USAS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The PMT DUE DATE field determines:

• When a payment that is subject to prompt payment interest becomes late.
• The start date for calculating automated late payment interest when owed on a transaction.
• When to generate payments for distribution, but only if the RQD PMT DATE field is blank.

The RQD PMT DATE field is only used to schedule a payment for distribution on a date other than the PMT DUE DATE. It does not affect the automated late payment interest computation.

To adjust when a payment is generated from USAS, use the RQD PMT DATE field rather than the PMT DUE DATE field so the prompt payment interest computation is not impacted.

Note: For payroll payments, the PMT DUE DATE field provides additional functionality not described here. Contact your USPS, SPRS or CAPPS payroll representative for information on the proper use of the PMT DUE DATE field for payroll payments.

USAS uses its own table of calendar dates to determine when to create payments during cycle. USAS compares each transaction’s PMT DUE DATE (payment due date) or RQD PMT DATE (requested payment date) against that table to determine the latest possible time that a payment can be issued to avoid the payment from being distributed late.

If a payment subject to the prompt payment law is initially made available for distribution after the PMT DUE DATE, the payment is considered late and prompt payment interest is generated.

A payment is available for distribution when:

• A warrant is available for distribution to the paying agency by the Comptroller’s office.
• A direct deposit payment is available to be transmitted (distributed) by the Comptroller’s office through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) for settlement the next banking day

NOTE: To ensure payments will be distributed on time, we recommend you submit the transactions to USAS at least three business days before the payment due date to allow time for any error corrections, funding issues or required approvals. Payment transactions must be error-free, fully approved, fully funded, posted and able to produce a positive payment in order for a payment to be available for distribution.

For more information, see Prompt Payment in eXpendit (FPP I.005).

The “distribution date,” also known as the “warrant available date,” is the first business day following the USAS cycle when a payment is produced. This date is at least one day prior to the settlement date of a direct deposit payment.

The distribution date can be found in the PMT DIST DT (payment distribution date) field of the USAS Accounting Event Record Inquiry (84) screen.

No. These two dates represent two separate payment-related events:

• The issue date is:
  • The USAS cycle date when the payment was produced.
  • Also known as the payment date, warrant date and payment written date.
  • Located in the PMT – DT (payment date) field of the USAS Accounting Event Record Inquiry (84) screen.
• The distribution date is:
  • The first business day following the USAS cycle when the payment was produced.
  • Also known as the warrant available date.
  • At least one day prior to the settlement date of a direct deposit payment.
  • Located in the PMT DIST DT (payment distribution date) field of the USAS Accounting Event Record Inquiry (84) screen.

The PMT DUE DATE depends on the type of payment you are making.

• For goods and services, follow the state’s prompt payment law.
  • For assistance with determining the PMT DUE DATE, use the Prompt Payment Due Date and Interest Rate Calculator.

    Remember that exceptions apply for disputes and certain other circumstances.

  • For more information, see Prompt Payment in eXpendit (FPP I.005).

  NOTE: Never adjust the PMT DUE DATE to make an early (or late) payment for payments subject to the prompt payment law. This causes USAS to generate prompt payment interest that is not due or to forfeit interest that is owed to a vendor. Instead, use the RQD PMT DATE  (requested payment date) field to schedule a payment for distribution on a date other than the PMT DUE DATE.

• For grant payments that are not subject to the prompt payment law, consider the terms of the grant and the type of funds that will be used to make the payment.
  • If paying directly from state funds, make the payment at the latest possible time in order to maximize interest earnings in the state treasury.
  • If you are issuing a federally funded grant, enter the payment transaction into USAS when you are ready to do so and enter the next business day in the PMT DUE DATE field.
• For payments using the Interagency Transaction Voucher (ITV) process, enter the next business day into the PMT DUE DATE field to make the payment at the earliest possible time. For additional information on the ITV process, see Interagency Payments and Receipts for Goods and Services (APS 014) (FPP A.028).
• For payroll-related payments, contact your USPS or SPRS or CAPPS payroll representative for information on which dates to enter into both the PMT DUE DATE and DOC DATE fields in USAS.

Yes. Per Texas Government Code, Section 2251.021, Subsection b-1, payments for legal services rendered by outside counsel per Government Code, Section 402.0212, are overdue on the 46th day after the date the agency receives an invoice for legal services. For additional information, see Prompt Payment in eXpendit (FPP I.005).

