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Small Agency Services Bulletin - May 2022
| 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
May 31
- Federal Assistance Certificates (disclosures) due to OFM.
June 1
- Correctional Industries (CI) Fast Fulfillment/7-day order cut-off date for delivery by June 30. See their website for more order cut-off dates.
June 2
- DES SAFS will present our "Fiscal Year-End" and "2023-2025 Biennial Budget Build" workshop.
June 7
- To reflect in your agency's monthly financial statements, all invoices and travel reimbursement requests are due to Accounts Payable.
June 9
- Central Services - Rate Day 2022 (see details below).
June 24
- Donations for shared leave are due.
June 29 & 30
- For state fiscal year-end accounting and cash cut-off purposes, accounts payable documents will not be processed on Wednesday, June 29 or Thursday, June 30. All FY22 payment processing will resume as normal on Friday, July 1.
June 30
- Use compensatory time. The remaining balance will be cashed out on the July 10 paycheck (represented employees only).
- Replenish petty cash per SAAM.
- Obtain list of assets in the Capital Asset Management System (CAMS). If needed, complete a physical inventory.
Use compensatory time. The remaining balance will be cashed out on the July 10 paycheck (represented employees only). - All services must be rendered and tangible goods must be received.
July 1
- Deadline to send cost coding updates to payroll for FY23 (July 25 payroll).
- Submit all payroll items for the June 16-30 payroll.
- Submit all FY22 commissioners and board members' stipend requests.
- Submit all FY22 Commute Trip Reduction (CRT) stipends.
- Begin separating FY22 and FY23 invoices (bill to be paid) when batching for processing by DES AP.
- When invoicing, separate FY22 and FY23 services to other entities on different individual invoices.
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Important Messages
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource
Keep informed via Washington State's coronavirus response website Coronavirus.wa.gov.
Central Services - Rate Day 2022 - June 9 from 2-4:30 p.m.
Rate Day Background
Rate Day is a statewide meeting held during the summer before starting biennial budget development where agency customers hear from the eight central service agencies in one place. The topics typically involve service descriptions, rate methodologies, and rate updates (increases, decreases, or eliminations).
At this meeting central service agencies present brief overviews of their agency and/or services for 10-20 minutes. OFM is sending invitations to the agency budget officers distribution list so please forward along to staff that would benefit or enjoy the information.
Rate Day typically lasts between 2-3 hours to allow for all central service agencies to present. They are:
- Secretary of State (SOS)
- State Auditor’s Office (SAO)
- Attorney General’s Office (AGO)
- Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH)
- Consolidated Technology Services (WaTech/CTS)
- Department of Enterprise Services (DES)
- Department of Labor and Industries (L&I)
- OFM
Please contact Tyler Lentz if you have questions or would like the meeting invite. Thank you and hope to see you there!
Time to think about the end of the fiscal year
- Travel requests pending reimbursement? Get those requests submitted!
- New commissioners or board members? Fill out and submit a statewide vendor form before they travel, so they can be paid in a timely manner upon return!
- Travelers without a TEMS profile? Sign up here: TEMS Access Request Form
- All checks dated June 30 or before will be recorded in FY22. All checks dated July 1 and beyond will be recorded in FY23. If you know that your agency will be receiving FY22 related funds after July 1, a receivable (i.e., accrual) must be set up. Please send a request to the FinanceCashier@des.wa.gov to have the item recorded prior to July 22. Questions? Don't hesitate to call Crystal Marshall 360-277-7229.
- Over the next several months, DES may have questions or need assistance from your budget and accounting staff. Please notify your DES Budget Analyst to provide vacation schedules for your budget and accounting staff from June through September so that we can coordinate to help meet these important deadlines.
Time to think about the 2023-2025 biennial budget
Here are some things to think about when planning your agency's 2023-2025 biennial budget:
- Your Enterprise Services budget analyst will meet with you about the 2023-2025 budget soon. Please start thinking about potential budget requests or budget corrections to include in the submittal. Some common packages include mandatory caseload/workload adjustments, merit systems increments, retirement buyout costs, transfers between program/funds/agencies/years, lease changes or website updates.
- The Activity Inventory is an alternative view of the budget. It describes the major activities your agency does to accomplish its goals/objectives. Be sure your activity descriptions include a title describing the nature of the activity, a description of the activity and its purpose, and the expected results.
- The carry-forward level is a reference point created by calculating the biennial cost of decisions already recognized in appropriations by the Legislature. OFM calculates the carry-forward level and provides agencies with a worksheet for review. Carry-forward levels should be finalized in June.
Meals with Meetings & Light Refreshments Reminders
Coffee & light refreshments
SAAM 70.10
Agency policy and procedure is required.
Prior approval is required for each meeting.
Refreshments can be served when:
- Purpose of meeting is to conduct state business or formal training
- Integral part of the meeting
- Receipt(s) for actual costs are retained and submitted with payment
- Meeting takes place away from regular workplace
Boards & commissions may provide coffee/refreshments at official public meetings, including executive sessions.
Meals with meetings
SAAM 70.15
Agency policy and procedure is required.
Prior approval is required for each meeting.
