“What’s New” in 2021

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December 2021

12/30/21	Mileage Reimbursement Rate Increase Mileage Reimbursement Rate Increase Effective Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2022, the maximum mileage reimbursement rate for state employee travel in a personal vehicle will increase to 58.5 cents per mile (up from 56 cents in 2021). This rate is consistent with the Internal Revenue Service’s standard mileage rate. See Current Rates or Transportation: Mileage in Personal Vehicle in Textravel for more information. Note: State agencies may adopt an internal policy with a rate that is lower than the maximum; however, the agency must distribute the policy before its employees begin any travel under the lower rate.
12/15/21	Upgrade to TLS 1.2 Required by Jan. 30 Upgrade to TLS 1.2 Required by Jan. 30 The Comptroller’s office will disable two transport layer security (TLS) protocols, 1.0 and 1.1, on Jan. 30, 2022. After that, only TLS 1.2 connections will work. This update is needed to correct security vulnerabilities. This change could impact any connection to Comptroller systems, so be sure your informational technology team is aware of the upgrade. The Comptroller’s office alerted state agencies to the upcoming change in September and has worked with agencies to replace the older protocols. See Microsoft’s update for more information.
12/15/21	Reporting Settlements and Judgments to the IRS Reporting Settlements and Judgments to the IRS Effective Jan. 1, 2022, federal law requires the appropriate official of a state agency involved in a suit or agreement to file an information return with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) when money is paid as part of a settlement or judgment. See 26 U.S.C. § 6050X-1. For cases where the office of the Attorney General (OAG) provides legal representation to the litigating state agency, the OAG will file information returns concerning settlements, judgments, or other qualifying payments. However, this is not a legal determination that this reporting responsibility falls solely on the OAG. Consult applicable laws concerning any reporting responsibilities your agency might have. State agencies not represented by the OAG must determine whether a settlement, judgment, or other qualifying payment made to the agency triggers IRS reporting requirements. The OAG will not file information returns regarding matters in which the OAG did not provide representation, including cases in which a state agency has attained OAG approval to retain outside counsel. Email general.counsel@oag.texas.gov for more information.
12/15/21	Reminder – ACA 1094-C and 1095-C Contact Information Update Due Reminder – ACA 1094-C and 1095-C Contact Information Update Due The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) requires employers to offer affordable health insurance that provides minimum essential coverage to their full-time (and full-time equivalent) employees and their dependents or incur tax penalties. The Comptroller’s office has updated ACA 1094-C and 1095-C Reporting Requirements (FPP F.039) for calendar year 2021. Agencies should review this guidance for how it affects your agency. Your agency is responsible for 1094-C and 1095-C reporting. USPS agencies are required to update 1094-C and 1095-C contact information by Dec. 31. CAPPS Central agencies are required to update the new Manage Agency Contact Info page in CAPPS by Jan. 7.
12/13/21	Supplemental Appropriation and Reduction Transactions Due Supplemental Appropriation and Reduction Transactions Due Processing Supplemental Appropriations and Reductions (FPP A. 047) has been updated with instructions for USAS and CAPPS to reflect recent changes from the 87th Legislature, Special Sessions. Affected state agencies and institutions of higher education must follow the instructions in FPP A.047 by Dec. 21.
12/10/21	2022 Earned Federal Funds Update 2022 Earned Federal Funds Update State agencies are responsible for collecting and depositing earned federal funds (EFF) and indirect cost reimbursements to the General Revenue Fund. Effective Sept. 1, the EFF collection totals have been updated per the General Appropriations Act (GAA). See Earned Federal Funds and Indirect Cost Reimbursements to the General Revenue Fund (APS 023) (FPP A.017) for defined conditions and deadlines. Contact your agency’s appropriation control officer with any questions.
12/10/21	Reminder – Warrant Distribution in December Reminder – Warrant Distribution in December Payment Services will distribute warrants from 8-10 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 23. There will be no warrant distribution Dec. 24. Payment Services will also distribute warrants from 8-10 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 31. See Payment Distribution for warrant pickup requirements and the System Outages and Holidays calendar for more information.
12/10/21	Reminder – Direct Deposit Reversal Request Deadline Changed Reminder – Direct Deposit Reversal Request Deadline Changed Due to the New Year’s Day holiday, the deadline to submit Direct Deposit Reversal Request form (74-191) for payroll reversals has been changed to 10 a.m. on Dec. 31.
12/10/21	Reminder – USAS/TINS File Submission Reminder – USAS/TINS File Submission If you need to submit a USAS or TINS batch file on a weekend or holiday, see the USAS/TINS Input Record File Submission Schedule.
12/10/21	Reminder – Direct Deposit Settlement Dates Reminder – Direct Deposit Settlement Dates To determine the direct deposit settlement date of a payment, you must exclude federal holidays, since financial institutions are closed and no direct deposit activity occurs on those days. Agencies must account for these dates to ensure prompt payment and avoid late payment interest. See the System Outages and Holidays calendar for federal holidays with no scheduled USAS cycles.
12/03/21	Warrant Distribution in December Warrant Distribution in December Payment Services will distribute warrants from 8-10 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 23. There will be no warrant distribution Dec. 24. Payment Services will also distribute warrants from 8-10 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 31. See Payment Distribution for warrant pickup requirements and the System Outages and Holidays calendar for more information.
12/03/21	Direct Deposit Reversal Request Deadline Changed Direct Deposit Reversal Request Deadline Changed Due to the New Year’s Day holiday, the deadline to submit Direct Deposit Reversal Request form (74-191) for payroll reversals has been changed to 10 a.m. on Dec. 31.
12/03/21	USAS/TINS File Submission USAS/TINS File Submission If you need to submit a USAS or TINS batch file on a weekend or holiday, see the USAS/TINS Input Record File Submission Schedule.
12/03/21	Direct Deposit Settlement Dates Direct Deposit Settlement Dates To determine the direct deposit settlement date of a payment, you must exclude federal holidays, since financial institutions are closed and no direct deposit activity occurs on those days. Agencies must account for these dates to ensure prompt payment and avoid late payment interest. See the System Outages and Holidays calendar for federal holidays with no scheduled USAS cycles.
12/03/21	Reminder – Veteran Workforce Summary Reports Due Reminder – Veteran Workforce Summary Reports Due Dec. 15 is the maintenance and corrections deadline for the fiscal 2022 first-quarter Veteran Workforce Summary Reports (Sept. 1 to Nov. 30). Copies of the quarterly reports will be sent via electronic file transfer (EFT) on Dec. 16. The online quarterly report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) will be available Dec. 16 and must be submitted by Dec. 30. See Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038) for more information.

November 2021

11/23/21	Payables and Binding Encumbrances Due Payables and Binding Encumbrances Due State agencies and institutions of higher education must report payables and binding encumbrances for first-quarter fiscal 2022 appropriations by Dec. 30 to the Comptroller’s office. Quarterly certification must be entered in the online form. See Important Dates in the Reporting Guidelines of Encumbrance Report and Lapsing of Appropriations (APS 018) (FPP A.019) for more information.
11/23/21	Reminder – USPS Unavailable Dec. 11 Reminder – USPS Unavailable Dec. 11 USPS will be unavailable all day Saturday, Dec. 11, during the calendar year-end (CYE) file split. All USPS payrolls finalized after the 2021/2022 file split must have a warrant date in calendar year 2022 and will be reflected in the 2022 files. See the schedule in USPS Calendar Year-End Close Process (FPP R.014) and Splitting Files in the USPS Calendar Year-End Close Manual for more information. Contact the USPS help desk at (512) 463-4008 or your assigned USPS representative with questions.
11/22/21	Hotel Occupancy Tax Refund Reports Hotel Occupancy Tax Refund Reports Agencies that reimburse employees for state-related hotel stays are due a refund for the associated hotel occupancy taxes. USAS automatically generates the refunds each quarter. The hotel occupancy tax refund for September through November will be available on DAFR reports 8190 and 8200 Dec. 9. See Hotel Occupancy Tax Quarterly Refund (FPP B.006) for more information.
11/10/21	CAPPS User Group Meeting CAPPS User Group Meeting A combined CAPPS HR/Payroll and CAPPS Financials user group meeting will be held Nov. 18, 9-11 a.m. See CAPPS Financials User Group Meetings or CAPPS HR/Payroll User Group Meetings for more information. The agenda and meeting materials will be available the morning of the meeting.
11/10/21	Veteran Workforce Summary Reports Due Veteran Workforce Summary Reports Due Dec. 15 is the maintenance and corrections deadline for the fiscal 2022 first-quarter Veteran Workforce Summary Reports (Sept. 1 to Nov. 30). Copies of the quarterly reports will be sent via electronic file transfer (EFT) on Dec. 16. The online quarterly report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) will be available Dec. 16 and must be submitted by Dec. 30. See Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038) for more information.
11/10/21	Reminder – Warrant Pickup Availability Nov. 24 Reminder – Warrant Pickup Availability Nov. 24 The Comptroller’s office will be closed for business on Wednesday, Nov. 24; however, Payment Services will distribute warrants from 8-10 a.m. for the Nov. 23 processing cycle. There will be no warrant distribution on Nov. 25 or 26. See Payment Distribution for warrant pickup requirements.
11/10/21	Reminder – Direct Deposit Settlement Dates Reminder – Direct Deposit Settlement Dates State and federal holidays with no scheduled USAS cycle that are listed on the System Outages and Holidays calendar are excluded when determining the direct deposit 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.
11/10/21	Reminder – USAS/TINS File Submission Reminder – USAS/TINS File Submission If you need to submit a USAS or TINS batch file on a weekend or holiday, see the USAS/TINS Input Record File Submission Schedule.
11/05/21	USPS Unavailable Dec. 11 USPS Unavailable Dec. 11 USPS will be unavailable all day Saturday, Dec. 11, during the calendar year-end (CYE) file split. All USPS payrolls finalized after the 2021/2022 file split must have a warrant date in calendar year 2022 and will be reflected in the 2022 files. See the schedule in USPS Calendar Year-End Close Process (FPP R.014) and Splitting Files in the USPS Calendar Year-End Close Manual for more information. Contact the USPS help desk at (512) 463-4008 or your assigned USPS representative with questions.
11/05/21	2021 State of Texas Annual Cash Report 2021 State of Texas Annual Cash Report The State of Texas Annual Cash Report for fiscal 2021 is now available, as required by Government Code, Section 403.013. The report presents the state’s financial condition and details revenues and expenditures on a cash basis.
11/05/21	Warrant Pickup Availability Nov. 24 Warrant Pickup Availability Nov. 24 The Comptroller’s office will be closed for business on Wednesday, Nov. 24; however, Payment Services will distribute warrants from 8-10 a.m. for the Nov. 23 processing cycle. There will be no warrant distribution on Nov. 25 or 26. See Payment Distribution for warrant pickup requirements.
11/05/21	Direct Deposit Settlement Dates Direct Deposit Settlement Dates State and federal holidays with no scheduled USAS cycle that are listed on the System Outages and Holidays calendar are excluded when determining the direct deposit 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.
11/05/21	USAS/TINS File Submission USAS/TINS File Submission If you need to submit a USAS or TINS batch file on a weekend or holiday, see the USAS/TINS Input Record File Submission Schedule.

