Frequently Asked Questions

Budgets and Reporting

Who determines operating budgets for the departments?: Department budgets are approved by CCAS leadership and are informed by departmental leadership. Budgets are based on the needs and operation of the department, as well as, CCAS available resources and operational strategy.
When are budgets discussed and set for the fiscal year?: The current budget planning cycle begins in late winter when the University Budget Office issues it’s annual budget call. The budget implementation begins at the beginning of each fiscal year. The fiscal year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30 every year.
What reports should we use to monitor budgets?: Budgets can be monitored using multiple reports. Budget variance conversations between CCAS Finance and the departments will be centered around the FSG report which captures the official University record of account activity. However, the Budget Performance Report (BPR) can be used to monitor your budget at a transactional level. Both reports can be run in EAS. We also encourage departments to utilize internal budget tracking sheets; especially with the use of R-funds that carry balances that may be earmarked for multiple uses across the department.
Can we use salary savings generated in Compensation for non-Compensation expenses?: No. Compensation and non-compensation expenses are NOT fungible.
We don’t have enough resources allocated in natural account 53XXX. Where can we find the money to cover the expenses?: Non-compensation budget lines are fungible. For example, the amount allocated for instructional supplies can be used for office supplies, as long as the bottom line is on target. Other sources to be considered are departmental funds (R-funds), and Endowments (if MOU provides for that specific use).
What happens if there is a deficit in my C -fund at the end of the year?: It is our joint responsibility to ensure that there is no deficit in your C-fund at the end of the year. By carefully monitoring expenses and managing resource allocation, we will ensure that your C-fund spending is on target by fiscal year end.
What is direct cost share?: Direct cost sharing occurs when the University agrees to fund a portion of the direct costs incurred under a sponsored project. Direct cost share paid at the departmental level are typically agreed to by CCAS to offset salaries. Usually, cost sharing is agreed upon at the time of proposal submission and the cost center that will fund the direct cost sharing is identified on the proposal routing sheet. Any direct cost share expense against the department’s budget will not be calculated against the bottom line.
Are we responsible for interdepartmental expenses?: Yes, departments are responsible for managing the interdepartmental budget lines. Interdepartmental expenses include: general maintenance and repair, housekeeping services, GW moving services, GW printing, graphics and postage, as well as, ITA service charges (GW Temps).
Are departments responsible for compensation budgets?: Yes, departments are responsible for tracking compensation budgets and ensuring proper management of the allocated funds.
Why do I see a credit in my staff compensation lines every month on my budget reports.: This credit is a monthly payroll accrual for employees paid on a bi-weekly basis. The accrual appears because the end of a bi-weekly pay period does not usually coincide with the end of a month. An accrual is required at the end of each month to record the amount of bi-weekly payroll expense incurred, but not yet charged to departmental budgets. The accrual is recorded in accounts 51401 and 51802 for the salary expense and the fringe benefit expense respectively.

Hiring and Compensation

What is an I-9 form and who needs to complete one?: An I-9 form is the Employment Eligibility Verification Form which helps employers verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States. An I-9 must be completed when a person is hired to perform labor or services in return for wages. All permanent and temporary staff, student workers and beginning Fall 2015 part-time faculty, must complete an I-9 form.
What is the process for completing the I-9 form?: Every employee hired by the university must complete Section 1 of the I-9 on or before the date of hire. See HR's Electronic I-9 FAQ for more details on how to access and complete Section 1. Section 2 must be completed within three (3) business days of the start of employment. A list of acceptable documents for proving identity and employment eligibility will be presented to you after completing Section 1 of the I-9 online. Section 2 requires an employee to present original documentation that establishes identity and employment eligibility to a University representative at the Faculty and Staff Service Center in Rice Hall. Students can complete this process at the Career Center in the Marvin Center.
Can an employee who fails to produce the required I9 documents within the three business days be terminated and system access revoked?: Yes. An employee who fails to produce the required documents, or a receipt for replacement documents (in the case of lost, stolen or destroyed documents), within three business days of the date employment begins can be terminated. Access to systems will be revoked as well for non-compliance.
How do I obtain a UserID or GW email account for an affiliate?: An affiliate account may be requested online. Visit DIT's account site for details. You will be asked to log in with your UserID and password at https://my.gwu.edu/login/ in order to request the affiliate account. Please note that, by policy, an affiliate must be sponsored by a University Vice President, Dean or Department Head.
What happens if an employee's time is not transmitted during the normal payroll processing cycle? Can the department adjust payroll cycle data?: No. If an employee's clocking data is, for some reason, not recorded and transmitted during the normal payroll processing cycle, the department must submit an approved paper timesheet for that employee to Payroll Services. Timekeepers and supervisors will have easy, online access to employee time data.
Once I cancel a course with academic scheduling, does that automatically cancel the hire form?: No. Once you successfully cancel a course you must terminate the Temporary Part Time (TPT) faculty position associated with that course. To terminate, submit a manual Change in Status (CIS) form to Michele Tyner in the Dean’s Office.
How do I get access to Student Hire and Faculty Hire Workflow?: You must have Banner access in order to receive access to the workflow systems. Banner forms requesting access to these HRIS profiles must be reviewed and approved by the Finance and Administration Team prior to receiving HR approval.
What fringe rate should I use when calculating compensation cost?: Compensation is comprised of salary and fringe benefits. The fringe rate depends on the type of position (research or non-research) and the type of hire, or natural account used. For instance, hiring a non-federal work study student (charged to account 51229) for research has a fringe rate of 6.5%, whereas the same position for non-research has a fringe rate of 8.3%. If the salary for both is $1,000 then the total compensation would be $1,065 versus $1,083. Therefore, it is very important to use the correct fringe rate when calculating the total cost of compensation that is charged to your budget.

Payments and Purchases

How do I determine which Natural Account to use for an expense?: Visit SAIG's site to view allowed Accounts and Definitions.
Who should I contact if I have problems with my EAS password?: Contact IT Support at 202-994-4948, option 1. You will be asked questions to validate your identity and your password will be reset.
When is a Purchase Order required?: Most payments require a purchase order, including Honorariums paid to commercial vendors. However, the following do not require a purchase order: advertising, dues and memberships, G-World, insurance, legal fees, permits, postage, rent, settlement payments, subscriptions, taxes and utilities. In addition, the following commercial vendors do not require a purchase order: Catering Solutions, FedEx, Sodeho, DHL and UPS.
What is the difference between a Purchase Order and a Payment Request?: A Purchase Order is issued by Procurement & Travel Services after a requisition is submitted to them. A Payment Request Form is used to submit an invoice for payment to Accounts Payable Services.
What is the status of my payment and where can I go to see payment information?: All approved departmental users can run the SC-255 report in the Enterprise Accounting System (EAS). If you require assistance in running this report, please visit our Training and Resources Guide or EAS Training & Support.
What is the process for submitting contracts, agreements, memorandums of understanding (MOUs) etc. to CCAS for review and approval?: Contracts/agreements/MOUs should be submitted to CCAS for both review and approval. Refer to the Contracts and Agreement Submission Flowchart (PDF) for an overview of the process.