No. Never adjust the PMT DUE DATE to make an early or late payment for payments subject to the prompt payment law as this could cause USAS to generate interest that is not due or to erroneously forfeit interest that is due.

Instead, enter the date you need the payment available for distribution in the RQD PMT DATE (requested payment date) field.

Note: To ensure payments will be distributed on time, we recommend you submit the transactions to USAS at least three business days before the payment due date to allow time for any error corrections, funding issues or required approvals. Payment transactions must be error-free, fully approved, fully funded, posted and able to produce a positive payment in order for a payment to be available for distribution.

For more information, see Prompt Payment – USAS Instructions in eXpendit (FPP I.005).

No. USAS automatically schedules payments based on the date in the PMT DUE DATE field so they are distributed on the latest possible date without being late. Adjusting this date for payments subject to the prompt payment law is prohibited.

If you experience issues related to accruing and paying interest over weekends or holidays, consider when your transactions are historically submitted to USAS, released, fully funded and error-free.

We recommend that payments due on weekends or state holidays be submitted to USAS at least three business days before the weekend or holiday so the distribution will be on time.

• If the PMT DUE DATE falls on a weekend, you must have your transactions in USAS and ready to be paid by Thursday for distribution on Friday.
• When a holiday falls on a workday (Monday through Friday), factor in those holiday days as “non-distribution/non-processing days” and ensure your transactions are in USAS ready to be paid even earlier.

For information about system processing dates, see the System Outages and Holidays calendar. This is useful to determine when to submit a payment transaction.

To assist you with determining when to begin processing payment transactions so the payment will not generate prompt payment interest, please refer to the applicable Payment Processing Schedules below.

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Regular Payment Processing Schedule [+]

Holiday Payment Processing Schedule [+]

Payment Processing Schedule for Friday Holidays [+]

Payment Processing Schedule for Monday Holidays [+]

Thanksgiving/Christmas Holidays [+]

For payments subject to the prompt payment law, never adjust the PMT DUE DATE to make an early (or late) payment. This will cause USAS to generate prompt payment interest that is not due or to erroneously forfeit interest that is due.

For assistance with determining the PMT DUE DATE for payments subject to the prompt payment law — such as payments for goods and services, including certain travel costs — use the Prompt Payment Due Date and Interest Rate Calculator.

If your payment is not subject to the prompt payment law, such as a payment using the Interagency Transaction Voucher (ITV) process, enter the next business day as the PMT DUE DATE. You do not need to enter a RQD PMT DATE because USAS will distribute the payment based on that PMT DUE DATE. For additional information on the ITV process, see Interagency Payments and Receipts for Goods and Services (APS 014) (FPP A.028).

Remember that in order for the payment to be generated, the payment transaction must be error-free, approved, fully funded, posted and able to produce a positive payment. If these conditions are not met, USAS will be unable to generate the payment as requested.

The PMT DUE DATE determines the date the payment will be distributed (transmitted) by the Comptroller’s office through the Automated Clearing House (ACH). ACH payments settle (post) in the payee’s account one banking day after the payments are distributed by the Comptroller’s office.

No, this service is not available for direct deposit payments by the Comptroller’s office via the Automated Clearing House (ACH) process.

Some special types of payments, such as those for certain real property transactions, can be settled with a warrant the same day as distributed by submitting a request for the funds to be wire transferred. Coordinate wire transfers with the Cash and Securities Management section of the Comptroller’s Treasury Operations Division by emailing funds.transfer@cpa.texas.gov. Treasury Operations requires wire transfer instructions be submitted on the paying agency’s letterhead and verified by the agency prior to the requested settlement date.

When entering the payment transaction in USAS, enter the appropriate “special pull” Payment Distribution Type (PDT) in the PDT field during transaction entry to ensure a warrant is issued for distribution to Treasury Operations. For payees set up for direct deposit, failure to input the “special pull” PDT results in the payment being transmitted to the payee’s account via ACH. A warrant will not be available for a wire transfer, potentially delaying the payment settlement by one banking day.

The transaction was submitted on the day it needed to be distributed; therefore, interest was correctly generated by USAS.

A payment is considered late and prompt payment interest generated if the payment is available for distribution after the PMT DUE DATE. Since the payment was generated during yesterday’s overnight cycle, and was not available for distribution until today — the day after the PMT DUE DATE — prompt payment interest was generated.