October 2021

10/29/21	AFR Deadline AFR Deadline The deadline for the fiscal 2021 annual financial report (AFR) is Saturday, Nov. 20. The Financial Reporting section strongly recommends that agencies make and release all USAS entries related to the AFR by 7 p.m., Friday, Nov. 19. Agencies that need to make USAS entries on Nov. 20 must use Batch Edit Mode 2 for all entries. No USAS entries for fiscal 2021 may be made after Nov. 20. All entries for the fiscal 2021 AFR must be backdated using an effective date of 08322021. Contact your financial reporting analyst for questions about AFR submission requirements and deadlines.
10/29/21	Benefits Proportional by Method of Finance Reports Due Benefits Proportional by Method of Finance Reports Due State agencies and institutions of higher education must ensure payments of benefit costs are proportional to the agency’s or institution’s method of finance, unless another legal provision prohibits proportionality. Benefits Proportional by Method of Finance Reports and related adjustments are due Nov. 19. Agencies and institutions funded with a single method of finance must submit a letter confirming this status by Nov. 19. See Benefits Proportional by Method of Finance (APS 011)(FPP A.010) for more information, including forms and sample letters.
10/29/21	Reminder – Benefit Replacement Pay Leveling Election Due Reminder – Benefit Replacement Pay Leveling Election Due State agencies that permit eligible employees to level their benefit replacement pay must update their payroll/personnel systems for December payrolls paid in calendar year 2022. See Benefit Replacement Pay (BRP) Leveling Election (FPP F.035) for more information.
10/28/21	Semiannual Verification of Users’ Security Access Levels Due Semiannual Verification of Users’ Security Access Levels Due 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. Review the instructions for the Semiannual Verification of Users’ Security Access Levels (FPP K.009) (login required). Download and review the Agency Security Coordinator Reports (login required). Complete and return the Attestation form (73-326) to the Comptroller’s office by Nov. 30. Email sfs.security@cpa.texas.gov with any questions.
10/25/21	USAS 1099 Reporting Procedures USAS 1099 Reporting Procedures State agencies and institutions of higher education must file 1099 forms with the IRS (electronically or as hard copies) and mail 1099 forms to recipients by Jan. 31, 2022. Agencies may request forms in USAS Jan. 4-28, and they will be available for pickup the following business day in the LBJ Building, room G17. See USAS Procedures for 1099 Reporting for Calendar Year 2021 (FPP E.001) for instructions on requesting 1099 data from USAS.
10/22/21	CBA and CLIBA Payment Procedures CBA and CLIBA Payment Procedures Entering procurement and travel card transactions in USAS or CAPPS Financials requires special considerations for timely payment reconciliation. Agencies should review the procedures for entering credit card information into USAS and CAPPS invoice number fields as detailed in the section on central billed account (CBA) and corporate liability individual billed account (CLIBA) numbers in USAS and CAPPS Financials Invoice Number Field Requirements (FPP E.023). See Processing Third-Party Transactions in USAS for Payment/Travel Cards, Direct Bill Payments and Reimbursements (FPP A.043) (login required) for more information. Contact Expenditure Assistance with questions.
10/22/21	Reminder – Budget T-Codes Effective Date Change Reminder – Budget T-Codes Effective Date Change Nov. 2, at 7 a.m., the effective start date for USAS budget T-codes 001, 003, 006, 009, 012, 015, 018, 021, 036, 039, 040, 041, 042 and 043 will be changed to 09012021. Fiscal Management’s Financial Reporting section verifies general revenue (GR) information submitted by state agencies and must ensure agencies cannot backdate entries, which would change the agency’s GR amount. The GR Reconciliation Certification is due Nov. 1. Contact your financial reporting analyst with questions.
10/22/21	Reminder – Annual Encumbrance Certification and Automated Lapsing Reminder – Annual Encumbrance Certification and Automated Lapsing Per Encumbrance Report and Lapsing of Appropriations (APS 018) (FPP A.019), state agencies and institutions of higher education must submit the online Annual Certification form by Oct. 30. (The recommended due date for GR consolidated agencies was Sept. 30.) An automatic lapse program will run in USAS as early as the Nov. 1 nightly cycle.
10/15/21	Final EEO Report Final EEO Report Final copies of the 2021 Equal Employment Opportunity Report (FPP F.016) will arrive at agencies and institutions of higher education via electronic file transfer on Oct. 28. Oct. 26 is the deadline for making data corrections. Corrections entered or submitted after this date will not be reflected in the final report. The Comptroller’s office will send the final report to the Civil Rights Division of the Texas Workforce Commission on Oct. 28.
10/15/21	87th Legislature eXpendit/Textravel Updates 87th Legislature eXpendit/Textravel Updates These eXpendit topics were updated to reflect legislative changes: Construction contracts Prompt payment disputes Prohibited bids or contracts Payments to certain medical companies Major information systems Statutory authority for purchases Companies that boycott certain energy companies Firearms, accessories and ammunition Professional sports Publicity of individuals or state agencies Settlements and judgments This Textravel topic was also updated: Mileage in personal vehicle Contact Expenditure Assistance with any questions.
10/15/21	Benefit Replacement Pay Leveling Election Due Benefit Replacement Pay Leveling Election Due State agencies that permit eligible employees to level their benefit replacement pay must update their payroll/personnel systems for December payrolls paid in calendar year 2022. See Benefit Replacement Pay (BRP) Leveling Election (FPP F.035) for more information.
10/15/21	Fourth Quarter Audit Reports Fourth Quarter Audit Reports Fiscal 2021 fourth-quarter expenditure audit reports are available for view, print and download. See the Audit page for forms, fiscal policies and procedures, and audit contact information. Subscribe via GovDelivery for quarterly email notifications of audit reports posted.
10/15/21	Reminder – TFOA 2022 Nominations Reminder – TFOA 2022 Nominations Nov. 10 is the deadline to nominate candidates for the 2022 Texas Fiscal Officers Academy (TFOA), a professional development program for state agency fiscal officers. Candidates must be nominated by their executive directors or chief fiscal officers. The 2022 TFOA curriculum has three week-long sessions: The Art of the Budget Process Fiscal Management Accountability and Transparency See the TFOA website for details.
10/08/21	USAS and CAPPS Invoice Number and Description Fields USAS and CAPPS Invoice Number and Description Fields Transaction entry screens in USAS and CAPPS let state agencies and institutions of higher education enter payment information in the invoice number and description fields. Never enter confidential or sensitive information such as complete or partial Social Security numbers or information covered by the protected health information prohibition. See USAS and CAPPS Financials Invoice Number Field Requirements (FPP E.023) for more information and to review your agency’s procedures for compliance.
10/08/21	Reminder – SPA/AFR Reconciliation Deadlines Reminder – SPA/AFR Reconciliation Deadlines State agencies (and institutions of higher education reporting to SPA) must annually reconcile SPA ending balances with their annual financial reports (AFRs). Due dates for certifying SPA fiscal balances and Note 2 using the Capital Asset Note Submission System (CANSS) web application are: Sept. 20 — GR consolidated agencies Oct. 20 — Full reporting agencies Nov. 1 — Consolidated university systems (applies only to institutions of higher education reporting to SPA) See SPA Fiscal Year-End Reconciliation and Certification of Fiscal Balances in Chapter 2 of the SPA Process User's Guide (FPP N.005) for more information.
10/08/21	Reminder – Annual Encumbrance Certification and Automated Lapsing Reminder – Annual Encumbrance Certification and Automated Lapsing By Oct. 30 each year, state agencies and institutions of higher education must lapse appropriation balances above the level needed to satisfy outstanding binding encumbrances and/or payables. All agencies must also submit the online annual certification form by Oct. 30. (Sept. 30 is the recommended due date for GR consolidated to lapse appropriation balances and submit annual certifications.) An automatic lapse program will run in USAS as early as the Nov. 1 nightly cycle to lapse all unencumbered nonconstruction appropriation balances for all prior appropriation years. See Encumbrance Report and Lapsing of Appropriations (APS 018) (FPP A.019) for details.
10/01/21	Budget T-Codes Effective Date Budget T-Codes Effective Date Nov. 2, at 7 a.m., the effective start date for USAS budget T-codes 001, 003, 006, 009, 012, 015, 018, 021, 036, 039, 040, 041, 042 and 043 will be changed to 09012021. Fiscal Management’s Financial Reporting section verifies general revenue (GR) information submitted by state agencies and must ensure agencies cannot backdate entries, which would change the agency’s GR amount. The GR Reconciliation Certification is due Nov. 1. Contact your financial reporting analyst with questions.
10/01/21	TFOA Accepting 2022 Nominations TFOA Accepting 2022 Nominations State agency officials have until Nov. 10 to nominate candidates for the 2022 Texas Fiscal Officers Academy (TFOA), a professional development program for state agency fiscal officers. Candidates must be nominated by their executive directors or chief fiscal officers. The 2022 TFOA curriculum contains three week-long sessions: The Art of the Budget Process Fiscal Management Accountability and Transparency See the TFOA website for details.
10/01/21	Reminder – Preliminary EEO Report Reminder – Preliminary EEO Report Preliminary copies of the 2021 Equal Employment Opportunity Report (FPP F.016) will arrive at agencies and institutions of higher education via electronic file transfer on Oct. 14 with each agency’s regular daily downloads. Deadlines: Oct. 21 – Preliminary Equal Employment Opportunity Report Acknowledgment form due Oct. 26 – Data corrections due Data corrections entered or submitted after Oct. 26 will not be reflected in the final report issued on Oct. 28.

