Accounting News and Announcements

Below is an archive of announcements from the Accounting and Fiscal Services department. Information on how to sign up for these emails is to the right.

June 2019

• 6/12 - Temporary Pause on all Vendor ACH Changes
  Accounting & Fiscal Services has temporarily paused all new setups and changes to vendor ACH/direct deposit information while we work to implement a new more-secure vendor portal.
• 6/12 - New Guide to the General Error Correction (GEC)
  The GEC is used to correct inappropriate or erroneous accounting string data for general ledger entries generated from other financial transactions.
• 6/12 - Projections Added to Award Balance Overview
  The Award Balance Overview report was recently updated with a new tab containing Projections from the Principal Investigator (PI) Report Tool.
• 6/12 - Accounting & Fiscal Services Leadership Change
  In May 2019, Brian Fahnestock took the helm of Accounting & Fiscal Services as interim Controller and Assistant Vice Chancellor.

May 2019

• 5/29 - Grants Management Workgroup Newsletter for May 2019
  In this issue, we look at some exciting news about record-breaking levels of research funding and expenditures. We also share several new tools impacting the way we manage contracts and grants on campus.
• 5/21 - 2018-19 Fiscal Year-End Close Information & Dates
  This memo includes important information and deadlines regarding UCI's upcoming Fiscal Close for the year ending June 30, 2019.

April 2019

• 4/29 - Preparing for Fiscal Year-End Close
  it is recommended that the following actions be taken in each campus department ...
• 4/29 - Register Now for Fiscal Close Workshops
  Registration is now open for the Accounting Department's upcoming Fiscal Year-End Close Workshops!
• 4/29 - AB 1887: South Carolina Added to List
  The Attorney General of California recently announced that South Carolina has been added to the list of prohibited states for state-funded travel.
• 4/29 - UCPath Brings New Drill-Down Functionality
  Campus financial managers and analysts will be able to drill-down into detailed payroll data from KFS.
• 4/29 - Upcoming Travel Policy Workshop
  The next upcoming workshop will be held on May 14.

March 2019

• 3/27 - Save the Date: Fiscal Close Workshops
  Instructions reviewed will directly relate to fiscal close - financial and budget documents, key dates, overdrafts, encumbrances, and accruals and deferrals.
• 3/27 - KFS Classes Scheduled for the Spring
  Users new and old alike are invited to enroll in our array of KFS classes.
• 3/27 - Upcoming Travel Policy Workshops
  These workshops are open to new employees or those who just need a refresher in preparing TEM documents in KFS.
• 3/27 - UG Procurement Standards Update
  UCOP has posted updated guidance on how new thresholds apply to purchases made with mixed Federal and non-Federal funding.
• 3/27 - How to Make a Whistleblower Report
  The University of California takes violations of federal and state laws, and of university policy, seriously.

February 2019

• 2/20 - Connexxus Partners with Uber & More
  The University of California's Connexxus travel portal recently added a partnership with ride-sharing service Uber.
• 2/20 - Updated Credit & Debit Card Guidance
  The Financial Services team recently updated UCI 700-40: Policy on Credit and Debit Card Acceptance and Security.

January 2019

• 1/31 - New UCI Policy Makes it Easier to Reimburse Ancillary Airline Charges
  UCI recently updated its local travel policy to make it easier for travelers to get reimbursed for ancillary airline charges.
• 1/17 - DWQuery Now Has Award Attributes
  DWQuery was recently updated to include more than 20 award attributes like Fund Number, Project Director, and Award Start and End Dates.
• 1/17 - IRS Announces New Mileage Rates
  The IRS implemented new mileage reimbursement rates for the use of private vehicles for business-related travel.
• 1/17 - Patient Compensation Forms Due 1/22
  Submit all Acknowledgment of Patient Compensation forms along with a log of anonymous participants who received $600 to Accounts Payable no later than Jan. 22.
• 1/17 - KFS Classes Scheduled for February
  Users new and old alike are invited to enroll in our array of KFS classes. Current in-person training sessions covering an array of KFS topics are listed in this article.
• 1/17 - Upcoming Travel Policy Workshops
  These workshops are open to new employees or those who just need a refresher in preparing TEM documents in KFS.
• 1/10 - Contracts & Grants Fund Accounting Series Training
  Classes focus on fund accounting processes for sponsored projects.

December 2018

• 12/10 - Tax Changes in 2019
  Changes to federal tax rules have changed tax withholdings and limits for contributions to retirement funds.
• 12/7 - Calendar Year-End Deadlines
  the Accounting Department will have limited staffing during UCI's Winter Administrative Recess, which begins at the end of the day on Dec. 21.
• 12/7 - Patient Compensation Forms Due Jan. 11
  Submit all Acknowledgment of Patient Compensation forms along with a log of anonymous participants who received $600 to Accounts Payable no later than Jan. 11

November 2018

• 11/13 - Go Paperless with My Receipts
  A new feature called My Receipts makes it quick and easy to collect, store, and share receipts (and other supporting documents) for reimbursement of business travel and events.
• 11/13 - Composite Benefit Rate Open Forums
  UCI will be transitioning to a new Composite Benefit Rate (CBR) structure for distributing UC-paid benefits costs when the campus goes live with UCPath (scheduled for March 2019).
• 11/13 - KFS-Update Mailing List Renamed
  The name of the Accounting Department's main mailing list has changed from KFS-Update to AFS-Update.

October 2018

• 10/9 - New and Improved Design Coming to CBSO Invoices
  Financial Services is pleased to announce that invoices generated by CBSO will feature a new and improved layout and design beginning on Thursday, Oct. 11.
• 10/9 - CBSO Invoices Side-by-Side
  See a side-by-side comparison of the new and old CBSO invoices. The new template goes into production on Oct. 11.
• 10/3 - Solution for Payroll Issues with July Ledgers in EDL and KFS
  Earlier this summer, UCOP encountered a system error that caused transactions processed on the 7/9/2018 XX Payroll Cycle to be incorrectly duplicated into July 2018 reports.

