USAS and CAPPS Financials Confidentiality Indicator

Overview

Applicable to

State agencies and institutions of higher education entering data in USAS and CAPPS Financials

Policy

The ability of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts to accurately distinguish confidential and non-confidential payments is critical in making payment information promptly available to the public. State agencies and institutions of higher education (agencies) must ensure that the confidentiality indicator in the Uniform Statewide Accounting System (USAS) or the Financials application of the Centralized Accounting and Payroll/Personnel System (CAPPS Financials) is properly marked on confidential transactions to protect payee confidentiality.

Per Texas Government Code, Section 403.024d, the liability for the release of confidential information due to an incorrect confidentiality indicator lies with the agency submitting the confidential transaction.

The Comptroller’s office uses the value agencies enter in the confidentiality indicator field to shield confidential transactions from disclosure in requests under the Public Information Act (Texas Government Code, Chapter 552) and on the Texas Transparency website. The value is also used in the Texas Identification Number System (TINS) and Treasury Operations’ Web Warrant Inquiry and Cancellation System (WWIC).

Note: USAS is the accounting system of record for the state of Texas. Data entered in CAPPS Financials is loaded to USAS via batch interface.