Upcoming Deadlines at a Glance
- Friday, 1/12 - Submit SSGPDP fee proposals for 2024-25
- Thursday, 1/18 - Attend a Reserve Analysis workshop
- Friday, 1/19 - Submit completed and approved org tree change requests
- Friday, 1/19 - Submit self-certification recharge forms
- Tuesday, 1/30 - Complete Q2 Key Controls
- Friday, 2/9 - Submit Reserve Analysis template
Action Items
Submit SSGPDP fee proposals for 2024-25 by Friday, January 12
UCOP has released the call for SSGPDP fee proposals for the 2024-25 academic year. All new and existing approved SSGPDPs are required to submit an annual fee proposal for review and approval by the President. Submissions are due to Financial Planning & Analysis by Friday, January 12, but programs are encouraged to begin working on their proposals before curtailment. The call for proposals, submission documents, and instructions are available on the Make Annual Fee Submission for Existing SSGPDP page. Please direct questions to studentfees@berkeley.edu as early as possible prior to the submission deadline.
Submit Reserve Analysis template by February 9, sign up for a workshop on Thursday, January 18
The Reserve Analysis templates will be due on Friday, February 9. The Reserve Analysis template is in your division folder under FY2024-25 Budget Process > Reserve Analysis Template. A copy of the prior year’s completed template is included in this folder for your reference. New DFLs may attend a workshop on January 18.
More information is available on the Reserve Analysis webpage.
Submit completed and approved org tree change requests by Friday, January 19
If you would like to submit changes to the Org Tree, please submit your completed, Budget and Financial Operations (BFO) Committee approved request by Friday, September 22. We recommend that you submit your change request form for review as soon as possible to allow time for the BFO team to review your request, follow up with you for any necessary clarification, approve your request, and allow you time to obtain all required signatures before the submission deadline. As a reminder, the May 16 submission date was the last day that approved change requests could be submitted for entry to the May Master Org Tree. Allowable changes through November 30 include New DeptIDs, New Org Nodes, Description Changes, and moves of DeptIDs and Org Nodes.
The time needed to review change requests will vary, depending on the complexity of the request. For more information:
- A high-level summary of the process to approve org tree changes is available on the DFL concierge webpage.
- An overview of the org tree change submission deadlines is available in the Org Tree Submission and Processing Timeline. Important: Please review the update on the estimated processing time for journal source configuration of new L4 org node codes. As a reminder, journal source configuration for new L4’s is required if there is a need to prepare and approve journals.
- Please review the Org Tree Calendar for the timeline of allowable org tree changes throughout the year.
- Please review the new Org Tree Lookup Tool This new tool replaces the monthly manually produced Master Org Tree and will provide the most current org tree data as of one business day before. Training materials and Job Aids are located on the CFO website.
- There are updates coming soon to the Department Prefixes, and How to Create Visio files job aids located in the Tools and job aids section of the Organizational Tree web page.
- Please submit questions and requests for changes to the Org Tree to dfl_concierge@berkeley.edu. Note: If you plan to request an Org Node change or Entity Hierarchy redesign, please contact dfl_concierge@berkeley.edu and explain what you would like to change before completing the request form because these changes are typically more complex and involve longer consultations.
Submit self-certification recharge forms by Friday, January 19
Self-certification recharge forms are due on Friday, January 19. Divisions will need to submit a recharge self-certification form if they support a recharge unit and the unit charges Contracts and Grants or if the unit plans for a recharge income greater than $500,000 a year. The self-certification form is posted on the Recharge page of the CFO website. If you have any questions, please contact the Budget and Financial Operations team at recharge_certification@berkeley.edu.
Complete Q2 Key Controls by Tuesday, January 30
Please complete and submit the Financial Reporting Review and System Access Review by Tuesday, January 30. Please visit the Division Key Controls page for instructions and more information. Email questions about the financial reporting review controls to the Financial Accounting and Controls team at gao@berkeley.edu and questions about the system access review controls to the BFS System Access team at secbfs@berkeley.edu.
Informational Updates
FY2024-25 Budgeted Composite Benefit Rates
We are in the process of submitting the calculated FY25 CBR rates to the Federal Government for approval. Please visit the CBR webpage for additional information and the new projected CBR rates for FY25. Please keep in mind that these rates have not yet been approved by the Federal Government and are therefore subject to change. We anticipate approval of the FY25 CBR rates before the end of this fiscal year (FY24). Contact centralresourcemanagement@berkeley.edu if you have questions.