September 2021

09/29/21	Direct Deposit Authorization Form Change Direct Deposit Authorization Form Change Effective immediately, a new National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA) rule requires the requestor of a direct deposit reversal to be the same agency that issued the original payment. The Comptroller’s office has updated Section 6 of the Direct Deposit Authorization form (74-176) to reflect the new rule. If your agency uses its own form or electronic method (such as an online application or self-service portal) to process direct deposits through the Comptroller’s office, you must update it to match the new language on form 74-176. See Direct Deposit Forms on TexPayment Resource for more information. Submit a copy of your agency’s updated internal forms or methods to Payment Services at tins.mail@cpa.texas.gov for review and approval no later than Oct. 15, 2021. Contact Payment Services with any questions.
09/24/21	Final Fiscal 2021 Annual Report (Statewide Hiring Practices) Final Fiscal 2021 Annual Report (Statewide Hiring Practices) State agencies and institutions of higher education will receive a final copy of the fiscal 2021 Annual Report (Statewide Hiring Practices) via electronic file transfer on Sept. 30. See Annual Report (Statewide Hiring Practices for the Fiscal Year) (FPP F.005) for more information, including HRIS, SPRS and USPS contacts.
09/24/21	Preliminary EEO Report Preliminary EEO Report Preliminary copies of the 2021 Equal Employment Opportunity Report (see FPP F.016) will arrive at agencies and institutions of higher education via electronic file transfer on Oct. 14 with each agency's regular daily downloads. Deadlines: Oct. 21 – Preliminary Equal Employment Opportunity Report Acknowledgment form due Oct. 26 – Data corrections due Data corrections entered or submitted after Oct. 26 will not be reflected in the final report issued on Oct. 28.
09/17/21	Annual Encumbrance Reporting Due Annual Encumbrance Reporting Due State agencies and institutions of higher education must report annual binding encumbrances and payables to the Comptroller’s office per Encumbrance Report and Lapsing of Appropriations (APS 018) (FPP A.019). This reporting requirement includes the fourth quarter of the previous appropriation year. All agencies must submit the online Annual Certification form by Oct. 30. (The recommended due date for GR consolidated agencies is Sept. 30.)
09/17/21	Automated Lapse of Unencumbered Balances Automated Lapse of Unencumbered Balances By Oct. 30 each year, all agencies must lapse appropriation balances above the amount needed to satisfy any outstanding binding encumbrances and/or payables. (The recommended due date for GR consolidated agencies is Sept. 30.) The Comptroller’s office must lapse all unencumbered nonconstruction appropriation balances for prior appropriation years Nov. 1 of each fiscal year. An automatic lapse program will run in USAS as early as the Nov. 1 nightly cycle. Agencies must review appropriation balances for accuracy before the lapse process. See Reviewing Appropriation Balances Prior to UB or Lapsing in APS 018 for full details.
09/17/21	Reminder – Emergency Leave Reporting Due Reminder – Emergency Leave Reporting Due Agencies and institutions must report emergency leave use by Oct. 1 for employees granted more than 32 hours of emergency leave during the prior fiscal year. See Emergency Leave Reporting Requirements (FPP F.040) for details on the Emergency Leave Reporting web application and the required statement for agencies and institutions not sending a report.
09/17/21	Reminder – Take the 2021 Fiscal Management Customer Service Survey Reminder – Take the 2021 Fiscal Management Customer Service Survey How well are we meeting your customer service expectations? Please let us know by completing the online survey by Friday, Sept. 24. We appreciate your feedback. If you have any questions about the survey, email us at fiscal.documentation@cpa.texas.gov.
09/10/21	Take the 2021 Fiscal Management Customer Service Survey Take the 2021 Fiscal Management Customer Service Survey How well are we meeting your customer service expectations? Please let us know by completing the online survey by Friday, Sept. 24. We appreciate your feedback. If you have any questions about the survey, please email us at fiscal.documentation@cpa.texas.gov.
09/10/21	Preliminary Fiscal 2021 Annual Report (Statewide Hiring Practices) Preliminary Fiscal 2021 Annual Report (Statewide Hiring Practices) Preliminary copies of the fiscal 2021 Annual Report (Statewide Hiring Practices) will arrive at state agencies and institutions of higher education via electronic file transfer on Sept. 16. Agencies and institutions must submit electronic report acknowledgment forms by Sept. 23, and have until Sept. 28 to review the preliminary report and enter or submit changes. See Annual Report (Statewide Hiring Practices for the Fiscal Year) (FPP F.005) for more information, including HRIS, SPRS and USPS contacts.
09/10/21	Grant ID Requests Grant ID Requests State agencies must email new grant ID requests for the fiscal 2021 State Pass-Through Reporting (SPTR) web application to frs@cpa.texas.gov by close of business Sept. 24, and must attach documentation confirming the grant relationship between the grantor and grantee with the official grant name. Final certification for the SPTR web application is due Sept. 28. See State Grant Pass-Through Reconciliation for more information.
09/10/21	Additional Accounting Policy Statements Updated Additional Accounting Policy Statements Updated The following Accounting Policy Statements (APSs) have been updated: APS 003 – Reimbursements for Unemployment Compensation Payments APS 010 – Travel Advance Account and Petty Cash Account APS 018 – Encumbrance Report and Lapsing of Appropriations APS 026 – Capital Budget Rider Appropriations APS 027 – Accounting for Uncollectible Accounts Review each APS to ensure compliance with the most current policies and procedures.
09/10/21	Comptroller Manual of Accounts Updated Comptroller Manual of Accounts Updated Effective Sept. 1, substantive changes have been made to the Texas Comptroller Manual of Accounts (FPP Q.009) reflecting legislation passed by the 86th and 87th Legislatures, Regular Sessions. The Manual of Accounts provides current information on state agencies, appropriated funds, and accounts and object codes to record accounting transactions.
09/03/21	State Employee Charitable Campaign State Employee Charitable Campaign The annual State Employee Charitable Campaign (SECC) runs Sept. 1 – Oct. 31. During the SECC, state employees may elect to deduct contributions to participating charities from their paychecks. USPS and CAPPS will be updated to reflect any changes to the SECC for the December 2021 payrolls, which may include participating charities’ payee codes, Texas identification numbers and contact information. Agencies and institutions of higher education not using USPS or CAPPS Central must update their payroll/personnel systems accordingly. See State Employee Charitable Campaign Participation (FPP F.033) or the SECC website for the list of participating statewide federations, local campaign areas and more information.
09/03/21	CFDA and NSE Additions for SEFA Reporting CFDA and NSE Additions for SEFA Reporting Requests to set up new Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) and non-state entity (NSE) entries in the Schedule of Expenditure of Federal Awards (SEFA) web application are due by close of business Oct. 25 to the Comptroller’s Financial Reporting section at frs@cpa.texas.gov. Include a copy of the agreement or award letter with the request. Pass-through activity deadline reminders: Sept. 24: Finalize USAS interagency pass-through entries by close of business. Sept. 28: Finalize and certify interagency pass-through entries in the SEFA web application. See the SEFA Timeline for more information, or contact your agency's financial reporting analyst with questions.
09/03/21	Fiscal 2022 Travel Rates Fiscal 2022 Travel Rates The 2022 General Services Administration (GSA) rates are effective Oct. 1 and are now online. Fiscal 2022 travel reimbursement rates are available for: In-state or out-of-state meals and lodging In-state or out-of-state non-overnight meals Automobile mileage Aircraft mileage Standard lodging reimbursement rates remain the same for fiscal 2022. The standard lodging rate for all locations not listed by the GSA is $96. The meal reimbursement rate for locations not listed by the GSA increased from $55 to $59. For CAPPS agencies using the Travel and Expense module, the CAPPS Financials Production Support team will update meals and lodging rates. Mileage rates must be updated by the agency. Contact your CAPPS Level 1 representative for assistance. See Textravel, email Expenditure Assistance or call (512) 475-0966 for more information.
09/03/21	HRIS Employees Without Reappointments Report HRIS Employees Without Reappointments Report Institutions of higher education can download the HRIS Employees Without Reappointments Report on Sept. 22. Make all employee information corrections by close of business Sept. 29. HRIS uses this information to generate the Equal Employment Opportunity Report, Annual Report (Statewide Hiring Practices for the Fiscal Year) and Veteran Workforce Summary Report. See HRIS Higher Education Reporting Procedures for Reappointments (FPP M.003) or contact your agency’s HRIS representative for more information on the reappointment process. Note: Only institutions that have active employees without reappointments will receive reports.
09/03/21	Higher Ed USAS/ABEST Reconciliation Deadline Higher Ed USAS/ABEST Reconciliation Deadline Institutions of higher education hold appropriated funds outside the state’s treasury and must enter fiscal 2021 expenditure activity in USAS by Oct. 30 for reconciliation with the Legislative Budget Board’s Automated Budget and Evaluation System of Texas (ABEST). See Entering Higher Education Expenditure Activity into USAS for USAS/ABEST Reconciliation (FPP B.011) for additional information. Note: Community/junior colleges are excluded from these requirements.
09/03/21	Reminder – Upgrade to BlueZone Web-to-Host 7.1 by Sept. 8 Reminder – Upgrade to BlueZone Web-to-Host 7.1 by Sept. 8 BlueZone Web-to-Host 5.2 will be decommissioned Sept. 8. Customers must upgrade to BlueZone Web-to-Host 7.1 before that date. See Requirements for Transmitting Comptroller Information (FPP N.007) (login required) for installation instructions. Note: If you have trouble connecting to the FMX site or downloading BlueZone, contact your IT support to determine if your agency security policies or firewalls are blocking access.
09/03/21	Reminder – Certification of Physical Inventory Form Due Reminder – Certification of Physical Inventory Form Due State agencies must conduct an annual physical inventory of property by Aug. 31. Agencies must then submit the Certification of Physical Inventory Conducted by Agency (73-283) form to the Comptroller’s office by Sept. 20. See Certification of Physical Inventory in Chapter 2 of the SPA Process Users Guide for details.
09/03/21	Reminder – Property Transfers Deadline Reminder – Property Transfers Deadline Enter property transfers in SPA by Sept. 20 so GR consolidated agencies can complete their fiscal year-end reconciliations. See Transferring Property in Chapter 7 of the SPA Process User Guide for complete instructions.
09/03/21	Reminder – Veteran Workforce Summary Reports Due Reminder – Veteran Workforce Summary Reports Due Sept. 15 is the maintenance and corrections deadline for the fiscal 2022 fourth-quarter Veteran Workforce Summary Reports (June 1 to Aug. 31). Copies of the quarterly reports will be sent via electronic file transfer (EFT) on Sept. 16. The online quarterly report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) will be available Sept. 16 and must be submitted by Sept. 23. See Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038) for more information.

