ncsu.edu/travel-restriction-guidance/.
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Interdepartmental Transactions
The last day to submit Interdepartmental Sale (IDS) or Interdepartmental Journals (IDJ) requests via ServiceNow is June 15, 2021.
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State Fiscal Year End - Accounts Receivable Deposits
The last day to drop off deposits to the CBO (Patterson) is June 24, 2021. Any revenue remaining in-state projects reverts at year-end unless prior approval has been obtained for pre-collected receipts.
We are in the office on:
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Monday - Paul Ballance (919) 515-2747, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Wednesday - Missy Grissom (919) 513-1749, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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Friday - Tiffany Bryant (919) 515-7919, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Please ensure your deposits include the following:
- Provide the deposit slip and check/cash, and supporting documentation to include when/if you have an excel sheet with multiple checks listed and their amounts (i.e. Supplemental form). Complete all fields on the deposit slip.
- Provide ONE* copy of your deposit of all documentation provided. Remember to redact the checking account number and routing number check on the copy by covering the information with paper/post-it when making your copy.
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Please include a campus box addressed envelope with each deposit to receive your receipt via interoffice mail. Additional resources: NCSU REG.07.30.02 Receipts Center - Deposit of Funds: https://policies.ncsu.edu/regulation/reg-07-30-02/
- Deposits can also be mailed to the CBO: CBO Accounts Receivables, Campus Box 7644, Raleigh, NC 27695-7644.
If you are dropping off a deposit, please call the person listed above upon arrival and they will retrieve the deposit from you.
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PCard Deadlines
Please take a moment to review the deadlines and reminders below to help ensure PCard policies and procedures are being followed and transactions are processed in a timely manner.
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April Billing Cycle (Past Billing Cycle)
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The April billing cycle (March 20 - April 20) statement deadline is 5 p.m. on May 20.
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To allow cardholders and supervisors adequate time for approval, reconcilers will approve statements by May 5 unless additional information is required.
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If additional information is required in order to approve a statement, cardholders will receive notification by April 2 from cals_cbo_pcard@ncsu.edu. Please be on the lookout for these communications.
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Additionally, cardholders who did not have their receipts uploaded for this billing cycle into the PCard Center as of 3:30 p.m. on April 21 would be required to submit a JV request via ServiceNow if the transaction was not charged to the appropriate project.
May Billing Cycle (Current Billing Cycle)
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The reconciliation deadline for the May billing cycle (April 21 - May 20) is May 24. However, in order to guarantee reconciliation of transactions, receipts should be uploaded by 3:30 p.m. on May 21.
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Anything uploaded after the May 21 deadline will be reconciled for this billing cycle only if time allows and the cardholder will be responsible for submitting any JV requests via ServiceNow if necessary.
As a reminder, to ensure deadlines are met, cardholders should do the following:
- Upload receipts within 1-3 days of the transaction date and avoid uploading all receipts the day before or on the day of the reconciliation deadline.
- Be sure receipts have written on them the project phase to be charged, a detailed business purpose, and the travel authorization number (if applicable).
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New Grant Tracking Quarterly Reports
Through coordination with the CALS Research Committee, CALS C&G will be providing Principal Investigators (PIs) with a Grant Tracking Quarterly Report for all of their active ledger 5 accounts of which they are the Lead PI. The Excel report will contain balances as of the most recent closed month in WRS. This means once F&A costs have posted to WRS, the PAC (Post Award Consultant) can run the reports. This is to ensure all costs for the month are included. For example, July will close around the second week in August; therefore, the financial reporting will begin after the second week of August using the July numbers.
The email notification may include action items that are pending or will need to be taken care of by the PI and/or Business Coordinator. The emails will have a brief summary of the report. Specific details will be listed in the attached spreadsheet for a closer review, including a download from WRS.
Training on how to read and utilize these reports is in process and will be shared within the next month. Additionally, as these reports will be rolled out in batches, please look to receive them within the next three months.
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CALS C&G Pre-Award Policy - 20 & 5
Please remember to submit all final documents, including the budget, 5 business days prior to the deadline. This is to ensure sufficient time to prepare the proposal, for you to review it, and for University C&G to submit prior to the deadline. Submitting items within this 5 day window can impact the ability to submit the proposals successfully. Please see additional information on the 20 & 5 website.