September 2018

• 9/27 - DWQuery: New Attributes Added & More on the Way
  This week, the development team added a new "Document Header" tab to the tool.
• 9/27 - Ending Support for Grossing Up Payments
  Beginning on Oct. 1, Accounting and Fiscal Services will no longer "gross up" honorariums and other non-wage service payments for campus units.
• 9/27 - Beta Testing Notice of Project Expiration Messages
  Beginning on Oct. 1, the Contracts & Grants Accounting and Financial Management Support teams will begin beta testing a new automated Notice of Project Expiration message.
• 9/27 - Reminder: Cell Phone and Internet Usage Reimbursements
  Make sure your department understands the rules when it comes to getting reimbursed for the use of a personal cell phone or Internet data plan.
• 9/27 - Change to Payroll Assessment on Ledgers
  In order to repay Short Term Investment Pool (STIP) funds and external borrowings transferred to the University of California Retirement Plan (UCRP), all campus and medical center locations are charged an assessment on payroll.
• 9/24 - New Unified Organizational Hierarchy is Now Live
  The new org hierarchy is not expected to significantly impact business for most campus units, but financial managers should be aware of the following ...
• 9/18 - Be Prepared: New Org Hierarchy Goes Live Sept. 24
  The process will add new organization codes to the current hierarchy for some units. It will also adjust the org level of some existing codes in order to create a standardized structure for reporting and rollups.
• 9/13 - Unified Organizational Hierarchy: Possible Impacts on Business
  The project team does not anticipate the new Unified Organizational Hierarchy to significantly impact business for most campus units when it goes live on Sept. 24; however, there is some risk...
• 9/11 - Sign Up for Travel Policy Workshop on Sept. 18
  The classroom-based training sessions review Travel, Entertainment & Disbursement Voucher (DV) policies and best practices.

August 2018

• 8/9 - Issues with Ledgers in EDL, Data Warehouse, and KFS
  Due to a UCOP system error, transactions processed on the 7/9/2018 XX Payroll Cycle were incorrectly duplicated into July reports.
• 8/7 - Grants Management News: UCI's Research Administration Software Gets an Upgrade
  UCI's research administration management software got a big upgrade last month and now has a new name – Kuali Research! Read more in the GMW newsletter ...
• 8/1 - July Fiscal Period Data and Beginning Balances
  If any YEDA, AV, or YEAV e-documents impacted your department ledgers in June as part of fiscal year-end close, you will see the reversals of those accruals and deferrals in your July (Fiscal Period 01) ledger.

July 2018

• 7/19 - Major KFS Org Structure Update Coming September
  This September, UCI will establish and implement a new Unified Organizational Hierarchy for our accounting and payroll systems.
• 7/13 - Period 12 of FY 2017-18 Closes Wednesday, July 18
  This is the last period in which departments—other than central Accounting—can make adjustments.
• 7/13 - Submit Accruals and Deferrals Starting July 12
  Starting in fiscal year 2018-19, only two lease codes may be used to record lease expenses.
• 7/13 - DWQuery Enhancements Rolled Out
  This was done intentionally to limit account changes and creation during Fiscal Year-End Close.
• 7/5 - Deadline for Period 12 Activity is Wednesday, July 18
  DWQuery now defaults to the current fiscal period when opening a new query, and users can now save queries that automatically default to the current fiscal period upon loading.
• 7/5 - Submit Accruals and Deferrals Starting July 12
  The Year-End Department Accrual (YEDA) e-document will be available for use starting Thursday, July 12.
• 7/5 - Account Edit & Copy Disabled
  This was done intentionally to limit account changes and creation during Fiscal Year-End Close.

June 2018

• 6/29 - Accounting Periods on eDocs During Fiscal Close
  To make the fiscal closing process easier for campus departments, the following KFS documents will default to the June (JUN18PER12) accounting period from July 1 to 18...
• 6/29 - Budgeting for Income on Control Accounts
  UCI requires all KFS control accounts (UCnnnnn) on year-to-date funds to end the fiscal year with an income variance of zero.
• 6/29 - FYE Snapshots: Reports Run and Saved July 2–18
  Like last year, four essential financial reports will be run every morning and saved for later use to keep track of daily changes in Accounts.
• 6/29 - Request Transfers to/from Reserves by July 18
  Auxiliary and sales & service units who want to record transfers to/from reserve funds for the 2017-18 fiscal year should send requests to the Accounting Department no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 18.
• 6/28 - Gift Funds: Change from ITD to Fiscal Year in 2018-19
  Effective with the start of the 2018-19 Fiscal Year and the July/BB carry-forward process that takes place in early August, Gift Funds in KFS (PRxxxxx accounts) will be updated from inception-to-date (ITD) to fiscal year funds.
• 6/21 - ABO Report Enhanced! PIs can now see Payroll Expense Detail on Awards
  The Award Balance Overview (ABO) Report was recently updated to include more detailed payroll information.
• 6/18 - TEM and DV Fiscal Close Deadline is Friday, June 22
  All TEM docs and DVs must be submitted, scanned, fully approved, and in Accounting’s Action List by 4 p.m. on June 22.
• 6/18 - Updated Payroll Deadlines for Fiscal Year-End Close
  As a result of UCOP closing schedule changes, several of the deadlines associated with fiscal year-end close payroll processing have recently changed.
• 6/18 - New Feature: Close Multiple Accounts with One Doc
  The KFS Team added a new field to the Account Global document this weekend that allows users to close multiple accounts in a single document.
• 6/18 - New "Post-Back" Enhancement will Improve Audits
  This enhancement ensures financial documents post to the GL in their selected monthly fiscal period when approved and finalized in compliance with deadlines.

May 2018

• 5/16 - 2017-18 Fiscal Year-End Close Information & Dates
  The memo includes important information and deadlines regarding UCI's upcoming Fiscal Close for the year ending June 30, 2018.
• 5/7 - Preparing for Fiscal Year-End Close
  The end of fiscal year 2017/18 is fast approaching, and Central Office financial staff are hard at work preparing for the upcoming fiscal close.