For more information, see Prompt Payment in eXpendit (FPP I.005) and Payment Due Date in USAS Reference: Date Definitions (FPP Q.012).

Always input the payment’s actual due date in the PMT DUE DATE field, even if the due date happens to fall on a date when the banks are closed for a holiday that the state does not observe, such as Columbus Day (the second Monday in October).

As long as the payment is available for distribution on or before the date entered in the PMT DUE DATE  field, prompt payment interest is not generated, even if the banks are closed on that distribution date.

Available for distribution means:

• A warrant is available for distribution to the paying agency by the Comptroller’s office.
• A direct deposit payment is available to be transmitted (distributed) by the Comptroller’s office through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) for settlement the next banking day.

After a payment has been distributed, the distribution date can be viewed in the PMT DIST DT (payment distribution date) field on the USAS Accounting Event Record Inquiry (84) screen.

Use the RQD PMT DATE field if you need the payment to be available for distribution prior to the payment due date. This field is only used to schedule a payment for distribution on a date other than the payment due date and does not affect the automated late payment interest computation.

To ensure the payments will be available as requested, we recommend you submit the transactions to USAS at least three business days before the date you want the payments available for distribution to allow time for any error corrections, funding issues or required approvals. Payment transactions must be error-free, fully approved, fully funded, posted and able to produce a positive payment in order for a payment to be available for distribution.

If the service date and/or invoice date entered on the transaction resulted in the computation of an incorrect payment due date, then you need to change the PMT DUE DATE (payment due date) in USAS. But, you do not need to change the service date or invoice date in USAS to make the payment process properly. USAS does not use either the INV DATE or the SERV DATE to compute interest — it only uses the PMT DUE DATE. While it is common that these three dates are linked in systems outside of USAS, they are not linked within USAS for the purpose of computing interest.

Note: If you submitted the wrong PMT DUE DATE for a payment subject to the prompt payment law, you do need to change the PMT DUE DATE in USAS.

To avoid the generation of prompt payment interest that is not due, you must change the PMT DUE DATE if both of the following conditions are met:

• The payment is subject to the prompt payment law
• The incorrect PMT DUE DATE is earlier than the legal payment due date

For payments subject to the prompt payment law, the legal payment due date is the 30th day after the latest of:

• The date an invoice was received
• The date the goods were received
• The date the performance of the contracted services were completed

It is not necessary to change the PMT DUE DATE if the payment is not subject to the prompt payment law, even if the PMT DUE DATE is early.

Note: If the batch is in edit mode 2 or 4, the PMT DUE DATE cannot be changed on the transaction. Request the deletion of the transaction by submitting a completed Super Security Delete Request form (73-310) either via email to usas.maintenance@cpa.texas.gov or fax the form to (512) 475-0723. You can then submit the payment transaction using the correct PMT DUE DATE.

For a payment transaction with a future PMT DUE DATE (relative to today’s date) that needs to be processed before the entered PMT DUE DATE, submit a Disbursement Method Indicator (DMI) Change Request (login required) to ask that the current DMI be changed on the transaction.

A DMI change can only be performed on certain payments for specific reasons, and can only be done for batches in edit mode 2 or 4. The prompt payment and payment scheduling laws must be taken into consideration when requesting a DMI change. The Comptroller’s office cannot perform this change if it would affect prompt payment interest that is owed to the payee.

Upon approval by the Comptroller’s office, the payment will be scheduled to generate during that night’s USAS cycle.

Note: To ensure your request is processed the same day it is submitted, submit requests no later than 4 p.m.

For questions about requesting a DMI change, contact Expenditure Assistance.

Yes. Keep in mind that in order for the payment to be generated and therefore available for distribution, the transaction must be error-free, approved, posted and able to produce a positive payment. To ensure the payment will be available for distribution on time, we recommend the transaction be submitted to USAS at least three business days before the RQD PMT DATE.

• Prompt Payment in eXpendit (FPP I.005)
• USAS Reference: Date Definitions (FPP Q.012)
• Payment Scheduling in eXpendit (FPP I.005)
• Payment Distribution in TexPayment Resource (FPP P.007)

Yes. The Titles (D53) Profile, Table ID: EXBN, lets you “reserve” batch numbers for the exclusive use of Input Record (INREC) files. If a user attempts to use one of the reserved batch numbers on the USAS Batch Header Entry (500) screen, USAS issues a fatal error, and the user must enter an unreserved batch number to proceed.

