UTSC Business Officer – FIS Reference Page
This reference site was created to bring together documentation to help UTSC Business Officers get familiar with the Financial Information System (FIS) and relevant Guide to Financial Management (GTFM) policy information.
This section draws from the FAST Team’s reference guides, simulations and articles within the Financial Services Knowledge Center.
If you have any additional questions related to UTSC specific business processes, policies and guidelines, please contact Amy Ng, Manager, Accounting & Processing Support within UTSC Financial Services.
An Introduction to the University's Administrative Management System (AMS)
This section provides defines what SAP, AMS And FIS are, introduces you to the purpose and components of the FIS system and how to navigate within it.
Resources:
- What is SAP, AMS and FIS – Broad Overview
- Introduction to FIS
- FIS Overview – Course Slides
- Navigating in SAP – Tips & Tricks
FIS Account Codes, Hierarchies and the Budgeting
Get familiar with common FIS codes, such as Funds Centers, Cost Center and Internal Orders, and learn how to locate your department’s hierarchies.
Relevant resources:
- Policy – Understanding the different funding sources at the University
- How to Locate your Parent Funds Center and Funds Center Hierarchy
- How to Locate your Cost Center Group Hierarchy
- What is the relationship between Funds Centers and Cost Centers?
- Commitment Accounting Assignments Report (a.k.a. Linking Table) – shows what Cost Centers/Internal Orders are linked to what Funds Centers
- Cost Centers and Internal Orders: What’s the difference?
- Cost Centers, Internal Orders or Assignment Fields. Which one is just right?
- How do I know what G/L account to use?
- Understanding GL accounts and their relationship with Commitment Items
- What is “PERA” (i.e. UTFA) and what can it be used for?
- What is the COVID-19 Expense Reimbursement Fund (CERF), and what can it be used for?
- Reference guides/simulations related to Funds Management reporting, and Controlling reporting.
Best Practices for Accounts Payable Transactions (i.e. invoices, expense reimbursements)
These resources will help you keep track of your invoices, reimbursements and your accounts, as well as provide guidance on how to edit posted transactions.
Relevant articles:
- GTFM Policy – Purchasing and Payments to Vendors
- GTFM Policy – Procurement Policy
- Procurement – How to Purchase Goods and Services (includes thresholds)
- How to process Invoice Payments in a Foreign Currency (under 10k)
- SIMULATION: Determining the Status of a Cheque, Foreign Draft or Electronic Funds Transfer
- Running a Report to View the Payment Status on Multiple Payment Transactions
- How to Create a Custom Line Item Report
- How to Enable your Macro Settings and the Save As Icon in Excel
- The List of Payments Report – A quick way to see who has received payments in a month, and the number of transactions
- Additional Report Recommendations:
- ZFM1 – Funding: Funds Center or Fund Report (to view real time balances in a single Funds Center or Funds Center/Fund combination)
- ZFTR008 – Total Funding Activity Report (to view real time balances in all accounts within your hierarchy)
- ZFIR079 – FI Postings Line Item Report (to view a list of all financial/actual postings charged to your accounts over a period of time)
- ZFIIR079A – All Postings Line Item Report (to view a list of actual postings and reserves against your accounts over a period of time)
ERDD Submissions
Staff who have personally incurred expenses while doing business on behalf of the University are eligible to be reimbursed for their out-of-pocket expenses to ensure they neither gain nor lose funds. For these staff, if they choose to be reimbursed in Canadian dollars, the reimbursement can be deposited into the same bank account they get paid from the University.
Take a look at these resources to learn about the policies, receipt requirements, tax treatments and how to process and review claims using the ERDD – Web application (if you have access):
- Who is eligible to receive Expense Reimbursement Direct Deposit (ERDD)?
- How often does payment for an Expense Reimbursement Direct Deposit (ERDD) take place?
- Expense Report Form (includes most expense categories corresponding GL codes)
- Tax Code Summary Table (If reimbursing a claim category not indicated on Expense Report Form)
- Expense Reimbursement Checklist Template
- ERDD – Web Application Resource Page
- How to Enter an ERDD – Web Application (For Yourself)
- How to Enter an ERDD – Web Application (For Others):
- How to Display a Saved Claim on the New ERDD – Web Application
- How to Search for Claims in the ERDD – Web Application by Partial Claimant Name
- How to Check the Status of a Saved Claim on the New ERDD – Web Application
- How to Edit a Saved Claim on the New ERDD – Web Application
- How to Print the Foreign Exchange Rate Conversion from the ERDD – Web Application
- How to Locate a Saved Claim by Personnel Number
- Making Edit Text and Assignment Codes in Posted AP Transactions (reference guide/simulation)
Tax Treatment and Applicable Tax Codes
The University of Toronto is a Broader Public Sector organization that receives a large part of its operating funding from the Provincial government. As a result, in certain circumstances, the University receives a rebate on the HST paid for expenses.
This section provides resources to help you get familiar with the University’s tax rebate, tax treatment of different scenarios and tax codes that apply the rebates so that your Funds Centers and Funds Center/Funds only get charged the after tax rebate amounts.
Resources:
- GTFM Policy on Various Tax Impacts (HR/Payroll, Purchases, Revenue/Recoveries)
- Tax Code Summary Table
- Picking the Correct Tax Code for Expense Reimbursements
- How do we handle the provincial sales tax for purchases from non-HST provinces & territories excluding expense reimbursements?
- What tax code should I use when reimbursing for Conference/Registration Fees?
- Where can I find a quick reference guide for HST applicability of external sales?