April 2018

• 4/30 - New GEC Document Feature Makes it Easier to Process Multi-Line Expense Transfers
  The KFS Team added a new button to the GEC document this weekend that should make it easier to complete expense transfers with multiple imported charges.
• 4/30 - Updated Alcohol Policy and Guidance
  UCI recently updated its policy regarding the service of alcoholic beverages at university sponsored events.
• 4/30 - Register Now for Fiscal Close Workshops
  Registration is now open for the Accounting Department’s upcoming Fiscal Year-End Close Workshops!
• 4/18 - Learn how the KFS Upgrade will Affect Fiscal Year End
  Registration is now open for the Accounting Department’s upcoming Fiscal Year-End Close Workshops!
• 4/6 - RSVP for a Connexxus Travel Session on April 17
  UCI Travel Accounting will host three travel overview sessions on Tuesday, April 17, to share best practices in booking via Connexxus and highlight UC policy.
• 4/6 - Travel Policy Workshops on April 10 and May 8
  These workshops are open to new employees or those who just need a refresher in preparing TEM documents in KFS.
• 4/5 - Annual Administrative Systems Access Verification
  DSAs in coordination with the proper department authorizers will be required to verify system access for every employee/system user and, if necessary, make any required changes.

March 2018

• 3/8 - PPS Data Corrections in February Reports
  Last summer, a UCOP system error resulted in the Payroll/Personnel System (PPS) feeding incorrect expenses related to Life Insurance & Disability for July 2017 into EDL, Data Warehouse, and KFS.
• 3/8 - DWQuery Upgraded with New Attributes and More
  We're pleased to announce that DWQuery has gone through some upgrades based on user feedback.
• 3/8 - Next Monthly Travel Workshop is March 13
  The Travel Accounting team offers monthly Travel/Entertainment workshops!
• 3/8 - Go Green! Email Invoices to Accounts Payable
  Instead of sending invoices by campus mail, we encourage all departments to scan and email their invoices – including utility bills – to our central email address.
• 3/8 - Save the Date: Fiscal Year-End Close Workshops
  As in previous years, Accounting and Fiscal Services will offer fiscal year-end close workshops in May.
• 3/8 - Upcoming KFS Classroom Training Schedule
  Users new and old alike are invited to enroll in our array of KFS classes in a traditional classroom setting.

February 2018

• 2/23 - Update on KFS 7 Upgrade Project
  KFS underwent its biggest upgrade since 2014 last weekend, and we’re happy to report that KFS 7 was implemented with no major issues.
• 2/20 - KFS Version 7 Upgrade is Now Live
  We are pleased to announce that the latest version of the Kuali Financial System was successfully implemented over the weekend and is now live for all campus users.
• 2/15 - Moving Expenses Taxable Under New Tax Law
  Effective Jan. 1, 2018, all moving expense reimbursements are taxable to the employee.
• 2/14 - Service Alert: KFS Down this Weekend for Upgrade
  The KFS Team will be installing and testing an upgrade during this time, and users will be unable to access the system until the upgrade to KFS 7 is complete.
• 2/8 - Annual Enrollment for Printed Earnings Statements
  If you are an employee who is paid by direct deposit and you have previously elected to receive a printed earnings statement via campus mail, you must renew your election this month.
• 2/5 - Important Document Cutoffs for the KFS Upgrade
  While most KFS documents will not be impacted by the conversion process, users should be aware of the deadlines below related to Maintenance documents.

January 2018

• 1/22 - 2017 Form W-2: Wage and Tax Statements
  All employees should soon receive their 2017 Form W-2: Wage and Tax Statements. If you signed up for electronic delivery, the form should now be available on the At Your Service Online (AYSO) website.
• 1/22 - Delivery and Handling of 2017 W-2 Forms
  We need each department to help make sure W-2s are delivered correctly. Paper forms will be delivered to departments via Campus Mail on Thursday, Jan. 25, or Friday, Jan. 26.
• 1/19 - Upgrade to KFS 7: What to Expect
  While we expect the transition to KFS 7 to be a relatively easy experience for most users, there are a few things of which you should be aware.
• 1/19 - Changes to Look for in Your January Paycheck
  It's always a good idea to take a close look at your first paycheck in January to confirm your benefits enrollments and your voluntary pretax contributions.
• 1/4 - DWQuery: A New Tool for Extracting and Analyzing Financial Data
  DWQuery is an evolution of the existing BLISS and Data Warehouse Queries, so it will feel familiar to campus financial users while providing many new features and improved usability.
• 1/4 - Approval Deadline for December Accounting Period
  The December 2017 accounting period will close on Tuesday, Jan. 9.

December 2017

• 12/19 - KFS is Getting an Upgrade in 2018
  The KFS Team is pleased to announce that work is underway to update UCI's Kuali Financial System to the latest version of the software.
• 12/13 - New OASDI Taxable Gross Takes Effect in 2018
  The Social Security Administration has announced that the maximum amount of income subject to OASDI – commonly known as Social Security – will increase from $127,200 to $128,400 beginning on Jan. 1, 2018.
• 12/12 - FileNet System Down this Saturday
  KFS users will be unable to upload or view scanned documents in the FileNet system from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. this Saturday, Dec. 16.

November 2017

• 11/30 - Save the Date: Next KFS Open Forum is Jan. 9
  Learn about forthcoming enhancements to the Kuali Financial System from a panel of Accounting Department experts.
• 11/29 - End of Calendar Year Deadlines and Information
  Please take a moment to review the deadlines and dates listed here and see if any of them apply to your work.
• 11/28 - End of Year Deadline for Moving and Relocation (RELO) eDocs
  The deadline to finalize all 2017 moving and relocation (RELO) reimbursements is Thursday, Nov. 30.
• 11/9 - Payroll Office News - Important Year-End Deadlines
  Everyone in the Payroll Office and Accounting & Fiscal Services hopes your holidays are full of cheer and that 2018 will bring you joy and happiness! Please take a moment to review the payroll dates and deadlines below.
• 11/6 - Grants Management News: Building Connections
  To help our faculty researchers get their bearings faster, the Office of Research recently held its first ever New Faculty Welcome Luncheon...

October 2017

• 10/5 - Update to UC Travel Policy: New Reimbursement Limits for Meals and Lodging
  The UC Office of the President recently announced that new limits for reimbursement of meals and lodging for business travelers will take effect on Oct. 15.

September 2017

• 9/13 - It's Here! Launch of the Redesigned Connexxus
  The UCOP Central Travel Office is pleased to announce the release of a freshly designed Connexxus travel portal.
• 9/1 - Solution for Payroll Issues with July Ledgers in EDL and KFS
  Last month, a system error that caused the 7/3/2017 XX Payroll Cycle to be incorrectly duplicated into July reports. we now have a solution to this problem.
• 9/1 - Connexxus Launches Updated Design Next Week
  The UCOP Central Travel Office has informed us that the Connexxus Portal will relaunch with a new design after the Labor Day holiday weekend.

