Monthly Closing Deadlines

The June 2026 period in the general ledger has closed, but please keep in mind that the Controller’s office staff will continue to record additional entries necessary for FYE until August 1st, and the general ledger will open for the new FY2026-27 on August 2nd. The future month-end processing deadlines are located at Monthly Closing Deadlines.

New Credit Card Reconciliation ‘Optional’ Notification Feature

We are excited to announce a new Optional enhancement to the Credit Card Reconciliation process!

Credit Card Reconcilers can now notify the designated approvers as soon as reconciliation is complete.  Once all transactions lines are in ‘Valid Budget Status’, simply click the ‘Notify’ button located in the bottom-right corner of the reconciliation page. This will send a notification directly to the approvers, letting them know the transactions are ready for review and approval.

Note: Any changes made to the reconciliation will reactivate the ‘Notify’ button, allowing the reconciler to send an updated notification to approvers after the changes have been completed.  Before clicking ‘Notify’, carefully review the reconciliation to ensure all transactions, accounting details and supporting information are accurate and complete.  This will minimize unnecessary notifications and promote a more efficient approval process. 

The page below will appear showing emails that were sent to approvers

Sample of the email Approvers receive

For Users with Multiple Roles

Some users have both the Credit Card Holder and Approver roles. To access the Notify button, you must be working on the Credit Card Holder selection. The notification option will not be available when selecting Credit Card Approver option.

For Reconcilers managing Multiple Cardholders

If you reconcile transactions for multiple cardholders, be sure to select and reconcile each card holder individually to be able to send notifications via clicking ‘Notify’ button. If you opt for reconciling more than one Credit Card at a time, the ‘Notify’ button is not available.

Optional Feature

The ‘Notify’ functionality is available as a convenience tool to help streamline communication between Credit Card Holders/Reconcilers and Approvers; however, its use is optional.

If you choose not to use the ‘Notify’ button, please continue following your department’s current process for informing approvers that reconciliations are ready for review.  Timely communication remains essential to ensure transactions move through the approval process without delays. 

This change was developed in response to user feedback and reflects our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement.

If you have any questions or feedback regarding this enhancement, please contact the Credit Card Solutions Team ccsteam@fiu.edu. For systems related issues, please contact Financial Systems and Support Services Help Desk at 7-7200 or email controller@fiu.edu.

Thank you for your continued support as we work to improve our systems and better serve the university community.

What’s New: Travel Authorization Benefit to FIU Fields

Previously, the Benefit to FIU or Project section of the Travel Authorization (TA) form was captured as a free-text comment field.  While this allowed users to provide detailed trip justifications, it was difficult to report on key travel information, such as who is incurring the expense, the type of event being attended, and how the university benefited from the trip.

Effective July 1, 2026, the single comment field has been replaced with several structured fields that can be tracked and reported on individually.  The new fields shown below capture the following information:

• Organization incurring the travel expense
• Event description
• Event Travel Dates
• Travel location or destination
• Business purpose/justification
• Special Benefits to FIU

For Travel Authorizations already submitted for approval, if the TA is returned for revision or withdrawn for correction, the Benefit to FIU section will automatically update to the new structured format. Users can edit and update information directly in the new fields. This helps keep all submissions consistent and accurate.

This change was developed in response to user feedback and reflects our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement.

This enhancement is designed to streamline the Travel Authorization process while supporting university reporting and compliance requirements. By collecting information in dedicated fields, we expect to reduce missing or incomplete submissions and improve the overall efficiency of the TA process.

This change was developed in response to user feedback and reflects our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement.

If you have any questions or feedback regarding this enhancement, please contact the Financial Systems and Support Services Help Desk at 7-7200 or email controller@fiu.edu. Thank you for your continued support as we work to improve our systems and better serve the university community.

Timely PCard Cancellations Are Critical

Per the Departmental Card Guidelines & Procedures Manual, departments must follow the proper card cancellation process. Departments must promptly notify the Credit Card Solutions Team (CCST) whenever a cardholder’s employment status changes.

To prevent audit findings, the Office of the Controller requires the following:

Key Steps:

1. Notify CCST immediately when a cardholder resigns, transfers, separates, retires, or changes duties.
2. Notify CCST before submitting the CSS08 Card Cancellation form.
3. Wait for CCST confirmation that the card is cancelled.
4. Submit the completed CSS08 form only after confirmation.

Why It Matters

1. Timely notification reduces liability and prevents unauthorized purchases.
2. Failure to follow proper and timely card cancellation steps can result in loss of PCard privileges for your entire department.

Action Required

Review Section 2.10 of the Manual and verify your team follows these steps every time.

Your efforts help safeguard University assets and ensure compliance. For questions, email ccsteam@fiu.edu.