- What does self-assessing of HST mean? When do I have to self-assess?
Best Practices for Monthly Reconciliation
Month end reconciliation (as per the Administrative Accountability Report Forms) refers to the process of departments reviewing and comparing their source documents (e.g., invoices, forms, and quotations) to actual postings to their accounts during a particular month. It helps ensure the accuracy and integrity of financial postings, while also locating errors and identifying when source documents need to be retrieved (e.g., missing forms or vendor invoice).
This section provides resources that will assist in understanding the process, and ways to make the reconciliation process more efficient:
Resources:
- Administrative Accountability Report Forms (outlines roles and responsibilities for Business Officers, Business Managers/Department Heads and Others)
- Reconciling & Reviewing Month-End Statements Course Material Page (i.e. slides, report reference guides and other resources)
Reconciliation Reports
Reference Guides | |
1 | ZFTR106 – Statement of Accounts Report – Funds Centers and Non-Research |
2 | ZFTR094 – Monthly PI Report |
3 | ZHJR_ZHJR004 – Payroll Distribution Report (and for Archived Data) |
4 | ZFTR055 – Budget Movement Report for Funds Centers
OR |
5 | ZFVR019A: Facilities & Services Customer Statement – 2015 onwards |
6 | ZTC1: Telecom Billing: Extension Detail Statement |
7 | ZVC2: VoIP Recurring Service and Hardware Charges Report (QRG | SIM) |
8 | ZVC3: VoIP Long Distance Call Report (QRG | SIM) |
Management Reports – To be reviewed by Head of Department (e.g. Chair/Director/Manager/Principal or Dean)
Additional Resources:
- How to Save time and Submit Month End Reports in the Background
- Monthly Payroll Reconciliation: NSF warning with Funds Availability at zero! What does this mean?
- Figuring Out AMS Document Types and Number Ranges
- Who is PROCNTL and Why are they Posting to my Accounts
- Who do I contact if a PROCNTL Entry is Posted to my departmental accounts?
The Travel & Hospitality Card and Purchasing Card (PCard)
Administrative staff may encounter/use two credit cards for UofT business:
The Travel & Hospitality card is available for full-time appointed staff who incur travel related expenses regularly and want to take advantage of the longer payment terms (i.e. 60 days vs. 30 days) and travel related benefits inherent in this UofT administered credit.
NOTE: It can ONLY be used for travel related expenses, and the individual is personally responsible for any balance, interest or service charges.
For more information on how to request a card, administrative guidelines and restriction please visit this Procurement Services page.
The Purchasing Card (PCard) is a University authorized credit card assigned to authorized full-time faculty or staff for non-travel related purchases under $10,000 (before tax).
For more information on how to request a card, administrative guidelines and restriction please visit this Procurement Services page.
Additional Resources:
- Administrative Accountability Report Forms (outlines roles and responsibilities for Business Officers, Business Managers/Department Heads and Others)
- PCard – Administrative Regulations
- Is it against policy for a department to make a payment directly to Scotiabank Visa, on behalf of an employee, who has used their Corporate Scotiabank Visa Travel and Hospitality Card?
- What are the payment terms for the Scotiabank Visa Travel and Hospitality Card?
- Can a Departmental FIS payment be made for a Scotiabank Visa Travel and Hospitality Card without the employee first completing an expense reimbursement?
Understanding the University's Budget Cycle
The University’s Fiscal Year goes from May 1st to April 30th. As a result of this cycle, administrative departments are required to perform certain tasks to ensure their Operating budgets are accurate on May 1st, as well as address any Operating reserves/carryforward (i.e. budget surplus/deficit) are appropriately addressed and reported.
This section will focus on Operating budgets and is intended to help familiarize you with the University’s sources of funding, budget model and cycle, budget setup and how you fit in the picture.
Note: For questions related to research grants, please visit the Research & Innovation website (i.e., different types of grants, training, documentation and reporting).
Resources for a Broad Overview:
- An Overview of the Various Funding Sources at the University
- An Overview of Operating Budget Model
- Budgeting and the Operating Fund
- The Operating Budget Planning Process
- Operating Budget Changes – Authorizations and Procedures
- Trust Funds – Policies and Guidelines
- Central Budget Reports
Training Resources:
- Updating CO Plans for Operating Budgets (course material)
- Understanding Year-End Operating Reserves
- Identifying & Correcting Negative Balances
Resources related to Reporting and Reserves:
- Understanding the Linking Table and it’s Impact on the CO Planning Process
- What are “Year-End Operating Reserves”? How is it calculated?
- Commitment Accounting Assignments Report (a.k.a. Linking Table) – shows what Cost Centers/Internal Orders are linked to what Funds Centers
- Budget to Plan Reconciliation Report
- Budget Carry Forward Simulation Report – used for forecasting purposes
- Open Commitment Carry Forward Report – shows all reservations/commitments carried forward from one fiscal year to another due to remaining balances.
- Do you have Funds that are ending before the new Fiscal Year with Outstanding Purchase Orders?
- Updating Lease Purchase Orders (PO) for the New Fiscal Year
- You survived Fiscal Year-End! Are your Payroll Reserves missing from your new operating budget?
Additional Resources:
Research Grants
Research grants are set-up centrally and administered by Research & Innovations.
Here are some relevant resources:
Forms
Contact for Additional Support
If you have any additional questions related to UTSC specific business processes, policies and guidelines, please contact Amy Ng, Manager, Accounting & Processing Support within UTSC Financial Services or the UTSC Financial Services central email address.