What's New? on FMX

Effective April 2, security coordinators will notice slight changes to the two confirmation emails they receive after submitting a Security Request (login required).

Current Emails

• From: Service Desk Notification
• Subject: Change order Cxxxxx created / closed
• Email body: Details of request / closing comments on action taken

Emails After Comptroller System Upgrade

• From: IT Service Desk
• Subject: CPA SFS-Security Request Number: RITMXXXXXXX has been opened / completed
• Email body: Same information on request or action taken, but in a different format

Security Coordinator Reference (login required) on FMX now includes:

• Clarified instructions under the TINS tab, including the updated Quick Reference Matrix of TINS Profiles with links to the screen descriptions in the TINS Guide
• Updated USAS User Classes, with easy-to-use menu breakdowns for the user class/transaction code matrices
• Links to USAS and TINS testing security instructions from the Applications Screen page

If you have any questions, please email sfs.security@cpa.texas.gov.

Although the Comptroller's office will be closed for business on April 3 in observance of Good Friday, Payment Services will distribute warrants from 8 to 10 a.m. for the April 2 processing cycle.

The authorized agency and/or delivery service representative must be included on the Agency Authorization for Warrant Pickup form (74-189).

Note: If your agency has warrants for wire transfers on April 3, your agency runner needs to deliver them to the Treasury.

Security coordinators are required to certify that their records are up to date through a semiannual security verification process that is concurrent for all Fiscal Management applications.

On April 1, Fiscal Management will mail each agency and institution of higher education a printout of those with access to each system. An online attestation form must be completed and returned by Friday, May 1, for agency or institution security requests to continue to be accepted.

If you have questions, email sfs.security@cpa.texas.gov or see Semiannual Verification of Users' Security Access Levels (FPP K.009) (login required).

April 15 is the maintenance/corrections deadline for the First Quarter Veteran Workforce Summary Reports (Jan. 1 – March 31). Copies of the quarterly reports will be sent via electronic file transfer (EFT) on April 16. The quarterly report acknowledgement form (with required complaint reporting included) must be submitted by April 23.

For more information, see Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

The Fiscal Management Division responds to a number of open records requests for payment-related data in any given year. Many of these requests deal with information directly related to state employees. Government Code Section 552.152 provides an exception for employees who would be under substantial threat of physical harm if information such as work location were to be made public.

Note: This provision is situation specific, but the Comptroller’s office has held that a personal safety exception may require a protective order to be in force. A protective order fits the guidelines of the statute that “disclosure of the information would subject the employee or officer to a substantial threat of physical harm.”

If your agency has an employee who qualifies for the personal safety exception, contact Ruth Soucy at (512) 475-0411 or open.records@cpa.texas.gov.

See also Confidential Employee Information for Open Records Requests Requiring Agency Input (FPP L.004).

Citizen-centric reporting of government financial information is a growing national trend, and another way the state of Texas is informing citizens in plain language on how their tax dollars are being spent.

A Report to the Citizens of Texas is our citizen-centric report highlighting state of Texas financial information in a concise, easily understood format. For details, see the fiscal 2014 A Report to the Citizens of Texas.

The change to the size of a state warrant has been delayed and will occur no earlier than the end of April 2015. Your agency may want to purchase only enough warrant stock envelopes for this time period.

The new warrants fit in #10 window business envelopes and will be 8.5 x 4 inches printed on an 8.5 x 11 sheet that includes the stub.

Watch FMXtra for details, which will be announced as soon as more information is available. If you have other questions, please contact Payment Services.

The Texas Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) is published to provide a thorough picture of the state’s financial condition. The report is compiled from information in the statewide financial systems and individual agency annual financial reports.

The CAFR includes financial statements for the primary government and the component units of the state, management’s discussion and analysis, and a statistical data section.