COVID-19 Operating Expense Tracking (Updated on April 29, 2020)

The university must track COVID-19 related operating expenses for federal appropriations. The COVID-19 related operating expenses will also be included in external sponsor reporting, internal management reporting and the footnotes of the university’s Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) financial statements. These expenses may include, but are not limited to, costs of ramping down/up research or classroom activity, personal protective equipment (PPE), nonrefundable event costs and travel charges and may be sponsored and/or non-sponsored. 

To facilitate university-wide tracking, departments should submit their COVID-19 related non-personnel expenses as outlined below.

COVID-19 expenses incurred through April 30, 2020

Each ALG member or their designee should submit a Financials Data Warehouse GL Transaction Detail query by division to COVID19finance@andrew.cmu.edu by May 8, 2020 for COVID-19 operating expenses that contains the:

• transaction date
• accounting period
• amount
• purpose/description/justification
• Oracle General Ledger (GL) and/or Grants Management (GM) account string

COVID-19 expenses incurred May 1, 2020 or later

• GL transactions:  Use the newly created “C19” activity code for any non-personnel COVID-19 related expenses.
• GM transactions: A new task service type “COVID” has been created for COVID-19 related non-personnel expenses that replaces the usual task service type of “unspecified”.  Departments will need to take one of the following actions to use this new task service type: 
  • Create a new task called “COVID” and link this task to the newly created task service type “COVID” OR; 
  • If your department has already established a new task(s) to track COVID-19 related expenses, link your new task to the “COVID” task service type.   

COVID-19 related expenses incurred after May 1, 2020 that do not utilize the “C19” GL activity code or “COVID” GM task service type will need to be corrected via an Accounts Payable Redistribution Form [.pdf]. Corrections cannot be made via GL Journal Entry to ensure sufficient documentation for federal and other required reporting.

Personnel charges related to students without remote work and the costs associated with the newly created emergency leave will continue to be tracked by the Office of Human Resources.  Furthermore, this information is not intended as guidance regarding the handling of such personnel charges not included above or for expenses associated with federal relief funding. 

In addition, when reviewing related COVID-19 expenses, please consider the following:

• Emergency Operation Center costs
• Messaging and outreach costs
• Training costs specific to declared event
• Disinfection and cleaning of university above and beyond typical costs
• Emergency medical facility services and supplies (e.g., Student Health Services)
• Conversion of dorms for medical use
• Enhancing campus security and law enforcement
• Costs associated with housing foreign students that cannot go home
• Animals research area costs to separate animals and related additional costs
• Purchases of personal protective equipment
• Construction costs related to change orders for COVID-19 work site compliance
• Costs of overtime hours paid to permanent, budgeted employees performing emergency work as well as both straight time and overtime hours paid to unbudgeted employees performing emergency work

It is each unit’s responsibility to maintain supporting documentation for how costs relate to COVID-19, which may be requested.

Please direct any questions to COVID19finance@andrew.cmu.edu.

PCIDSS (Updated on April 7, 2020)

The university processes over a million credit card transactions each year and must comply with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS), the industry standard for safeguarding cardholder data. Various stakeholders across campus and associated with the university PCI environment are required to provide documentation and participate in an on-site assessment with the university’s third-party qualified security assessor (QSA) to demonstrate compliance.

Given the current campus access limitations associated with COVID-19, on-site assessment procedures are not practicable at this time. On-site assessments will be postponed until further notice and are expected to resume as quickly as practicable once campus access is reestablished. The QSA will perform virtual assessments for all pure SAQ-A environments, which makes up about half of the university’s environments.

Campus merchants should continue to prepare their documentation, which is still due April 24 (with the exception of documentation that is inaccessible), and load it into the Suralink collection database.

For questions, please contact pci-dss@lists.andrew.cmu.edu.