August 2021

08/27/21	Emergency Leave Reporting Due Emergency Leave Reporting Due Agencies and institutions must report emergency leave use by Oct. 1 for employees granted more than 32 hours of emergency leave during the prior fiscal year. See Emergency Leave Reporting Requirements (FPP F.040) for details on the Emergency Leave Reporting web application and the required statement for agencies and institutions not sending a report.
08/27/21	Hotel Occupancy Tax Refund Reports Hotel Occupancy Tax Refund Reports Agencies that reimburse employees for state-related hotel stays are due a refund for hotel occupancy taxes. USAS automatically generates the refunds each quarter. The hotel occupancy tax refund for August will be available on DAFR reports 8190 and 8200 Sept. 9. See Hotel Occupancy Tax Quarterly Refund (FPP B.006) for more information.
08/27/21	Reminder – Upgrade to BlueZone Web-to-Host 7.1 by Sept. 8 Reminder – Upgrade to BlueZone Web-to-Host 7.1 by Sept. 8 BlueZone Web-to-Host 5.2 will be decommissioned Sept. 8. Customers must upgrade to BlueZone Web-to-Host 7.1 before that date. See Requirements for Transmitting Comptroller Information (FPP N.007) (login required) for installation instructions. Note: If you have trouble connecting to the FMX site or downloading BlueZone, contact your IT support to determine if your agency security policies or firewalls are blocking access.
08/27/21	Reminder – Salary Supplement Report Due Reminder – Salary Supplement Report Due 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 by Sept. 15. See Salary Supplements Paid From Sources Other Than Appropriated Funds (FPP F.031) for instructions and the online report form.
08/27/21	Reminder – SPA/AFR Reconciliation Deadlines Reminder – SPA/AFR Reconciliation Deadlines State agencies (and institution of higher education reporting to SPA) must annually reconcile SPA ending balances with their annual financial reports (AFRs). Due dates for certifying SPA fiscal balances and Note 2 using the Capital Asset Note Submission System (CANSS) web application are: Sept. 20 — GR consolidated agencies Oct. 20 — Full reporting agencies Nov. 1 — Consolidated university systems (applies only to institutions of higher education reporting to SPA) See SPA Fiscal Year-End Reconciliation and Certification of Fiscal Balances in Chapter 2 of the SPA Process User’s Guide (FPP N.005) for more information.
08/20/21	Community/Junior Colleges Veteran Workforce Reporting Due Community/Junior Colleges Veteran Workforce Reporting Due Public community and junior colleges must provide quarterly data on veteran hiring and employment by completing the Comptroller’s electronic Veteran Workforce Reporting for Public Community/Junior College form. The online form (with required veteran complaint reporting included) will be available Sept. 16 and must be submitted by Sept. 23. See Public Community and Junior Colleges Veteran Workforce Reporting Criteria in Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038) for more information, including form criteria, instructions and quarterly reporting deadlines.
08/19/21	Upgrade to BlueZone Web-to-Host 7.1 by Sept. 8 Upgrade to BlueZone Web-to-Host 7.1 by Sept. 8 BlueZone Web-to-Host 5.2 will be decommissioned Sept. 8. Customers must upgrade to BlueZone Web-to-Host 7.1 before that date. See Requirements for Transmitting Comptroller Information (FPP N.007) (login required) for installation instructions. Note: If you have trouble accessing instructions or downloading BlueZone, contact your IT support to determine if your agency security policies or firewalls are blocking access.
08/19/21	Accounting Policy Statements Updated Accounting Policy Statements Updated The following Accounting Policy Statements (APSs) have been updated: APS 001 – Sources of Revenue Required To Pay Benefit Cost APS 005 – Reimbursing Retirement Contributions and Insurance Premiums APS 007 – Revenue Deposits Intended To Increase Appropriation Authority APS 008 – Deposit of Sales Taxes Collected by State Agencies APS 013 – Refunding Deposits APS 014 – Interagency Payments and Receipts for Goods and Services APS 019 – Salary Benefit Appropriation Allocations APS 021 – Correcting Bookkeeping and Cost Allocation Entries APS 025 – Cost Allocation From Temporary Administrative and Support Appropriations APS 028 – Reporting of State Debts and Hold Offset Procedures APS 029 – Electronic Processing of Revenues and Expenditures Review each APS to ensure compliance with current policies and procedures.
08/19/21	Proceeds From the Sale of Surplus Property Proceeds From the Sale of Surplus Property All proceeds from the sale of surplus property, equipment and commodities must be deposited to general revenue (GR) in appropriation 99908. An agency may reappropriate 25 percent of the receipts from the sale of surplus property for expenditure during the fiscal year in which the receipts are received. See Proceeds From the Sale of Surplus Property (FPP A.032) for more information.
08/19/21	Reminder – Quarterly GR Reimbursement Due for Statewide Allocated Costs Reminder – Quarterly GR Reimbursement Due for Statewide Allocated Costs The fourth-quarter general revenue (GR) reimbursement deadline for statewide allocated costs for agencies listed in Fiscal 2020 Statewide Cost Allocation Summary of Fixed Costs by Agency is Aug. 30. See General Revenue Reimbursement for Statewide Allocated Costs (FPP A.022) for instructions, contacts and forms.
08/13/21	87th Legislature GAA Updates 87th Legislature GAA Updates The 87th Legislature updated Article IX of the General Appropriations Act (GAA); changes take effect Sept. 1. See Changes to Article IX of the GAA and Other Bills of Interest to State Agencies (FPP F.008) for a summary of GAA changes and other legislation that affects state agencies.
08/13/21	Reason Code Definitions and Restrictions Updated Reason Code Definitions and Restrictions Updated The 87th Legislature updated salary administration provisions of the General Appropriations Act (GAA), so the Comptroller’s office has issued: Reason Code Definitions and Restrictions for State Agencies (Fiscal 2022-23) Reason Code Quick Reference for State Agencies (Fiscal 2022-23) Reason Code Definitions and Restrictions for Institutions of Higher Education (Fiscal 2022–23) See Reason Code Resources and Classification Salary Schedules (FPP R.022) to view and download these PDFs.
08/13/21	Do Not Set Effective End Date on Certain RTIs Do Not Set Effective End Date on Certain RTIs Important reminder for coding on the USAS Recurring Transaction Profile (55): Do not set an effective end date until after Sept. 26 on certain recurring transaction indexes (RTIs) used during the interagency reconciliation process for the annual financial report (AFR). Interagency transaction vouchers (ITVs) transactions must process successfully during the interagency reconciliation process for the AFR. An RTI (receiving) agency that sets an effective end date on the 55 profile will prevent a transaction (paying) agency from processing any ITV transactions past that effective end date. For example, a transaction entered on Sept. 2 using an RTI with an effective end date of Aug. 31 would not process, even if the effective date on the transaction were backdated to Aug. 31. To avoid this, the RTI agency should not set an effective end date on the 55 profile until the interagency reconciliation process is complete. Agencies should leave the effective end dates on RTIs blank unless there is an explicit need to include one. See the ITV/RTI Process USAS FAQs for more information.
08/13/21	Veteran Workforce Summary Reports Due Veteran Workforce Summary Reports Due Sept. 15 is the maintenance and corrections deadline for the fiscal 2021 fourth quarter Veteran Workforce Summary Reports (June 1 to Aug. 31). Copies of the quarterly reports will be sent via electronic file transfer (EFT) on Sept. 16. The online quarterly report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) will be available Sept. 16 and must be submitted by Sept. 23. See Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038) for more information.
08/13/21	CAPPS User Group Webinars CAPPS User Group Webinars A CAPPS HR/Payroll user group webinar will be held Aug. 24, 9-11 a.m. A CAPPS Financials user group webinar will be held Aug. 26, 9-11 a.m. See CAPPS HR/Payroll User Group Meetings or CAPPS Financials User Group Meetings for information. The agenda and meeting materials will be posted one day before the meeting.
08/13/21	Reminder – Systems Unavailable During Year-End Close Reminder – Systems Unavailable During Year-End Close The USAS annual cash-basis close for fiscal 2021 occurs on Aug. 31. The fiscal year-end close process requires shutting down the statewide fiscal systems. See Master Schedule of Year-End Close Events for more information, including: Processing deadlines System maintenance dates and times Support contacts
08/12/21	Reminder – Annual Certification of Estimated ORP State Contributions Due Reminder – Annual Certification of Estimated ORP State Contributions Due Junior/community colleges must certify estimates of state matching contribution funds for employees participating in the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) by Aug. 15. See Annual Estimate of Optional Retirement Program (ORP) State Contributions (FPP A.003) for complete information including instructions and forms.
08/10/21	Upgrade to BlueZone Web-to-Host 7.1 by Sept. 8 Upgrade to BlueZone Web-to-Host 7.1 by Sept. 8 BlueZone Web-to-Host 5.2 will be decommissioned on Sept. 8. Customers must upgrade to BlueZone Web-to-Host 7.1 before that date. See Requirements for Transmitting Comptroller Information (FPP N.007) (login required) for installation instructions. Note: If you have trouble connecting to the FMX site or downloading BlueZone, contact your IT support to determine if your agency security policies or firewalls are blocking access. Customers using BlueZone Web-to-Host 5.2 can leave that version installed; it will not conflict with version 7.1. After Sept. 8, BlueZone Web-to-Host 5.2 will no longer connect to the CPA mainframe and will redirect to a Comptroller.Texas.Gov welcome page. Agencies and institutions may also use other TN3270E emulation software equivalent to BlueZone. See Alternative Emulator Configuration Settings (login required) in FPP N.007 or contact Information Technology Support at your agency or institution for assistance.
08/06/21	Final Copies of the 2021 EEO-4 Report Available Final Copies of the 2021 EEO-4 Report Available The 2021 Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)-4 Report summarizes state agency hiring practices. The Governor’s Office uses data from the biennial report (agency detail and summary reports) to comply with U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reporting requirements. Final copies of the 2021 EEO-4 Report will be available to agencies via electronic file transfer on Aug. 18. Agencies must: Review the final report Download the 2021 EEO-4 Statewide Final Report Certification from FPP G.003 and complete it Email the completed certification to the Governor’s Office at eeo4reports@gov.texas.gov by Aug. 27 See Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)-4 Report (FPP G.003).
08/06/21	AFR Ad Hoc Reports AFR Ad Hoc Reports Beginning Sept. 3, the following AFR-related reports will be available via secure file transfer protocol (SFTP): GR Reconciliation through Nov. 1 AFR exception reports through Nov. 19 Agencies may save or print their reports daily, Monday through Friday. Each day’s information is replaced on the following business day by the next transmission. Contact your financial reporting analyst for more information.
08/06/21	Property Transfers Deadline Property Transfers Deadline Enter property transfers in SPA by Sept. 20 so GR consolidated agencies can complete their fiscal year-end reconciliations. Universities that do not report to SPA must follow the reporting requirements in Capital Asset Note Preparation to report external transfers. Transfers between two external agencies cannot be entered into SPA. See Transferring Property in Chapter 7 of the SPA Process User Guide for complete instructions.
08/06/21	Legislative Changes to Salary Administration Legislative Changes to Salary Administration The 87th Legislature, Regular Session, updated: Salary/HR administration Leave administration Retirement rates for fiscal 2022 and fiscal 2023 See Legislative Changes Affecting Salary Administration, 87th Legislature (FPP F.021) for more information.
08/06/21	SPA Fiscal Year-End Close Process SPA Fiscal Year-End Close Process The last SPA processing cycle before the fiscal year-end close runs Aug. 31. SPA will be available Sept. 2 to accept both fiscal 2021 and fiscal 2022 transactions. See SPA Fiscal Year-End Close Process (FPP N.008) for more information.
08/06/21	Reminder – HRIS Reappointments Due Reminder – HRIS Reappointments Due Institutions of higher education must report certain information about jobs and reappointments at the beginning of each fiscal year. Submit reappointment information via electronic file transfer (EFT) by: Sept. 8: EFT #1 — Class codes and carriers Sept. 10: EFT #2 — Reappointments for fiscal 2022 Sept. 15: EFT #3 — Terminations for fiscal 2021 The HRIS September maintenance deadline is Oct. 7. See HRIS Higher Education Reporting Procedures for Reappointments (FPP M.003) for reappointment details and instructions. Note: Fiscal Management requires either an email to hrismail@cpa.texas.gov OR an HRIS EFT Specifications form (73-162) for EFT #1, EFT #2 and EFT #3 during the fiscal year reappointment process.
08/06/21	Reminder – GASB Questionnaires Due Reminder – GASB Questionnaires Due All GR consolidated and full reporting agencies must complete and submit every GASB questionnaire by Aug. 15. The AFR website’s GASB Questionnaires page provides: Links to each GASB questionnaire Descriptions and PDF previews of each GASB questionnaire Links for more information on the AFR website specific to each GASB statement Contact your financial reporting analyst for questions about any GASB questionnaire.