August 2017

• 8/8 - Issues with Ledgers in EDL and KFS
  Due to a UCOP system error, transactions processed on the 7/3/2017 XX Payroll Cycle - the final payroll cycle for the 2016-17 fiscal year end - were incorrectly duplicated into July reports.
• 8/4 - New Form for Wire Transfer Payments & Upcoming Travel Workshops
  The Accounts Payable Office has created a new form that must be completed for all wire transfer payments to foreign banks...

July 2017

• 7/28 - July Fiscal Period Data and Beginning Balances
  July final transactions should be available for viewing in Decision Support on Tuesday, Aug. 8.
• 7/20 - Grants Management News: Looking Toward the Fall and Beyond
  Formed earlier this year, the Grants Management Workgroup is a partnership dedicated to making managing research grants easier.
• 7/13 - Period 12 of Fiscal Year 2016-17 Closes on Friday
  Department financial managers should be reviewing ledgers and approving fiscal year-end Action List items before the deadline on July 14.
• 7/10 - BATs from the Weekend will Post to the General Ledger Tonight
  The KFS Team is aware that Budget Appropriate Transactions (BAT) from this weekend did not post to the General Ledger today as expected.
• 7/7 - KFS Update for July 7, 2017
  Stories include: The deadline to record activity in Period 12 is July 14; You can begin submitting accruals and deferrals on July 8; Editing and copying accounts is disabled until July 17.

June 2017

• 6/30 - KFS Update for June 30, 2017
  Stories include: Tips for Handling Default Accounting Period during Fiscal Close; a Quick Guide for UC Record Retention Policies; a Link to the Budgeting for Income Guide; and Information about Fiscal Year-End Snapshot Reports
• 6/26 - AB 1887: New States Added to Prohibited List
  The list of states where travel restrictions apply now includes: Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas.
• 6/19 - KFS Update for June 19, 2017
  Stories include: TEM and DV Fiscal Close Deadline is June 23; Deadline to Submit Transfers to/from Reserves is July 14; New Origin Code for Mail Recharges.
• 6/6 - KFS Update for June 6, 2017
  Stories include: AP Reminders, Closing Steps for Contracts and Grants, Account Creation Guidelines, PO Encumbrance Reconciliation Report
• 6/5 - Payroll Office News for June 2017
  Stories include: Deadlines for requesting June final pay, fixing blocked transactions, accessing payroll reports on EDL, and deadlines for fiscal year-end close.

May 2017

• 5/30 - Reminder: Fiscal Close Workshop for Auxiliary and Sales & Service Enterprises is Wednesday, May 31
  This workshop will cover the same topics as the May 23 and 24 fiscal year-end workshops with additional topics that are unique to Auxiliary and Sales & Service Enterprises.
• 5/19 - 2016-17 Fiscal Year-End Close Information & Dates
  The attached message includes important information and deadlines regarding UCI’s upcoming Fiscal Close for the year ending June 30, 2017.
• 5/12 - Preparing for Fiscal Year-End Close
  With nearly three years of experience in KFS, we expect the closing process to be relatively routine for campus this year.
• 5/3 - Register Now for Fiscal Year-End Close Workshops
  As in previous years, Accounting and Fiscal Services will offer fiscal year-end close workshops in May.

April 2017

• 4/28 - UCI is Going Paperless for Payroll Direct Deposit
  Beginning on May 1, UCI is going paperless for employees who are paid by direct deposit.
• 4/19 - Grants Management News || April 2017
  We are pleased to announce a new multi-office effort to improve grants management at UCI.
• 4/6 - Request Access Now: New Role Required for Account Maintenance Starting May 1
  All departments should act now to ensure all personnel have the correct level of access when this change takes effect.
• 4/6 - Next Monthly Travel Workshop is April 12
  Travel Accounting is now offering monthly Travel/Entertainment workshops!
• 4/3 - New Feature: Directly Upload Images of Supporting Documents
  KFS users can now upload receipts and other supporting documents directly to FileNet for several types of KFS e-documents.
• 4/3 - New Form Required for Relocation Reimbursements
  Department reimbursement processors must now complete a Relocation Expense Form for all Moving and Relocation (RELO) reimbursement documents.

March 2017

• 3/20 - Payroll Office News - March 2017
  Update on Issue with January Payroll Data; Don’t Forget to Check for Blocked Transactions; Forms Updated on Payroll ZotPortal.
• 3/16 - Annual Administrative Systems Access Verification
  DSAs, in coordination with the proper department authorizers, will be required to verify system access for every employee/system user and, if necessary, make any required changes.
• 3/9 - KFS Open Forum Slides
  Click the link above to download a PDF of the slides from the recent KFS Open Forum.
• 3/8 - Update: January Payroll Data in Financial Reports
  KFS, Decision Support, and PPS Data Warehouse now have the correct Amounts, Object Codes, and Consolidation Codes; however, all January transactions for employee leave usage are in Period 8 (February 2017).

February 2017

• 2/21 - Register Now: PURAP Open Forum on March 1
  A combined panel of Purchasing and Accounts Payable experts will discuss proper purchasing methods, services, and forthcoming enhancements to the Disbursement Voucher.
• 2/8 - Alert: Issue with January Payroll Data in Financial Reports
  Because of a processing error in PPS, expenses associated with employee leave usage were posted to the wrong Sub Account in January.
• 2/7 - Save the Date: KFS Open Forum on March 7
  Learn about the latest changes and enhancements to the Kuali Financial System from a panel of Accounting Department experts.
• 2/7 - Personnel Change in C&G Accounting
  It is with warm wishes that the Accounting Department announces the retirement of Rebecca Tangen, manager, Contracts and Grants Accounting.
• 2/1 - Availability of IRS Form 1095
  In the coming weeks, employees and retirees will receive IRS Form 1095 verifying their health coverage for 2016.

January 2017

• 1/24 - Important Information about the Federal and California EITC
  Employees may be eligible for the California Earned Income Tax Credit
• 1/23 - Use Student ID to Process a DV Reimbursement
  You can now use a student's ID number to process a Disbursement Voucher (DV) for reimbursement.
• 1/19 - New Report for Principal Investigators: Review the Finances of Active Awards and Projects
  With this new tool, PIs can quickly see the financial standing of all of their active awards and projects.
• 1/5 - New California Law Prohibits Using State Funds for Travel to Certain States
  AB 1887 expressly identifies the University of California as an entity covered by the law, and campus departments must comply with this new rule effective Jan. 1, 2017.

