Identifying and Handling Unclaimed Payments

Department administrators must request access to the Controller's Office Unclaimed Payments Box folder.

1. Email [email protected] with the subject "Request to access unclaimed payments."
2. Once access is granted, you will receive an email with a link to the Box folder: Controller's Office Unclaimed Payments.
3. Log into UCSF Box from MyAccess.
4. Access the folder using your choice of the following methods:
   • Clicking the link included in the access email
   • By navigating to the Controller's Office Unclaimed Payments folder from your All Files menu
   • Using Box Drive (opens in new window)

Note: UCSF Box users may encounter Box files with a ".ccsecure" file extension. Visit CipherCloud .ccsecure Files (opens in new window) on the UCSF Information Technology website for instructions on decrypting files using the CipherCloud agent.

Access to the Controller's Office Unclaimed Payments Box folder is granted upon request and includes access to the following:

• Unclaimed Payments as of Month DD, YYYY
  • This list includes only unclaimed payments as of the stated date.
  • The list is segmented by bank account, with individual worksheet tabs for the following accounts:
    • Account 10110 - Cash-BofA Contracts and Grants
    • Account 10101 - Cash-BofA Accounts Receivable
    • Account 10102 - Cash-BofA Auxiliary Activity
    • Account 10103 - Cash-BofA Student Activity
  • The list is updated weekly and will be available by the end of business on Tuesdays except during fiscal year-end and monthly close, after Monday holidays, and when data from the bank or MyReports is delayed. In these cases, posting of the list may be delayed.
  • Only the current list is available; there is no archive of previous lists.
  • The list may include payments for sponsored research that have not yet been claimed by Contracts and Grants Accounting (CGA).
    • Payments claimed by CGA for sponsored research that have not yet been applied can be viewed in the Research Administration System (RAS) using the Deposit/Payment Inquiry Report.
• Lockbox Detail and Images folder
  • These reports provide additional detailed information for payments made by lockbox including images of checks.
    • The reports do not include images for payments deposited to the Contracts and Grants Accounting (CGA) lockbox. Sponsored research payments should be deposited to this lockbox and are claimed by CGA. Departments can view more information about these claimed payments in the RAS Deposit/Payment Inquiry Report.
  • Reports contain information by day for all (excluding CGA) lockboxes (MM-DD-YYYY Lockbox ######).
    • For some days, the amount of information will exceed the report limits. For these days, a separate report (MM-DD-YYYY Lockbox Supplemental Report) for each lockbox will be posted for the day.
  • Reports may include both claimed and unclaimed check payments.
  • Reports are organized by month (YYYYMM Month) and reports for the previous fiscal year are archived (Archived Lockbox Detail and Images) at the beginning of the next fiscal year.

Departments should review the Unclaimed Payments List every week. During review, departments should mark payments for their department using the green columns located on the far right of the spreadsheet. Entering this information timely helps prevent duplicate claims. Marking the list does not create a journal or notify central units; follow the procedures below to execute the claim in the UCSF financial system. 

1. Open the Unclaimed Payments as of Month DD, YYYY.
   • If you login to Box on the web to access the folder and files, you will need to Open the file using Excel Online (preferred) or Excel. Although you can filter data in preview mode, you must open the file to mark your claimed payments. 
2. Identify payments to claim. Be sure to check each worksheet tab relevant to your department's business activity. Use filters to find applicable payments more easily.
   • If you filter on Dept ID Desc or Lockbox Dept, remember that the bank does not provide this information for every payment. You will also need to review lines where a Dept ID Desc or Lockbox Dept cannot be determined.
3. Enter Dept ID, Email Address of Person Making Claim, Date Claimed, and Amount Claimed for each payment you are claiming. These columns are labeled in green and located on the far right of the spreadsheet.
   • Do not delete any previously entered data in these fields.
   • Add your information in the formula bar not directly into the cell to avoid deleting previously entered information.
4. The Unclaimed Balance will calculate automatically.
5. Save the file to Box. Do not rename the file.
   • This is a shared file; save and close the file immediately after your complete your analysis or if you are not continually using the file to avoid overlap issues. 

To prevent excessive or duplicate claims, departments should not delete information that has been entered but rather add new information to the existing entry. Departments should complete claiming information on the list regardless of whether the department prepares the cash journal or provides the information to central units to record the claim in the UCSF financial system as described below.

To claim funds in the UCSF financial system, departments should follow these procedures:

• For sponsored research
  • Notify Contracts and Grants Accounting (CGA) who will record the payment in the Research Administration System (RAS).
  • Instructions for claiming unapplied deposits (not included in the Unclaimed Payments List) for sponsored awards are provided in Identifying Unapplied Sponsored Research Payments.
• For department accounts receivable
  • Email [email protected].
  • Instructions for claiming unapplied payments for Dept A/R invoices are provided in Monitoring Department Accounts Receivable.
• For all other receivables
  • Follow the procedures outlined in How to Prepare, Edit, and Submit Cash Journals in PeopleSoft (Source Code 320).
  • Cash journals should be prepared and approved at least weekly, and must be prepared, approved, and posted before month-end close. 

Unclaimed payments will be viewable in the Unclaimed Payments List and remain in Accounts 10101, 10102, 10103 and 10110 for 12 months. After 12 months, the funds will be transferred to the Central Fund on a rolling 13-month basis. This time frame allows a minimum of 54 weeks for departments to identify and claim funds received by UCSF. During this period, the Cash Operations Team works across the campus to assist departments with identifying and moving funds to the appropriate organization.

Process Used to Transfer Funds to the Central Fund

Transferring payments to the Central Fund must comply with applicable policies and procedures. All transfers from Accounts 10101, 10102, 10103 and 10110 are researched extensively and determined to be unidentifiable. The items proposed in the transfer must contain a sufficient explanation with full documentation. The transfer request will be reviewed and approved by the Controller's Office Cash Operations Manager. The Cash Operations Team will maintain documentation of all items that were transferred to the Central Fund and make this information available to any department upon their request. To request the list of items transferred to the Central Fund, send an email message to [email protected] with the subject "Request for central fund transfer list."