July 2021

07/30/21	SPA/AFR Reconciliation Deadlines SPA/AFR Reconciliation Deadlines State agencies (and institutions of higher education reporting to SPA) must annually reconcile SPA ending balances with their annual financial reports (AFRs). Due dates for certifying SPA fiscal balances and Note 2 using the Capital Asset Note Submission System (CANSS) web application are: Sept. 20 — GR consolidated agencies Oct. 20 — Full reporting agencies Nov. 1 — Consolidated university systems (applies only to institutions of higher education reporting to SPA) See SPA Fiscal Year-End Reconciliation and Certification of Fiscal Balances in Chapter 2 of the SPA Process User’s Guide (FPP N.005) for more information.
07/30/21	Late Payment Interest Rate for Fiscal 2022 Late Payment Interest Rate for Fiscal 2022 The interest rate the state pays on a late payment to a vendor under the state’s prompt payment law will be 4.25 percent for fiscal 2022. 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. See Interest Rate on eXpendit (FPP I.005) for more information.
07/30/21	Accounting Policy Webinar Accounting Policy Webinar An accounting policy webinar will be held Aug. 18, 2-4 p.m. See the Accounting Policy Meetings page for the webinar registration. This page will also be updated with: Agenda and meeting materials (available the day before the meeting) Q&As (available two to three weeks after the webinar) Note: Use Google Chrome as the internet browser to avoid Webex compatibility issues.
07/23/21	Annual Certification of Estimated ORP State Contributions Due Annual Certification of Estimated ORP State Contributions Due Junior/community colleges must certify estimates of state matching contribution funds for employees participating in the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) by Aug. 15. See Annual Estimate of Optional Retirement Program (ORP) State Contributions (FPP A.003) for complete information including instructions and forms.
07/23/21	Outstanding Warrants Void Aug. 31 Outstanding Warrants Void Aug. 31 The Outstanding Warrants Control Report (DAFR8171) runs on the first Friday of each month. Agencies should monitor their report before warrants become void on Aug. 31. See USAS Annual Close Process (FPP Q.004) for more information, including details on generating reports via the Report Request Profile, USAS 91 screen. Also see Void Warrants. Contact your appropriation control officer with questions.
07/23/21	Certification of Physical Inventory Due Certification of Physical Inventory Due State agencies must conduct an annual physical inventory of property by Aug. 31. Agencies must then submit the Certification of Physical Inventory Conducted by Agency (73-283) form to the Comptroller’s office by Sept. 20. See Certification of Physical Inventory in Chapter 2 of the SPA Process Users Guide for details.
07/23/21	Salary Supplement Report Due Salary Supplement Report Due 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 by Sept. 15. See Salary Supplements Paid From Sources Other Than Appropriated Funds (FPP F.031) for instructions and the online report form.
07/16/21	Substantive Changes to Comptroller Manual of Accounts Substantive Changes to Comptroller Manual of Accounts Substantive changes have been made to the Texas Comptroller Manual of Accounts (FPP Q.009) reflecting legislation passed by the 87th Legislature, Regular Session, effective before Sept. 1. The Manual of Accounts provides current information on state agencies, appropriated funds, and accounts and object codes to use when properly recording accounting transactions.
07/16/21	Limits on New Accounts, Funds and Revenue Dedications Limits on New Accounts, Funds and Revenue Dedications House Bill 2896, 87th Legislature, Regular Session, continues the policy of limiting the number of new general revenue accounts, special funds and dedications of revenue. See Funds Consolidation: Limits on New General Revenue Accounts, Special Funds and Dedications of Revenue (FPP A.046) for a summary of HB 2896.
07/16/21	Third Quarter Audit Reports Third Quarter Audit Reports Fiscal 2021 third quarter expenditure audit reports are available for view, print and download. See the Audit page for forms, fiscal policies and procedures, and audit contact information. Subscribe via GovDelivery for quarterly email notifications of audit reports posted.
07/16/21	Hotel Occupancy Tax Refund Reports Hotel Occupancy Tax Refund Reports Agencies that reimburse employees for state-related hotel stays are due a refund for hotel occupancy taxes. USAS automatically generates the refunds each quarter. The hotel occupancy tax refund for June through July will be available on DAFR reports 8190 and 8200 Aug. 9. See Hotel Occupancy Tax Quarterly Refund (FPP B.006) for more information.
07/09/21	Preliminary Copies of the 2021 EEO-4 Report Available Preliminary Copies of the 2021 EEO-4 Report Available Preliminary copies of the 2021 Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)-4 Report will be available to agencies July 21 via electronic file transfer. Agencies must review the preliminary report and submit the electronic Report Acknowledgement form to the Comptroller’s office by Aug. 3. The Governor’s Office uses the report, which reflects state agency hiring practices for odd-numbered years, to comply with U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reporting requirements. Agencies receive a preliminary report to review the data and enter or submit changes before the final report is sent. See Equal Employment Opportunity Report (EEO)-4 (FPP G.003) for complete copies.
07/09/21	GASB Questionnaires Due GASB Questionnaires Due All GR consolidated and full reporting agencies must complete and submit every GASB questionnaire by Aug. 15. The AFR website’s GASB Questionnaires page provides: Links to each GASB questionnaire Descriptions and PDF previews of each GASB questionnaire Links for more information on the AFR website specific to each GASB statement Contact your financial reporting analyst for questions about any GASB questionnaire.
07/09/21	AY 2021 Earned Federal Funds Collections Reminder AY 2021 Earned Federal Funds Collections Reminder Earned federal funds that agencies deposit into Appropriation 70000 in amounts above the level identified in the General Appropriations Act (GAA), Article IX, Section 13.11(b), plus benefits (13.11[g]), are appropriated subject to certain conditions and deadlines. For defined conditions and deadlines, see 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.
07/09/21	AFR Work Sessions AFR Work Sessions Financial reporting analysts can help agencies reconcile the 2021 annual financial report (AFR) to USAS either by phone or in scheduled work sessions. Agencies must attempt to complete the fiscal year-end USAS entries before scheduling a work session. If you have 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.
07/09/21	HRIS Reappointment Reporting HRIS Reappointment Reporting Institutions of higher education must report certain information about jobs and reappointments at the beginning of each fiscal year. Submit reappointment information via electronic file transfer (EFT) by: Sept. 8: EFT #1 — Class codes and carriers Sept. 10: EFT #2 — Reappointments for fiscal 2022 Sept. 15: EFT #3 — Terminations for fiscal 2021 The HRIS September maintenance deadline is Oct. 7. See HRIS Higher Education Reporting Procedures for Reappointments (FPP M.003) for reappointment details and instructions.
07/09/21	CAPPS User Group Webinars CAPPS User Group Webinars A CAPPS HR/Payroll user group webinar will be held July 27, 9-11 a.m. A CAPPS Financials user group webinar will be held July 29, 9-11 a.m. See CAPPS HR/Payroll User Group Meetings or CAPPS Financials User Group Meetings for information. The agenda and meeting materials will be posted one day before the meeting.
07/09/21	Reminder – USAS Budget Entries and Appropriation Schedules Due Reminder – USAS Budget Entries and Appropriation Schedules Due Fiscal 2022 appropriation budgets must be entered into USAS and all required documentation submitted by July 30. Budget entry and documentation submission must be complete before appropriation control officers can approve a budget setup. See Establishing Appropriations by Method of Finance, Rider, Capital Budget and Transfer Schedules (FPP A.020) for more information including schedule spreadsheets, instructions, definitions and samples.
07/02/21	Fiscal Year-End Close Schedule Fiscal Year-End Close Schedule See the 2021 Master Schedule of Year-End Close Events, which includes: Processing deadlines System maintenance dates and times Support contacts
07/02/21	USAS and CAPPS Financials Year-End Process USAS and CAPPS Financials Year-End Process The fiscal 2021 USAS annual cash-basis close occurs on Tuesday, Aug. 31. Instructions, including deadlines for submitting documents, are in USAS Annual Close Process (FPP Q.004). See Scheduling Critical Payments at Year-End for more information by appropriation year, including deadlines. Agencies using CAPPS Financials must also follow CAPPS Financials Year-End Processing Instructions (FPP T.001).
07/02/21	CAPPS HR/Payroll Fiscal Year-End Process CAPPS HR/Payroll Fiscal Year-End Process CAPPS Central agencies must follow CAPPS HR/Payroll Fiscal Year-End Processing Instructions (FPP T.003) to prepare for the fiscal year-end process. The system will be unavailable from 5 p.m. on Aug. 31 through 8 a.m. on Sept. 3. Normal activities resume at 8 a.m. on Sept. 3.
07/02/21	SPRS Fiscal Year-End Process SPRS Fiscal Year-End Process SPRS agencies must process transactions in the prescribed order for the rollover to fiscal 2022. See SPRS Fiscal Year-End Processing Instructions for the Rollover to Fiscal 2022 (FPP O.002) for complete information.
07/02/21	USPS Fiscal Year-End Close Process USPS Fiscal Year-End Close Process USPS agencies must use the fiscal 2021 USPS Fiscal Year-End Close Manual and USPS Year-End Close Schedule to prepare files correctly for the 2021 fiscal year-end close. See USPS Fiscal Year-End Close Process (FPP R.016) for complete information including the training calendar and links to the manual and schedule.
07/02/21	HB 2 Supplemental Appropriation and Reduction Transactions Due HB 2 Supplemental Appropriation and Reduction Transactions Due Processing Supplemental Appropriations and Reductions (FPP A. 047) has been updated with instructions for USAS and CAPPS to reflect House Bill 2, 87th Legislature, Regular Session. The update includes a new section with instruction for outstanding Senate Bill 500 transactions. Affected state agencies and institutions of higher education must follow the instructions in FPP A.047 by Aug. 6.