You may reserve a single batch number or a range of batch numbers and can request an update or inactivation of the reservation at any time.

To submit a request to reserve batch numbers for INREC use only, send an email to your appropriation control officer. Include the following in your request:

• Agency Name
• Agency Number
• Batch Number(s)

Note: This edit is limited to five batch numbers/batch number ranges.

To “unlock” the batch for further processing:

• Navigate to the Recall A Batch For Correction (510) screen
• Enter V in the ACTION field.
• Tab to the SEQUENCE NUMBER field and enter any sequence number.
• Press Enter.
• USAS navigates to the transaction screen for the transaction or a blank entry screen if the batch is empty.
• Press F3.

The batch is now “unlocked,” and you can proceed with adding, changing or deleting transactions as needed.

It may be possible if the change will not affect any interest due and the document amount is under $5,000. A DMI change can only be performed on certain documents for specific reasons. The prompt payment and payment scheduling laws must be taken into consideration. For more information, see Disbursement Method Indicator Change Request (login required).

USAS generally deletes empty batch headers during the nightly cycle. However, if an empty batch header remains on your IT file after the nightly cycle, you will need to manually delete it.

To manually delete the batch header:

1. Access the View Batch Headers (530) screen.
2. Locate the involved batch.
3. Enter S next to the located batch.
4. Press F9 to navigate to the Batch Balancing (502) screen.
5. Enter D in the ACTION field.
6. Press Enter.

The batch header’s status will change to a D (shown on the 530 screen) and the batch header will process off the IT file during the next nightly cycle.

H-N-4, H-Y-4, P-N-4 and P-Y-4 batches are fully posted and do not require a batch release or re-balancing. USAS attempts to complete processing and generate payments for these batches during each nightly cycle, regardless of the batch status.

Review the batches to verify they are simply awaiting a future payment due date and do not contain payment processing errors. For assistance, contact your agency’s appropriation control officer.

For additional information, see USAS Internal Transaction File Maintenance and Super Security Delete Process (FPP Q.001).

An ITV is the process used to transfer funds between two state agencies. Interagency transactions include:

• Payments for goods and services
• State or federal grant pass-throughs
• Operating transfers
• Revenue transfers
• Expenditure transfers
• Non-cash accruals such as due from/due to transactions for financial reporting purposes

For guidance on interagency payments, see Interagency Payments and Receipts for Goods and Services (APS 014) (FPP A.028). State agencies must submit interagency payments for goods and services using the RTI process in USAS when funding sources for both agencies are held in the state treasury. For more information on using RTIs with transactions to funds held outside the state treasury, see RTI Table 11.

An RTI is an identifier that tells the statewide accounting system how to post the receiving transaction when funds are being passed from one agency to another. The RTI is established by the receiving agency on the USAS Recurring Transaction Profile (55) and is used to automate the receiving transaction on behalf of the receiving agency. Generally, the six-digit RTI number is used on an ITV transaction when the transfer of funding by the two agencies is within the State Treasury.

The RTI process can be used for both cash and non-cash transactions. Once an RTI profile is set up, it may be used by transferring agencies (i.e. paying agencies) repeatedly for other interagency transactions that post to the same coding block.

For guidance on RTI coding, see the 55 (550) Recurring Transaction Profile in USAS Coding Instructions (FPP Q.010).

The transaction agency is the paying agency (or the agency initiating the transfer of funds). The transaction agency will need to know the receiving agency’s RTI in order to process an ITV transaction.

The RTI agency is the receiving agency. The RTI agency is obligated to establish and give the transaction/paying agency an RTI to use on the ITV transaction. Receiving agencies that regularly bill other state agencies need to include their RTIs on their billing statements and or invoices.

Yes. An agency that created an RTI can change the appropriation year (AY) or any other coding block element on the 55 profile and continue to use the same RTI each year without creating a new RTI. In order to control the use of an RTI, the agency that created the RTI may adjust the RTI’s effective start date on the 55 profile. Paying agencies have no access to adjust receiving agencies’ RTIs.

The transaction/paying agency should coordinate with the RTI agency on the correct RTI number for entry of each ITV payment whenever an error resulting from using an RTI arises. The Comptroller’s office will generally not adjust RTIs unless there is a central processing necessity.

