“What’s New” for Training

We care about what you think! Please take a moment to fill out Fiscal Management’s online customer service survey. We depend on your feedback to improve our operations and better meet your needs.

The survey has three main questions that should take less than a minute to answer, plus an opportunity to provide additional feedback. You can access the survey until Friday, Oct. 4.

Please share this email and survey link with any staff that may interact with Fiscal Management and our statewide systems.

Thank you in advance for your time and thoughts. Email us at fiscal.documentation@cpa.texas.gov with any questions.

Check the Forms page on FMX to ensure you use the current version. Previously downloaded forms might be outdated. The top of every FMX page has a link to the Forms page.

Topic pages such as Appropriations and Payment Services link to their specific forms on the Forms page.

Note: Payment Services forms on FMX are secured and require login to prevent unauthorized users from accessing them and submitting them to state agencies. If it is necessary for your agency to maintain any of these forms on your website, ensure the forms require login and that you are using the most current version.

FMQuery BusinessObjects will be upgraded to version 4.3 on June 24. Payroll reports and SIRS reports will be upgraded, replacing the 4.2 versions, which will be decommissioned and no longer accessible on that date.

Current users will use their same login credentials. The results from any report run in the 4.3 environment will be identical to the results from the same report run in the 4.2 environment.

See SAP BusinessObjects 4.3 Training for training videos.

Note: The system will be offline from 5 p.m. Friday, June 21, to 8 a.m. Monday, June 24.

FMQuery BusinessObjects will be upgraded to version 4.3 on June 24. Payroll reports and SIRS reports will be upgraded and will replace the 4.2 versions, which will be decommissioned and no longer accessible on that date.

The results from any report run in the 4.3 environment will be identical to the results from the same report run in the 4.2 environment, and current users will use their same login credentials.

See SAP BusinessObjects 4.3 Training for training videos.

A Direct Deposits – Reversals and Reclamations (DDEP) web application and the automation of direct deposit returned money were implemented in phases via Application Change Request (ACR) 60027 and ACR 60227 when the final phase migrated in January 2023.

Effective Jan. 2, 2024, agencies must process their own reversals and reclamations via DDEP. See ACR 60027 for more information, the DDEP Web Application for step-by-step instructions, and Direct Deposit Payments Made in Error for DDEP policy and procedure updates.

Contact Payment Services with questions.

Fiscal Management urges all agencies to review and further strengthen internal processes and procedures for requesting system or security changes. To avoid security threats, it is best to validate requests by a method other than email.

In the past, hackers harvested credentials such as user IDs, passwords, email addresses, etc., then used the credentials to access systems and gather data or other sensitive information.

Now, hackers target the credential with the most transparency — email addresses. They hijack an email account, change the password, then use the email address to request the agency to provide sensitive information or make detrimental changes to the user’s profile, such as changing direct deposit instructions.

This is what makes these hacks so dangerous. Everything about the email appears legitimate, because it is. Since the email account is compromised, the traditional strategy of training users to identify illegitimate email will not work. Only a second level of validation will ensure the instructions received were from the intended user.

See Fraud Prevention Recommendations for more tips, or contact your agency’s information security office for more information and/or to discuss and implement security improvements for your agency.

A Direct Deposits – Reversals and Reclamations (DDEP) web application and the automation of direct deposit return money were implemented in phases via Application Change Request (ACR) 60027 and ACR 60227 when the final phase migrated in January 2023.

Effective Jan. 2, 2024, agencies must process their own reversals and reclamations via DDEP. See ACR 60027 for more information, the DDEP Web Application for step-by-step instructions, and Direct Deposit Payments Made in Error for DDEP policy and procedure updates.

Contact Payment Services with questions.

Effective Jan. 2, 2024, all agencies must process their own reversals and reclamations via the new DDEP web application. Employees who monitor direct deposit payments for their agencies and submit direct deposit reversals and reclamations should attend a DDEP webinar. Webinars cover step-by-step instructions for processing, editing and deleting direct deposit reversals, and for using payment search functions.

No registration is required. For webinar dates and access information, see DDEP Training Webinars.

Contact Payment Services for more information.

If you already completed our Fiscal Management customer service survey, thank you!

If you haven't had a chance to take our online survey, it will be available until the close of business Friday, Sept. 29.

We appreciate your feedback.

If you have any questions about the survey, email us at fiscal.documentation@cpa.texas.gov.

How well are we meeting your customer service expectations?

Please let us know by completing the online survey by Friday, Sept. 29. We appreciate your feedback.

Email us at fiscal.documentation@cpa.texas.gov with any questions.

Check the Forms page on FMX to ensure you use the current version. Previously downloaded forms might be outdated. The top of every FMX page has a link to the Forms page.

Topic pages (such as Appropriations and Payment Services link to their specific forms on the Forms page.

Note: Payment Services forms on FMX are secured and require login to prevent unauthorized users from accessing them and submitting them to state agencies. If it is necessary to maintain any of these forms on your agency’s website, ensure the forms require login and are the most current version.

Check the Forms page on FMX before submitting a form to ensure you submit the current version. Previously downloaded forms or stored links might be outdated.

The top of every FMX page has a link to the Forms page.

Topic pages (such as Appropriations or Payment Services) link to their specific forms on the Forms page.

If you generate or monitor your agency’s direct deposit payments, learn how you can help avoid fraud and safeguard state resources by attending a fraud prevention webinar on Nov. 15, 10:30 a.m. – noon. Topics include:

• Biggest threats to agencies.
• Business email compromise.
• Check fraud.
• Best practices to prevent fraud.

This webinar is offered by the state’s direct deposit vendor, J.P. Morgan Chase. Registration is not required. Visit the web-based training calendar on FMX for login information.

How well are we meeting your customer service expectations?

Please let us know by completing the online survey by Friday, Sept. 30. We appreciate your feedback.

Email us at fiscal.documentation@cpa.texas.gov with any questions.

How well are we meeting your customer service expectations?

Please let us know by completing the online survey by Friday, Sept. 30. We appreciate your feedback.

Email us at fiscal.documentation@cpa.texas.gov with any questions about the survey.

New video tutorials offer policy and procedure training for the Statewide Property Accounting (SPA) system. Topics include capital asset tracking, reporting and accounting.

See Web-Based Training and Tutorials for more information.

Check the Forms page or appropriate topic page on FMX before submitting a form to ensure you submit the current version. Previously downloaded forms or stored links might be outdated.

You’ll find a link to the Forms page at the top of any FMX page. Also, FMX topic pages such as Appropriations or Payment Services feature links to related forms.