Business Manager Reference Guide

This reference guide lists key onboarding actions and resources for new business/financial management staff, as well as a checklist of monthly, quarterly, annual, and bi-annual financial management processes. Not all information will be relevant to everyone, depending on your individual role.

Onboarding Tasks for New Business/Financial Management Staff

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TOPIC	DESCRIPTION	WHAT TO DO	RELATED DOCUMENTS
PeopleSoft access	Certain roles and security access must be granted in PeopleSoft FSCM in order to access and process certain business and financial transactions.	Ask your supervisor to listing the types of access needed.	NA
PeopleSoft Duo multi-factor authentication	Duo Security is a multi-factor authentication tool used by ��̽̽ to protect sensitive information. Upon logging into PeopleSoft, you will be required to perform an additional authentication via push notification, SMS text, or phone call to a registered device.	Register for Duo multi-factor authentication	NA
PeopleSoft Business Manager WorkCenter	The ��̽̽ Business Manager WorkCenter in PeopleSoft Financials organizes most of the relevant pages, reports, and queries that business managers need in one central location.	Log in to and access the WorkCenter from the FSCM homepage
PeopleSoft Basics	This introductory class is recommended for all new business and financial staff.	Register through
CATSKILL listserv	The Division of Finance and Administration communicates with the University financial management community through the .		NA
Axiom access	Axiom is ��̽̽'s budgeting and management-level financial reporting system.	Ask your supervisor to indicating whether Reporting, Single-Year Budgeting/Salary Planning, and/or Multi-Year Budgeting/Salary Planning access is needed.	NA
PurCard User training	Online training is required before a ��̽̽ PurCard can be issued to an individual.	Complete and submit PurCard application. Access to online (Blackboard) training and instructions are provided once PurCard application is approved.
Purchasing and requisitions	Users must successfully complete an online knowledge assessment before being granted access to the PeopleSoft ePro requisitioning module. Topics covered include: purchasing/payment methods, required approvals based on purchase price threshold, requests for proposals (RFPs), contracts/agreements, and employee vs. independent contractor determination.	Ask your supervisor to l that includes the default "ship-to" location and default chartstring. Further instructions will be provided directly to the new user.	Procurement Policy (PDF)
��̽̽ financial policies and procedures	��̽̽ has a complex business and financial operating environment. New financial management staff should familiarize themselves with the following topics: Chart of accounts Abandoned property (checks not cashed) Accounts payable and 1099 reporting Billing and accounts receivable Budgeting and ��̽̽'s incentive-based budgeting (IBB) model Cash handling and deposits (PDF) Gifts and endowments (PDF) Income/expense activities Effort management and reporting for sponsored projects Payroll, including retroactive salary distributions Petty cash (PDF) PurCard and PurCard reallocation Purchasing Movable equipment Non-sponsored projects Reporting Surplus Property Tax matters Travel and expense reimbursement	Review ��̽̽'s Financial Management Framework Review ��̽̽ financial policies and operating procedures Register for financial management classes through Professional Development and Training Review Finance User Guides Request departmental training for unit-specific needs	See "what to do"

Monthly Financial Processes

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Month-end closing schedule

Quarterly Financial Process

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TOPIC	DESCRIPTION	WHAT TO DO	RELATED DOCUMENTS
General Fund and Gift/Endowment Certification	Deans and vice presidents certify quarterly their units’ budget-to-actual expenditures and explain variances from expected budget conditions in a report to the Vice President for Finance.	Unit senior business officers should run the Axiom Summary-by-Fund Report for Fund 100 and/or Fund 3xx

TOPIC

DESCRIPTION

WHAT TO DO

RELATED DOCUMENTS

General Fund and Gift/Endowment Certification

Deans and vice presidents certify quarterly their units’ budget-to-actual expenditures and explain variances from expected budget conditions in a report to the Vice President for Finance.

Unit senior business officers should run the Axiom Summary-by-Fund Report for Fund 100 and/or Fund 3xx

Annual and Biannual Financial Processes

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TOPIC	DESCRIPTION	WHAT TO DO	RELATED DOCUMENTS	FREQUENCY
Space Inventory	Departments update information about (1) space ownership and occupancy, and (2) activities occurring within spaces.	Review and update space inventory	Space Inventory website	Annually
Year-End Closing	University budget managers are responsible for verifying that transactions on all funds are recorded accurately. Transactions must also be in accord with the chartstring's established purpose and budget.	Adhere to closing deadlines Review all transactions carefully to make certain that they are in order	Year-End Closing	Annually
Private business use compliance training	Bi-annual training is required for all administrators of units that benefit from tax-exempt bond proceeds and bond-financed property to ensure compliance with University policy.	Access online private business use training	Post-Issuance Compliance Policy for Tax-Exempt and Tax-Credit Bonds	Every 2 years

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