Carry Over Policy

According to the Provost’s policy letter, all unexpended budget balances in General Operating Fund, Designated Operating Fund / Local Fund Allocation and Research Cost Recovery budgets can carry over as temporary allocations into the 2009-2011 biennium. After the final close of the 2007-2009 biennium, the Budget Office will review the status of expenditure budgets for each unit to determine their carry over allocation. Please contact Amy Floit in case there is any agreement or exception from the Provost that may affect your carry over allocation. See Planning & Budgeting's Biennium Close page for more information.

If you have questions about the carryover in your unit, please contact your college or school administrator.

Newsletter
The biennium close e-newsletter will be sent out once per month from April through July, 2009. Our newsletters will provide apprised of system cut off dates, provide spotlight articles for various FM groups and provide learning opportunities to those who have never experienced a biennium close, or for those who need a refresher. We highly encourage you to forward this email to anyone you believe could benefit from the information contained within.

April 2009

May 2009

June 2009

Also check out the June 2009 MyFD eNews - Biennium Close Edition

July 2009 (coming in early July)

Online Options:

Online Transfers through MyFinancial.desktop: This year, transferring posted expenditures is easier than ever. The newest way to transfer posted salary and non-salary expenditures is via MyFinancial.desktop (MyFD). There are many benefits to using MyFD for your department's expense transfers such as:

All data is stored electronically and according to UW Retention Policy

Online audit trail (you’ll always know who’s been involved in the transfer process)

Keeping paper copies is not necessary for most transfers

Fast and easy

Benefits, related to salary transfers, are calculated and transferred automatically and at the correct historical rates

There will however, be circumstances where MyFD will not meet your needs. Please see the section on Online Transfers for more information.

eTravel has rolled out this year and the process will be a bit different. The closing date will be 07/07/2009 which means full approval must be done in Ariba by 6:00pm on 7/06/2009.

eProcurement now has more suppliers to choose from. Orders will be billed in the biennium the materials were received. eProcurement orders must be billed out by July 6, 2009 for posting to the old biennium.

Journal Vouchers (JVs) may now be submitted electronically by submitting an Electronic Journal Voucher form to jvreq@u.washington.edu. Be sure to indicate the fiscal year it should post to.

Note: If UW Financial Accounting will need to review the transaction, please print and send the JV to them with the back up documentation per normal biennium close procedures. Once they have reviewed and approved the request, the electronic JV will be uploaded. See the Journal Voucher web page for more information.

New eLearning Opportunity for Biennium Close

Please check out our new, online Biennium Close Awareness Training . (Please note, this presentation is best viewed using Internet Explorer).

This high level training allows users to learn the important concepts and includes an illustration of the reporting periods, how the close will affect your unit, systems information, best practices and web resources.

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Overview

What is "Biennium Close"

Many governmental organizations, including the UW, divide their accounting records into two-year periods. Each two-year period is called a “biennium”. They total their revenues and expenses and other items for each two year period, and then start over with a new set of records - a “new” biennium.

For a month or so after the day a given biennium ends (which is usually June 30), we continue to record revenues and expenses that pertain to the old biennium in the old biennium. For a while, two separate sets of records are open, one for the new and one for the old biennium. Biennium close occurs when transactions can no longer be put into the old biennium. There are a series of steps leading up to this cutoff.

During this month or so at the end, in order to get the UW’s financial reporting right, it is important to get the expenses and revenues into the right biennium (new or old), including for budgets (such as grants) that span several biennia (plural for “biennium”).

What does this mean to the University of Washington?

To comply with Washington State accounting procedures for closing out the current Biennium, the University's books of account will be held open for a limited time during the month of July to record transactions processed after June 30 relating to business of the expiring fiscal period. The dates listed on the schedule below are the final dates on which various transactions must be received to ensure recording as 2007-2009 business.

Note: The last day that Accounts Payable will submit input for any type of accounting transactions against expiring biennium funds, except for final adjusting Journal Vouchers submitted by Deans and Vice Presidents, will be July 22.
After July 22, all transactions routinely processed by Accounts Payable will be recorded against new biennium funds.

How does this affect timesheets?

