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2005-06 FINANCIAL FORECAST and 2006-07 BUDGET CALL Guidelines and Training Manual 1
2005-06 FINANCIAL FORECAST
and2006-07 BUDGET CALL
Guidelines and Training Manual
February 2006
Version 3
1
This document is also available online at www.yorku.ca/finweb/
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION.................................................................5
1.1 Financial Year-End Forecast and Budget Call..............................................7
1.2 Changes to Financial Forecast and Budget Call Submission.....................8
2 2005-06 FINANCIAL FORECAST GUIDELINES.....................10
2.1 Overview.........................................................................................................10
2.2 Preparation and Submission........................................................................10
2.3 Variance Analysis..........................................................................................10
2.4 Deadline..........................................................................................................11
3 2006-07 BUDGET CALL GUIDELINES.................................12
3.1 Submission Due Date....................................................................................12
3.2 Budget Call Changes for 2006-07.................................................................12
3.3 Chart of Account Changes............................................................................12
3.4 Budgeting Overview......................................................................................13
3.5 Budget Principles...........................................................................................14
3.6 Budgeting for Revenue.................................................................................15
3.7 Budgeting for Salary and Benefits...............................................................17
3.8 Budgeting for Other Expenses.....................................................................20
4 FINANCIAL FORECAST AND BUDGET CALL TRAINING GUIDE22
4.1 Access to the Forecast/Budget Call eReports............................................22
4.2 How to Complete the Financial Forecast.....................................................27
4.2.1 Financial Forecast & Budget >>Entry..........................................................27
4.2.2 eSpreadsheet Creation................................................................................28
4.2.3 The eSpreadsheet........................................................................................29
4.2.4 eSpreadsheet Header..................................................................................30
4.2.5 eSpreadsheet Column Header Descriptions................................................31
4.2.6 eSpreadsheet Button Function Descriptions................................................32
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4.2.7 Forecast Procedure......................................................................................33
4.2.8 Finalize Forecast..........................................................................................38
4.2.9 Forecast Diagnostic & Audit Report............................................................39
4.2.10 Forecast Variance Report...........................................................................40
4.3 How to Complete Your Budget.....................................................................43
4.3.1 Financial Forecast & Budget >>Entry..........................................................43
4.3.2 eSpreadsheet Creation................................................................................44
4.3.3 The eSpreadsheet........................................................................................45
4.3.4 eSpreadsheet Header..................................................................................46
4.3.5 eSpreadsheet Column Header Descriptions................................................47
4.3.6 eSpreadsheet Button Function Descriptions................................................48
4.3.7 Budget Procedures......................................................................................49
4.3.8 Finalize Budget............................................................................................52
4.3.9 Budget Diagnostic & Audit Reports..............................................................54
4.4 Financial Forecast and Budget >> View.....................................................56
4.5 Downloading into Excel................................................................................58
4.5.1 Downloading into Excel from .pdf Reports...................................................58
4.5.2 Downloading into Excel from eSpreadsheet................................................59
4.6 Report Links...................................................................................................61
4.6.1 Detail Report and Summary Report Link.....................................................61
4.6.2 Cost Centre to Cost Centre/ATL Link...........................................................62
4.6.3 Financial Rollup Level to Cost Centre Level Link.........................................63
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Appendix A: Salary Planning File...........................................................................64
I. Overview..........................................................................................................64
II. Parameter Page...............................................................................................65
III. Excel Spreadsheet...........................................................................................66
IV. Qualifications and Limitations..........................................................................76
V. Functionality within Salary Planning File..........................................................77
Appendix B: General Guidelines Forecast 2005-06...............................................82
Appendix C: General Guidelines Budget 2006-07.................................................84
Appendix D: Fund 100 Variance Submission Form...............................................85
Appendix E: Others...................................................................................................87
1) Community Notice 08 Feb 2006.......................................................................87
2) Highlights 2005-06 Forecast / 2006-07 Budget Call Memo 08 Feb 2006........88
5 POINTS OF CONTACT......................................................................90
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1 INTRODUCTION
Division of Finance website:
www.yorku.ca/finweb/
The Finance website is updated regularly to communicate pertinent information such as month-end and year-end deadline dates, changes in the chart of accounts, contact lists, finance documents and forms, and University policies and procedures.
eReports website:
www.yorku.ca/ereports/
The eReports website contains various up-to-date financial reports with information current to the end of the previous business day. Development of further reports and enhancements of current reports is ongoing.
As of January 2006, eReports includes:
Endowments
o Balance Sheet for Endowments
Financial Management
o Allocation Bridging Summary
o Balance Sheet
o Budget Submission Summary
o Employee and Institutional Advances
o Internal Grant
o Payroll Distribution
o Planning Budget Accountability (PBA)
o Salary Commitment Report
o Statement of Operations
o Transaction Details
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Other
o Job Task Hazard Analysis
o Telecommunications Statement
Personnel
o Employee Job Detail
o Employee Leave Status
o Employee Listing by Department
o Employee Personnel Data
o Employee Training Report
o Positions that are Vacant
Purchases and Payables
o Invoice Details
o Outstanding PO Commitments
o Purchase Order Status
Please be reminded that the above reports depend on the security access of the users. If you are not seeing reports to which you should have access, please contact [email protected] to request access.
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1.1 Financial Year-End Forecast and Budget Call
The key essentials to complete a year-end forecast and an initial budget submission are:
Tools of Information
Communication
To this end, the Finance Division is once again promoting to production for the community’s use the Financial Forecast and Budget Call eReport. This report is accessible via eReports and is an interactive medium enabling the incorporation of the most up-to-date financial information over the entire Forecast and Budget Call exercises. The data spreadsheets can be downloaded into Excel, including calculating fields. The search and download into Excel functionality of eReports is present and can be used to download rollups into Excel. These functions enable users to quickly and efficiently prepare spreadsheets for analysis, manipulation of various scenarios, presentation, and/or archiving.
The Salary Planning File is also once again available as a companion eReport for the Budget Call exercise. The Salary Planning File allows for a download of all full-time contracts within the Human Resources database into an Excel spreadsheet. The report is based upon the full fiscal year of May 1, 2006 – April 30, 2007. The underlying calculations of the salary commitments, including the incremental increases, and the calculations of the base allocations are downloaded onto the spreadsheet. This spreadsheet is then a tool whereby a department can change, add, or delete salary expenditures according to their budget plan and take the calculated totals for input into the Budget Call.
Drafts of forecasts and budget calls can be viewed at the Activity, Time and Location level up through all roll-up levels within each division. The report contains tools of forecast calculations and is continually updated with the actual revenues and expenditures within the Finance database and the estimated salary commitments within the Human Resources database.