Excel4apps (Updated March 31, 2020)

Business Applications Development and Support (BADS) has delayed upgrading Excel4apps Wands to version 20.1 to May 2020. This version provides new and updated functionality in GL Wand, Reports Wand and Budget Wand, including updated toolbar icons. 

For more information and for a list of new and changed functionality along with updated documentation, visit the Excel4apps page. 

Accounts Receivables (Updated March 27, 2020)

Cash Operations, located at A-11 in the lower level of Warner Hall, is closed until further notice in an effort to minimize on-campus traffic. As such, all payments to CMU that are received from external sponsors should be sent to a lockbox or wired directly to the university. AR includes these payment options on the invoices and is also reaching out to sponsors with this request. Please request that sponsors pay by wire or send checks to one of the lockbox addresses below to facilitate timely payment and application to university accounts. For questions, contact AR at univar@andrew.cmu.edu.   

If a sponsor would prefer to wire the funds, please advise them of the following details:

• Bank of New York Mellon (BNY Mellon)
  500 Ross Street
  Pittsburgh, PA 15262
  Account Number: 1979003
  ABA Number: 043000261
  Swift Code: IRVTUS3N

If a sponsor plans to mail a check, please advise them to use one of the following lockbox addresses:

• Sponsored Projects Accounting
  Carnegie Mellon University
  PO Box 371032
  Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7032
• Other AR Lockbox
  Carnegie Mellon University
  P.O. Box 360456   
  Pittsburgh, PA 15251-6456

Payroll (Updated March 27, 2020)

As of April 2, 2020, Payroll is eliminating the option of paper paycheck distribution for CMU employees. Employees must elect to receive their pay via direct deposit or Wisely Pay Paycard, by Thursday, April 2, 2020. If you do not select direct deposit or a Wisely Pay Paycard by this date, you will receive a Wisely Pay Paycard to the address on file in Workday. For questions, contact the HR Service Center at hr-help@andrew.cmu.edu.

• Direct Deposit: Direct deposit guarantees an employee’s net pay is deposited into their selected account(s) on the scheduled pay date. For step-by-step instructions on signing up for direct deposit, view the Add and Change Direct Deposit Elections Quick Guide [.pdf]. Note that this is a separate process from receiving direct deposit for expense reimbursements. 
• Wisley Pay Paycard: Instead of a traditional bank account, an employees’ pay is deposited into a Wisely Pay Paycard account in which they can then store or spend their money using their paycard. This is not a credit card, no bank account is required and there is no credit check to enroll. To enroll, employees must ensure their home address is correct in Workday prior to Thursday, April 2, 2020. For more information on how to make changes to personal information, including home address, visit the View and Update Your Personal Information in Workday page. 

Supplier Payments (Updated March 27, 2020)

Accounts Payable (AP) is eliminating check payments to suppliers as of April 10, 2020. Employees that work with suppliers paid via paper check should follow the guidance below to ensure that payments can be made electronically. For questions, contact AP at ap-help@andrew.cmu.edu.

• AP Domestic Supplier Form [.pdf] and AP International Supplier Form [.pdf]
  When working with a domestic or international supplier, please ask them to provide their banking information on the supplier information form. Ensure that the supplier is aware that they will be contacted by an AP representative to verify their banking information via email or telephone. All supplier forms should be submitted to AP-Supplier-doc@andrew.cmu.edu.

• AP Human Subject Participant/Principal Investigator Form [.pdf]
  The AP Supplier Electronic Funds Transfer Form [.pdf] should accompany this form in order to pay a human subject participant or principal investigator electronically. 
• AP Non-Employee Gift Form [.pdf], AP Non-Employee Prize Award Form [.pdf], AP Non-Qualified Scholarship Payment Form [.pdf] and AP Request for Payments/Refund Form [.pdf]
  The AP Supplier Electronic Funds Transfer Form [.pdf] must accompany these forms in order to pay the recipient electronically. Ensure that the individual receiving payment is aware that an AP representative will contact them to verify their banking information for any payments over $5,000 USD.
• Honorarium Agreement/Supplier Information Form [.pdf]
  This form allows individuals to provide their banking information. Ensure that the individual receiving payment is aware that an AP representative will contact them to verify their banking information for any payments over $5,000 USD.