The University is required to report the value of accumulated annual and sick leave for the audited financial statements. This information is also disclosed to the state Office of Fiscal Management for their financial reports.
All departments are aksed to update OWLS for outstanding timesheets and leave slips for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009 no later than July 15, 2009.

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Determining Biennium to be Charged

Vendor Invoices | Travel & eTravel | Procurement Card & CTA | eProcurement|

Vendor Invoices

Goods and services must be received on or before June 30 to be charged to the old biennium. Goods and services received July 1 and after will be charged to the new biennium. Invoices must be received in Accounts Payable by the cutoff date listed on the chart of Document Types & Cut Off Dates linked here.

Note: Send vendor invoices directly to Accounts Payable (AP) at Box 351130.
Do not send invoices to the Purchasing Department.

RIP invoices (under $10,000):

Invoices dated June 30 and prior will be charged to 07-09 (old) biennium funds regardless of the biennium cited in the order.

Invoices dated July 1, 2009 will be charged to the biennium indicated in the purchase order if the goods or services received were during the appropriate fiscal period.

Invoices dated July 2 and later will be charged to new biennium funds.

Non-RIP invoices (over $10,000):State the actual date of receipt or performance on the receiving report (not the date the receiving report is signed) and return to Accounts Payable, Box 351130 on or before the cutoff date if expiring biennium funds are to be charged. Invoices will be charged to the biennium stated on the receiving report.

Note: You can see if you have an invoice over $10,000 pending your department approval here. You can also submit your approval via email on this page.

Invoices for rentals, maintenance services, and deposits to be effective on or after July 1: Since performance will be in the new biennium, payments will be charged to new biennium, but the check will be made available prior to July 1 if required.

Credit Memorandums: Credit Memorandums received in Accounts Payable on or prior to June 30 will be credited to the biennium cited in the requisition. Credit Memorandums received in Accounts Payable after June 30 will be credited to new biennium funds.

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Travel Expenses

eTravel: Expense Reports that are fully approved in Ariba by 6:00pm on 7/06/2009 will be paid on the old Biennium. Expense Reports approved on or after 7/7/09 will be paid in the new Biennium.

Advances: For travel beginning in the expiring biennium (on or before June 30), the advance is charged to the expiring biennium regardless of biennium funds cited in the purchase requisition. For travel beginning in the new biennium (on or after July 1), the advance is charged to the new biennium regardless of the biennium funds cited in the purchase requisition, but checks will still be made available two days prior to departure date. The biennium indicator cited in the purchase requisition will be changed by Travel to match the biennium in which the advance will be charged.

Travel Expense Vouchers: Expenses for travel ended on or before June 30 will be charged to the expiring biennium regardless of the biennium funds cited in the purchase requisition. Expenses for travel started prior to June 30 and ended in July will be charged to the expiring biennium, regardless of the biennium funds cited in the purchase requisition, providing that the expense voucher is cleared for payment prior to July 17. Expenses for travel started on or after July 1 will be charged to the new biennium regardless of the biennium funds cited in the purchase requisition. Expense vouchers cleared for payment after July 17 will be charged to new biennium regardless of dates of travel. The biennium indicator cited in the purchase requisition will be changed by Travel to match the biennium in which the expenses will be charged.

Air Fares for travel to be performed on or after July 1: Air fares paid in advance of performance of travel will be charged to old biennium funds if paid on or before June 30, 2009 and to new biennium funds if paid on or after July 1, 2009.

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eCommerce

ProCurement Card Purchases and Central Travel Account transactions must have a JPMC PaymentNet post date on or before July 1 2009 to be charged to the 2007-9 Biennium. Procurement card / CTA charges posted through July 1st will be reported as old biennium charges and included on the June Final BAR. As with PAS transactions, goods and services must be received on or before June 30th to be charged to the old biennium. For additional information, please visit the Procurement Card website or the UW Central Travel Services website.

eProcurement orders will be processed in the biennium the bill was received in the eProcurement system. eProcurement orders must be billed out by July 6, 2009 for posting to the old biennium. For more information, please see the UW eProcurement website at http://www.washington.edu/admin/stores/eprocurement/

eProcurement Recommended Order Cut-Off Dates
eProcurement Vendor Recommended Order Cut-Off Date

