Upcoming Deadlines
- Friday, 8/15 - Final corrections to class schedule and instructional record data for summer sessions
- Wednesday, 8/20 - Perform Q4 Key Controls
- Friday, 8/22 - Submit completed and approved Org Tree change requests
Federal Updates
Please be aware of two resources regarding the evolving federal policy shifts: the UCOP Federal Updates page and the UC Berkeley Federal Updates page.
Federal Billing Changes Fiscal Coordination
Recent federal policy changes now require CGA to submit more detailed, line-level justifications for federal grant billing and to complete closeouts within 30 days or less for awards subject to suspension, termination, or stop work orders. These changes, along with increased documentation burdens, federal system instability, and staffing constraints, have made last-minute billing requests difficult to accommodate.
To help streamline compliance and secure payments, CGA analysts use newly developed BFS reports to populate each award’s expense-level detail, which is now required for all drawdown requests and DOGE justifications. As a general rule, given these administrative hurdles, it is especially important that departments prioritize these activities now. Therefore, we’re urging departments to finalize expense adjustments early and submit closeout forms promptly. Please coordinate with your RA teams well in advance of fiscal close deadlines to ensure that both year-end processing and federal compliance can be completed without delay. We appreciate your patience as this duplicative, mandated workload is implemented during a time when our teams are stretched thin, and we encourage your support in helping faculty/PIs understand the importance of timely expense review and early coordination to ensure compliance.
Budget Process
CalPlanning Update
Thank you for all your effort to complete and submit your budget materials. The CalPlanning planning tools (CalPlan, HCP) are closed so the Financial Planning and Analysis team can review the budget submissions. CalPlan and HCP will remain unavailable while the Operating Budget is finalized.
Action Items
Submit completed and approved org tree change requests by Friday, August 22
We are excited to announce the launch of the Organizational Tree Change Request Portal, a new online tool that reduces administrative burden by streamlining the change request process, automating approval workflows, and replacing paper-based forms. For Org Tree changes to be processed in August, please complete your org change request form in the portal as early as possible to allow time for the org tree change committee to review, and routing for all required approvals by the August 22 deadline. Please see the job aid for more information on how to get started, or contact dfl_concierge@berkeley.edu with questions.
Final corrections to class schedule and instructional record data for summer sessions due August 15
The Office of Planning and Analysis (OPA) will be reaching out to your department schedulers and managers and asking them to review their class schedule and instructional record data entry for summer sessions. This information must be finalized in Student Information Systems (SIS) by Friday, August 15. Please contact OPA Research Analyst Matthew Betts or Beatriz Brando with questions at opa-csir@berkeley.edu.
Complete Q4 Key Controls by August 20
Please complete and submit both the Financial Reporting Review and System Access Review by the end of the day on Wednesday, August 20. 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 Security team at secbfs@berkeley.edu.
Review the updated list for unused airline ticket credits
The UC Travel Center is sharing a monthly updated list of unused airline tickets with ticket credits available with travelers and travel preparers. Please encourage the travelers within your unit who are listed on the UC Berkeley Monthly Unused Ticket Report to use their credits whenever possible before they expire. If you are aware of individuals in your unit who are no longer with the university, there may be opportunities for other business travelers to take advantage of the credits for future business travel. Please contact the UC Travel Center at 310-206-2639 or travel@finance.ucla.edu to learn how to use the applicable credit before its expiration date. Read more detailed information in the linked Unused Airline Ticket Credit Alert (July 2025).
Informational Updates
2024-25 Fiscal close considerations
The deadline to process journal entries for the June accounting period was July 10. If you believe there are missing transactions from the general ledger, it is critical to contact the relevant central department within the Controller’s Office.
As a general best practice, it is crucial to prioritize reviewing invoices in BearBuy for any goods delivered or services received in FY2025. Please remember that expenses are not transferred transactionally to the General Ledger (GL) from BearBuy until the invoice is approved in the system and the goods purchased have been received. The same is true for reimbursements in the reimbursement system. This serves as a vital control feature between our three ERP systems (Reimbursement System, BFS, & BearBuy). Please review the invoices in BearBuy for your units and for those unapproved, please take the necessary actions to follow-up.
The Central Accounting Offices within the Controller’s Office continue to close UC Berkeley’s financial records even after the July 10 departmental deadline. Your responsibility for completing departmental reviews and data clean-up is a crucial element for fiscal close. If you notice anything in your local general ledgers in the months ahead related to fiscal year 2025, please contact our office. We will conduct final reconciliations, reviews, and certifications leading up to mid-September, when the official accounting books are frozen, with no further adjustments made unless under very exceptional circumstances.
Cal Answers training
The Cal Answers website hosts self-service learning resources, including a complete course on basic navigation, short videos, job aids, wiki documentation, and a list of frequently asked questions. Enrollment is now open for the two-hour instructor-led class that builds 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 guides a deep dive into the reports and data available in the dashboards and answers specific questions.
CalPlanning and Smart View training
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 who 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