“What’s New” on FMX

Effective immediately, agencies must begin using the revised Payment Cancellation Voucher form (73-179) (login required) (PCV) when a PCV is required to be submitted to Payment Services. The new PCV form incorporates the necessary fields of the Batch Header form (73-240), eliminating the need for an agency to submit both forms.

Payment Services will only process the most current versions of each form that carry the FMX logo in the top-left corner of each form. Older versions of forms or forms without the FMX logo will be returned to the agency.

For questions, contact Payment Services.

Fiscal 2019 appropriation budgets must be entered into USAS and all required documentation submitted by July 27. Entry into USAS and CAPPS can begin July 2.

Budget entry and documentation submission must be completed before appropriation control officers can approve a budget setup. State agencies and institutions of higher education are encouraged to use the provided Excel spreadsheets for completing the required schedules.

For schedule spreadsheets, instructions, definitions, examples and the special requirements for unobligated balances, see Establishing Appropriations by Method of Finance, Rider and Capital Budget Schedules (FPP A.020).

An accounting policy meeting will be held July 24, 2 – 4 p.m. in the William B. Travis Building, Room 1-100.

See the Accounting Policy Meeting page for the agenda and webinar instructions.

The fiscal 2018 third quarter post-payment audit and desk audit reports are now available for view, print and download. See the Audit topic page for forms, Fiscal Policies and Procedures and audit contact information.

Subscribe via GovDelivery to receive email notifications each month for audit reports posted.

To ensure correct year-end USAS balances for imprest, petty cash and travel advance accounts, agencies authorized to maintain these accounts are required to certify that USAS balances and agency computed balances (cash plus outstanding reimbursements) agree. Only cash accounts with balances created from funds in the state treasury are subject to this requirement.

The certification is due by July 10. All corrections must be entered into USAS by July 27.

See USAS Balances for Imprest, Petty Cash and Travel Advance Accounts (FPP A.045) for additional information including instructions for requesting access and completing the forms.

Agencies authorized to maintain imprest, petty cash and travel advance accounts are required to certify that USAS balances and agency computed balances (cash plus outstanding reimbursements) agree. This is to ensure correct year-end USAS balances. Only cash accounts with balances created from funds in the state treasury are subject to this requirement.

The certification is due by July 10. All corrections must be entered into USAS by July 27.

See USAS Balances for Imprest, Petty Cash and Travel Advance Accounts (FPP A.045) for additional information including instructions for requesting access and completing the forms.

The TINS SSN / ITIN / EIN Validation Rules are available on FMX’s TexPayment Resource page. TINS validates SSNs, ITINs and EINs when payee setups and changes are submitted to determine if the numbers are valid according to the Social Security Administration or the Internal Revenue Service. If a number is determined to be invalid, TINS rejects the transaction and generates an error message.

Agencies may incorporate these rules into their internal systems to minimize unprocessed TINS transactions.

Contact Payment Services for more information.

TINS Information Request (IR) 20115 establishes a standard monthly schedule for a refresh of the TINS test environment, TINS AGY SETUP, effective July 2, 2018. The refresh will occur on the first workday of each month. For complete information, see IR 20115 – TINS Test Environment in the System Change Tracker on FMX.

Beginning July 2, state agencies and institutions of higher education may now schedule their TINS testing without coordinating with the Comptroller’s office prior to testing.

If you have questions, contact Payment Services.

Earned Federal Funds (EFF) that agencies deposit into Appropriation 70000 in amounts above the level identified in General Appropriations Act (GAA), Article IX, Section 13.11(b), plus benefits (13.11[g]), are appropriated subject to certain conditions and deadlines.

The conditions and deadlines are defined in the Appropriation Authority for Earned Federal Fund Collections Above the Annual Level section of Earned Federal Funds and Indirect Cost Reimbursements to the General Revenue Fund (APS 023) (FPP A.017). 

Contact your agency’s appropriation control officer with any questions.

USAS documentation on FMX has been updated:

• The USAS T-Code Reference Guide (FPP Q.014) features nine transaction code sorts available in HTML and an expanded table of the most commonly used T-Codes.

• USAS Reference (FPP Q.012) includes updated lists of Comptroller General Ledger Accounts, Document Type and Title, User Class and Title, and Comptroller Objects Sorted by Object Group for Appropriation Year 2018.

State agencies and institutions of higher education should follow the Direct Deposit Checklist before setting up, changing or cancelling direct deposits.

If your agency creates its own online direct deposit authorization application or custom form, Payment Services must approve the alternative method before it is implemented.

State agencies and institutions of higher education must report payables and binding encumbrances for third quarter fiscal 2018 appropriations no later than June 30.

Quarterly certification must be entered in the online form.

For more information, see Encumbrance Report and Lapsing of Appropriations (APS 018) (FPP A.019).