December 2016

• 12/12 - Chance to Win a $50 Starbucks Card if You get Your W-2 Online
  If you haven't already signed up to receive your W-2 Wage and Tax Statement online, do it now for a chance to win a $50 Starbucks card!
• 12/12 - Sales and Use Tax Rate Decreases on Jan. 1, 2017
  The California Board of Equalization announced a decrease in the state portion of the total sales and use tax rate by 0.25 percent.
• 12/12 - PCDO Auto-Approval Cycle Adjusted for December
  Because of the holidays, the auto-approve feature for the Procurement Card e-document (PCDO) has been adjusted...
• 12/7 - New OASDI Taxable Gross Takes Effect in 2017
  The Social Security Administration has announced that the maximum amount of income subject to Social Security will increase from $118,500 to $127,200 beginning on Jan. 1, 2017.
• 12/2 - Monthly Travel Workshops Begin on Dec. 13
  Our first workshop will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 13, in the Accounting Department offices.

November 2016

• 11/28 - Payroll Office Year-End Schedule and Important Dates in December and January
  Please take a moment to review these payroll dates and deadlines.
• 11/23 - Update to Supporting Documents Guide: Agendas
  The Supporting Documents Guide on the Accounting website has been updated to clarify the role of agendas in supporting the business purpose of a travel reimbursement.
• 11/17 - Elect Online Delivery of your W-2 for a Chance to Win a $50 Starbucks Card
  All employees who are signed up to receive their W-2 Statement online will be entered to win a $50 Starbucks gift card.
• 11/16 - Accounts Payable Deadlines for Payment in 2016
  Employees who process accounts payable documents should be mindful of the following deadlines to ensure payments are made in a timely manner.

October 2016

• 10/12 - Travel Policy Workshop Slides and Notes
  Accounting and Fiscal Services travel experts hosted a Travel Policy Workshop. The notes and PowerPoint slides can be downloaded here.

September 2016

• 9/27 - Rush Checks for Payroll Adjustments End October 3
  Payroll adjustments should be processed on the next available payroll cycle compute.
• 9/27 - Return Undeliverable Payroll Checks by November 30
  Please return any undelivered payroll checks to the payroll office by Wednesday, Nov. 30.
• 9/27 - Submit Payroll Overpayment Forms by November 15
  Failure to submit an overpayment request in time will result in the overpayment not being accurately adjusted on the employee’s 2016 Form W-2.
• 9/23 - Register for Next Month’s Travel Policy Workshop
  This workshop is highly recommended for those who are new to working with TEM documents.
• 9/20 - New Payroll Certification System Coming in November
  The new system will be called KFS-PCS and will replace the current certification process starting in November.
• 9/16 - Register for Upcoming Connexxus Travel Webinars
  The University of California’s Office of the President (UCOP) is offering a series of webinars to help UC employees become Connexxus experts.

August 2016

• 8/25 - Recent KFS Updates: Improvements to Searching for Accounts and Events
  KFS was recently updated to fix a number of bugs and improve some features. The most important changes include improvements to how users can search for accounts and events.
• 8/15 - Payroll Certification System (PCS) Moving to KFS
  PCS will no longer use a paper-based certification format. The Roll-Out of KFS-PCS will take place in early November 2016.

July 2016

• 7/29 - Account Edit Closure Requests for Non-C&G Accounts
  Account Edit e-documents requesting the closure of non-contracts & grants accounts will not be processed until after Aug. 11.
• 7/27 - July Fiscal Period Data and Beginning Balances
  July final transactions should be available for viewing in Decision Support on Thursday, Aug. 11.
• 7/25 - Approval Deadlines for July Fiscal Period
  The following documents must have ALL approvals no later than 8 p.m. on Friday, July 29, to be posted to the July 2016 accounting period ...
• 7/21 - Printing of Earnings Statements for Payroll Adjustments Ends Aug. 1
  The Payroll Department will stop printing "blue sheet" earnings statements for Payroll Adjustment Rush Checks effective Monday, Aug. 1.
• 7/13 - Period 12 of Fiscal Year 2015-16 Closes on Friday
  Period 12 of the 2015-16 fiscal year will close on Friday, July 15. This is the last period in which departments—other than central Accounting—can make adjustments.
• 7/11 - eDocs Processed/Approved This Weekend Have Not Yet Posted to GL
  Edocs processed and approved on Saturday and Sunday have not yet posted to the KFS General Ledger due to a system processing error last night.
• 7/8 - Payroll will post to the KFS General Ledger during the afternoon of Friday, July 8
  Due to a delay in processing, the KFS General Ledger will post final June transactions from the Payroll/Personnel System (PPS) the afternoon of Friday July 8.
• 7/8 - Account Edit & Copy Disabled Until July 18
  The Edit and Copy feature in the Account Lookup in ZotPortal is disabled until 18.
• 7/8 - Submit Department Accruals/Deferrals Starting July 9
  The YEDA e-document will be available for use starting this Saturday, July 9.
• 7/8 - Final Deadline for Departments to Record Activity in Period 12 is July 15
  Units must submit their accruals and deferrals and final budget alignment and error corrections by July 15.
• 7/1 - Select eDocs will Default to June 2016 Accounting Period During Fiscal Close
  Based on user feedback, the KFS team has modified selected financial transaction e-documents so that the Accounting Period dropdown will default to June 2016/Period 12 while departments are engaging in closing activities from July 1- 15.
• 7/1 - New Guide: Learn About Budgeting for Income
  Accounting and Fiscal Services has created a new guide to help fiscal officers understand the process of budgeting for income.
• 7/1 - FYE Snapshots: Reports Run and Saved From July 1–15
  As announced at this year’s Fiscal Close Workshops, four essential financial reports will be run every morning and saved for later use to keep track of daily changes in Accounts.
• 7/1 - New Functionality: Save Decision Support Queries
  A new Saved Queries feature was rolled out to Decision Support recently. Using this new functionality gives financial users the ability to save routinely used queries for a number of reports.