Please note that multiple paying agencies can use the same RTI. See Reimbursements for Unemployment Compensation Payments (APS 003) (FPP A.035) as an example.

No, RTI numbers should not be repurposed or recycled. RTIs do not have appropriation year or fiscal year as part of the profile control key. Therefore, any changes to data elements on the 55 profile, such as DESCRIPTION, PCA, APPN NO, etc., will be overwritten and not available for review, which may impact the ability for agencies to research historical transactions.

Yes, a 55 profile can be reactivated and updated with current coding block elements (AY, fund, appropriation, PCA) only if it will be used for the same purpose. For example, a 55 profile established for receiving federal grant pass-through revenue was inactivated at the end of the prior fiscal year. You can update the coding block elements, activate the 55 profile and/or update the effective end date so the RTI number can be used for current year federal grant pass-through activity.

Keep in mind that USAS considers all related 55 profiles for certain aspects of creating the generated ITVs, even those that are inactive or have a prior effective end date. Therefore, when updating inactive 55 profiles or those with prior effective end dates, it is critical that all related 55 profiles are properly updated to ensure accurate ITV generation.

Agencies can request an agency profile report (DAFQ) for the 55 profile to assist with locating all 55 profiles that use the same RTI number. Use DAFQ0550 as the REPORT ID when requesting the 55 profile DAFQ. For instructions on ordering the report, see Exhibit C of the USAS Profile Review and Cleanup Procedures (FPP A.031).

This means that an error has occurred during the ITV process that must be addressed by Comptroller staff. Please contact your appropriation control officer. The Appropriation Control section monitors Batch Agency 005 IT file and will coordinate any corrections.

Yes, but it is not recommended until after Sept. 26 for RTIs used during the interagency reconciliation process for the annual financial report (AFR). An RTI (receiving) agency that sets an effective end date in the prior fiscal year on the 55 profile prevents a transaction/paying agency from processing backdated ITV transactions in the current fiscal year.

It is especially critical that ITVs process successfully during the interagency reconciliation process for the AFR. To avoid problems, the RTI agency should not set an effective end date on the 55 profile until after the completion of the interagency reconciliation process. The Comptroller’s office recommends that agencies leave the effective end dates blank on the RTIs unless there is an explicit need to include a date.

For more information, see RTI Tables for Interfund/Interagency Transactions in Reporting Requirements for Annual Financial Reports of State Agencies and Universities (FPP A.036).

The AMOUNT field and several other fields are not used on the 55 profile for RTIs created for interagency transactions. The system will use the transaction/paying agency’s amount as the amount being received. The % ALLOCATED field is used to allocate the received funds to more than one coding block. Using the AMOUNT field will cause errors on the paying agency’s transaction and send it to Batch Agency 005 IT file for correction by the Appropriation Control section. Also, when using the % ALLOCATED field, simple percentages (such as .60 and .40) should be used. Otherwise, errors may occur. For more information, see the 55 (550) Recurring Transaction Profile in USAS Coding Instructions (FPP Q.010).

When the initiating ITV transactions process through the overnight batch cycle, USAS attempts to create and process system-generated ITVs using G documents. The ITV process must be closely monitored to ensure the system-generated ITVs are successfully created, processed, paid and written to history.

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The ITV/RTI process is for transfers between funds that exist within the state treasury. Universities must use RTIs to receive funds in the state treasury. However, universities frequently are authorized to hold funds in local bank accounts. ITV/RTI process with T-codes 268 (transaction [paying] agency) and 279 (RTI [receiving] agency) is used for interagency state and federal grant pass-through activity to local funds, since T-code 268 generates a warrant. This is the only time the RTI process is used and a warrant is issued. For more information on using RTIs with transactions to funds held outside the State Treasury, see RTI Table 11.

Once the ITV payment processes, the RTI field cannot be viewed in USAS. It is recommended that the RTI number be referenced in the INVOICE or DESCRIPTION field where it can later be viewed from the Accounting Event Record Inquiry (84) screen in USAS. In addition, DAFR2261 – Daily History Detail Report will generate automatically for the transaction agency and will include the RTI.

For additional guidance on interagency payments, see Interagency Payments and Receipts for Goods and Services (APS 014) (FPP A.028).