Month: August 2010

August 2010

by

www.wesleyan.edu/finance/financeDept

wfs.blogs.wesleyan.edu

Important Reminders
1. WFS Forms – When to Use Them
2. Funding Events/Sponsorships in Other Departments
3. Expense Reports – In the News

 

Other News
4. Foreign Payments – B-1, B-2, Visa Waiver Visitors
5. Accounts Payable – Labor Day Deadlines
6. Purchasing News – WB Mason Paper Price Increase, Crystal Rock Billing, IKON Visits
7. Purchasing Card – Download Dates
8. Who to Contact?

1. WFS FORMS – When to Use Them
We have been requested to put together a document on the types of WFS Smartdocs and when to use them.  Please see attached for guidance and examples.

2. FUNDING EVENTS/SPONSORSHIPS IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS
Note that this is a change in process intended to simplify and bring consistency to the process for co-sponsoring events or expenses in other departments.  This process should be used for all fund types.

  1. Use journal or open journal to move expenses among smartkeys/accounts
  2. To eliminate budget warnings when expenses charge a smartdoc:
    • Journal can occur before event or charges takes place
    • Make sure the journal charges the appropriate account (ask event sponsor, etc. for the smartkey/account combination to use)
  3. Provide sufficient information in comment section of the journal for approvers
  4. Agree beforehand how charges will be handled if the event or sponsorship does not take place
  5. This process also applies to co-sponsoring WSA events. Remember to credit the Fund 100 WSA Smartkey.  The WSA Department Contribution Form in EPortfolio will no longer be used and will be removed shortly.

3. EXPENSE REPORTS – In the News
A recent article from the Hartford Courant, attached,  provides real life examples of issues surrounding expense reports and highlights why policies are important and need to be followed by everyone.

4. FOREIGN PAYMENTS – B-1, B-2, Visa Waiver Visitors
Please see this month’s version of the Navigate Newsletter for important and helpful information regarding B-1, B-2 and Visa Waiver Visitors

5.  ACCOUNTS PAYABLE – Labor Day Deadlines
On Monday, September 6th, the University will observe the Labor Day holiday.   All Accounts Payable Vouchers that must be processed on Friday, September 10th, must be received in the Accounts Payable Inbox no later than Friday, September 3rd at 4:00 pm.

 Keep in mind that Wesleyan’s net terms determine the payment date.

 6.  PURCHASING NEWS – WB Mason Paper Price Increase, Crystal Rock Billing
WB Mason will increase the price on all types of paper on August 16, 2010.  All updated prices can be viewed on line. As a reminder, Wesleyan’s continuous sustainable effort is to purchase the 30% Recycled paper for the everyday usage.

 Crystal Rock
We have received information that Crystal Rock had some IT issues with their billing. Please review the invoices carefully as you might have been charged for sales tax or fuel adjustments of $2.70.  Please do not pay the sales tax or fuel charges.    You may contact directly John Peters at jpeters@crystalrock.com to receive a credit on your account.

Ikon Office Solutions
Ikon is conducting an analysis at Wesleyan as part of an on-going initiative to save the university money. Ikon would like to offer Wesleyan their services to visit each department on campus to gather the following information:

  • Electronic Document Management requirements
  • Document Scanning needs
  • Workflow efficiencies
  • Cost reduction opportunities

 The Ikon Team is requesting a 30 minute meeting with each department to discuss the topics above. Then a report of these findings will be provided to Purchasing and the senior team at Wesleyan for additional cost savings opportunities. Permission to contact Administrative Assistants directly for an appointment has been approved.  We thank you in advance for your time. 

Please see attached for additional Purchasing news and competitive pricing at Protech and Middletown Toyota.