Fisher

Grainger

Office Depot

VWR

06/22/2009

Clark Security

Daigger

Dell

Excell Gloves

GovConnection

Invitrogen

Promega

Qiagen

Sigma Aldrich

TechDepot

06/15/2009

Online Transfer of Expenditures (JV, RST, RTE, OSET)
Transferring posted expenditures is easy using MyFinancial.desktop (MyFD). Transfers completed via MyFD provide complete data online:

Posted online transfer form is accessible by anyone authorized to view the impacted budget (debit or credit)

Complete audit trail online (you’ll always know who’s been involved in the transfer process)

Complete payroll data for salary transfers, including EID, pay period end dates, job class code, and earn type

Complete transaction information, including reason for transfer, benefit statements for transfers involving grant budgets, and optional supporting documentation included in “notes”

All data is stored electronically and according to UW Retention Policy

Ability to drill through to the original expense that was transferred

Benefits, related to salary transfers, are calculated and transferred automatically and at the correct historical rates

There are circumstances where MyFD will not meet your needs. Below are the types of transfers and groups you’ll need to contact for transfers that cannot be done via MyFD:

Type of transfer Budget Type Group to Contact Form to use

Revenue
Lump Sum
Deficit
Fabrications
Benefits Only
State -or- Self-Sustaining Financial Services
(Banking & Accounting Operations)

Electronic Journal Voucher form
This form may either be printed or emailed. All JVs processed using the electronic journal voucher form will be processed as TC35s. Users will not see links to the expense transfer from on MyFinancial.desktop.

Grant Grant & Contract Accounting

Deficit transfers involving a Grant Budget should use the
Deficit Transfer Form.

Any other transfer involving a grant budget should be made with an Electronic Journal Voucher form.

All other transfers Any MyFinancial.desktop Customer Support Online Expense Transfer Form

Grant & Contract Budgets

Grant budgets continue until the expiration date of the sponsored project. However, cash deposits and journal vouchers must be recorded in the proper accounting month. Biennium Close cutoff dates for cash transmittals and journal vouchers for all transactions should be observed in order to ensure accurate reporting on June 2009 BARs and BSRs. No further CTI, ISD or JV transactions will post after 7/17/2009 except for potential corrections which can be submitted on the 20th and 22nd.

Due to biennium close, the University's Financial Accounting System will not be available for updates on Monday July 6th and Tuesday July 7th and will only be available for inquiry purposes. Grant and Contract Accounting (GCA) will not be able to set up new budgets or make changes to existing budgets on these days.

To avoid any problems with payroll continuity, etc., please make sure that all advance budget request forms for advance budgets that have a July 1 start date are sent to GCA by Tuesday June 30th. We also suggest making sure that any no-cost extension requests are processed by June 30th as well.

To monitor the progress of your awards, please use the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) Status Checker. Questions can be sent to gcaques@u.washington.edu.

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Check Disbursement

Checks for the (old) 2007-2009 Biennium will be available for disbursement every day up until July 7th. Please note there will be no checks available on July 8th. (Month 25 checks will be distributed through July 23rd)

Checks for new biennium transactions will not be available until July 9th. If you must have a new biennium check prior to July 9th please make prior arrangements with Procurement Customer Service at pcshelp@u.washington.edu or call (206) 543-4500.

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Document Types & Cut Off Dates

The chart below lists the purchasing and accounting documents related to fiscal close transactions. The cutoff dates represent the last day that departments can submit documents to the central administrative offices to process to allow sufficient time for posting to the 2007-2009 biennium. Submittal of documents well in advance of the cutoff dates will ensure timely processing.

Topic

Fiscal Process Documents

Cut Off Time
Cut Off Date

Department to Which it is Submitted

Purchase Orders

Major Purchases
(equipment & furniture over $15,000 or other items requiring long lead time)

5:00pm
04/10/09
Purchasing

All Others
(including Confirming Requisitions)

5:00pm
06/19/09
Purchasing

Refund Check Requests

The Refund Check Request form is used by campus departments to return funds to individuals and companies from a revenue budget.