June 2016

• 6/29 - Important Fiscal Close Payroll Deadline This Friday
  All payroll pay transactions intended for the 2015-16 fiscal year should be prepared and scheduled for processing no later than Friday, July 1.
• 6/14 - Deadlines for Requesting June Final Pay
  The Payroll Office requests that every department make an effort now to identify employees who have approaching separation dates or appointments that will not be renewed beyond June.
• 6/1 - Central Printing of PPS Reports Ends July 1
  Users will continue to have access to the same reports online via the Electronic Document Library (EDL).
• 6/1 - Biweekly Student Employees Separating in June
  We are asking each department to determine now which biweekly student employee appointments will be ending on or before June 30.

May 2016

• 5/20 - 2015-16 Fiscal Year-End Close Information & Dates
  The instructions are intended to assist in coordinating the needs of academic and administrative departments with the requirements of the University, the Accounting and Fiscal Services Department, and other service department.
• 5/12 - Reminder: Do Not Use the Back Button in KFS e-Documents
  Navigating KFS with the Back button can cause system errors and should be avoided.
• 5/4 - Accounting Department Closed May 13 and 16
  Most of UCI's accounting divisions will be closed during the move period, which will begin at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 12, and continue through Monday, May 16.

April 2016

• 4/21 - Retirement of Assistant Vice Chancellor and Controller Bent Nielsen
  Marc Guerra, Associate Controller, has agreed to serve as Interim Controller and Assistant Vice Chancellor until a recruitment is completed and a permanent replacement can be appointed.
• 4/20 - At Your Service Online (AYSO) Down for Maintenance Starting Friday Afternoon
  The At Your Service Online (AYSO) website will be down for maintenance starting at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, April 22.
• 4/18 - Accounting Reviewer Changes to Speed Up Business
  The KFS Team implemented several changes to the Accounting Reviewer role this week.
• 4/18 - New UC Campus Tab Must be Filled Out for ICTs
  Initiators of Intercampus Transfers (ICT) must now complete the new "UC Campus" tab before submitting the e-document.
• 4/18 - Image Scanning Tab Added to DV
  This tab is very similar to the Image Scanning tab that was added to Travel and Event Management documents last year.
• 4/18 - CSV Files can be Uploaded to Notes & Attachments
  Campus users can now upload CSV and PDF files to the Notes and Attachments tab. This applies to all KFS documents that allow attachments.
• 4/12 - Registration Open for Fiscal Year-End Close Workshops
  Accounting will offer fiscal year-end close workshops in May. Attendees will learn all phases of accounting necessary for an effective fiscal close.

March 2016

• 3/31 - DV Payment Code Names and Descriptions Updated
  The descriptions for a number of Disbursement Voucher Payment Reason Codes were updated this week.
• 3/29 - New Automated Service for Verification of Employment and Income
  UCI will now use a secure automated service called "The Work Number" to provide verifications of employment and income starting on Friday, April 1.
• 3/21 - Save the Date: KFS Open Forum Sessions on April 13
  Learn about the latest changes and enhancements to the Kuali Financial System from a panel of accounting department experts, who will discuss everything from paying vendors and travel to the general ledger and Decision Support.
• 3/21 - New Payee Certification Tab for Payment Codes B & Z
  The Disbursement Voucher e-document was updated this weekend to include a new Payee Certification tab.
• 3/21 - Disbursement Vouchers Get Return to Initiator
  KFS approvers can now return any enroute Disbursement Voucher (DV) to the Initiator. This will eliminate the need to disapprove and copy documents that simply need to be updated.
• 3/8 - Old Data Warehouse Ad-Hoc Report Interface Returns Temporarily for General Ledger
  UCI has temporarily brought back the old Data Warehouse interface for generating customizable ad-hoc reports from the general ledger.
• 3/2 - Accounting Launches New Travel Website
  The Accounting Department is pleased to announce the launch of a new travel website. The new site covers information essential for getting reimbursed for travel, entertainment, and relocation expenses at UCI.
• 3/2 - New Meal and Incidental Expenses (M&IE) and Entertainment Meal Rates
  he University of California posted new Meal and Incidental Expenses (M&IE) and Business and Entertainment Meal Rates for 2016.

February 2016

• 2/26 - Cybersecurity Alert: Protect Your W-2 Statement
  Recently, fraudulent emails purporting to be from President Janet Napolitano were sent to several University of California campuses.
• 2/22 - 2016 Administrative Systems Access Verification Message to DSAs
  As a Departmental Security Administrator, we rely on you to complete this verification process for your department(s). This year's review must be completed by April 29.
• 2/17 - Annual Administrative Systems Access Verification
  Every year, Accounting conducts an administrative systems access verification for all employees/system users. This verification process is an important internal control for the university.
• 2/8 - Connexxus: Get UC-Negotiated Discounts on Travel
  Connexxus is a secure Web portal for booking university business travel. It automatically gives you access to UC-negotiated prices for airfare, hotels, and car rentals.
• 2/8 - TEM Arrangers can Collaborate on Documents in KFS
  Two people can work on the same reimbursement document prior to submission as long as they are both set up as travel arrangers for the Traveler/Payee.
• 2/8 - Try out the new TEM Profile Report
  The TEM Profile Report was added to Decision Support this week to assist travelers and travel arrangers with TEM Profile processing.
• 2/8 - Scanned Document Image Viewer Updated
  The KFS image viewer was updated to HTML5, allowing users to view scanned documents without Java Virtual Machine (JVM) software.

January 2016

• 1/25 - Electronic 2015 W-2 Wage and Tax Statements are now available
  Electronic 2015 W-2 Wage and Tax Statements are now available for download on the AYSO website.
• 1/22 - Kuali Vendor Onboarding (KVO) Website Has Migrated
  The Kuali Vendor Onboarding website migrated to a new URL this week. if you saved the old website URL in your web browser, you should update your bookmark now.
• 1/20 - Introducing the Return to Initiator Button for TEM eDocs
  Beginning this week, KFS approvers can now return any enroute Travel and Event Management (TEM) e-document to the Initiator.
• 1/20 - Disbursement Vouchers for Foreign Nationals Now Automatically Route to Tax Reviewer
  This weekend, the Disbursement Voucher (DV) e-document was updated so that it will always route to the tax reviewer node if the person receiving payment is a foreign national.
• 1/20 - FYI Now Sent to Fiscal Officer When Account Maintenance eDocs are Finalized
  The Account and Account Global e-documents will now automatically send an FYI notification to the Action List of the account's Fiscal Officer (or Fiscal Officers Delegates) when these documents are finalized.
• 1/20 - Organization Reviewers Can Now Opt to Receive FYI, Acknowledge, or Approve Notifications
  KFS and the Kuali Security Access Maintenance System (KSAMS) were recently updated to give departments the option to send FYI or Acknowledge notifications to an Organization Reviewer for many types of maintenance e-documents.
• 1/20 - Employees who claimed exempt in 2015: Resubmit Your Tax Exemption Before Feb. 8
  Federal and state regulations require any requests for exemptions from Federal and California State withholding be submitted each calendar year.
• 1/15 - Payroll Office Personnel Change
  It is with regret that Accounting and Fiscal Services announces the departure of Roberta Nardico, UCI's payroll manager.