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CALS Internal Budget - Not Compatible with Google Folders
As part of the proposal process, CALS utilizes an Internal Budget Excel spreadsheet. For those individuals utilizing a google folder, please do not upload or download the Excel file to a google folder, as we have found that will corrupt the file and remove the formulas. As an alternative, please email the Internal Budget to your Pre-Award Consultant.
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Salary Distribution Changes and Travel
Per the University Reg 10.05.02 - Cost Sharing, Section 2.3 “If there will be any direct charges associated with an individual (for example travel or tuition), effort for this individual should be documented either as a direct charge to the project or cost shared.” Therefore, if an individual traveled on a ledger 5 project, they either need to be paid from or cost shared (in TEARS) to that project during the time of their travel.
To ensure compliance with this regulation, new processes are being put into place within the next month. It will involve asking the individual submitting the SDC request to request clarification if the individual, being removed retroactively from the project, has traveled on the project and if 100% of their effort is being removed. Additionally, the assigned PAC will be reviewing the SDC to also confirm no associated travel on the retroactive request. If travel is identified, then effort will need to remain on the project.
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NIH to Require Revised Biosketch & Other Support documents
Per the NIH Notice, NOT-OD-21-110, “NIH expects applicants and recipients to use the updated biosketch and other support format for applications, Just-in-Time (JIT) Reports, and Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPRs) as of May 25, 2021. NIH will require the use of the updated format pages for the previously mentioned submissions for anything on and after January 25, 2022. Failure to follow the appropriate formats on or after January 25, 2022 may cause NIH to withdraw applications from or delay consideration of funding.” Please note NIH, similar to NSF, utilizes SciENcv. The library’s guide to creating biosketches using SciENcv and information about ORCID can be found at https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/sciencv-for-biosketches.
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CALS C&G Tip
The purpose of CALS C&G Tip is to communicate various fundamentals of fiscal compliance for sponsored projects (ledger 5 accounts). The first section simply explains the rule, while the 2nd and 3rd sections provide specific guidance and resources. The idea is for you to take a few minutes to read the rule and the specific guidance so that when you are authorizing or processing expenses on a 5-account, you will be aware of various fundamental compliance issues. The subject of this particular tip is cost allocation and cost transfers.
1) The Rule
Any cost (including personnel) that benefits a sponsored project or that benefits two or more projects should be allocated1 to those projects when the expense is first incurred. If the transfer2 of costs is necessary, then these transfers should be initiated within 90 days of when the expense was first incurred (NCSU REG 10.05.14.3.1.1).
When transferring costs to another sponsored project, the written justification for the cost transfer should answer the following questions:
- Why was the expense charged to the original project instead of the receiving project?
- How does the receiving project benefit from the expense?
- Is the expense allowable and allocable based on the terms and conditions of the receiving project?
A justification merely stating that the transfer was made “to correct an error” or “transfer to correct project” is not sufficient. If pertinent documentation is available that details the need for an adjustment and/or details the basis for allocation, the correspondence may be attached to the journal documentation (NCSU REG 10.05.14.3.2.1).
2) Guidance
1Cost Allocation and How to Allocate. A cost is allocable to a particular Federal award or other cost objective if the goods or services involved are chargeable or assignable to that Federal award or cost objective in accordance with relative benefits received. In general, a cost that benefits two or more projects or activities in proportions that can be determined...should be allocated to the projects on the basis of the proportional benefit. If a cost benefits two or more projects or activities in proportions that cannot be determined because of the interrelationship of the work involved, then...the costs may be allocated or transferred to benefited projects on any reasonable documented basis (2 CFR §200.405). Each type of cost should be allocated only once and on only one basis to any contract (48 CFR 9905.502).
2Cost Transfers. Costs cannot be transferred to other federal awards to overcome fund deficiencies, to avoid restrictions imposed by Federal statutes, regulations, or terms and conditions of the Federal awards, or for other reasons for convenience (2 CFR §200.405 and NCSU REG 10.05.14.2.1-2.1.3). Cost transfers cannot be used to spend down an award that is ending.
3) Resources
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Please join us in welcoming DeAnna Lee, as the new Business Services, PCard & Wex (Fleet card) Supervisor, effective May 17. DeAnna is joining us from the College of Engineering, where she was the Finance Manager for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. DeAnna has over twenty years of experience in accounting, budget, and management. We are happy to have DeAnna join the CBO team!
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