5:00pm
06/23/09
Accounts Payable

Encumbrance Liquidation Request

All existing purchase orders with un-liquidated encumbrances at the end of the biennium will be carried forward into the new biennium provided the budget number is still in active status.

Liquidation requests received 6/27 and after will be processed in the new biennium.

5:00pm
06/26/09
Accounts Payable

Deposits

Cash Transmittals

12:00pm
06/30/09
SFS Cashiers Office

Cash Transmittals
(Direct Depositors only)

5:00pm
06/30/09
Accounts Payable

eTravel

( last day for full approval in Ariba)

6:00pm
07/06/09
Ariba

eCommerce

eProcurement

5:00 pm

07/06/09
eProcurement bill out date

Procurement Card

5:00 pm 07/01/09
JPMC PaymentNet post date

Central Travel Account (CTA)

Petty Cash Reimbursement

Petty Cash

5:00pm
07/01/09
Student Fiscal Services Petty Cash window

Departmental Revolving Funds

5:00pm
07/02/09
Accounts Payable

Travel

Expense Vouchers

5:00pm
07/15/09
Travel Office

Check Requests

Payments to Individuals using UoW 1570 / 1571

5:00pm
07/15/09
Accounts Payable

Vendor Invoices
& Receiving Reports

RIP and
Department approved Non RIP

ISDs / CTIs

Batch (paper process)

5:00pm
07/16/09
Financial Services

Automated FASTRANS

5:00pm
07/17/09
Upload

Journal Vouchers
(JVs)

Online Expense Transfers

4:00pm
07/22/09
MyFinancial Desktop

Paper JVs / FASTRANS

State and Self Sustaining Budgets

12:00pm
07/16/09
Financial Services

Grant, Contract and Gift Budgets

12:00pm
07/16/09
Grant & Contract Accounting

Final Adjusting JVs
(Unit Administrators only)

8:00am
07/21/09
Financial Services

Final Adjusting JVs
(Deans and VPs only)

8:00am
07/24/09

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Cross-over Calendars

Need some information about year-end closing?

UW Financial Accounting has posted a July Close Calendar and the August Close Calendar on both their website, and here on the Biennium Close website.

Are you curious when your MyFD transfers will post during Biennium Crossover?
Refer to the MyFD Biennium Close Calendar (pdf format) or the new interactive demonstration. These resources explain which months' transactions will be uploaded to FIN each night. Additionally, the calendar includes cutoff dates to submit MyFD transfers for the 2007-2009 biennium.

Please note that cutoff dates and FIN uploads listed on the calendar are inflexible; if a transaction is not submitted before the final 2007-2009 upload, it will NOT post to the 2007-2009 biennium. So, save yourself the worry and transfer early!

Important MyFD Reminders!

Transfers from a closed biennium are ONLY allowable if they involve transferring expenditures to or from a grant budget (budget type 05). One more reason to submit transfers early—once the biennium closes, most transfers from the closed biennium will NOT be allowed!

MyFD transfers that require Central Office review should be submitted by July 15th to ensure enough time for the Central Office to review the transaction and, if necessary, return it to the department for corrections before the July 21st deadline. Find out which transactions require Central Office review

During biennium crossover, transfers from the current biennium and the prior biennium must be transferred separately.

To read more important MyFD Biennium crossover information, please read our June 2009 MyFD newsletter.

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FASTRANS

The deadline for FASTRANS uploads is 5:00pm on Friday, July 17th. This will allow the 20th and 22nd for corrections. The final review by Deans takes place Thursday, July 23rd.

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Driver Availability

Due to pre-Biennium Close database maintenance, and Biennium Close processing, the Administrative Systems Drivers will not be available on the dates below.

No FIN run on July 6th (payroll only)

PAS, FIN, and BUDGET drivers will NOT be available after 3:00pm on July 7th, 2009

MyFD will be available throughout the process.

Check the Administrative Systems Driver Availability website for system availability.

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Biennium Close Training

Online Web Training

We offer information to campus via this website, a newsletter and have launched an online, Biennium Close Awareness trianing opportunity to the campus for the first time this year. This online Biennium Close Awareness Training is a high level overview of the important Biennium Close concepts and provides an illustration of the reporting periods, how the close will affect your unit, systems information, best practices and web resources..