The report continues to be an available tool after all submissions have been completed. For example, after the forecasts have been finalized, comparative analyses can continue to year-end. Final reports comparing actual results, forecasts submitted, and budgets submitted can be produced, analyzed, and archived.
Feedback from the community over the report’s inaugural year has been incorporated within the program to further enhance the report’s functionality and the major changes are outlined in Section 1.2.
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1.2 Changes to Financial Forecast and Budget Call Submission
There are four major areas of enhanced functionality within the Forecast 2005-06 /
Budget Call 2006-07 eReport and these changes are briefly highlighted below.
1. Forecast Variance Reports and Submission:
Forecast variance reports are now generated within the Forecast/Budget Call eReport
and submission from the community to Financial Reporting will now be done via data
entry in eReports. Generation within the eReport allows for the most up-to-date financial
data to be used within the variance reports, allows for the widest distribution of the
information possible (dependent upon current access), and enables users to enter the
variance reports with comments and analysis directly into eReports.
2. CC or CC/ATL choices of submission:
Forecast and Budget submissions can now be done either at the cost centre level or at
the cost centre/activity-time-location level and have the financial data within the report
corresponding to the CC or CC/ATL choice of submission. Previously, the report allowed
for CC or CC/ATL submissions, however, the financial data would only create at the
CC/ATL level if ATL transactions were present in the historical data of the cost centre.
Please note:
Only forecast or budget data entry can be done at any one time within the
spreadsheets. A new step determines whether the requested function is data entry for
the Forecast or for the Budget.
Upon initial access into a cost centre and the indication of Forecast data
entry, a prompt will appear and the CC or the CC/ATL level for the Forecast must be
chosen in order to continue. Upon initial access into a cost centre and the indication of
Budget data entry, a prompt will appear and the CC or the CC/ATL level for the Budget
must be chosen in order to continue. The same submission level for both the
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Forecast and for the Budget is not required. If different submission levels are
chosen, the eSpreadsheet will only display the budget data entered when working
on the Budget Call and will only display the forecast data entered when working on
the Forecast. All data entered, i.e. both budget and forecast, will display on the
cost centre rollup report.
The user cannot reverse the choice of CC or CC/ATL for the Forecast and/or
for the Budget in the eReport system. A request to Budgets & Planning or Financial
Reporting to reverse the submission level choice must be submitted. The reversal of the
Forecast and Budget level choices will delete all data entry in the data column in
question, i.e. all Forecast data (not Budget data) if only requesting the reversal of the
Forecast submission level choice or all Budget data (not Forecast data) if only requesting
the reversal of the Budget submission level choice. Due to the above, it is imperative
that all involved are updated prior to data entry as to each area’s submission level
of choice for the Forecast and for the Budget.
3. Automatic Calculation of Benefit Accounts Lines
The Budget submission report now includes the option of an automatic calculation of the
benefit account lines corresponding to the salary account lines and calculating from the
budget data entered on the salary lines. This is an optional function and the calculated
amounts within the benefit account lines can be overwritten in order to accommodate any
anomalous situations (e.g. T4 and T4A income included within the salary line amount).
4. Diagnostic Reports of Forecast/Budget Approval Status
Diagnostic reports are now available that identify the Forecast and Budget submission
status (approved or not approved) of the unit’s cost centres (including separate lines for
CC/ATLs). This will allow for various levels of management to track their overall status of
Forecast and Budget submission completion.
All of the items highlighted above are discussed in greater detail in the applicable
sections of this guideline/training manual.
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2 2005-06 FINANCIAL FORECAST GUIDELINES
2.1 Overview
A financial forecast is an estimate of the year-end financial position of your faculty/dept cost centre. It is comprised of the actual revenues and expenditures incurred year to date and an estimate of revenues and expenditures that will be incurred for the remainder of the year.
The year-end forecast is a valuable tool to enable the University and individual units/faculties to analyze the progression of the fiscal year and assists in the preparation of the next Budget plan and submissions.
2.2 Preparation and Submission
The forecast process consists of two elements.
1) The creation of estimated revenue and expenses to the end of the year and
2) An explanation of why the year-end financial position is higher or lower than the current budget.
The Financial Forecast and Budget Call eSpreadsheet is the tool by which a unit is able to accurately calculate, prepare, and submit the financial year-end forecast.
Units have the choice of using the Forecast/Budget Call eSpreadsheet to calculate and prepare the year-end forecast, continuing to use tools already developed within their areas, or a combination of both. The final forecast, however, must be submitted to Finance via the eSpreadsheet. A detailed explanation of how to use your eSpreadsheet is available in Section 4.2.
A financial forecast should be developed for each cost centre. If required, it can be developed and submitted at the Cost Centre/Activity-Time-Location level.
2.3 Variance Analysis
Explanations need to be submitted for net income variances (forecast to budget) greater than +/- 10% at the faculty or department level.
Additional analysis is requested at the group account level, as defined in PBA, where a variance greater than +/- 10% exists. New this year is a feature that allows you to submit your variance analysis through the Forecast Variance Report on eReports. See Section 4.2.9 for more details.
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Please note an explanation is also required for any cost centre in Fund 100. A variance explanation template is available on the Finance website specifically for Fund 100 cost centres. This template asks for a summary explanation and details based on account groupings. Please e-mail this spreadsheet back to Michael Humpage at [email protected].
Central Allocations
If units have any outstanding central allocations, please provide details to Financial Reporting and we will convey them to the Office of Budgets and Planning.
2.4 Deadline
Your forecast and explanation of variances submission is required no later than Friday, March 3, 2006. We would appreciate you submitting variance explanations as soon as they are available.
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3 2006-07 BUDGET CALL GUIDELINES
3.1 Submission Due Date
All budget submissions must be approved and VP/AVP authorization received by the Office of Budgets and Planning no later than Monday, April 10, 2006. Clicking the Approved Budget of the eSpreadsheet or Finalize Budget button of the Finalize Budget page with an email/memo from the VP/AVP will complete the budget submission.
3.2 Budget Call Changes for 2006-07
Consistent with past practice, Faculties/Divisions will receive their Initial Base Allocation at the beginning of 2006-07 in the Cuttable and Non-Cuttable Base Allocation accounts based upon 2005-06 ending positions. All Faculties/Divisions will see a cut on Account 099101 representing 2.5% of their cumulative fiscal 2005-06 year-end cuttable base allocations. The base cut applies to all cuttable base allocations. Faculties/Divisions should develop their budget factoring in the 2006-07 base cut.
The initial cuttable, account 099010, non-cuttable base, account 099011, and the base cut, account 099101, are calculated within the Forecast/Budget Call in rows 10, 11, and 12 (above the Revenue heading). These figures are based upon all allocations processed through the General Ledger as of the end of the prior business day. The 2006-07 budget fields should be input to match these calculations unless additional 2005-06 base allocations are outstanding and still to be processed and/or base within the faculty/division/unit is to be realigned (as directed by processes within the individual units).
