“What’s New” on FMX

The monthly Outstanding Warrants Control Report (DAFR8171) is generated on the first Friday of every month. Agencies are reminded to monitor their report, especially during the summer months, before warrants become void on Aug. 31.

The Outstanding Warrant Report (DAFR8161) is a requestable report via the online Report Request Profile, USAS 91 screen and includes two special select options.

SPEC SEL 1: Provides an outstanding warrant report by payee number in ascending order. To select this report, enter V on the 91 screen. To ensure all outstanding warrants are listed for all payees, the SPEC SEL 2 field must be blank.

SPEC SEL 2: Provides an outstanding warrant report for specific dollar amount thresholds and lists warrants in descending order by dollar amount. To select this report, enter values A–D on the 91 screen as follows:

• A = over $500
• B = over $1,000
• C = over $5,000
• D = over $10,000

The 91 Report Request Profile in USAS Coding Instructions (FPP Q.010) provides detailed information on this profile screen.

If you have questions, please contact Payment Services.

All forms submitted to Payment Services by agencies and their payees are being converted to a secure login. After implementation, forms will only be accepted from agency users. Agencies must make the forms available to their payees in a method that is secured / appropriate for their agency.

Effective Aug. 14, Payment Services forms will require a secure login. External users who do not have a mainframe User ID will need to coordinate a security request through their Agency Security Coordinator (ASC). ASCs need to ensure users can access these forms by Aug. 14.

The next phase will include web forms that require secure access. Web forms will be categorized for specific agency users and include additional fields to capture the User ID when a form is submitted to Payment Services. Details on the next phase are forthcoming.

If you have questions, please contact Payment Services.

State agencies and institutions of higher education must report certain salary supplements to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, the State Auditor’s Office and the Secretary of State no later than Sept. 15.

For complete information, including instructions and the online report form, see Salary Supplements Paid From Sources Other Than Appropriated Funds (FPP F.031).

Per Texas Government Code, Section 403.273, the property manager of each state agency must conduct an annual physical inventory of the trust, capitalized and controlled personal property (excluding libraries and historical arts and treasures) in the agency’s possession. Inventory must be completed by Aug. 31.

State agencies must then submit the Certification of Physical Inventory Conducted by Agency (73-283) form for fiscal 2017 with the signature of the agency head or designee to the Comptroller’s office by Sept. 20. For more information, see Certification of Physical Inventory in Chapter 2 of the SPA Process User’s Guide.

Several substantive changes have been made to the Texas Comptroller Manual of Accounts (FPP Q.009). These changes include routine maintenance and edits to the Manual of Accounts and also reflect legislation passed by the 85th Legislature, Regular Session effective prior to Sept. 1, 2017.

The Manual of Accounts provides current information on state agencies, appropriated funds and accounts and object codes to be used in properly recording accounting transactions.

The interest rate the state pays on a late payment due to a vendor under the state’s prompt payment law will be 5.25 percent for fiscal 2018. The interest calculation is one percentage point higher than the prime rate published in the Wall Street Journal on the first business day of July.

For more information, see Interest Rate on eXpendit (FPP I.005).

House Bill 3849, 85th Legislature, Regular Session, continues the policy of the Legislature to limit the number of new general revenue accounts, special funds and dedications of revenue.

A summary of HB 3849 is available at Funds Consolidation: Limits on New General Revenue Accounts, Special Funds and Dedications of Revenue (FPP A.046).

USPS agencies must use the fiscal 2017 USPS Fiscal Year-End Close Manual and USPS Year-End Close Schedule to correctly prepare files for the 2017 fiscal year-end close.

For complete information, including training calendar and links to the manual/schedule, see USPS Fiscal Year-End Close Process (FPP R.016).

Agencies that reimburse employees for state-related hotel stays are due a refund for the associated hotel occupancy taxes. The refunds are generated automatically through USAS each quarter.

The hotel occupancy tax refund for June through July will be available on the DAFR8190 and DAFR8200 reports on Aug. 9.

For more information, see Hotel Occupancy Tax Quarterly Refund (FPP B.006).

Financial reporting analysts can help agencies reconcile the 2017 annual financial report (AFR) to the Uniform Statewide Accounting System (USAS) either over the phone or during scheduled work sessions. Prior to scheduling a work session or making travel arrangements for a work session, agencies must attempt to complete the fiscal year-end USAS entries.

If you encounter problems with USAS entries you are attempting to enter, contact your agency’s financial reporting analyst, who may request copies of the USAS entries. If the issue cannot be resolved by phone or email, you may then schedule a work session with your agency’s financial reporting analyst.

CAPPS Central agencies must follow CAPPS HR/Payroll Year-End Processing Instructions (FPP T.003) to properly prepare for the fiscal year-end process.

The system will be unavailable beginning at 5 p.m. on Aug. 31 through close of business on Sept. 4. Normal activities will resume at 7 a.m. on Sept. 5.

Institutions of higher education must report certain information about jobs and reappointments to HRIS at the beginning of each fiscal year. Due dates for when institutions must submit reappointment information via electronic file transfer (EFT) are:

• Sept. 6: EFT #1 — Classification and Carriers
• Sept. 8: EFT #2 — Reappointments for Fiscal 2018
• Sept. 15: EFT #3 — Terminations for Fiscal 2017

The deadline to submit HRIS September maintenance is Oct. 7.

See HRIS Higher Education Reporting Procedures for Reappointments (FPP M.003) for details, including instructions for reporting reappointment information.

Fiscal 2018 appropriation budgets must be entered into USAS and all required documentation submitted by July 28.

Budget entry and documentation submission must be completed before appropriation control officers can approve a budget setup.

For more information including schedule spreadsheets (Excel), instructions, definitions and samples, see Establishing Appropriations by Method of Finance, Rider and Capital Budget Schedules (FPP A.020).

All simplified and full reporting agencies are required to complete and submit every GASB Questionnaire by Aug. 15. The Reporting Requirements’ GASB Questionnaires page provides links to:

• Each GASB questionnaire
• PDF previews of each questionnaire
• More information regarding GASB requirements within the AFR website

The following are the GASB Questionnaires required for fiscal 2017:

• GASB 14/39 — Component Units (includes GASB 80)
• GASB 49 — Pollution Remediation Obligations
• GASB 60 — Service Concession Arrangements
• GASB 62 — Codification of Accounting
• GASB 69 — Government Combinations and Disposals of Government Operations
• GASB 70 — Non-exchange Financial Guarantees
• GASB 77 — Tax Abatement

If you have questions about any GASB questionnaire, contact your financial reporting analyst.

SPRS agencies must process transactions in the proper order for the rollover to fiscal 2018.

For complete information, see SPRS Fiscal Year-End Processing Instructions for the Rollover to Fiscal 2018 (FPP O.002).

Junior/community colleges must certify estimates of state matching contribution funds for employees participating in the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) by Aug. 15.

For complete information including instructions and forms, see Annual Estimate of Optional Retirement Program (ORP) State Contributions (FPP A.003).