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Small Agency Services Bulletin - February 2023
| Important Dates | Important Messages | Small Agency Financial Services News | Travel Tips | Contact Us |
Your feedback is important
Please send your feedback about the Department of Enterprise Services' (DES) Small Agency Financial Services (SAFS). Your feedback helps us improve and better meet your needs. Finance welcomes your feedback at any time.
Important Dates
Mar. 6
- To reflect in your agency's monthly financial statements, all invoices and travel reimbursement requests are due to Accounts Payable.
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Important Messages
Correctional Industries (CI) - End Of Year Cut-Off Dates
CI has identified the following cutoff dates for FY23 furniture orders requiring delivery by June 30, 2023.
Order Cut-Off Dates
- Standard gross product orders exceeding $100,000 – February 28, 2023
- Standard gross product orders less than $100,000 – March 31, 2023
- Sit-To-Stand riser orders – April 28, 2023
- Fast Fulfillment orders* – June 1, 2023
* Applies to in-stock Fast Fulfillment items only. Orders must be placed via CI website.
DES plans to distribute two separate rebates in March
DES wishes to thank those of you who use the state's purchasing and fleet card master contacts. By working together, we are able to best leverage available rebates based on the US Bank/Voyager Fleet Card as well as the US Bank/Visa Purchasing Card. DES is sharing these additional rebates with entities who participated by using these contracts.
DES plans to distribute the rebates in March.
- The additional rebates from US Bank/Visa Purchasing Card for 2022 purchasing volume are based on Incentive No. 4 of the US Bank/Visa Purchasing Card contract 00719.
- The additional rebates from US Bank/Voyager Fleet Card for 2022 purchasing volume are based on Incentive No. 3 of the US Bank/Voyager Fleet Card contract 00719.
Both rebates are based on spend volume. Washington qualified for the additional incentive programs based on spending after enough states and public entities joined the multi-state purchasing card programs. We reached these benchmarks through DES' efforts in recruiting both other states and nonparticipating entities within Washington to utilize the contracts – an effort DES is continuing.
If your agency qualifies for a rebate and your agency receives Small Agency Financial Services for budget and revenue management, DES will deposit the rebate on behalf of your agency. Each agency's assigned DES Budget Analyst will incorporate the rebate into your next monthly financial status report.
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Small Agency Financial Services News
Five Quick Tips for Handling Receipts
- Incoming cash and checks must be deposited as soon as possible.
- Per RCW 43.01.050, deposits must be within 24 hours of the receipt of cash or checks.
- DES has been granted a waiver allowing Small Agency Financial Services (SAFS) agencies, to whom they provide accounts receivable services, to deposit either weekly or when cash on hand reaches $500, whichever comes first.
- Two people should open the mail whenever cash or checks are expected. One person should create a list of cash and checks received and another should review it. Both persons should initial the list after the amounts have been verified by both.
- A balance and summary of all cash receipts should be prepared daily. Any shortages or overages are to be investigated and to the extent possible, corrected.
- Receipts need to be safeguarded until they are sent to SAFS for deposit. Cash and checks received should be kept in a secure location that is restricted to authorized personnel.
- Agencies should maintain written procedures on all cash handling and cash control procedures. These should include the procedures used by the agency and the roles and responsibilities of staff handling and reviewing cash receipting activity.
For more information about safe handling cash and check receipts, please contact us at 360-407-2238 or desaccountsreceivable@des.wa.gov.
SAFS (Small Agency Financial Services) Team Updates
Did you know? Your DES financial support team consists of ALL of our SAFS team members. Even though you may work with specific SAFS members regularly, other SAFS members often step in to assist and provide continuity of services. We would like you to know about our whole SAFS team. Below is a list of each work group within SAFS, the members you may hear from, and recent news or a message from each team.
| Team | Members | News / Message |
|---|---|---|
| Accounts Payable |
Ian Shelley |
Q: How was copper wire invented? A: Two accounts payable staff were arguing over a penny. |
| Budget |
Diann Lewallen |
If I had a dollar for every time an idea got shot down in the meeting because "We don't have the budget", I would finally have the money to execute that idea. |
| Payroll |
Carrie Knudson |
We are happy to announce that on February 16 Ami Hollingsworth joined us as our new FA2 (filing Tasha’s position)! Ami brings excellent customer service skills and is familiar with DES payroll processes from the small agency perspective. Please help us welcome her to our team! |
| Accounts Receivable |
Betti Bartoldo |
Q: How do you tell accounts receivable to be quiet? A: You tell them to use their invoice. |
| Administrative Assistance |
Danelle Guerin |
Q: How can we keep the office clean? A: Admin says "By staying at home." |
DES Accounts Payable statistics for Jan. 2023 (34 agencies served)
| Invoices Received from Agency | 1,912 | 76.08% | $10,690,968 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invoices Paid on Delegated Authority | 491 | 19.54% | $1,099,722 |
| Travel Requests Paid through TEMS | 101 | 4.02% | $26,307 |
| Payments Reissued (SOL, Lost Warrant) | 9 | 0.36% | $22,158 |
| Total Payments Processed | 2,513 | 100% | $11,839,155 |
DES Payroll statistics for Jan. 2023 (42 agencies served)
| Total Employees Paid | 1,507 |
|---|---|
| Appointment Changes | 79 |
| New Hires / Rehires | 26 |
| Transfer In / Transfer Outs | 12 |
| Separations | 16 |
| Supplemental Payments / Walkthroughs | 0 |
| Overpayments | 4 |
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Travel Tips
Per Diem Taxation Reminder
If the 11 hour rule for meals applies to a traveler submitting for reimbursement, the per diem requested will also be taxable and will be included on the employee's W-2. When utilizing the Travel and Expense Management Systems (TEMS), the meals must be marked as taxable when applicable.
For more information on the 11 hour rule, please refer to SAAM Chapter 10.40.50.
Helpful Hints for Good to Go! Transponder Accounts
A Good To Go! account is the cheapest and easiest way to pay tolls in Washington. With an account, your tolls will be paid automatically without having to stop at a toll booth or worry about bills in the mail. Check out helpful hints on setting up and using a Good To Go! account.
As always, if you have any questions regarding travel please call SAFS AP at 360-407-8183 or email travel.safs@des.wa.gov.
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Contact Us
If you would like to know what budget analyst, payroll analyst and HR business partner is assigned to your agency, see our Agency Assignments webpage.
If you would like to get contact information for DES SAFS and HR staff, see our Contacts webpage.
If you have suggestions or feedback about the Small Agency Services Bulletin, please send your comments to SmallAgencyBulletin@des.wa.gov.
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