December 2015

• 12/14 - New Decision Support Report: Chart of Accounts Inquiry
  Using this report, you can look up all of an organization’s accounts and fiscal officers, search for object codes, and more.
• 12/14 - New Decision Support Report: Ledger Reconciliation
  The Ledger Reconciliation Report is designed to help campus fiscal officers review and reconcile their accounts each month.
• 12/14 - Document Scanning Issues Resolved
  A small number of KFS users experienced problems with documents that were sent to scanning. This issue—which was caused by an update to UCI's scanning system—is now fixed.
• 12/03 - Deadline for 2015 TEM and DV Payments is Dec. 17
  The deadline to finalize your Travel and Event Management (TEM) and Disbursement Voucher (DV) e-documents for payment in 2015 is Thursday, Dec. 17.
• 12/02 - Sign Up By Dec. 31 to Receive Your W-2 Online
  If you haven't already signed up to receive your W-2 Wage and Tax Statements electronically, now is the time.

November 2015

• 11/19 - Important Year-End Payroll Dates and Deadlines
  Important dates and deadlines regarding upcoming pay dates, requesting final paychecks for employees leaving the university, W-2 statements, updating your personal information for tax purposes, and the Payroll Office schedule.
• 11/18 - KFS Decision Support will be down from 3 to 5 p.m. this Friday
  The Office of Information Technology is upgrading Cognos—the reporting tool used for KFS Decision Support—to the latest version from IBM.

October 2015

• 10/28 - Don't Miss Next Week's KFS Open Forum
  Get updates on Accounts Payable & Travel, Financial Transactions, Decision Support, and learn about TouchNet Marketplace on Thursday, Nov. 5.
• 10/21 - ENTs for the Same Event can have the Same TEM Doc #
  Multiple Entertainment Reimbursements (ENT) for the same event can now have the same TEM Document Number.
• 10/21 - Using Account Delegate Models to Set Up Accounts
  A new feature was activated this weekend that can save time for users who find themselves repeatedly creating accounts with the same Fiscal Officer delegation structure.
• 10/21 - Travel Policy Workshop Slides and Notes
  Last week, Accounting and Fiscal Services travel experts hosted a Travel Policy Workshop, covering best practices, policies, and recent changes to the KFS Travel and Event Management (TEM) module. The notes and PowerPoint slides can be downloaded here.
• 10/12 - New Guide: What Can You Buy with a UCI Corporate Travel Card?
  A full listing of all the acceptable uses for UCI's Corporate Travel Card.

September 2015

• 9/30 - Save the Date: KFS Open Forum Sessions on Nov. 5
  Learn about the latest changes and enhancements to the Kuali Financial System from a panel of accounting department experts, who will discuss everything from paying vendors and travel to the general ledger and Decision Support.
• 9/24 - KFS Update 2.1 - Bug Fixes and Enhancements
  Includes information about: "Read Notes" notifications in action lists, a fix for GEC copy buttons regarding project codes, new restrictions on DI e-documents, and PPS transactions no longer posting to continuation accounts
• 9/23 - Register Now for Next Month's Travel Policy Workshop
  Hosted by UCI travel experts, the workshop will cover best practices, policies, and recent changes to the KFS Travel and Event Management (TEM) module.
• 9/23 - Register Now for KFS Training Classes
  Users new and old alike are invited to enroll in our array of KFS classes either online or in a traditional classroom setting.

August 2015

• 8/25 - The Improved Travel Expense Report: An easy-to-review summary of trip/event information and expenses
  KFS users can now access an improved version of the Travel Expense Report for all Travel and Event Management (TEM) reimbursement e-documents.
• 8/25 - Automatic Notification of ACH/Wire Deposits: Advanced Deposit (AD) eDocs now ‘FYI” route to Fiscal Officers
  A new feature added to KFS this weekend will notify fiscal officers whenever a direct bank deposit or incoming wire transfer has been distributed to their department account.
• 8/25 - Register Now for September 2015 KFS Training Classes
  Users new and old alike are invited to enroll in our array of KFS classes either online or in a traditional classroom setting.
• 8/21 - Thank you for making possible a successful fiscal year-end close
  Thank you to everyone who helped close the 2014-15 fiscal year. Your hard work and diligence managing and protecting UCI's financial resources -- even when challenged to adapt to a new financial system -- is of immeasurable value.

July 2015

• 7/30 - July Fiscal Period Data and Beginning Balances
  July final transactions should be available for viewing in Decision Support on Aug. 10. If you processed YEDA, AV, or YEAV e-documents, you will see the reversals in your July ledger. Plus, information about carryforward and base-budget balances.
• 7/30 - Approval Deadlines for July Fiscal Period
  The following documents must have ALL approvals no later than 7 p.m. on Friday, July 31, to be posted to the July 2015 accounting period...
• 7/10 - Units with Recharge Income Accounts Must Align Recharge Income Budgets by July 17
  All campus recharge units with recharge income accounts should follow the procedures below to bring their recharge income budgets into alignment with income received. All recharge income budgets must be aligned no later than Friday, July 17.
• 7/08 - Use the YEDA E-Document to Submit Your Department’s Accruals and Deferrals July 11-17
  The KFS team is happy to announce that the Year-End Department Accrual (YEDA) e-document will be available for use starting this Saturday, July 11.
• 7/02 - Tips for Working on FY 2014-15 Transactions in the New Fiscal Year
  Fiscal Year 2015-16 began on July 1, 2015. Many users performing KFS General Ledger lookups or initiating certain transaction documents may have noticed that the Accounting Period in KFS defaults to July 2015 (Period 1 of Fiscal Year 2015-16).