Meals can be served when:
- Purpose of meeting is to conduct state business or formal training
- Integral part of the meeting
- Receipt(s) for actual costs are retained and submitted with payment
- Meeting takes place away from regular workplace
Meals are to only be served to state employees or state officials and must be within the per diem allowance (including taxes, tips, and delivery fees).
Other considerations
SAAM 70.10 & 70.15
Documentation required:
- Signed prior approval
- Purpose of the meeting
- List of meeting attendees
Meals, coffee, or refreshments are prohibited when:
- Agency anniversaries, individual employee receptions (new hire, retiring, elected, etc.)**
- Hosting activities: social rather than governmental business events, such as lobbying.
**All-staff meetings/general employee recognition is okay.
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Small Agency Financial Services News
DES SAFS will present our "Fiscal Year-End" and "2023-2025 Biennial Budget Build" workshop
Date: Thursday, June 2, 2022
Time: 2:00-3:30pm
Location: Zoom Conference
This workshop will cover all you need to know about the fiscal year-end close such as:
- Important dates and deadlines
- Payroll items & dates
- Cash receipts & receivable accruals
- Purchases, paying invoices, travel
- Expenditure accruals
We'll also help you prepare for the 2023-2025 Budget Build
- Accounting for Capital Assets and Small and Attractive Assets
- Completing required disclosure forms
- Budget Build
- Decision Packages
- What to expect from us
- What we need from you
- Timeline of due dates
- Incremental Budgeting
A question and answer period will follow. If you have specific questions or topics you would like to see covered, please email Gwen McClanahan.
An invite to this workshop was sent out Friday, April 22. If you don't see your invite and would like to attend, please email Ian Shelley.
DES Transitioning from Zoom to Teams
The DES Finance team is currently transitioning from the use of the Zoom meeting platform to the Microsoft Teams platform. This impacts the manner we will communicate, meet, and serve all small agencies.
How will this change impact your agency?
Starting in September 2022, DES will begin meeting with small agencies that currently have access Microsoft Teams to conduct the quarterly meetings. As we continue to implement these new changes, DES anticipates more functionalities including communication, meetings, and file sharing through Team Channels and the Teams individual/group chat functions. We hope this will improve our ability to communicate and serve all agencies.
What information do we need from you?
Please reach out to the Small Agencies DES administrative assistant, Susan Berman (susan.berman@des.wa.gov or Susan Berman (DES) via Teams), and let her know if your agency is currently using Microsoft Teams and/or has access to the program. This information will help assist us as we work through this change.
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 |
We are excited to announce that Bryn Parker has promoted within the SAFS AP team to one of our Fiscal Analyst 2 positions. Over the past 8 months Bryn has made great contributions to the team and we are excited to see him continue to grow. Join us in congratulating Bryn! Also, AP staff are gearing up for fiscal year accounting close. Be sure to join us at the Fiscal Year End workshop and hear from Megan and Norma! |
| Budget |
Diann Lewallen |
Budget staff are monitoring your finances closely for a successful fiscal year close. They are also preparing for your 23-25 Budget Build. Be sure to join us at the Fiscal Year End and Budget Build workshop to hear from Paul. |
| Payroll |
Carrie Knudson |
Payroll staff are focused on fiscal year end tasks such as processing shared leave donations and compensation time cash outs. |
| Accounts Receivable |
Betti Bartoldo |
AR staff are gearing up for fiscal year accounting close. Be sure to get your FY22 invoicing information to AR timely. |
| Administrative Assistance |
Danelle Guerin |
Susan is our "go to" person for Microsoft Teams. Please feel free to reachout to her with your questions. |
DES Payroll statistics for May. 2022 (40 agencies served)
| Total Employees Paid | 1, 353 |
|---|---|
| New Hires / Rehires | 20 |
| Transfer In / Transfer Outs | 10 |
| Separations | 18 |
| Supplemental Payments / Walk Throughs | 1 |
| Overpayments | 2 |
DES Accounts Payable statistics for May. 2022 (32 agencies served)
| Invoices Received from Agency | 1,762 | 73.60% | $9,059,473 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invoices Paid on Delegated Authority | 580 | 24.23% | $1,228,114 |
| Travel Requests Paid through TEMS | 50 | 2.09% | $26,019 |
| Payments Reissued (SOL, Lost Warrant) | 2 | 0.08% | $291 |
| Total Payments Processed | 2,394 | 100% | $10,313,897 |
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Travel Tips
- Travel and travel reimbursements follow the same year-end guidelines as goods and services. Travel that occurs on or before June 30 will be accounted for in FY22. Travel that occurs on or after July 1 will be accounted for in FY23. Please keep this in mind when booking travel for this time period; travel dates that cross fiscal years will need to be entered in TEMS as a separate reimbursement.
- SAAM 25.45.10 effective Jan 1, 2022 contains useful guidance related to teleworking & commutes to the office.
- Agencies should develop telework agreements for staff who are working remotely. These agreements can contain additional information on whether staff who primarily telework are eligible for mileage when traveling to office sites. Please reach out to your HR contact if you need assistance developing telework agreements.
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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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