Monthly Closing Calendars

The September 2019 period in the general ledger has closed. When running your reports, please keep in mind that the reporting environment has a 24 hour delay in displaying data. The current and future month-end processing deadline schedules can be found at: Monthly Closing Deadlines.

Departmental Credit Card Training now ON DEMAND, FULLY ONLINE

Financial Systems and Supports Services and Credit Card Solutions has converted the Departmental Credit Card Training to a self-paced online course, available on demand. This replaces the instructor-led, bi-monthly course offered previously. The course includes five learning modules with knowledge checks along the way and a final learning assessment that is required for issuance of a Departmental Credit Card and/or associated credit card role(s).

The benefits of learning online:

• On-Demand training is accessible to many users, any time. No scheduling challenges, geographic barriers.
• Learners control pace and individualization, learners can review materials, learn at their pace.
• Combine knowledge of subject matter experts in one experience, Credit Card Solutions, Procurement Services, Financial Systems and Support Services, and Travel as well as other University constituents have contributed content in one learning experience.
• Professional development, learning, attendance and compliance are managed in one centralized place.

All full-time employees who participate in the University’s Credit Card Program have the opportunity to take the course. This includes Cardholders, Approvers, and Reconcilers. It also includes all of the credit card profiles (Commodity, Travel, or Dual-Use).

Employees can register for the course via Professional Development, searching for the course by Department, then Office of the Controller. If you have questions and issues regarding this course, please contact Financial Systems and Support Services Help Desk at 305-348-7200 or email The Office of the Controller.

Limiting Allowable Hotel Expenses Continues for FY-2020

We have received the following guidance from the Office of the General Counsel:

Section 59. In order to implement appropriations in the 2019-2020 General Appropriations Act for state employee travel and notwithstanding s. 112.061, Florida Statutes, costs for lodging associated with a meeting, conference, or convention organized or sponsored in whole or in part by a state agency or the judicial branch may not exceed $150 per day. An employee may expend his or her own funds for any lodging expenses in excess of $150 per day. This section expires July 1, 2020.

As of July 1, 2017, the cost for lodging for FIU employees associated with a meeting, conference, or convention organized or sponsored in whole or in part by FIU may not exceed $150.00 per day if paid with state funding (E & G). Amounts over $150.00 must be paid with personal funds. Please note that the lodging limitation of $150.00 applies only to lodging for a meeting, conference, or convention organized or sponsored in whole or in part by FIU. It does not apply to lodging for a meeting, conference, or convention organized or sponsored by other entities, including other state agencies.

Departments must ensure the requirements of this law are met when establishing lodging for FIU employees attending FIU sponsored events.

Changes in myFIUmarket

Later this month, all myFIUmarket orders will be invoiced electronically. Accounts Payable will receive the invoices through a cXML file.

What has not changed:

• Vouchers will still be created in PeopleSoft.
• Receipts will still need to be created before a payment is issued.

What will change:

• Accounts Payable will be received the invoices electronically through a secure cXML file.
• Invoice copies will not be mailed or e-mailed to FIU. Invoice copies can be requested directly from the vendor if absolutely necessary.

These changes will only effect myFIUmarket orders. All orders placed outside of the marketplace will remain the same.

Materials and Supplies

Materials and/or supplies needed for office spaces/classrooms/labs and other business purposes must be obtained using either the PCard, paid by FIU via a requisition, or an unencumbered vendor form. Supplies are not individually reimbursed. Items must be purchased by the department. Permanent employees that need to obtain commodities or commodities and food privileges on behalf of the university must get a PCard.

Delivery of Invoices

Please remember that invoices attached to requisitions are NOT forwarded to Accounts Payable. If the vendor does not send the invoice directly to Accounts Payable, the department must do so.

Also, the PO number should be printed (not handwritten) on the face of the invoice. This will expedite the processing of the invoices. Please work with your vendors to ensure that the PO number appears on the invoice. If it does not, the PO number should be included in the body of the e-mail when sent to invoices@fiu.edu.

Travel

Help us to expedite approving Travel Authorizations, Cash Advances, and Expense Reports. Documents that have not been completely finalized and are older than 90 days will be cancelled or deleted by the Travel Department. A list of pending documents is located here. Information regarding report status abbreviations and how to close or cancel Travel Authorizations and/or Expense Reports can be found here.

Departmental Card Deadline

As a reminder, departmental card billing transactions regularly load the first business day of the month; program participants will have 10 days to process this activity in its entirety. This month’s billing statement (dated September 30, 2019) loaded into PantherSoft on October 2, 2019 and must be completely processed by the end of the business day on October 15, 2019.

Any charges not processed by the closing deadline will be automatically charged to the cardholder’s default accounting on file and will not be eligible for a transfer. Cardholders with three unjustified non-approvals in the same fiscal year will have their card temporarily suspended until they complete a retraining session.

Credit Memos and Vendor Statements

As a reminder, all credit memos should be processed on a timely basis. They should be sent to invoices@fiu.edu for processing. Please do not wait until you have an invoice pending to offset the credit. PeopleSoft should reflect all invoices owed to vendors and credits owed to FIU

All vendor statements should be sent to Maria Castillo.

Entering Receipts in PeopleSoft

The receiving against the PO should be done as soon as the items are received or services are rendered. Please DO NOT WAIT UNTIL AN INVOICE IS RECEIVED.

The receiving date in PeopleSoft should always be the date the product was received or service rendered – not the date that the actual receiving entry is made. This is a mandatory field.

Below is an excerpt from the job aid:

The job aid can be found under the Procure to Pay header at the Controller’s Training website.

Should you have questions regarding this course, please call the Financial Systems and Support Services Help Desk at 7-7200 or email controller@fiu.edu.

If you have completed the receiving entry for an order or an invoice and continue to receive an e-mail requesting a receiving transaction, please contact Accounts Payable at 7-2161 to clear the match exception. Please do not resend the invoice to invoices@fiu.edu.