June 2021

06/25/21	Warrant Distribution on July 5 Warrant Distribution on July 5 Although the Comptroller’s office will be closed for business on July 5, Payment Services will distribute warrants from 8-10 a.m. The warrants will be for the July 2 processing cycle. See Payment Distribution for warrant pickup requirements.
06/25/21	Accounting Policy Webinar Accounting Policy Webinar An accounting policy webinar will be held July 14, 2-4 p.m. See the Accounting Policy Meetings page for the webinar registration. This page will also be updated with: Agenda and meeting materials (available the day before the meeting) Q&As (available two to three weeks after the webinar) Note: Use Google Chrome as the internet browser to avoid Webex compatibility issues.
06/25/21	Reminder – Certification for USAS Balances for Imprest, Petty Cash and Travel Advance Accounts Due Reminder – Certification for USAS Balances for Imprest, Petty Cash and Travel Advance Accounts Due To ensure correct fiscal year-end USAS balances for imprest, petty cash and travel advance accounts, agencies authorized to maintain these accounts must certify that USAS balances and agency computed balances (cash plus outstanding reimbursements) agree. Only cash accounts with balances created from funds in the state’s treasury are subject to this requirement. The certification is due July 9. All corrections must be entered in USAS by July 23. See USAS Balances for Imprest, Petty Cash and Travel Advance Accounts (FPP A.045) for more information including how to request access to the Petty Cash Certification web application and complete the forms.
06/18/21	USAS Budget Entries and Appropriation Schedules Due USAS Budget Entries and Appropriation Schedules Due Enter fiscal 2022 appropriation budgets into USAS and submit all required documentation by July 30. Entry into USAS and CAPPS can begin July 1. Budget entry and documentation submission must be complete 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. See Establishing Appropriations by Method of Finance, Rider, Capital Budget and Transfer Schedules (FPP A.020) for schedule spreadsheets, instructions, definitions, examples and the special requirements for unobligated balances.
06/18/21	Reminder – Quarterly GR Reimbursement Due for Statewide Allocated Costs Reminder – Quarterly GR Reimbursement Due for Statewide Allocated Costs The third-quarter general revenue (GR) reimbursement deadline for statewide allocated costs for agencies listed in Fiscal 2020 Statewide Cost Allocation Summary of Fixed Costs by Agency is June 30. See General Revenue Reimbursement for Statewide Allocated Costs (FPP A.022) for instructions, contacts and forms.
06/11/21	Employee Organization Membership Fee Changes Employee Organization Membership Fee Changes Effective June 20, amendments to the Texas Administrative Code are changing the process for deduction authorization and cancellation forms for membership fees to employee organizations. See Employee Organization Membership Fees for more information.
06/11/21	Batch Number Reservation Batch Number Reservation Agencies have the option of reserving batch numbers for the exclusive use of input record (INREC) files. The batch number reservation must be established on the USAS Titles (D53) Profile, Table ID EXBN, and prevents users from creating a batch ID directly in USAS through the Batch Header Entry (500) screen that uses a reserved batch number. See ACR 60472 – USAS System Change for more information.
06/11/21	Certification for USAS Balances for Imprest, Petty Cash and Travel Advance Accounts Due Certification for USAS Balances for Imprest, Petty Cash and Travel Advance Accounts Due To ensure correct fiscal 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’s treasury are subject to this requirement. The certification is due July 9. All corrections must be entered in USAS by July 23. See USAS Balances for Imprest, Petty Cash and Travel Advance Accounts (FPP A.045) for more information including how to request access to the Petty Cash Certification web application and complete the forms.
06/11/21	CAPPS User Group Webinars CAPPS User Group Webinars A CAPPS HR/Payroll user group webinar will be held June 22, 9-11 a.m. A CAPPS Financials user group webinar will be held June 24, 9-11 a.m. See CAPPS HR/Payroll User Group Meetings or CAPPS Financials User Group Meetings for information. The agenda and meeting materials will be posted one day before the meeting.
06/04/21	CAPPS IAM/TDIS Self-Paced Training CAPPS IAM/TDIS Self-Paced Training A CAPPS IAM/TDIS self-paced learning course is now available on CAPPS Training. This course is available to all users and includes step-by-step instructions for completing the initial enrollment process and using the self-service features in the TDIS employee dashboard. The course includes PDF versions of course material and exercise guides.
06/04/21	BlueZone Web-to-Host Upgrade Postponed BlueZone Web-to-Host Upgrade Postponed Customers using BlueZone Web-to-Host 5.2 may continue using this version until further notice. We recommend that you upgrade to Web-to-Host 7.1 at your earliest convenience; see Requirements for Transmitting Comptroller Information (FPP N.007) (login required) for more information and installation instructions. The Comptroller’s office will announce the new decommission date for Web-to-Host 5.2 shortly.
06/04/21	Reminder – Veteran Workforce Summary Reports Due Reminder – Veteran Workforce Summary Reports Due June 15 is the maintenance and corrections deadline for the fiscal 2021 third quarter Veteran Workforce Summary Reports (March 1 to May 31). Copies of the quarterly reports will be sent by electronic file transfer (EFT) on June 16. The online quarterly report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) will be available June 16 and must be submitted by June 23. See Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038) for more information.

May 2021

05/28/21	USAS Profile Rollover to FY/AY22 USAS Profile Rollover to FY/AY22 The annual USAS profile rollover occurs June 19. The process automatically creates new profiles for fiscal year (FY) and appropriation year (AY) 2022, based on existing FY21 and AY21 profiles. See USAS Profile Rollover (FPP Q.007) for more information.
05/28/21	USAS Profile Review and Cleanup Reports Available Early June USAS Profile Review and Cleanup Reports Available Early June To prepare for the June 19, 2021, rollover to fiscal 2022, the Comptroller’s office will transmit USAS Profile Review and Cleanup Reports to agencies June 3-10. The reports: Help agencies review certain USAS profiles so necessary changes are made before the& June 19 rollover. Allow review of transaction entries, appropriation and USAS balances to prepare for fiscal year-end. Include USAS data through the previous business day. Contact your financial reporting analyst with report questions. Contact the Comptroller’s help desk at (512) 463-HELP (4357) if you need retransmission of the reports. See USAS Profile Review and Cleanup Procedures (FPP A.031) for more information.
05/28/21	Payables and Binding Encumbrances Due Payables and Binding Encumbrances Due State agencies and institutions of higher education must report payables and binding encumbrances for third quarter fiscal 2021 appropriations by June 30 to the Comptroller’s office. Quarterly certification must be entered in the online form. See Encumbrance Report and Lapsing of Appropriations (APS 018) (FPP A.019) for more information.
05/28/21	Hotel Occupancy Tax Refund Reports Hotel Occupancy Tax Refund Reports Agencies that reimburse employees for state-related hotel stays are due a refund for hotel occupancy taxes. USAS automatically generates the refunds each quarter. The hotel occupancy tax refund for March through May will be available on DAFR reports 8190 and 8200 June 9. See Hotel Occupancy Tax Quarterly Refund (FPP B.006) for more information.