Biennium Close Q&A Forum

We will hold two Biennium Close Question & Answer forums this year (June 11th and 15th) to discuss the information on this biennium close website and any additional questions you may have. Space is limited. Please register online, here.

If you have specific questions, please contact Procurement Customer Service at pcshelp@u or call 543-4500.

Terminology

"Biennium"
Two year budgeting period. Begins July 1st in odd-numbered years and ends June 30th of odd-numbered years.

"Biennium Close"
The Washington State Financial and Administrative Policies, Regulations, and Procedures require that all goods and services charged against the expiring biennium must be received by a designated date in late June. In addition, all invoices and documents should be received and recorded into the financial system by certain cut-off dates, in order to ensure that all expenditures are correctly charged against the expiring biennium.

"Carryover"
Unexpended budget balances in Local Fund Allocation (LFA), Research Cost Recovery (RCR), and General Operating Fund (GOF) budgets can carry over as temporary allocations in the new biennium. For GOF budgets, the practice has been to allow up to a 1% carryover. LFA and GOF carryover return to the unit, school, college or campus as LFA funds. RCR is returned as RCR funds.

"Carryforward"
Carry-forward indicates that portion of a permanent (on-going) commitment that is not funded in the current biennium.

"Designated Operating Funds (DOF)"
Designated Operating Funds are funds over which the University has unlimited discretion though the University, as a matter of internal policy, may have restricted their use. Composed of: indirect costs(or overhead) charged to self-sustaining budgets and grants, interest income, summer quarter revenue, hospital revenue, administrative overhead, and miscellaneous fees.

"Encumbrance"
An outstanding commitment on a budget. They cease to be encumbrances when paid.

"General Operating Funds (GOF)"
General Operating Funds (GOF) are funds over which the University has significant discretion. They are composed of State appropriations (tax support) and operating fee revenue (a portion of tuition). GOF expenditures are subject to State of Washington and internal University of Washington polices and procedures.

"Req / Requisition"
An online request in PAS initiated by the department and processed by the Purchasing for specified goods or services.

"SAF"
Previously known as the "status action form", this is now the electronic format to liquidate an encumbrance.

"Subcontract"
A formal cooperative research relationship with another organization, generally a university or non-profit research center that is part of a sponsored agreement / proposal accepted by the University of Washington and the other organization participating in the research project or provides a required service to complete the research project. (See GIM7 for more information)

For more terminology, please see MyFinancial.desktop's glossary page here.

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Frequently Asked Questions

General | Deadlines | Procedures | Contacts

General Questions

Q: What is a “Biennium Close”?
“The fiscal biennium of the state shall commence on the first day of July in each odd-numbered year and end on the thirtieth day of June of the next succeeding odd-numbered year.” RCW 1.16.020

Q: Why is this important?
To comply with Washington State accounting procedures for closing out the current Biennium, the University's books of account will be held open for a limited time during the month of July to record transactions processed after June 30 relating to business of the expiring fiscal period. Biennium close affects State (GOF) funds only.

Q: What do I need to do as the department Fiscal person?

Familiarize yourself with the Biennium Close deadlines (see the Biennium Close website for more information)

Monitor the Requisition Inquiry screen to ensure your requisitions are not held in a discrepancy status.

Follow up with vendors to ensure all invoices for the prior biennium period are sent to Accounts Payable for payment and recording in the proper Biennium

Monitor your encumbrances and budget on MyFinancial Desktop or the BAR.

Q: Are grant budgets and invoices from subcontracts subject to the Biennium schedule?
Sub-Contracts are not subject to Biennium rules; however, invoices should be paid in the correct accounting period regardless of budget type.

Q: Which items cannot be transferred in MyFD?
Deficit, lump sums, fabrications, end of biennium balances and revenues. See the section on Online Expense Transfers above for more information.