The Forecast/Budget Call eReport now has the optional functionality of benefit calculations based upon the salaries input in the Budget data entry column. The calculated amounts within the benefit account lines can be overwritten in order to accommodate any anomalous situations (e.g. T4 and T4A income included within the salary line amount). The Salary Planning File also calculates the benefit amounts and represents a more accurate calculation if T4A income is included within the total salary amount, however, for those salary lines with no T4A salary component amounts, the benefit calculation function reduces the data entry necessary. See Section XXX for further details.
Diagnostic reports are now available that identify the Budget submission status (approved or not approved) of the unit’s cost centres (including separate lines for CC ATLs). This will allow for various levels of management to track their overall status of Budget submission completion. See Section 4.5.5 for further details.
3.3 Chart of Account Changes
An updated list of accounts, activities, time and location can be found in the Finance website. If you plan to use chartfield combinations not used in the current operating year, contact Michael Humpage at ext 40583 or email at [email protected].
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3.4 Budgeting Overview
What is a Budget?
A budget is:
A plan based upon the goals of your area and translated into the revenue and expenses
A budget plan is:
A Presentation of your upcoming year’s plans and goals
The basis for analysis and feedback at year-end comparing to the year’s actual revenue and expenditures.
A budget plan is a tool to assist in measuring:
Upcoming risks of operations and/or projects
Viability of proposals
Reasonability of previous assumptions
Past anomalies in expenditures/revenue
Continuing trend change in expenditures/revenue
Performance
A budget facilitates:
Cost centre/departmental planning
Institutional planning
Accountability within the cost centre/department
Proactive management
A budget is only as good as the effort expended in:
Initial Preparation
Maintenance
Monitoring
Year-end analysis
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3.5 Budget Principles
The following budget principles are meant to provide everyone involved in budgeting at York University with a common understanding and framework:
a) A budget is a financial plan developed for the new fiscal year. A budget is not a final scenario based on perfect information, but rather on a number of planning assumptions. A budget is based on the best estimates of revenue from all sources (Central Allocations, ECRs, and ICRs) and all known or planned expenditures at the time the budget is set.
b) A budget for a Cost Centre or Faculty/Division should be balanced. That is, the total expenditures should not exceed the total revenue from all sources. An exception to this would be a Faculty/Division that has a surplus carryforward available from previous years. In this case, the Faculty/Division or organization may “overspend” its in-year revenue from all sources, thereby drawing down the surplus carryforward. Another exception would be a deficit budget submission that was approved in advance by both the Vice-President overseeing that Faculty/Division and the Manager of the Office of Budgets and Planning.
c) Once a budget is set for the fiscal year, a revised budget does not need to be submitted to the Office of Budgets and Planning. The budget is a yardstick against which Actual results are measured. It is not possible to plan all revenues and expenses to the exact dollar. Faculties/Divisions should be able to explain major variances between Actual results and the Budget in the year-end reconciliation process. If major adjustments are required, please contact Office of Budgets and Planning.
d) Faculties/Divisions are monitored and evaluated on a bottom-line basis. While Faculties/Divisions must be able to explain major variances on a line-by-line basis, the Office of Budgets and Planning is primarily concerned that Faculties/Divisions restrict spending to within total revenues.
e) A Faculty/Division is accountable for the use of its allocations. Consequently, all adjustments to Central Allocations are to be done via the Office of Budgets and Planning on an Allocation Journal Entry form.
f) Salary budgets must include all approved positions, even if they are currently vacant. However, the Faculty/Division should only include in the budget, as an expense, the amount they actually intend to spend on each of these positions during the year. Vacant positions that are to be filled mid-year, or filled positions that are expected to be vacant for a portion of the year, should be included only for that portion of the year that they will be filled.
g) For those centres centrally funded, across-the-board salary increases (e.g., as the result of union negotiations) are funded from central sources. All other increases such as promotions, re-evaluations, etc., are funded from within a Faculty/Division’s existing resources.
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h) For those centres centrally funded, increases in benefits costs beyond the existing standard rates will be funded by central sources.
i) Faculties/Divisions will incur benefit expenses at the standard rate for each employee group based on the volume of salary expenses for that group.
j) Faculties/Divisions must be aware of and abide by the rules regarding consultants. If an individual does not meet the criteria to qualify as a consultant, they must be paid as an employee through payroll and the applicable benefits will be charged. Guidelines regarding consultants can be obtained from the Comptroller’s Office.
3.6 Budgeting for Revenue
Central Allocations
The University generates revenue from government grants, tuition fees and other sources such as donations and investment income, which are divided into various allocations and then distributed to Faculties/Divisions. Centrally funded allocations are the main source of revenue to most Faculties/Divisions. Faculties/Divisions must budget the revenues they expect to receive in each of the appropriate accounts and these will appear on the monthly Allocation Bridging Summary report. When allocations are transferred to the Faculty/Division, the amount(s) will appear in the actuals column of the Statement of Operations and will also appear on the Allocation Bridging Summary.
For the 2006-07 fiscal year, use the following accounts to record the various allocations:
Base Allocations:
099010 – Initial Cuttable Base Allocation. This represents the Faculty/Division’s initial base funding level for the year, and is subject to any base allocation reductions applied as part of the budget planning process. The amount that is budgeted on this account should be the final cuttable base allocation figure from the previous year, i.e. the sum of 2005-06 final dollars in 099010, 099110, 099100 and 099101.
099011 – Initial Non-Cuttable Base Allocation. This represents the Faculty/Division’s base funding level for the year that is not normally subject to any base allocation reductions applied as part of the budget planning process. The amount that is budgeted on this account should be the final non-cuttable base allocation figure from the previous year for this account, i.e. the sum of 2005-06 final dollars in 099011 and 099111.
099100 – CutBase F200 Alloc to/fr RSV. This account is used for any cuttable base allocations that a Faculty/Division expects to receive during the year from central sources. Any expected base central funding for incremental salary/benefit increases should be included on this revenue budget line. Note, as previously
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stated, the budget lines for anticipated salary/benefit costs should also include any upcoming known or reasonably expected incremental costs.
099110 – CutBase Trsf btw Fund 200 F/D. This account is used for any cuttable base transfers between different Faculties/Division within Operating Fund 200 (excluding those from central sources). If base transfers between faculties/divisions are a component of the expected budget, then they should be recorded on Account 099110 in both budget submissions, i.e. the cost centre to be debited and the cost centre to be credited. A schedule detailing each side of the transfers should be part of the unit’s budget backup material and available upon request.
099111 – NCut Base F200 Alloc to/fr RSV. This account is used for any non-cuttable base allocations that a Faculty/Division expects to receive during the fiscal year from central sources.
