Late Cost Transfer Policy Exception Request Form

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Late Cost Transfer Enforcement Program Department Process & Guidance

All late cost transfers are an exception to established policy. Effort should be taken to minimize the need for late cost transfers by reviewing financial activity in a timely manner and transferring expenses to the appropriate funding source within 120 days as necessary. By consistently reviewing expenses and transferring timely, the additional documentation and explanations associated with late cost transfers can be avoided, reducing potential audit disallowance risks to the University.

When is it Appropriate to Make a Cost Transfer?

Once an expense has been recorded in the General Ledger, it is only appropriate to make cost transfers in the following four situations:

  • To correct an erroneous recording, such as when the original source document (e.g., invoice, payroll journal) refers to an incorrect Account or award number.
  • To reflect a change in the decision originally made as to how the goods or services would be used (e.g., a case of beakers originally ordered for and charged to a teaching program but subsequently used by a research project).
  • To redistribute certain high quantity but small value charges (e.g., paper costs, telephone charges, mailing charges) when allowed by the sponsor which are billed to departmental funds.
  • To redistribute payroll costs based on after-the-fact verification.

A cost transfer must pass the following tests when the transfer is to a federal award:

  • It must contain a reference to the invoice, payroll journal, or other documents that initiated the original charge.
  • It should typically be for the exact amount originally recorded in the General Ledger. If transferring a fractional amount, the transfer must contain an explanation supporting a reasonable method of allocation.
  • It must be fully explained, justified, and approved by the unit administrator(s) involved in the transaction. An explanation which states that the transfer is being made “to correct an error”, “to transfer to correct award”, or “expenditure inadvertently charged to incorrect award” is not sufficient.
  • The approvals must include the Principal Investigator.
  • Transfers must be processed within 120 days from when the original charge was posted.

If there are unavoidable circumstances that necessitate a transfer after 120 days, a full explanation is required, including a well-documented account of the events that led up to the late adjustment.

How to Submit a Late Cost Transfer Policy Exception Request

A Late Cost Transfer Policy Exception Request is required for all expenditure transfers that meet the following criteria:

  • To be processed 120 days or later from the posting of the original charge(s)
  • Transfer results in a new charge (debit) to a federal or federal flow-thru fund, or to a competing project in the same fund (new competitive cycle, same fund)

Late cost transfers are closely reviewed before being approved or denied. As a result, the review and processing of late cost transfers take significantly longer than non-exceptional cost transfers. Reviewing time increases when the Late Cost Transfer Policy Exception Request package submitted is incomplete, requiring further requests and additional response time.

To ensure timely processing of your late cost transfer request, follow the steps corresponding to Payroll and Non-Payroll expenditure transfers.

Payroll Late Cost Transfers

Non-Payroll Late Cost Transfers

  1. Complete the Late Cost Transfer Policy Exception Request Form.
    • You must obtain the approval of the appropriate department financial administrator.
  2. Complete all late payroll transfers using the UCPath salary cost transfer Direct Retro process.
  3. Salary Cost Transfer Initiators must complete the Questionnaire section in UCPath to include the following:
    • An explanation of how the error occurred
    • The benefit to the receiving grant
    • A justification of the need to transfer the expenses after the 120-day period
  4. Obtain approval from the Principal Investigator.
  5. Submit the Late Cost Transfer Policy Exception Request packet via email to the CGA Service Desk.
    • Include the UCPath Direct Retro number.
    • Highlight the lines that are late in the salary cost transfer.
    • Include all other pertinent information to explain the late cost transfer.
  1. Complete the Late Cost Transfer Policy Exception Request Form.
    • You must obtain the approval of the appropriate department financial administrator.
  2. Run a Transaction Detail Report (TDR) for the period of the original transaction on the credit side.
  3. Complete, but do not submit the Source Code 545 online journal in PeopleSoft, making sure to complete the Attachment E tab and attach the saved Transaction Detail Report (step 2).

Note when preparing the PeopleSoft Journal:

  • Use Source Code 545 only for all cost transfers. Attempts to circumvent can lead to revocation of access rights to the PeopleSoft Journal process.
  • When a 545 Cost Transfer Journal for federal or federal flow-thru funds is processed that contains at least one line item that is beyond 120 days of its original posting, the system will display a warning message to the preparer and approver that the journal entry is not in compliance. This warning can be dismissed.
  • Do not submit the journal until notified by CGA the late cost transfer has been approved.
  1. Submit the Late Cost Transfer packet in an email to the CGA Service Desk with all of the following attached by the 15th of the month:
    1. Completed Late Cost Transfer Exception Request Form
    2. Journal ID of the saved 545 PeopleSoft journal