Reminder re payment process for Faculty Club invoices
As we communicated earlier, beginning January 2, the Faculty Club will no longer bill departments monthly. All meals and other activities at the Faculty Club from January 2, 2024, going forward will require the host of the activity to pay the bill at the time of the activity. This can be handled in two ways: using a personal credit card, after which the payee can seek reimbursement using the reimbursement system, or by using an Event Planner Card, which can be obtained by applying through the UC Berkeley card program. When using an Event Planner Card, charges are paid directly to the vendor by UCB; the cardholder is then responsible for making sure the charges are properly reconciled in BFS within 15 days of the payment, but no personal funds will be used and no reimbursement will be necessary. We would appreciate it if each department would make sure to pay any remaining outstanding invoices from expenses incurred before January 2 promptly using the existing payment method. This change will also ensure that expenses are recorded accurately and on time and will improve financial reporting to the departments through Cal Answers. Direct any questions to the Accounts Payable help desk at disburse@berkeley.edu.
Guidelines and deadlines for year-end (and campaign-end!) gifts
Gift Services has established a deadline of Tuesday, January 9, 2023, by which gifts must be received in the Gift Services office to be counted for the calendar year 2023 and for the current campaign. General instructions for how to give can be found at Give.Berkeley.edu/faq and also on Eureka (Berkeley’s advancement intranet).
- December 29 is the deadline for gifts delivered via courier services (FedEx, DHL) to be received at UDAR.
- December 31 is the final day for credit cards taken by phone or mail to be charged by Gift Services.
- December 31, 11:59 p.m. is the deadline for online gifts to be made at give.berkeley.edu.
Questions may be addressed to Gift Services at (510) 643-9789 or gifthelp@berkeley.edu.
BearBUY Supplier Expo 2024 and Office hours
Supply Chain Management is hosting a Supplier Expo on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, from 10 am. - 2 p.m., at Pauley Ballroom in the MLK Student Union. Details about registration, schedules of events, and the participating suppliers and campus departments will be available beginning in late January 2024. More details about the event and registration information will be published on the BearBUY system and through associated campus newsletters. The first 300 registered attendees will receive welcome packages at the event. For more information about this event or other questions about BearBUY, please visit the Supply Chain website or the BearBUY Open Office Hours.
Upcoming changes to CalTime delegation access
The Controller's office is working to improve the accuracy of hours worked and leave recorded in CalTime, submitted to UCPath, recorded on the employees' payroll earnings record, and ultimately in the general ledger. In 2024, we plan to implement tighter controls regarding delegation access and will conduct periodic audits. For cases where a supervisor or the delegate are not approving the employee's timecard, delegation access will be removed. Additionally, delegation access will be granted on an interim basis only and those requesting delegation access will only be granted temporary access. The CalTime team will review the delegated authority rights and evaluate if delegates comply with our policies and procedures. Delegates that are not performing the required responsibilities will have their delegated authority removed. A more detailed message outlining policy, roles and responsibilities of employees, supervisors and delegates, and campus-wide statistics regarding noncompliance is being planned for distribution next week. Please contact caltime@berkeley.edu with any questions.
Cal Answers Training
Please review the self-service learning resources on the Cal Answers website, where Cal Answers users will find a complete course in basic navigation as well as short videos, job aids, wiki documentation, and a list of Frequently Asked Questions. Additionally, the two-hour instructor-led classes build on the basic navigation skills covered in the self-study. There are separate courses focusing on financial dashboards and student data dashboards. In the class, a subject matter expert will guide a deep dive into the reports and data available in the dashboards and answer specific questions.
CalPlanning Training
The next series of CalPlanning and Smart View training classes begin Thursday, September 14. The curriculum uses a blended learning model. Courses begin with self-study using online “books” divided into chapters supplemented with practice exercises and short videos. Courses culminate with a group session using Zoom in which participants work on case studies in small teams to apply the material covered in the self-study. The self-study materials are available on the website for everyone to use; they can be a helpful resource for those that have already completed the training and are looking for a refresher. Review the CalPlanning Training page for schedules, links to enroll, and to access the self-study materials.
Changes to the DFL in your division?
If the DFL role in your division is changing, email fpa@berkeley.edu to ensure our website, communications, and training plans are updated.
DFL Weekly Updates Page
As a reminder, these updates are regularly posted to the DFL Weekly Updates page so you can reference past updates at any time. Additionally, the Operational Deadlines page provides an overview of deliverables by quarter.
Thank you,
Office of the Vice Chancellor of Finance