099101 – Base Cut. This account is used to record the cut to a Faculty/Division’s cuttable base allocations. The 2006-07 cut is 2.5% and applies to all Faculties/Divisions cost centres.
OTO Allocations:
099500 – OTO F200 Alloc to/from RSV. This account is used for any OTO allocation that a Faculty/Division expects to receive during the year from central sources. These could include OTO allocations for growth-above-target, allocations to cover any OTO salary payment, temporary funding for specific initiatives, OTO recoveries as part of the salary increment exercise, and so on.
099911 – OTO Trsf btw F200 Facs/Divs. This account is used for any OTO transfers between Faculties/Divisions in Operating Fund 200. If OTO transfers are a component of the expected budget, then they should be recorded on Account 099911 in both budget submissions, i.e. the cost centre to be debited and the cost centre to be credited. A schedule detailing each side of the transfers should be part of the unit’s budget documentation and available upon request.
099912 – OTO Trsf within F/D F200 CC Range. This account is used for OTO transfers between Faculties/Divisions in Operating Fund 200 at an intra-departmental level. If intra-departmental OTO transfers are a component of the expected budget, then they should be recorded on Account 099912 in both budget submissions, i.e. the cost centre to be debited and the cost centre to be credited. A schedule detailing each side of the transfers should be part of the unit’s budget documentation and available upon request.
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Internal Cost Recoveries (ICRs)
Internal Cost Recoveries (ICRs) are revenues derived from other York Faculties/Divisions. The purpose of an ICR is to offset expenses that were incurred on the expenditure section of the budget. If ICR funds are being used to fund any staff or faculty positions, names, positions, and amounts should be detailed in the unit’s budget documentation.
Inter-Fund Transfers
The inter-fund transfer accounts should be used in cases where a transfer is taking place between two different funds. All inter-fund transactions require the use of the appropriate accounts (919000 to 928200 for expenses and 091900 to 092600 for revenues).
External Cost Recoveries (ECRs)
External Cost Recoveries (ECRs) are revenues derived from non-York sources. The purpose of an ECR is to offset expenses that were incurred on the expenditure section of the budget. If ECR funds are being used to fund any staff or faculty positions, names, positions, and amounts should be detailed in the unit’s budget documentation.
Other Revenues
This category includes external revenues that do not qualify as ECRs, and revenues that do not necessarily have an offsetting expense account (i.e. donations).
Note: ECR and Other revenue should be reported separately and should not be netted against expenses.
3.7 Budgeting for Salary and Benefits
The following categories are used for the budgeting/expensing of salary and benefits. Some examples of each are listed below:
Faculty – Administration: salary and related benefits for all Faculty members (typically YUFAE) who are filling administrative positions within the Faculty, including any administrative stipends. All Faculty members who occupy administrative positions should be paid from an account in this category.
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Faculty – Full-Time: all full-time academic staff, such as YUFA, CLAs, SRCs and OHFA.
Faculty – Contract: items such as CUPE 3903-2 and CUPE Exempt.
Teaching Assistants: items such as CUPE 3903-1 (including Grant-in-Aid through Faculty of Graduate Studies).
Research: items such as YUFA Sabbatical salaries, Research Stipends, Research Assistants, Graduate Assistantships (including CUPE 3903-3), Matching Fund GAs (FGS only).
Support/Administration: CPM, TCM, YUSA, CUPE 1356, IUOE, Casuals, YUTA.
The guidelines below should be followed in budgeting for salaries and benefits:
a) All approved positions should be documented in the unit’s Salary Planning File, even those currently vacant, if they are to be filled in whole or in part during the upcoming fiscal year. In addition, any staff on leave (i.e. for LOAWP, maternity leave, etc.) should be included with a note indicating their status and the name of their replacement.
b) Salaries should be budgeted by individual position based on the amounts (contractual or otherwise) that are known at the time of the budget. For example, if an employee is expected to work for six months before taking a LOAWOP, only six months salary and benefits should be budgeted for that person. If there is a replacement position for six months, the budget should also include six months salary and benefits for the replacement.
c) Only the salary expenses that relate to the activities of the Faculty/Division should be recorded in the books of a Division. In cases where a Faculty member assumes an administrative position in another Faculty, the base funding associated with that individual should be transferred from his/her home Faculty to the other Faculty by using an Allocation Journal Entry form, and an ETF should be completed in order that this individual be paid by the new Faculty. A base transfer for course relief should be done to the home Faculty by the new Faculty, using an Allocation Journal Entry form. When the appointment is finished, the process should be reversed. This process should in no way impact the approved Faculty complement figures.
d) All positions should be budgeted using the known 2006-07 salaries and benefits if agreements with the employee groups are in place. If not, the pay rate in place at April 30, 2006 should be used for budgeting purposes. Any anticipated increases related to promotions, job re-evaluation, etc., should be budgeted to the appropriate salary lines. Funding from University compensation reserves will be provided to those centrally-funded units for general increases that apply to entire employee groups, as specified in collective agreements and/or other official documents setting out their
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increases. All other increases are to be funded from within Faculty/Divisional existing resources.
e) All positions should be budgeted on the appropriate account for their employee affiliation. Overtime/stipends should be budgeted for separately using the appropriate account for the employee’s affiliation. Please refer to the Chart of Accounts.
f) Benefits should be budgeted using the standard benefits rate for that employee group, as documented in the Chart of Accounts.
g) The Vice-President responsible for the Faculty/Division must approve secondments to external Cost Centres. The details concerning the budgeting and bookkeeping will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
h) The regular salary expenses related to Graduate Teaching Assistants (TAs) should be budgeted on Account 121000, and done in co-ordination with the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS). Only full-time York graduate students engaged in teaching services should be charged to this account. The amount must also include the 4% vacation pay.
All expenses related to the Grant-in-Aid portion of Graduate Teaching Assistants are paid through the Faculty of Graduate Studies and consequently will be budgeted within FGS on Account 121500.
i) All budgeting for CUPE 3903 Unit 3 Graduate Assistantships (REG 121600 and GIA 121700) must be done in co-ordination with the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
j) All budgeting for Research Assistantships (194001 and 194101) must be done in co-ordination with the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
k) All budgeting for Matching Fund Graduate Assistantships (194501 and 194601) must be done in co-ordination with the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
Notes:
1) There is a Salary Planning File provided as a tool to help out the community to budget on salaries, benefits and its base and OTO incremental allocations. See Appendix A.
2) There is also a Calc Benefits (Auto calculation of benefits) button at the bottom of the eSpreadsheet that will automatically calculate the benefits based upon the standard benefit percentages.
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3.8 Budgeting for Other Expenses
The following categories make up the balance of the expenses that need to be budgeted:
Operating Costs. This is where all expenses not specifically dealt with elsewhere will be recorded. Included are expenses for grants, postage, travel, repairs and maintenance, minor capital purchases, recruitment, professional and membership fees, library acquisitions, and transfers to other funds within the University.