June 2015

• 6/23 - TEM and DV Fiscal Close Deadline is Tomorrow, June 24
  All Travel and Event Management (TEM) documents and Disbursement Vouchers must be submitted, scanned, and approved by Accounting by 4 p.m. on June 24 to be recorded as 2014-15 expenses.
• 6/18 - KFS Hours Extended, Weekly Action List Emails, Scanning Reminder
  KFS has extended hours for fiscal close and a new weekly action list email reminder is being sent out to all users. Plus, a warning to send your supporting documentation to scanning as soon as possible with the June 24 deadline coming soon. Keep reading for more.
• 6/09 - New this Week: Search for Object Codes by Consolidation, Accounting Period Name Changes, and Fiscal Close Workshop Slides Now Online
  KFS was updated over the weekend, including a new feature that gives users the ability to search for Object Codes by Consolidation. Also below is important information about changes made to the names of accounting periods in KFS, and a link to download the slide deck from the recent fiscal closing workshops.
• 6/03 - Avoid Delays with TEM E-Documents/KVO Email Notifications
  Make sure you are using the Image Scanning tab when your supporting documents were scanned into a disapproved TEM eDoc. Plus: Improved Kuali Vendor Onboarding (KVO) Email Notifications.

May 2015

• 5/26 - Additional Fiscal Year-End Close Workshop Session scheduled for June 1
  Due to overwhelming demand, Accounting and Fiscal Services has added a third date for the Fiscal Year-End Close Workshop.
  
• 5/26 - Approval Deadlines for May Accounting Period
  The following documents must have ALL approvals no later than 7 p.m. on Friday, May 29, to be posted to the May 2015 accounting period...
  
• 5/22 - 2014-2015 Fiscal Year Close Information and Dates
  Please read the attached message from Assistant Vice Chancellor & Controller Bent Nielsen. The memo includes important information and deadlines regarding UCI's upcoming Fiscal Closing for the Year Ending June 30, 2015.
  
• 5/21 - Register for the Fiscal Year-End Close Workshop on UCLC
  As in previous years, Accounting and Fiscal Services is offering a fiscal year-end close workshop. Attendees will learn all phases of accounting necessary for an effective fiscal close. Instructions reviewed will directly relate to fiscal close – financial and budget documents, key dates, overdrafts, encumbrances, and accruals and deferrals.
  
• 5/19 - Fiscal Officers can now Edit the Document Overview Tab
  Continue reading to learn how Fiscal Officers can edit the Document Overview Tab and a new +/- display option for the General Ledger (GL) Entry Lookup. Also new this week is an automatic process built into KFS that will clean up left-over encumbrances on closed, cancelled, and voiced purchase orders (PO) every night.

April 2015

• 4/30 - KFS Open Forum Sessions on May 14
  Two Kuali Financial System Open Forum Sessions have been scheduled for Thursday, May 14. The first session will be from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and the second session will be from 2 to 3:30 p.m.
• 4/24 - New Organization Account Status Report; Search by Award Criteria in the Account GL Detail Adhoc Report
  A new report, which provides users with a quick-glance overview of account status by organization, was recently added to KFS Decision Support.
• 4/20 - Preparing for Fiscal Year-End Close
  This summer—for the first time in decades—UCI will be closing the fiscal year with a new enterprise financial system. In any year, fiscal year-end close is a complex process.
• 4/16 - New Guide to Setting up Enclosures and Special Handling for Checks
  The KFS team has created a new instructional guide to help users set up special check-handling options in KFS.

March 2015

• 3/23 - Link to View Scanned Images Moved, New Scanning Hold, and Easier Traveler Certification
  The "View Required Scanned Documents" link was moved to the new Image Scanning tab, and an automatic "scanning hold" was added to most Travel and Event Management (TEM) e-documents.
• 3/18 - Development of Ledger Reconciliation Tools and More
  The Kuali Financial System team recently implemented some improvements to Decision Support's Account Transaction – Income and Expense Report and modified the BA/BAT e-document.
• 3/03 - How to Fix Employee Practice Liability Budget and Expense Misalignment
  Recent changes to the Kuali Financial System’s object consolidations and budget object codes will require you to rebudget funds related to the Employee Practice Liability (EPL) assessment.

February 2015

• 2/23 - Improvements to the Action List, Internal Billing Account Validation, and More
  Among the most significant updates to KFS are a modification to the Action List and a new income account validation that has been built into the Internal Billing (IB) eDoc.
• 2/03 - New Object Consolidations for Enhanced KFS Reporting
  The KFS team is implementing several new object consolidations to make KFS reporting more versatile, particularly when creating Principal Investigator (PI) reports.
• 2/02 - See All Of Your Unit's TEM eDocs And DVs With The New Organization Reconciler Role
  This special role gives a user permission to view all of the TEM and/or DV e-documents in their department/organization.

January 2015

• 1/21 - Annual Administrative Systems Access Verification
  Every year, Accounting and Fiscal Services conducts the Administrative Systems Access Verification for all employees/system users. This verification process is an important internal control for the university.
• 1/20 - Change to ad-hoc routing in internal billing (IB) e-documents
  Last week, the KFS team implemented several changes to the internal billing (IB) e-document to help streamline the process of approving recharges.
• 1/16 - Always have the right receipts, invoices, and proofs of payment with this useful supporting documents reference guide
  This reference guide will help you determine what receipts, invoices, or proofs of payment you need to submit to be reimbursed in a timely manner.

December 2014

• 12/15 - New OASDI Taxable Gross Takes Effect in 2015
  The Social Security Administration has announced that the maximum amount of income subject to OASDI -- commonly known as Social Security -- will increase from $117,000 to $118,500 beginning on January 1, 2015.
• 12/11 - New Lodging Name Requirement / See Scanned Status in the Action List
  The KFS team implemented a helpful addition to the action list and a new requirement for reporting the names of hotels and other lodgings.
• 12/10 - Sign Up Before December 31 to Receive Your W-2 Online
  If you haven’t already signed up to receive your 2014 W-2 Wage and Tax Statement electronically, now is the time. Employees who receive their W-2s electronically enjoy these useful benefits.

November 2014

• 11/24 - Kuali Financial System has New Features to Help You Search Smarter
  The KFS team implemented several new updates recently that make searching for documents easier than ever.