What's New? on FMX

A payroll stuffer on the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for the Jan. 1 payroll is available for download now. If your agency uses the Employee Information System (EIS) for direct deposit, your employees can find a link to the stuffer on the EIS menu page. The stuffer is available in both English and Spanish.

EITC is a credit for qualified taxpayers — even if you don’t owe any taxes! Each year, EITC brings more than a billion federal income tax dollars back home and into Texans’ pockets.

For more information, visit the IRS EITC website.

The CAPPS Production environments will undergo extended maintenance on Sunday, Dec. 20 from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. to complete Operating System (OS) patching. This is necessary to stay current with critical patching.

The following environments will be unavailable:

• FINPRD1 – CAPPS Financials Production
• FINRPT1 – CAPPS Financials Reporting
• HCMPRD1 – CAPPS HR/Payroll Production
• HCMRPT1 – CAPPS HR/Payroll Reporting
• PIHPRD1 – CAPPS Portal Production

The maximum state mileage reimbursement rate for state employee travel in a personal vehicle will decrease from 57.5 cents to 54 cents, effective Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2016. This rate is consistent with the Internal Revenue Service’s standard mileage rate.

Note: State agencies may adopt an internal policy for a rate that is lower than the maximum rate; however, the agency must distribute the internal policy before their employees begin any travel.

For more information, see State Mileage Reimbursement Rate (FPP S.005) or Transportation: Mileage in a Personal Vehicle in Textravel.

The Comptroller’s office had been identified as the paying state agency for state payments issued by direct deposit. Effective Dec. 18, the direct deposit files for vendor payments include:

• A 16-character short name of the actual paying agency or institution of higher education
• The agency or institution’s federal Employer Identification Number (EIN)

For more information, see ACR 60099 – TINS System Change.

The Fiscal 2016 First Quarter Post-Payment Audit Reports are available for view, print and download. For more audit resources, including Fiscal Policies and Procedures, forms and contact information, see the Audit topic page on FMX.

To receive email notification of each audit report posted, subscribe via GovDelivery.

Warrant pickup will be available only from 8 to 10 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 31. For more information, see Holiday Payment Distribution.

Due to the New Year’s holiday, the deadline for submission of the Direct Deposit Reversal Request form (74-191) has been changed to 10 a.m. on Dec. 31.

State and federal holidays listed on the System Outages and Holidays Calendar with no scheduled USAS cycle are excluded when determining the direct deposit effective settlement date of a payment.

Since financial institutions are closed, no direct deposit activity occurs on those days. Agencies must exclude these dates when determining when to process their payments to ensure prompt payment and avoid late payment interest.

Note: Do not submit USAS or TINS files on holidays when no cycle runs. Files sent on a holiday will be overwritten by files submitted after the holiday.

The Fiscal 2016 Statewide Agency Cost Allocation Plan by Method of Finance is now available. Agencies listed on this schedule must submit the General Revenue Reimbursement of Statewide Allocated Costs form by Dec. 21. Listed agencies with federal funds must also submit the Federal Fund Reimbursement Calculation form at this time.

The first quarterly general revenue reimbursements for statewide allocated costs are due Dec. 31. Agencies may choose to make full payment at that time as well

See General Revenue Reimbursement for Statewide Allocated Costs (FPP A.022) for additional information, including the fixed costs summary, instructions and forms. For assistance, please contact your appropriation control officer.

Warrant pickup will be available only from 8 to 10 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 31. For more information, see Holiday Payment Distribution.

Due to the New Year’s holiday, the deadline for submission of the Direct Deposit Reversal Request form (74-191) has been changed to 10 a.m. on Dec. 31 (the last workday before payday).

• If you fax the form to Payment Services, please call (512) 475-0510 to confirm receipt of the fax.
• If you send an encrypted email, you will receive an email receipt confirmation.

State and federal holidays listed on the System Outages and Holidays Calendar with no scheduled USAS cycle are excluded when determining the direct deposit effective settlement date of a payment.

Since financial institutions are closed, no direct deposit activity occurs on those days. Agencies must exclude these dates when determining when to process their payments to ensure prompt payment and avoid late payment interest.

Note: Do not submit USAS or TINS files on holidays when no cycle runs. Files sent on a holiday will be overwritten by files submitted after the holiday.

The online quarterly Veteran Workforce Summary Report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) must be submitted by Dec. 23.

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

The CAPPS Non-Production environments will undergo extended maintenance to conduct patching on Sunday, Dec. 13, from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The following environments will be unavailable:

• FINMNT1 – CAPPS Financials Maintenance
• PIHMNT1 – CAPPS Portal Maintenance
• HCMMNT1 – CAPPS HR/Payroll Maintenance
• FINSBX1 – CAPPS Financials Sandbox
• PIHSBX1 – CAPPS Portal Sandbox
• HCMSBX1 – CAPPS HR/Payroll Sandbox
• FINUAT1 – CAPPS Financials User Acceptance Test
• PIHUAT1 – CAPPS Portal User Acceptance Test
• HCMUAT1 – CAPPS HR/Payroll User Acceptance Test

All institutions of higher education are required to send an encrypted email to tins.mail@cpa.texas.gov by Dec. 14 containing the institution’s:

• Primary federal Employer Identification Number (EIN)

  — AND —

• Three-digit agency number

The Comptroller’s office has EINs for all state agencies and some institutions. This will verify the EINs on file and provide the opportunity to add the EIN for those not on file.

The EIN is required for an upcoming system change relating to direct deposit identification of state entities making payments through the Uniform Statewide Accounting System.

State agencies and institutions of higher education must report payables and binding encumbrances for first quarter fiscal 2016 appropriations no later than Dec. 30 to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.

Quarterly certification must be entered in the online form.

For more information, see Encumbrance Report and Lapsing of Appropriations (APS 018).

USPS will be unavailable all day Thursday, Dec. 10, for the calendar year-end (CYE) file split.

All USPS payrolls finalized after the 2015/2016 file split must have a warrant date in calendar year 2016 and will be reflected in the 2016 files.

For more information, see USPS Calendar Year-End Close Process (FPP R.014).

For questions, please contact the SHRPA Help Desk at (512) 463-4008 or your assigned USPS representative.

The USPS User Group meeting will be held on Dec. 14 at the Travis Building in Room 1-100 from 2 to 4 p.m. Discussion topics include:

• Commuter spending account
• 401K/457 changes
• 1095-C Reporting by CPA

Register to attend in person or via teleconference by logging into Training Center.

For more information, visit USPS User Group Meeting.

Note: Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credit will be awarded for in-person attendance, so registration is encouraged. Teleconference attendees cannot receive CPE credit.

The CAPPS Non-Production environments will undergo extended maintenance to conduct patching beginning Saturday, Dec. 5, at 11 p.m. until Sunday, Dec. 6, at 4 p.m.

The following environments will be unavailable during this time:

• FINMNT1 – CAPPS Financials Maintenance
• HCMMNT1 – CAPPS HR/Payroll Central Maintenance
• PIHMNT1 – CAPPS Portal Maintenance
• FINSBX1 – CAPPS Financials Sandbox
• HCMSBX1 – CAPPS HR/Payroll Central Sandbox
• PIHSBX1 – CAPPS Portal Sandbox
• FINUAT1 – CAPPS Financials User Acceptance Test
• HCMUAT1 – CAPPS HR/Payroll Central User Acceptance Test
• PIHUAT1 – CAPPS Portal User Acceptance Test