05/28/21	CAPPS IAM/TDIS Goes Live June 7 CAPPS IAM/TDIS Goes Live June 7 The new CAPPS identity and access management (IAM) platform, Texas.gov Digital Identity Solution (TDIS), deploys for CAPPS Production Monday, June 7. Note: Once live, IAM/TDIS will be the only way to access CAPPS Central applications. Agencies should ensure all staff is aware of this and prepared to complete enrollment. On June 7 All agency personnel should receive an account enrollment email from no-reply@myaccess.dir.texas.gov. Users who do not receive the email should check their spam folders and trash. Agencies should tell users to expect the email and to know it is not a phishing attempt. Users should follow the email’s instructions to complete the account setup. The email link will only be active until 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 9. Users whose link expires, or who do not receive the enrollment email or cannot complete the login process, must contact their agency’s delegated administrator(s). IT Action Required CAPPS Central agency IT departments should confirm these TDIS sender emails are not subject to agency quarantine rules: no-reply@myaccess.dir.texas.gov (IAM/TDIS production notifications) no-reply-stg@myaccess.ad.portal.texas.gov (IAM/TDIS non-production notifications) These email domains are active now for staff using non-production environments (such as UAT, Recruit S01, Business Objects QA, etc.) and will be used for all agency staff when IAM/TDIS goes live June 7. TDIS emails from these domains include the account enrollment email, multi-factor authentication actions, account/profile change notifications and more. IAM Resources Monitor CAPPS IAM/TDIS for updates and resources related to IAM/TDIS implementation. The IAM presentations from the CAPPS user groups are also available for both Financials and HR/Payroll in the meeting pages, listed by date under Past Meetings.
05/21/21	Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Name Change Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Name Change In accordance with Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) guidelines, the Comptroller’s office is renaming the State of Texas Comprehensive Annual Financial Report to the State of Texas Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) starting with the fiscal 2021 report. Note: Fiscal Management is currently updating documentation and systems to reflect this name change. Prior year audited reports posted on the Comptroller’s Transparency website will not be updated.
05/21/21	Direct Deposit Checklist Direct Deposit Checklist State agencies and institutions of higher education should follow the Direct Deposit Checklist before setting up, changing or cancelling direct deposit instructions. If your agency creates its own online direct deposit authorization or custom form, Payment Services must approve your agency’s form before it is implemented. See Approval Required for Alternative Methods.
05/21/21	Reminder – Upgrade BlueZone Web-to-Host by June 1 Reminder – Upgrade BlueZone Web-to-Host by June 1 All customers using BlueZone Web-to-Host 5.2 must upgrade to the latest version, 7.1, by June 1, when the current version will be decommissioned on Comptroller systems. Note: If you or your IT support already downloaded and installed BlueZone Web-to-Host 5.2 from FMX, you must upgrade to the latest 7.1 version. If your agency or office has its own licensed version of BlueZone or another 3270 emulator, you can continue using it to connect to the Comptroller’s mainframe. See Requirements for Transmitting Comptroller Information (FPP N.007) (login required) for more information and installation instructions. Agencies and institutions may also use other TN3270E emulation software equivalent to BlueZone. See Alternative Emulator Configuration Settings (login required) in FPP N.007, or contact information technology support at your agency for help.
05/14/21	Fiscal 2022 Payroll Due Dates and Direct Deposit Schedule Fiscal 2022 Payroll Due Dates and Direct Deposit Schedule For state agencies and institutions of higher education, the monthly and twice-monthly payrolls are due by the seventh workday before payday. Submitting payrolls to the Comptroller’s office on or before the due dates ensures adequate processing time for direct deposits and warrant distribution. See Payroll Due Dates and Direct Deposit Schedules (FPP E.030) for more information, including the fiscal 2022 payroll due dates and direct deposit schedule.
05/14/21	Veteran Workforce Summary Reports Due Veteran Workforce Summary Reports Due June 15 is the maintenance and corrections deadline for the fiscal 2021 third quarter Veteran Workforce Summary Reports (March 1 to May 31). Copies of the quarterly reports will be sent by electronic file transfer (EFT) on June 16. The online quarterly report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) will be available June 16 and must be submitted by June 23. See Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038) for more information.
05/14/21	Reminder – Deadline To Request Unclaimed Funds Reminder – Deadline To Request Unclaimed Funds Unclaimed property transferred to the state includes property that might belong to state agencies or institutions of higher education. Money not claimed by May 31 will be deposited into unappropriated general revenue. See Unclaimed Property Annual Notification for more information, including contact information for the Comptroller’s Unclaimed Property Division.
05/14/21	Reminder – Authorization Updates Due for Changes to Statewide Payroll/Personnel Systems Reminder – Authorization Updates Due for Changes to Statewide Payroll/Personnel Systems Letter of authorization (LOA) signature lists currently on file for HRIS, SPRS, USPS and CAPPS expire May 31. By May 31, each agency and institution of higher education must submit the names of authorized employees and a new LOA signature list form. Beginning June 1, only newly authorized state employees may request data changes. See Authorization and Request Process for Data Changes to Statewide Payroll/Personnel Systems (FPP M.009) for forms and instructions.
05/07/21	GASB 87 Questionnaire Due GASB 87 Questionnaire Due Each agency must complete the short (two-minute) GASB 87 Questionnaire by May 31 to identify the software the agency will use to implement GASB Statement No. 87 – Leases, and to update its GASB contact information. See the AFR Reporting Requirements’ GASB Questionnaires page or contact your financial reporting analyst for more information.
05/07/21	SB 500 Supplemental Appropriations Expiring June 5 SB 500 Supplemental Appropriations Expiring June 5 Agencies with supplemental appropriations made by Senate Bill (SB) 500, 86th Legislature, Regular Session have been contacted by an appropriation control officer about any remaining balances. Obligated funds must be encumbered or accrued by June 5 in USAS with an effective date of May 31 to allow expenditure over the next two fiscal years. Any balances not encumbered or accrued will lapse. Contact your appropriation control officer with questions.
05/07/21	CAPPS User Group Webinar CAPPS User Group Webinar A combined CAPPS HR/Payroll and CAPPS Financials user group webinar will be held May 25, 9-11 a.m. See CAPPS Financials User Group Meetings or CAPPS HR/Payroll User Group Meetings for information. The agenda and meeting materials will be posted one day before the meeting.
05/07/21	Fiscal 2020 SEFA and Single Audit Report Package Fiscal 2020 SEFA and Single Audit Report Package The following FMX Financial Reporting reference topics have been updated with fiscal 2020 information: Federal schedules (with Notes to the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards). Single audit report package (completed in conjunction with the State Auditor’s Office). Contact your financial reporting analyst with any questions.
05/07/21	Reminder – Upgrade BlueZone Web-to-Host by June 1 Reminder – Upgrade BlueZone Web-to-Host by June 1 All customers using BlueZone Web-to-Host 5.2 must upgrade to the latest version, 7.1, by June 1, when the current version will be decommissioned on Comptroller systems. Note: If you or your IT support already downloaded and installed BlueZone Web-to-Host 5.2 from FMX, you must upgrade to the latest 7.1 version. If your agency or office has its own licensed version of BlueZone or another 3270 emulator, you can continue using it to connect to the Comptroller’s mainframe. See Requirements for Transmitting Comptroller Information (FPP N.007) (login required) for more information and installation instructions. Agencies and institutions may also use other TN3270E emulation software equivalent to BlueZone. See Alternative Emulator Configuration Settings (login required) in FPP N.007, or contact information technology support at your agency for help.