Employee Expense Reports (Updated March 27, 2020)

AP is eliminating check payments to employees and will need your completed direct deposit form by April 2, 2020. Employees that submit expense reports should follow the guidance below to ensure that payments can be made electronically. For questions, contact AP at ap-help@andrew.cmu.edu.

• AP Employee Expense Direct Deposit Form [.pdf]
  For an employee to receive their expense report reimbursement via direct deposit, this form must be completed and emailed to AP at AP-Supplier-doc@andrew.cmu.edu. Note:  Direct deposit information that was completed in Workday for an employee’s payroll direct deposit does not sync between Oracle and Workday. 

The Accounts Payable (AP) and Accounts Receivables (AR) teams have been working with suppliers and customers to facilitate electronic payment and electronic receipt of funds and Payroll has been working with university employees to eliminate paper paychecks.

Finance Training (Updated March 24, 2020)

Purchasing card and travel card training are currently suspended due to the fact that cards are not being distributed at this time (see the University Cards and Expense Report section on this page for more information related to card distribution). All other instructor-led training sessions will be conducted via Zoom web conferencing. Staff members should continue to register via FocusU, and a Zoom calendar invitation will be provided.

Cash Operations (Updated March 20, 2020)

Effective immediately, Cash Operations, located at A-11 in the lower level of Warner Hall, will be closed until further notice in an effort to minimize on-campus traffic.

Please do not deliver deposits to the Cash Operations office during this time as the drop slot will not be available. 

For funds currently held in your department, we ask that you adhere to the following guidance:

• For petty cash and currency deposits not yet delivered to Cash Operations: All cash shall be physically protected in safes, locked cash drawers, locking cash registers, locked metal boxes, or locked drawers prior to deposit. Safes and drop safes should be bolted in place and smaller receptacles secured in locked areas. The Treasurer’s Office recommends the following safekeeping standards: 

• For checks and other negotiable instrument deposits:
  • Complete a Financial Services Receipt (FSR) [.xls] making sure to indicate the date that the checks are mailed.
  • Submit the completed FSR to treasury-receipts@andrew.cmu.edu.
  • Mail corresponding checks/negotiable instruments to the BNY Mellon lockbox at the following address for deposit:
    • Carnegie Mellon University
      PO Box 360154
      Pittsburgh, PA  15251-0154
  • Upon bank verification of the deposit, Cash Operations staff will respond to your submission email with a date and confirmation of receipt in lieu of a stamped receipt. The bank deposit date will be the date of receipt in Oracle.

• Credit card settlements: Continue to prepare FSRs for credit card settlements during this time and submit to fsummers@andrew.cmu.edu and treasury-receipts@andrew.cmu.edu.

For questions, contact Judy Cvejkus, manager, Cash Operations, at jc00@andrew.cmu.edu. 

Accounts Payable (Updated March 18, 2020)

• Invoices, Supplier Forms, and Paydocs: All invoices, supplier forms and paydocs will continue to be processed as outlined on the AP website.
• Expense Report Payments via Direct Deposit for Employees: In order for an employee to receive their expense report reimbursement via direct deposit, the AP Employee Expense Direct Deposit Form [.pdf] needs to be completed and emailed to AP at AP-Supplier-doc@andrew.cmu.edu. Direct deposit information that was completed in Workday for your payroll direct deposit does not sync between Oracle and Workday. Further information in regards to payroll direct deposit is included in the payroll section.
• AP Payforms and Supplier Forms: In order to accommodate the need for signatures to be obtained electronically, AP will temporarily accept an email approval attached to the submission of the following forms: AP Copy Site Form [.pdf], AP Deposit Form [.pdf], AP Human Subject Participant/Principal Investigator Form [.pdf], AP Non-Employee Prize Award Form [.pdf], AP Non-Qualified Scholarship In Kind Form [.pdf], AP Non-Qualified Scholarship Payment Form [.pdf], AP Petty Cash Payment Form [.pdf], AP Request for Payment/Refund Form [.pdf], AP Supplier Electronic Funds Transfer Form [.pdf].
• AP Enterprise Content Management (ECM): The AP ECM system cannot accept forms that are still in the fillable PDF format or are in a state where information can still be electronically added. Therefore, prior to submitting the form, you should print the form to a PDF file, which will change the format of the file and allow the ECM system to process the form. AP will temporarily accept an email approval if the form is unable to be signed and submitted.
• Supplier Payments: Please see the Supplier Payments section on this page for more information.

