The University Auditor, Barbara Deily, has been waiting 20 years for a course that will better teach staff the criticality and process of financial review and reconciliation. While others may not have this long-term perspective, Deily’s wish rose to the top of everyone’s list with the implementation of the Integrated System in July 2002, when well entrenched procedures no longer served the purpose. Now, the FUSS task force, with input from Financial Administration, Office of Sponsored Programs, and the Audit Department, has created that course, and it is about to be rolled out to the University community.

“This course is extremely comprehensive,” says Rose Chisholm, ISDS Director of System Usability. Chisholm and the FUSS task force have worked with Stan Cornett, from the Division of Training, for the past three months to incorporate everything financial employees need to know to review and reconcile their accounts and to understand the context in which their work resides.

“The course is divided into three sections and includes labs,” says Chisholm. These include:
• Sources and Uses of Funds Overview

• The University’s requirements regarding sources and uses of funds
• How the Integrated System is used to fulfill those requirements
• Project relationships, and how those relationships affect the data seen on reports

• Expenditure Review and Reconciliation Process
• Revenue Review and Reconciliation Process

The FUSS task force has so far:
• Presented a high level overview to the offices of Finance, Budget, Sponsored Programs, and Audit
• Presented the course to a pilot group of end users from across Grounds
• Presented the course to the offices of Finance, Sponsored Programs, and Audit

Next steps include presenting the course to subject matter experts from across Grounds and handing the course over to the Comptroller’s office to roll out at the school and departmental level.

Many will appreciate the efforts put forth by the FUSS task force with the help of the central offices, but the Audit department has a particularly acute interest in accurate and thorough review and reconciliation. It is, therefore, not a surprise that Deily is “thrilled to see this on its way out to be shared with the University community.”