Impact23

Dear Colleagues, 

As a part of the transition to new financial systems under the Impact23 Program and in preparation for data conversion/fiscal closing, several procedural changes related to Business Meetings and Entertainment reimbursements and payments are being implemented.  The guidance is outlined below.

1. Effectively immediately, the “ePay PO Back-Up” process will be eliminated.  This change will allow the university to pay all outstanding purchase orders involving meals, light refreshments, and related services connected to business meeting and entertainment expenses prior to the data conversion and implementation of Oracle Financials.
   1. Departments will still be required to approve invoices over $10K prior to payment
   2. Departments are responsible for ensuring expenditures comply with the requirements of UC Policy BUS-79 and obtaining/retaining the appropriate approvals for these expenses for audit purposes.  The Accounting Office suggests retaining this documentation with the unit’s monthly ledger reconciliation support. 
       
2. Now through 6/16/2023:  Department should continue to use ePay to document reimbursements for Business Meetings and Entertainment.  June 16th is the last day ALL approved ePay transactions must be in the Accounting Office’s queue in order to be processed and recorded in the FY2023 ledgers. 
    
3. ePay transition/blackout dates are 6/17/2023 through 7/6/2023. 
    
4. On 7/7, ePay will be available using the new Chart of Account with a reduced scope.
   1. ePay transactions will focus primarily on the following categories of non-payroll payments many of which have tax withholding requirements:
      1. Honoraria to non-UC employees and non-UCR students
      2. Human Subject Payments
      3. Performance Agreements
      4. Stipends to non-students
      5. Casual labor
      6. Game Officials
      7. Homestay
      8. Refunds
          
5. On 7/5, upon the deployment of Oracle Financials, any Business Meeting and Entertainment transactions procured via a Purchase Order will require the following:
   1. PO transactor to designate the requisition accordingly
   2. Department Procurement Financial Approver to:
      1. Certify compliance with UC policy BUS 79: Expenditures for Business Meetings, Entertainment, and Other Occasions; 
      2. Confirm the necessary approval have/will been obtained upon completion of the event
      3. Ensure all supporting documentation is available for audit purposes (ideally attached to the PO) 
          
6. On 7/5, Concur Phase 2 will be deployed.  One of the many new features in Concur will include the ability to process reimbursement requests related to Business Meetings and Entertainment.

The above changes were discussed at the May Impact23 User Group, please review the link to the recording to hear additional information on the topic.  Please direct questions about these changes to  epayfeedback@ucr.edu

Sincerely, 

Bobbi McCracken
Associate Vice Chancellor and Controller
Business & Financial Services
http://bfs.ucr.edu/