7. PURCHASING CARD – Download Dates

PCard Download dates are as follows:

STATEMENT MONTH                      POST DATES                       DOWNLOAD DATE/VOUCHERS AVAILABLE

AUGUST 2010                                    7/21-8/20                            8/24/2010

SEPTEMBER 2010                              8/21-9/20                            9/22/2010

OCTOBER 2010                                  9/21-10/20                          10/22/2010

NOVEMBER 2010                              10/21-11/20                        11/23/2010

DECEMBER 2010                               11/21-12/20                        12/22/2010

 Reminder that vouchers are now automatically budget checked during the download process.   If you edit Smartkeys/Accounts you will need to Budget Check again.  You still need to go in, attach receipts, document business purpose and submit for approval by the deadlines.

JOURNAL VOUCHERS

  • Please reallocate all Pcard transactions prior to submitting your Pcard voucher
  • If a SmartKey needs to be changed prior to Finance Approval, contact pending approver to coordinate voucher edit.
  • Journal vouchers related to a Pcard voucher should not be processed unless the Pcard voucher has been fully approved by the Finance Office.

 WHEN RECONCILING YOUR VOUCHER

  • Please do not edit your PCard Invoice Number.
  • Be sure to attach an itemized receipt/invoice to your voucher
  • Include a University business purpose for all charges on your voucher.

OTHER PCARD REMINDERS:

  • Accessing you PCard Voucher in WFS – to access your PCard voucher, search on Invoice ID by entering cardholder’s email username.  Note, if you did not have activity during the billing cycle, no voucher is created in WFS and no submission is required.
  • Credit Limit – credit limits refresh at midnight on the 20th of each month.  If the 20th falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, credit limit refreshes at midnight of the previous business day.
  • Business Purpose Requirement – all PCard charges require a description of business purpose.
  • Receipt Requirement – all PCard charges require an itemized receipt, unless otherwise indicated by the University’s Travel and Other Expense Policy.  For audit purposes, if missing a receipt, please indicate “NR” in the description field of your PCard voucher and provide a detailed business description for the charge.  Per PCard policy, “Any charge not supported by a receipt is subject to personal reimbursement by the cardholder.  Consistent missing receipts will result in the suspension of cardholder privileges or permanent cancellation of the card.”
  • Cash Advances – if available, cardholders should use the cash advance feature on their card for minimal out of pocket travel expenses.  Travelers must include an itemized summary of expenses, including supporting documentation, for the full amount of all cash advances taken.  Any unused funds must be deposited back to the cardholder’s default SmartKey/Account 82450.
  • No Splitting transactions – splitting transactions to avoid the single transaction limit is prohibited per Pcard Policy.  Email pcard@wesleyan.edu to request changes in your monthly and/or single transaction limit.  CC your credit card supervisor and Fiscal Manager.  Permanent credit limit increases require an active email request from your Fiscal Manager.

All Pcard vouchers are due 30 days after each billing period end date.  All May vouchers should be reconciled and submitted by June 20th.

Contact pcard@wesleyan.edu with any questions. 

For immediate assistance with your JPMorgan Purchasing Card, call the 24 hour Customer Service number on the back of your card (800)316-6056 or (847)488-3748 outside the U.S.

8. WHO TO CONTACT
Please save these sites as favorites for quick answers to questions you might have.
Finance Office Website http://www.wesleyan.edu/finance/financeDept/
Finance Monthly Blog http://financemonthly.blogs.wesleyn.edu
New Financial System Blog http://wfs.blogs.wesleyan.edu/
Contact Information http://www.wesleyan.edu/finance/misc/contactInformation/

Email Addresses:
General Finance finance@wesleyan.edu
WFS Help wfshelp@wesleyan.edu
PCard pcard@wesleyan.edu
Accounts Payable ap@wesleyan.edu
Purchasing obookas@wesleyan.edu

SUBMISSIONS FOR FINANCE MONTHLY
What topics would you like to see included in this monthly communication? Do you have a system tip you’d like to share? Finance Monthly will be e-mailed on a monthly basis. Items for inclusion are due five business days before the end of each month and can be submitted to finance@wesleyan.edu