1) How does the Budget System work? On-line budget revisions and earning distributions can be entered at department, dean/director level, and vice presidential levels. Budget information and position information is available through queries on the budget system. Hard copy sheets will also be distributed periodically.
2) How do I change a Position Title, Salary, FTE, or show a new or different employee in a position? An e-PAF should be submitted to Human Resources. The Budget Office will update the information as needed on the final budget file.
3) Where do I get a new position number or change the department code on a position number? Contact Human Resources to establish a new position number or to change the HR department code. Once the position has been added to the HR system, you should be able to bring up the position on the earnings distribution screen and set up the Finance department and account codes for distribution of pay.
4) How do I update E&G soft money? Each dean/director area with Educational & General soft money can enter or update data directly into the budget system and this will be reflected on the budget information via the queries and reports.
5) Why can’t I see position or earnings distribution changes right away? Updates to distribution changes occur nightly and are available for review the next morning.
6) What is the correct effective date for earnings distribution changes? Effective date is a key issue for temporary changes. e-PAF effective date is what determines the pay amount and the effective date on EDR should always be the beginning pay day of the new pay period. The e-PAF effective date cannot be earlier than the EDR effective date. For the FY 2021 budget process, the effective date is shown as July 1, 2020 and cannot be changed. Hourly positions will default to the correct date after the budget is completed.
Other Suggestions:
- First check that all faculty and staff in single budgeted positions are on the periodic budget reviews and that their annual rates are correct.
- Check to see if annual rate equals current funding and the distribution totals 100 percent.
- If the total distribution for the position does not equal 100 percent then the “department share” is the annual rate multiplied by the distribution percentage. If the “department share” equals “current funding”, these line items should require no further changes unless the position needs to be distributed differently.
- If the “current funding” does not equal department share, adjustments may need to be made. Faculty lines need to reflect full funding from either E&G funds, OU Foundation, State Regents Endowments, or other one-time funds. If the faculty distribution shows a split with a grant department and the unit chooses to leave it that way for July 1, the position should look overfunded on the worksheet and noted. If these funds were moved previously to the grant release account 884605, they now may be returned to the original position.
- If there is a central commitment in your budget, please note for tracking purposes in the comments field.
- Salary adjustments for promotions and distinguished titles will be handled separately.
- Budget revisions for faculty and GA funds cannot be moved to staff or M&O lines. Staff funding may move between salary and M&O, but will be reviewed.
- Check the soft funding benefit rate to make sure the current fringe budget is sufficient for any salary or pool lines.
- Pool positions should have a generic “PL” title in the budget. Employees’ names should not show up in the budget if appointed in pool positions. Please review the pool titles listed on the right side of the attached document “Academic Job Codes, Titles, and Associated Account Codes”. (Also found at: http://ou.edu/content/dam/provost/documents/TITLE-guide-Job-Title-Account-codes.pdf. These titles should be listed with the XX7005 account code and set up in HR as pools with the headcount of 999. Account codes can be corrected on the Earnings Distribution screen. Call or e-mail HR to correct the pool designation. Indicate the corrections on worksheets. (Note one exception is the Instructor and Lecturers that are renewable term – they should be in single positions under the account code 620005 with the employees’ names and budgets listed.)