April 2021

04/30/21	ARP Update to FFCRA ARP Update to FFCRA The American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) further extends agencies’ and institutions’ ability to voluntarily offer emergency paid sick leave and paid family leave created by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) through Sept. 30, 2021. The Comptroller’s office has updated Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) Guidance (FPP F.041) to reflect ARP’s changes to FFCRA.
04/30/21	Promote Direct Deposit Month Promote Direct Deposit Month May is Direct Deposit Month, a yearly reminder that direct deposit payments save the state money and offer a safe, convenient method of payment to the payees of the state. May is a good time for each agency to review its direct deposit practices to protect your agency and your customers. See Promoting Direct Deposit for more information.
04/30/21	Accounting Policy Webinar Accounting Policy Webinar An accounting policy webinar will be held May 19, 2–4 p.m. See the Accounting Policy Meetings page for the webinar registration. This page will also be updated with: Agenda and meeting materials (available the day before the meeting) Q&As (available two to three weeks after the webinar) Note: Use Google Chrome as the internet browser to avoid Webex compatibility issues.
04/30/21	Reminder – Upgrade BlueZone Web-to-Host by June 1 Reminder – Upgrade BlueZone Web-to-Host by June 1 All customers using BlueZone Web-to-Host 5.2 must upgrade to the latest version, 7.1, by June 1, when the current version will be decommissioned on Comptroller systems. See Requirements for Transmitting Comptroller Information (FPP N.007) (login required) for more information and installation instructions. Agencies and institutions may also use other TN3270E emulation software equivalent to BlueZone. See Alternative Emulator Configuration Settings (login required) in FPP N.007, or contact information technology support at your agency for help.
04/23/21	Authorization Updates Due for Changes to Statewide Payroll/Personnel Systems Authorization Updates Due for Changes to Statewide Payroll/Personnel Systems Letter of authorization (LOA) signature lists currently on file for HRIS, SPRS, USPS and CAPPS expire May 31. By May 31, each agency and institution of higher education must submit the names of authorized employees and a new LOA signature list form. Beginning June 1, only newly authorized state employees may request data changes. See Authorization and Request Process for Data Changes to Statewide Payroll/Personnel Systems (FPP M.009) for forms and instructions.
04/23/21	Reminder – Quarterly GR Reimbursement Due for Statewide Allocated Costs Reminder – Quarterly GR Reimbursement Due for Statewide Allocated Costs The second-quarter general revenue (GR) reimbursement deadline for statewide allocated costs for agencies listed in Fiscal 2020 Statewide Cost Allocation Summary of Fixed Costs by Agency is April 30. See General Revenue Reimbursement for Statewide Allocated Costs (FPP A.022) for instructions, contacts and forms.
04/20/21	Reminder — Semiannual Verification of Users' Security Access Levels Due Reminder — Semiannual Verification of Users' Security Access Levels Due 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. Review the instructions for the Semiannual Verification of Users’ Security Access Level (FPP K.009) (login required). Download and review the Agency Security Coordinator Reports (login required). Complete and return the Attestation form (73-326) to the Comptroller’s office by May 6. If you have questions, email sfs.security@cpa.texas.gov.
04/16/21	Encrypt Confidential Emails to Fiscal Management Encrypt Confidential Emails to Fiscal Management State agencies and institutions of higher education sometimes send documents with confidential information to Fiscal Management. Email is not a secure transmission. Agencies must send confidential information as an encrypted email attachment as prescribed by your agency’s information security policy. See Confidential Information Must be Encrypted Before Emailing to Fiscal Management (FPP D.004) for details.
04/16/21	Comptroller Expenditure Objects for Drones Comptroller Expenditure Objects for Drones Comptroller expenditure objects (COBJs) are available to record payment for unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). State agencies must have statutory authority to make a drone purchase. Use the following to record payment: COBJ 7364 – Personal Property – Drones – Controlled when unit cost is less than $5,000. COBJ 7370 – Personal Property – Drones – Capitalized when unit cost is $5,000 or more. COBJ 7263 – Personal Property – Maintenance and Repair – Aircraft – Expensed for the maintenance and repair of aircraft, including drones. Contact the Expenditure Assistance team at (512) 475-0966 or expenditure.assistance@cpa.texas.gov for more information.
04/09/21	Accounting Policy Webinar Accounting Policy Webinar An accounting policy webinar will be held April 28, 2-4 p.m. See the Accounting Policy Meetings page for the webinar registration. This page will also be updated with: Agenda and meeting materials (available the day before the meeting) Q&As (available two to three weeks after the webinar) Note: Use Google Chrome as the internet browser to avoid Webex compatibility issues.
04/09/21	TINS System Changes TINS System Changes TINS implemented two application change requests (ACRs) effective March 26: ACR 60382 updated the direct deposit return reason code R17 as it was repurposed by the National Automated Clearing House Association. ACR 60446 implemented a new display that masks all but the last four digits of payees’ account numbers on the monthly direct deposit reports. Contact Payment Services with questions.
04/09/21	CAPPS User Group Webinar CAPPS User Group Webinar A combined CAPPS Financials and CAPPS HR/Payroll user group webinar will be held April 29, 9-11 a.m. See CAPPS HR/Payroll User Group Meetings or CAPPS Financials User Group Meetings for webinar information. The agenda and meeting materials will be posted one day before the meeting.
04/08/21	Semiannual Verification of Users’ Security Access Levels Due Semiannual Verification of Users’ Security Access Levels Due 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. Review the instructions for the Semiannual Verification of Users’ Security Access Levels (FPP K.009) (login required). Download and review the Agency Security Coordinator Reports (login required). Complete and return the Attestation form (73-326) to the Comptroller’s office by May 6. If you have questions, email sfs.security@cpa.texas.gov.
04/05/21	New IAM Page for CAPPS New IAM Page for CAPPS A new Identity Access Management (IAM) platform for CAPPS will be available in the user acceptance testing (UAT) environment by April 12, and will go live in June. All CAPPS Central agencies must participate. See the IAM page for more information, project updates and contact information.