Amortization of Capital Assets. Finance Division only uses these accounts for year-end adjustments.
Cost of Goods Sold. This category includes the cost of goods that are primarily purchased for resale. This category is mostly applicable to ancillary operations such as the Bookstore buying books for resale, or Printing Services buying paper for printing sales. This is also applicable within the Operating Fund, for example, the Library would use “631300 – walk-up copiers” to record the cost of paper/toner, etc.
Taxes and Utilities. This category would include expenses related to taxes, electricity, heating and cooling, water, telephone rental/long distance charges, and space rental.
Scholarships and Bursaries. This category includes scholarships, bursaries, prizes, awards and tuition waiver amounts paid directly to students. Amounts transferred to other Faculties/Divisions that are subsequently distributed to students should not be budgeted here. Instead, they should be budgeted on one of the internal allocation accounts (099XXX).
Postage Responsibility Centres. The account to be used for this item is 331100. Any questions you may have should be addressed to Mail Services.
Telephone/Data Equipment. There are specific accounts related to charges from Telecommunications. Account 467000 is restricted to Telecom equipment rental. All other telephone equipment rental should be budgeted to Account 467400. Data equipment rental should be budgeted to Account 467500. One-time charges for installing and re-arranging telephone and data equipment should be budgeted to Account 467100. Long distance should continue to be budgeted to Account 332000. All operational queries in connection with telephone equipment should be directed to the Telecommunications Helpline (extension 44357).
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Interest on Long-Term Debt (Fund 300 only). This category would include blended payments of principal and interest (i.e. mortgages), interest payments on internal deficits and deficit repayments.
Note: Expenses for Course materials included in the tuition/course fee should be budgeted/reported in Operating Costs and not Cost of Goods Sold.
When submitting your 2006-07 budgets, expenses are generally expected not to exceed revenues from all sources, except when:
a) Faculty/Division intends to run a deficit to use up existing surplus carryforward amounts; and
b) Faculty/Division has the Vice-President’s/President’s approval to run a deficit without a surplus carryforward.
Consistent with our past practice, Budget Submission takes place upon approval of the relevant VP/AVP.
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4 FINANCIAL FORECAST AND BUDGET CALL TRAINING GUIDE
Topics to be discussed in this chapter are as follows:
Access to the Forecast/Budget Call eReports
How to Complete a Forecast
How to Complete a Budget
Viewing of Reports
Downloading of Reports into Excel
Report Links
4.1 Access to the Forecast/Budget Call eReports
The Financial Forecast and Budget Call toolset of reports is part of eReports
The eReports Browser
There are two ways to access eReports:
Type www.yorku.ca/ereports to access directly the eReports Log-in page; or
Type the www.yorku.ca URL to access the Yorku Homepage.
From the YorkU Home Page, click on
Click on
From the Quick Links on YorkU Faculty and Staff Page, click on to access the eReports the Login page.
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The eReports Log-In Page
Click
In certain setups, the Passport York login will be directly accessed. For others, a secondary step is required. The following box will appear:
Click
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Login by entering User ID and password.
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My Statements Page
Click
My eReports Page
On the eReports listing, the Forecast/Budget Call reports are grouped together under the “Financial Forecast & Budget Call” header.
Reports shown above will be discussed in the following sections:
Diagnostic and Audit Reports – 4.2.9 and 4.3.9
Finalize Budget – 4.3.8
Finalize Forecast – 4.2.8
Financial Forecast & Budget >> Entry – 4.2.1 and 4.3.1
Financial Forecast & Budget >> View – 4.4
Forecast Variance Report – 4.2.10
Salary Planning File – Appendix A
Please be reminded that the above reports depend on the security access of the users. If you are not seeing reports to which you should have access, please contact [email protected] to request access.
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This icon is the training guide’s “help” section. Once clicked, the box below will appear onscreen. This “help icon” includes information as follows:
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4.2 How to Complete the Financial Forecast
4.2.1 Financial Forecast & Budget >>Entry
Click Forecast. Enter the cost centre number. Activity, time and location boxes are provided for those forecasting on the ATL level.
Select the appropriate Fund code.
Fund Code Selection
The “Fund” selection is a drop-down box for the funds to process.
Fund 100, the Special Purpose Projects funds
Fund 200, the Operating fund
Fund 300, the Ancillary Operations
Click
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Forecast & Budget Call – Select Option page
Select the level of forecasting, cost centre or cost centre/activity-time-location, from the drop down selection box by clicking on the appropriate choice.
Notes:
1) The “Select Options” screen will not be seen if the forecast level selection has already been done. If you need to reset the forecast level selection, please call Financial Reporting or the Office of Budgets and Planning.
2) Resetting the forecast level selection will clear any data already entered in the 2005-06 Forecast column.
3) No Budget data entry will be seen in the eSpreadsheet if budget entries are being done on a different level than in the Forecast data entry.
4.2.2 eSpreadsheet Creation
The spreadsheet creates to fill the current screen. In order to view a full-screen of the
eSpreadsheet, click located in the upper right and then click the internet ‘refresh’
button located in the upper left.
Please remember to save your work. The spreadsheet has the functionality of a web page. Therefore, closing the page at the corner “X” will not prompt you to save unsaved work. If the page is closed and a save by the save button on the spreadsheet has not been initiated, any data input from the most recent save will not be written back into the data mart for your use at a later time.
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The following sections describe the sections of the spreadsheet and the steps involved with completing the forecast.
4.2.3 The eSpreadsheet
Below is the view of the eSpreadsheet:
Notes:
1) Gray highlights in the Forecast and/or Budget columns mean editable or writeable cells.
2) Yellow highlights in the Forecast and/or Budget columns mean uneditable or locked cells.
3) Forecast column is highlighted yellow (i.e. locked) when processing budgets and vice versa and when forecast and budget submissions have been finalized.
4) Forecast or Budget columns have zero value when either report is entered on a different level (i.e. Cost Centre or ATL level).
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4.2.4 eSpreadsheet Header
Header includes:
a) Title heading: YORK FINANCIAL FORECAST 2005-06 Detail Report BUDGET CALL 2006-07 Detail Report
For the Period Ended: 31 Jan 06
b) Fund Code e.g. 200
c) Cost Centre number e.g. 232400
d) Cost Centre Description: e.g. Budgets and Planning
e) Cost Centre Status: Either Active or Inactive
f) Forecast Status/Deadline: Open/03-Mar-06
g) Budget Call Status/Deadline: Open/10-Apr-06
h) Run Date: Day, Date and Time when you run the report
i) Manager: Individual responsible for Cost Centre
j) Location: Office Location of the Manager
k) Department: Department Code and name of the dept.