Account Payable (AP) Deadlines

Please note the year-end deadlines below for AP:

2nd Accounts Payable Accrual (will be recorded in Financial Statement Activity ID only)

Invoice amounts must be $5,000 or greater.  Invoices must have a receiving date prior to July 1, 2026 must be entered, matched, and approved in Accounts Payable by July 24, 2026.

Participant Payments

The Office of the Controller implemented an electronic process for requesting participant payments. The new participant payment forms (application, replenishment, closure, and transfer of custodianship) will route to the appropriate approval groups in PeopleSoft Financials. This applies to all new research-related participant payment requests (cash and cash equivalents-gift cards) for both sponsored and non-sponsored research with an approved IRB.

Please find the links below to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and User Manual for your review and reference.

• Participant Payment Fund SOP
• Participant Payment Fund User Manual

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a departmental training for your faculty and staff, please contact the team via email at cashrequests@fiu.edu.

Annual Back-to-School Sales tax Holiday

Consumers can purchase qualifying back-to-school supplies exempt from tax during the 2026 Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday. The sales tax holiday begins on July 20, 2026, and extends through August 20, 2026. Click on the following link for more information.

Payments to Foreign Publishers

Payments to foreign publishers for publication and advertising fees no longer need a signed agreement for payment as long as the services are being provided outside the United States. These services are now included as allowable unencumbered payments and only require the following for payment processing:

• Vendor’s invoice
• Completed Non-U.S. Supplier Statement Form (box 6 selected)
• Completed Foreign Service Performance Certification form

Additionally, the electronic unencumbered form in PeopleSoft Financials is available for these payments as long as the vendor is categorized as a Foreign Company. If you have any questions about the new process, please contact FIU’s Tax Compliance Department via email at tax@fiu.du.

Sales Tax exemption on dues, membership fees, and admission charges collected by FIU

The Florida Department of Revenue has confirmed that under the provisions of §212.04(2)(a)2., F.S., and Rule 12A-1.005(2)(f), F.A.C., all dues, membership fees and admission ticket charges collected by FIU are exempt from Florida sales and use tax. Going forward, Florida International University (FIU) will no longer need to collect and remit sales tax from external customers for dues, membership fees, and admission ticket charges.

If you have any questions about this item, please contact FIU’s Tax Compliance Department via email at Tax@fiu.edu

Cash Controls Policy Compliance

The Cash Controls Policy 1110.010 establishes requirements for departments handling cash outside designated University Cashiering locations.

Key Points

• Required Authorization: Departments collecting more than $1,000 per fiscal year must apply to become an authorized Cash Collection Point (CCP).
• Expanded Background Check: Mandatory for all employees in the process.
• Three-way Segregation of Duties: Required for all departments – no exceptions.

Action Required

Please review the following for guidance:

• Cash Controls Policy 1110.010
• CCP Standard Operating Procedures
• CCP Training in FIU Develop

The Quality Assurance Services (QAS) team will contact departments as needed to initiate the CCP application process.

Your efforts help safeguard University assets and ensure compliance. For questions, email QAS@fiu.edu.

Safeguarding Attractive Property

Departments are responsible for protecting Attractive Property—items under $5,000 that are portable, unsecured, and often contain new technology or can be adapted for personal use.

To prevent audit findings, the Office of the Controller requires departments to:

• Identify and assess risk for Attractive Property
• Record and track these items

We also recommend an annual inventory to maintain accountability.

Please review the resources below as you implement or update your tracking process:

• Property Control #1130.010
• Property Control Manual
• Attractive Property Tracking Template

Your efforts help safeguard University assets and ensure compliance. For questions, email property@fiu.edu.

Travel News

Travel to Multiple Locations

Users may create Travel Authorizations (TAs) that include multiple domestic destinations when a trip involves multiple stops within the United States. Additionally, if a traveler includes both domestic and international destinations within the same TA, the system will automatically classify the entire trip as international travel. This enhancement supports travelers with multi-location itineraries while ensuring proper classification for any travel that includes international segments.

Important: All Travel Authorizations must accurately list every destination, including all cities and countries associated with the trip, to ensure compliance and proper routing.

Limiting Allowable Hotel Expenses Continues for FY-2027

For the current fiscal year, the Florida Legislature has mandated in HB 5003E that lodging paid with state funding may not exceed $225 per night for university employees for events (meetings, conferences, or conventions) sponsored or organized in whole or in part by Florida International University. State funds include all E&G funds and state-sponsored grants.  Amounts exceeding $225 per night may be paid through an alternative funding source.

Departments are responsible for ensuring compliance with this requirement when arranging or reimbursing lodging for FIU-sponsored events.