Training:
The General Accounting section provides Banner Finance
Inquiry training. Although it is not required to access the Banner Finance
module, this training shows you the FOAPAL hierarchy structure, which
is fund, organization, account, program, activity and location codes,
and how each of these are used. This training also shows you how to
check your available budget, review your year-to-date transactions,
and open encumbrances. It also shows you how to look up purchase orders,
invoices, and other types of transactions you will see on your funds.
We offer this training once a month in the computer lab SUA 109 located
directly across from Computing Services.
For a complete listing of all training classes offered through Computing
Services and to register for upcoming classes go to : http://www.ualr.edu/dst/
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Security:
To view data in the Banner Finance module, you must
first be granted Finance security. You obtain security by first completing
the online tutorials and then by filling out a Banner
Production Database Access Form. You are responsible for obtaining
your supervisor's approval of the security form, and submitting it to
Computing Services. The security administrator updates the security
to allow access to the indicated finance inquiry forms. They then forward
the form to Financial Services to update the appropriate fund and organization
security.
To
update data in the Banner Finance module, you must first have General
Inquiry security to the Finance module. Special training classes are
offered by Purchasing for update security to enter on-line requisitions,
and the Budget Office for update security to enter on-line budget transfers.
Currently, you may receive that training by contacting those offices.
You can then obtain security by filling out the appropriate Finance
form which can be obtained from those offices. You are responsible for
obtaining your supervisor's approval of the security form, and then
submitting it to Computing Services. The security administrator updates
the security to allow access to the indicated finance update forms.
They then forward the form to Financial Services to update the appropriate
fund, organization, and rule group security.
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Transfers
and Journal Vouchers:
There are three types of transfers are processed on
the Request for Transfer form.
1. Internal Income-This is used when one organization has rendered a
service for another organization. The account code on top should be
an expense, and the account code on the bottom must be a internal income
account with the program code being a revenue program code of "150000".
2. Funds transfer-This is completed if you want to give another organization
funds to assist in purchasing equipment or supporting a program. You
usually prepare this before the expenditures have occurred. There are
specific account and program codes that you should use on a funds transfer.
3. Expense transfer-This is prepared after the expense has occurred
on your fund. You would prepare this if you find expenses that do not
belong to your organization, or if you are sharing expenses with another
organization. An expense account code must be used, and it should be
the same on the top and bottom of the transfer.
In addition, Financial Services will process journal vouchers, which
are forms used only by our office. These are for corrections to classify
expenses appropriately, or to correct organization or program codes.
If you find a correction that we need to make on your transactions,
you may contact Juanita McClure at jlmcclure@ualr.edu.
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Chart
of Accounts Maintenance:
The general ledger Chart of Accounts (FOAPAL hierarchy)
provides the organizing framework for recording, identifying, and reporting
overall University financial transactions. The chart of accounts is
perpetual and the General Accounting area monitors most additions, changes,
and terminations. The main exceptions are grant and contract funds,
which the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs establish and monitor.
You may complete a form if you need a new fund, organization, or activity
code, or if you wish to request changes on existing FOAPAL elements,
such as a title change or a financial manager change. You may view these
forms and instructions at http://financialservices.ualr.edu/forms.html.
Please complete and approve the appropriate maintenance form and send
it to the Office of Financial Services. If you would like assistance
in making additions, changes, or terminations to a FOAPAL element, please
contact Tori Apple by telephone at 569-8278 or by email at teapple@ualr.edu.
Detailed chart of account hierarchies are available on the
E-Print website. You can view or print lists of the FOAPAL codes
from this. At the logon screen, enter "Finance" as the User
ID and "Finance" as the password. Select the repository of
"Training". Then click on the PDF icon to view the hierarchy.
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Back
Charges:
Several departments process backcharges using Boss.
Service organizations use this procedure to charge organizations for
various services, such as printing, use of vehicles, or buying supplies
from central stores. The service organization charges these to an organization's
fund using the FOAPAL and the ticket or invoice number that the receiving
organization signed. The document number for any back charge will always
start with a "$" sign followed by a set of numbers. If you
have any questions regarding back charges you can contact Juanita McClure
at 569-3289 or by e-mail at jlmcclure@ualr.edu.
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Financial
Reports:
General Accounting is able to provide internal and external
customers with certain ad-hoc reports, as well as reports generated
from Banner. Some Banner reports are available on E-print.
If you have any questions, or need a financial report with particular
information, you may contact JaNan Abernathy at 569-8848 or by e-mail
at jmabernathy@ualr.edu.
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Bank
Reconciliations:
Bank reconciliations verify all cash transactions on
the various bank accounts each month. Those accounts include, but are
not limited to, our operating account, credit card account, payroll
account, and state treasury accounts. The reconciliation process includes
monitoring and maintaining checks printed by the University as well
as accounting for cash and credit card differences between the banks
and our financial records. We prepare reconciliations monthly to coincide
with our bank statements, and we are responsible for monitoring and
resolving the differences between them.
Unclaimed liabilities are checks for valid payments from UALR that the
payee has never cashed. They consist of Accounts Payable checks to UALR
vendors or students, as well as Payroll checks to UALR employees. These
uncashed (unclaimed) checks are written off to unclaimed liabilities
annually. Each year by November 1st, all unclaimed liabilities for the
previous fiscal year are sent to the state to hold until claimed. For
more information on unclaimed liabilities, also called the Great Arkansas
Treasure Hunt, you can visit www.state.ar.us/auditor,
or you may call 800-252-4648 or 501-682-6000.
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