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4.2.5 eSpreadsheet Column Header Descriptions
Column header descriptions:
Account Description: Account name/description
Account Account numbers.
2005-06 Forecast This column is an editable/writeable column where you would do the data entry for your Year-end Forecast to be submitted in Financial Reporting.
2006-07 Budget This is your budget submission for the current year.
2004-05 Budget This column is your 2004-05 budgets viewed for historical comparison purposes.
2004-05 Actuals This column is 2004-05 Actuals ended April 30th
2005-06 Budget This column is your 2005-06 budgets viewed for historical comparison purposes.
2005-06 Actuals+PO Commitments: This is the YTD Actuals results including Purchase Order commitments populated from the Statement of Operations
To Year-end: This is a calculated field. Amount in the salary and benefit lines is the salary commitment to April 30 based on current HR info. The other expenses use the budgeted amount, if the YTD expenditures/revenue are under budget or the YTD actuals amount is the actuals exceed budget.
Total: This is the total 2005-06 Calculated Forecast which is the sum of YTD actual + To Year-end.
2005-06 Forecast to 2005-06 This calculated column is the 2005-06 Forecast less Forecast Budget Variance $ 2005-06 Budget.
2006-07 Budget to 2005-06 This calculated column is the 2006-07 Budget less Forecast Variance $ 2005-06 Forecast
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4.2.6 eSpreadsheet Button Function Descriptions
This saves the data entered.
After entering and finalizing data in the 2005-06 Forecast, clicking this icon freezes the forecast column preventing further data entry. Each cell will be highlighted in yellow. By request only, Financial Reporting Office will unlock your eSpreadsheet. Should you need to make further amendments, contact Michael Humpage at ext 40583 or email at [email protected]
If clicked, then the Total Forecast would be
copiedover to the 2005-06 Forecast columns. By clicking Undo Copy, you will reverse the copy procedure. Once you save your eSpreadsheet, Undo Copy is not available.
If clicked, there are three selections on how you want
to copy to budget. (See Chapter 4.5.1 (Budget Entry).
By clicking Undo Budget Copy, you will reverse the copy procedure. Once you save your eSpreadsheet, Undo Budget Copy is not available
In the event that an account/s is not visible in the
current report this function would view all accounts extrapolated from the Chart of Accounts list
This allows printing the eSpreadsheet into a .pdf file
This allows the eSpreadsheet be downloaded into the Excel spreadsheet. Please note that to unlock cells of the spreadsheet, we have to ‘unprotect’ the worksheet first.
This is the ability to approve budgets in the Community level. Once clicked, and then would lock cells of the 2006-07 Budget column.
This gives the ability to automatically calculate benefit rates based on the account factored in.
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4.2.7 Forecast Procedure
To enter the current year’s forecast, you have two options:
o Enter all data directly into the 2005-06 Forecast column from calculations in other tools; or
o Click ‘Copy Forecast’ Function and have the calculations within the eReport populate the forecast data entry column. Any data requiring change can be overwritten and this function thereby can assist in the calculation of values and the reduction of overall data entry time.
After you select Copy to Forecast, the amounts within the 2005-06 Forecast column will duplicate those within the 2005-06 Calculated Forecast Total column.
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An option of ‘Undo Copy’ function is also available. The Copy
Forecast icon turns into Undo Copy. If you click on this button , you will get the following message:
Upon the “save” command being initiated, the undo copy command is no longer available, however, any information within the 2005-06 Forecast column can still be overwritten and/or the copy to forecast command can again be initiated.
The 2005-06 Calculated Forecast Total Column logic is as follows:
All revenue with the exception of central allocations and YTD negative revenue:
o If the YTD is less than the current year’s budget amount, the current budget amount is entered.
o If the YTD is greater than the current year’s budget amount, the YTD amount is entered.
Central Allocations:
o The YTD amount is entered.
YTD Negative Revenue:
o The YTD amount is entered. As revenue should not be negative, the YTD negative amount is copied in order to indicate an amount that requires investigation.
All expenses with the exception of salary and benefits and YTD negative expenses:
o If the YTD is less than the current year’s budget amount, the current budget amount is entered.
o If the YTD is greater than the current year’s budget amount, the YTD amount is entered.
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Salary and Benefit Expenses:
o All full-time contracts entered within the Human Resource database are costed to the end of the fiscal year and added to the YTD salary and benefit lines. Unless complement changes are anticipated, the salary and benefit calculations within this column are accurate. Please note, any salary and benefit lines associated with part-time bi-weekly work for which timesheets are submitted are not included within these calculations and require an outside calculation and addition into the forecast column.
YTD negative revenue
o The YTD amount is entered. As expenses should not be negative, the YTD negative amount is copied in order to indicate an amount that requires investigation.
The 2005-06 Year-End Calculated Forecast to Year End column lists the amounts added to the YTD amounts to calculate the Year End amounts. The best approach is to review these amounts and confirm if correct. The details of the salary and benefit line amounts remaining can be reviewed in the Salary Commitment report within eReports by clicking on the link in the Forecast/Budget Call report or accessing the Salary Commitment report directly. Please note that there may be account lines without any remaining amounts to year-end in this column that may, in fact, have additional expenses remaining. On-going monthly expenses and any outstanding purchases/invoices require additional amounts to be added to the YTD and entered into the forecast column.
Upon completion of data entry, click the ‘Save’ icon.
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Upon completion of all forecast data and in conjunction with the unit’s overall forecast finalization procedure, the forecast can be finalized by two methods.
o Click the “Finalize Forecast” button at the bottom of the eSpreadsheet.
The following boxes will appear:
;or
o Finalize within the “Finalize Forecast” eReport option on the eReports Listing Page (see Section 4.2.8).
Note: In the event that a forecast is finalized and needs to be re-opened, please contact Michael Humpage in Financial Reporting at [email protected] or the Office of Budgets & Planning.
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Click Refresh to load the finalized data. The lines will be blocked and color will be changed from gray to yellow.
After the deadline date, Financial Reporting then will process closing all forecasts.
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4.2.8 Finalize Forecast
Upon completion of all forecast data and in conjunction with the unit’s overall forecast finalization procedure, the forecast can be finalized by two methods.
Click the “Finalize Forecast” button at the bottom of the eSpreadsheet.
Finalize within the “Finalize Forecast” eReport option on the eReports Listing Page.
This report allows you to finalize the forecast for an individual cost centre, a range of cost centres, or cost centres within a financial rollup.
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4.2.9 Forecast Diagnostic & Audit Report
This report provides a summary of the status of those forecasts not yet finalized.
Fetch Report.
The report may be saved as a .pdf file for archiving purposes or the search function may be used to download the details into Excel for manipulation and/or archiving.
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4.2.10 Forecast Variance Report
The Forecast Variance Report summarizes at the rollup level where analysis is required.