Q: Who do I contact with questions about requisitions?
Departments are encouraged to check their requisitions often. Email pashelp@u.washington.edu for assistance

Q: Who do I contact with questions about invoice payment?
Invoice payment status can be found on the Requisition Inquiry screen. Email pcshelp@u.washington.edu for assistance.
Q: Who do I contact with questions about Financial Desktop?
UW’s MyFinancial. Desktop has a robust website with up to date information and frequently asked questions. See MyFinancial.desktop or contact them at myfdhelp@u.washington.edu.

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Deadline Questions

Q: What do you do if the deadline for major purchases (in PAS) has passed?
If you have a major purchase to make on old biennium funds and you have passed the stated deadline from Purchasing, please the Purchasing department at 543-5810 or contact the buyer for that commodity group.

Q: When will checks be available during Biennium Close?
If you know a check will be needed by a certain date, please plan in advance.

July 1st - 7th: checks for old biennium transactions will be available

Note: Invoices for new biennium will still be processed during this time.

July 9th on: checks for new biennium transactions will be available

Q: When will you see transactions in MyFD or PAS?
During dual biennium processing, PAS transactions for old and new biennium are viewable each day in the PAS driver. FAS processes transactions for one biennium per night. Those transactions are viewable in MyFD and the FIN driver on the following days:

FAS Accounting Months

Month 24 = Old biennium transactions processed in June

Month 25 = Old biennium transactions processed in July

Month 01 = July transactions - first month of the new biennium

Month 02 = August transactions

For additional information, please click here.

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Procedural Questions

Q: How can I trace an encumbrance balance? Is it completely different from what is in MyFD and/or the BAR?
If purchase orders are placed with either a contract or service term that extends into a future biennium, or is beyond the current biennium period, PAS creates a pending encumbrance for the future biennium. PAS calculates this balance based on the contract terms.
The funds that are moved to the future biennium are available for use in current biennium. The PAS system will move the funds as the need may arise with invoice payments.
Instructions to view requisition encumbrance for the new biennium:

Step 1: log into PAS and choose "Encumbrance Inquiry". Enter requisition number (after the "T")

Step 2: Place a "X" in the future biennium field and the remaining encumbrance will be displayed.

Q: What Biennium will you see in PAS Req Entry screens? Friday, June 19, 2009 will be the last day a department will see both the new and old biennium listed on the PAS Requisition entry screens. After June 19, you will only see the new biennium for entering requisitions.
Q: Who can change the Biennium indicator on purchase orders?
The Purchasing department has access to change biennium indicator for manual and online orders with service date. AP staff can change biennium indicator for online orders without service date.
Q: Why do I see a $1.00 encumbrance? An encumbrance for $1.00 will appear in MyFinancial Desktop or on FIN screen 6 when charges to a requisition are different in amount than the total of the original order or when the items paid differ from the items ordered. There may or may not be pending charges, but the encumbrance remains on FIN at the nominal amount of $1.00.
Q: What is my departmental responsibility regarding $1.00 encumbrances:
It is the department's responsibility to determine whether there actually are pending charges on the requisition and to take appropriate action. If there are pending charges on the requisition, it should remain open for those postings. If there are no charges coming through, the department should request liquidation of the encumbrance.
Q: How do I liquidate the encumbrance? Encumbrances are liquidated by submitting an email request to saf@u.washington.edu.
Q: How do I close revenue budgets?

Agency Account: Contact Financial Accounting at accountg@u.washington.edu .

Auxiliary Enterprise budget send an email request via a school, college or vice president to bgtnum@u.washington.edu.

Department revenue account: send an email to request via a school, college, or vice president to bgtnum@u.washington.edu.

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Contacts

Department	Email
Accounts Payable Banking & Accounting Operations Corporate Travel Services eProcurement Procurement Card Purchasing	pcshelp@u.washington.edu 206-543-4500
Travel	traveluw@u.washington.edu
Payroll	payroll@u.washington.edu
GCA	gcaques@u.washington.edu
Student Fiscal Services/Cashier's Office	sfshelp@u.washington.edu
PAS	is-cst@u.washington.edu
My Financial Desktop Customer Service	myfdhelp@u.washington.edu
Budget Office	budget@u.washington.edu Additional Information from the Budget Office
Financial Accounting	accountg@u.washington.edu

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