Please contact AP at ap-help@andrew.cmu.edu with any questions.

Business Systems Help Desk (Updated March 18, 2020)

• Operations: Regular operations remain in place for the Business Systems Help Desk:
  • Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET
  • ER Help: er-help@andrew.cmu.edu or 412-268-4666
  • PCard Help: pcrdhelp@andrew.cmu.edu or 412-268-4666
  • Oracle Help: orclhelp@andrew.cmu.edu or 412-268-4666
• Oracle Access: View the Business Applications Development and Support FAQs for information on how to access Oracle while working remotely.

Event Cancellations (Updated March 18, 2020)

CMU buyers who have booked events for university business should attempt to cancel the event(s) and request a full refund or secure credit from the supplier(s). A workflow is available at www.cmu.edu/finance/coronavirus/files/event-cancellation-workflow.pdf to assist buyers with the proper procedure for cancellations both over and under $100K USD.

An event cancellation survey has been developed in an attempt to capture and understand the financial impact of event cancellations due to coronavirus.  Event owners who are cancelling events as a result of coronavirus are asked to complete the survey by Friday, March 27, 2020.

Questions about event cancellations related to coronavirus can be directed to the University Contracts Office at university-contracts@andrew.cmu.edu. 

Finance Forms (Updated March 18, 2020)

Electronic signatures will be accepted for any Finance forms that are not specifically addressed on this page. Please ensure that if approval/signature is being done via email, the email approval clearly provides information and/or references the specific form that is being approved and that this information is attached to the form that needs to be processed. 

Travel Cancellations (Updated March 18, 2020)

For CMU travelers or travel arrangements who booked university business travel and need to cancel, please follow the respective guidance:

• Travel Booked through a University Preferred Agency: Those traveling on behalf of the university who have booked travel through one of the university preferred travel agencies should contact the agency directly when cancelling travel. Specific instructions for each preferred supplier is available on their supplier page:
  • Direct Travel
  • Egencia
  • Peoples Travel
  • CTS International Travel
• Travel Booked Through Other Method: Contact the respective supplier you booked the reservation with in attempt to receive a refund (e.g., flight credit for future university business travel use).

Questions about travel cancellations can be directed to Procurement Services at procurement-inbox@andrew.cmu.edu.

University Cards and Expense Reports (ERs) (Updated March 18, 2020)

• Card Distribution: Card distribution is suspended until further notice. This includes replacement of cards closed due to fraudulent activity. Employees who do not have a university card and need to make purchases should contact their department’s Administrative Leadership Group (ALG) member. ALG members should contact Procurement Services at procurement-inbox@andrew.cmu.edu for assistance with any university card purchases as needed.
• Card Transaction Verifications: Card transaction verification is still required within 30 days.
• Expense Report (ER) Submissions: ERs should still be submitted within the recommended 30 days and are taxable after 90 days.
• Pcard and ER Receipts: Receipts for transactions $75 and greater should continue to be submitted electronically. Contact the supplier to obtain an electronic copy of any receipts that you may not have access to. If unable to obtain an electronic copy, complete a Missing Receipt Form [.pdf].