Details on Variances
The Forecast Variance Report can be used to assist in identifying what faculty/division/unit level(s) are responsible for the variance. Comparing all of the available rollups will isolate the level with the variance.
Using eReports Search
It is also possible to use the Forecast Variance Report along with the Search function in eReports to further determine the cause of a variance.
Select the Forecast Variance Report for the highest level of your Dept/Faculty/Unit. This will bring up a report that includes all rollups underneath this highest level. You can then use the Search function to further determine the source of the variance. The steps to do this are as follows:
Select Search. A red box will appear on the left side of the page allowing you to add fields to your search. Move the cursor to the right hand side of the page. When you move the cursor to a particular field a hand will appear – this means that this field is searchable. Click on the following fields to add as criteria for your search – Report Title (i.e. where the name of the department is listed in the header), Account Description, Current Year Budget, Forecast Entry, Forecast to Budget Variance, Budget to Forecast Variance %, Explanation Required, Reasons for Variance. Please note for all fields
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variance explanation
except the Report Title you want to select from the area where the output is displayed and not the title – for example, to select the criteria Budget to Forecast Variance do not click on the title but instead click on one of the fields where an actual percentage is displayed, such as 99%.
After you select your search criteria the search area should look like this:
By adding a Y in the Explanation Required field you will limit the search to just those account lines that require an explanation.
Then click on Search Now. The results of the search will appear in red on the left hand side of the page.
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Scroll down to the bottom of the page and download the results to Excel. You will get a spreadsheet that looks like this:
From this spreadsheet you will be able to see what lower level rollup or grouping is responsible for the variance at the higher level.
Entering Variance Explanations
Additional space is provided for the entry of variance explanations. To enter variance explanations click on the highlighted link Click here for Forecast Variance Worksheet. This will take you to a spreadsheet where you can enter your explanations. You can enter explanations up to 254 characters. (254 characters is an Excel limitation and cannot be bypassed.) If you go beyond this character limit the field will appear in red to alert you. If you do not decrease the length of your explanation it will be cut off when you submit your analysis.
Upon completion of the variance analysis explanations, save the spreadsheet. The explanations are saved within the data mart. To view the explanations in the .pdf report view, it is necessary to close the Forecast Variance Report and reopen it.
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4.3 How to Complete Your Budget
4.3.1 Financial Forecast & Budget >>Entry
Click Budget. Enter the cost centre number. Activity, time and location boxes are provided for those budgeting on the ATL level.
Select the appropriate Fund code.
Fund Code Selection
The “Fund” selection is a drop-down box for the funds to process.
Fund 100, the Special Purpose Projects funds
Fund 200, the Operating fund
Fund 300, the Ancillary Operations
Click
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Forecast & Budget Call – Select Option page
Select the level of budgeting, cost centre or cost centre/activity-time-location, from the drop down selection box by clicking on the appropriate choice.
Notes:
1) The “Select Options” screen will not be seen if the budget level selection has already been done. If you need to reset the budget level selection, please call the Office of Budgets and Planning or Financial Reporting.
2) Resetting the budget level selection will clear any data already entered in the 2006-07 Budget column.
3) No Forecast data entry will be seen in the eSpreadsheet if forecast entries are being done on a different level than in the Budget data entry.
4.3.2 eSpreadsheet Creation
The spreadsheet creates to fill the current screen. In order to view a full-screen of the
eSpreadsheet, click located in the upper right and then click the internet ‘refresh’
button located in the upper left.
Please remember to save your work. The spreadsheet has the functionality of a web page. Therefore, closing the page at the corner “X” will not prompt you to save unsaved work. If the page is closed and a save by the save button on the spreadsheet has not been initiated, any data input from the most recent save will not be written back into the data mart for your use at a later time.
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The following sections describe the sections of the spreadsheet and the steps involved with completing the budget.
4.3.3 The eSpreadsheet
Below is the view of the eSpreadsheet:
Notes:
1) Gray highlights in the Forecast and/or Budget columns mean editable or writeable cells.
2) Yellow highlights in the Forecast and/or Budget columns mean uneditable or locked cells.
3) Forecast column is highlighted yellow (i.e. locked) when processing budgets and vice versa and when forecast or budget submissions have been finalized.
4) Forecast or Budget columns have zero value when either report is entered on a different level (i.e. Cost Centre or ATL level).
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4.3.4 eSpreadsheet Header
Header includes:
a) Title heading: YORK FINANCIAL FORECAST 2005-06 Detail Report BUDGET CALL 2006-07 Detail Report
For the Period Ended: 31 Jan 06
b) Fund Code e.g. 200
c) Cost Centre number e.g. 232400
d) Cost Centre Description: e.g. Budgets and Planning
e) Cost Centre Status: Either Active or Inactive
f) Forecast Status/Deadline: Open/03-Mar-06
g) Budget Call Status/Deadline: Open/10-Apr-06
h) Run Date: Day, Date and Time when you run the report
i) Manager: Individual responsible for Cost Centre
j) Location: Office Location of the Manager
k) Department: Department Code and name of the dept.
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4.3.5 eSpreadsheet Column Header Descriptions
Column header descriptions:
Account Description: Account name/description
Account Account numbers.
2005-06 Forecast This column is an editable/writeable column where you would do the data entry for your Year-end Forecast to be submitted in Financial Reporting.
2006-07 Budget This is your budget submission for the current year.
2004-05 Budget This column is your 2004-05 budgets viewed for historical comparison purposes.
2004-05 Actuals This column is 2004-05 Actuals ended April 30th
2005-06 Budget This column is your 2005-06 budgets viewed for historical comparison purposes.
2005-06 Actuals+PO Commitments: This is the YTD Actuals results including Purchase Order commitments populated from the Statement of Operations
To Year-end: This is a calculated field. Amount in the salary and benefit lines is the salary commitment to April 30 based on current HR info. The other expenses use the budgeted amount, if the YTD expenditures/revenue are under budget or the YTD actuals amount is the actuals exceed budget.
Total: This is the total 2005-06 Calculated Forecast which is the sum of YTD actual + To Year-end.
2005-06 Forecast to 2005-06 This calculated column is the 2005-06 Forecast less Forecast Budget Variance $ 2005-06 Budget.
2006-07 Budget to 2005-06 This calculated column is the 2006-07 Budget less Forecast Variance $ 2005-06 Forecast
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4.3.6 eSpreadsheet Button Function Descriptions
This saves the data entered.
After entering and finalizing data in the 2005-06 Forecast, clicking this icon freezes the forecast column preventing further data entry. Each cell will be highlighted in yellow. By request only, Financial Reporting Office will unlock your eSpreadsheet. Should you need to make further amendments, contact Michael Humpage at ext 40583 or email at [email protected]
If clicked, then the Total Forecast would be
copiedover to the 2005-06 Forecast columns. By clicking Undo Copy, you will reverse the copy procedure. Once you save your eSpreadsheet, Undo Copy is not available.
If clicked, there are three selections on how you want
to copy to budget. (See Chapter 4.5.1 (Budget Entry).
By clicking Undo Budget Copy, you will reverse the copy procedure. Once you save your eSpreadsheet, Undo Budget Copy is not available
In the event that an account/s is not visible in the
current report this function would view all accounts extrapolated from the Chart of Accounts list
This allows printing the eSpreadsheet into a pdf file
This allows the eSpreadsheet be downloaded into the Excel spreadsheet. Please note that to unlock cells of the spreadsheet, we have to ‘unprotect’ the worksheet first.
This is the ability to approve budgets in the Community level. Once clicked, and then would lock cells of the 2006-07 Budget column.
This gives the ability to automatically calculate benefit rates based on the account factored in.
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4.3.7 Budget Procedures
To enter the 2006-07 budget, you have two options:
o Enter all data directly into the 2006-07 Budget column from calculations in other tools; or
o Click “Copy Budget” Function and have the eReport populate the budget data entry column. The “Copy Budget” function offers three possible starting points of data for the 2006-07 budget:
Copying Previous Actuals to Budget
copies the 2004-05 Budget column to 2006-07 Budget column
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Copying Current Budget to Budget
copies 2005-06 Budget column to 2006-07 Budget Column
Copying Forecast to Budget
copies the 2005-06 Forecast column to 2006-07 Budget column.
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An option of ‘Undo Budget Copy’ function is also available. The Copy
Forecast icon turns into Undo Copy. If you click on this button , you will get the following message:
Upon the “save” command being initiated, the undo budget copy command is no longer available, however, any information within the 2006-07 Budget column can still be overwritten and/or the copy to budget command can again be initiated.
Base Fund Status for the Budget Year
o 099010 Initial Cuttable Base Alloc is the total of cuttable base transfers done for 2005-06 i.e. the sum of 099010, 099100, 099110 and 099101.
o 099101 Base Cut @ 2.5% is the calculated base cut.
o 099011 Initial NonCuttable Base Alloc is the total non-cuttable base transfers done for the year i.e. the sum total of 099011 and 099111.
The initial cuttable base, initial non-cuttable base, and the base cut are calculated within the Forecast/Budget Call in rows 10, 11, and 12 (above the Revenue heading). These figures are based upon all allocations processed through the General Ledger as of the end of the prior business day. The 2006-07 budget fields should be input to match these calculations unless additional 2005-06 base allocations are outstanding and still to be processed and/or base within the faculty/division/unit is to be realigned (as directed by processes within the individual units).
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The main expense in any budget is complement cost. The Salary Planning File is a companion tool detailing the most current HR information and allowing for the addition, deletion, and changing of the current complement. It also calculates incremental base and OTO funding for the known upcoming salary increases. The calculated totals for the salary and benefit lines should be transferred from the SPF into the budget column.
Each expense line within the data copied into the budget column should be examined.
o If the expense is a regular, on-going expense and is not expected to increase, the copied value should remain.
o If the expense is a regular, on-going expense and is expected to increase, the re-calculated value should be input.
o If an expense line, or a portion thereof, is from a one-time-only event or an event not expected to occur in the upcoming year, the expense line should be zeroed or the applicable expenses removed from the copied value.
Each revenue line, with the exception of the central allocation lines, should be similarly examined.
The budget guidelines in Sections 3.4 through 3.8 should be reviewed to assist in the budget preparation.
4.3.8 Finalize Budget
Upon completion of all budget data and in conjunction with the unit’s overall budget finalization procedure, the budget can be finalized by two methods.
o Click the “Approve Budget” budget at the bottom of the eSpreadsheet.
The following boxes will appear:
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The eSpreadsheet will reappear and the budget data entry column will be in yellow and the budget header line will display as approved.
o Finalize with the “Finalize Budget” eReport option on the eReports Listing Page (Section 4.3.9).
This report allows you to finalize the budget for an individual cost centre, a range of cost centres, or cost centres within a financial rollup.
Note: In the event that a budget is finalized and needs to be re-opened, please contact the Office of Budgets & Planning directly or email [email protected].
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4.3.9 Budget Diagnostic & Audit Reports
Two reports are available providing a summary of the budgets in either approved status or not approved status.
Arrow down for the Fund code selection.
Click on the report to view
Click
Below are the descriptions of each of the reports:
Budget Status Approved/Finalized: this is the report where we could see all approved/finalized budgets. Please see snap shot below. Columns are consist of the cost centre and description, Manager’s name, Activity, Time and Location, Rev-Exp, Carryforward from Prev Year, Carryforward to Next Year, Last Activity, Last Update and Status Load.
o Cost Centre: numbers and descriptionof submitted/approved cost centres are listed in this column
o Manager: Cost Centre’s manager’s names are listed in this column
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o Activity, Time, Location: ATL codes will be seen in each of these columns
o Rev-Exp : Sum of revenue less expenses will be seen in this column.
o Carryforward from Prev year: 2005-06 carryforward amount will be seen in this column
o Carry forward to Next Year: this denotes expected carryforward for 2006-07 which means a view of favorable or unfavorable budgets could be seen in this whole report. Please note that the carryforward from previous year amount is extrapolated from the YTD Actuals+Commitment balance taken from the day’s Statement of Operations.
o Last Activity: this denotes the date a cost centre was last saved.
o Last Update: this denotes whom last approved/finalized a cost centre’s budget.
o Status/Load: this has two reports status to show A or F and Y or N.
A means budgets are approved submitted by the Faculty/Division
F means budgets are reconciled and approved by the Office of Budgets and Planning and ready for posting into the financial system.
Y means the cost centre is posted into the financial system
N means the cost centre is still for posting.
Budget Status Not Approved/Finalized: this report details all cost centres not approved/submitted by the community and still open for revisions.
o Cost Centre: numbers and description of submitted/approved cost centres are listed in this column
o Manager: Cost Centre’s manager’s names are listed in this column
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o Activity, Time, Location: ATL codes will be seen in each of these columns
o Last Activity Date: this denotes the date a cost centre was last saved.
o Last Update: this denotes who last entered data or saved a cost centre.
These reports may be saved as .pdf files for archiving purposes or the search function may be used to download the details into Excel for manipulation and/or archiving.
4.4 Financial Forecast and Budget >> View
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The views of the Forecast/Budget Call reports are as follows:
o Financial Roll-up: All relevant levels of rollup available. Will display cumulative of all columns of data, financial, HR, and data entry.
o Cost Centre: Cost centre entered is displayed. If the Cost Centre has ATL historical data and/or the forecast or budget are being entered at the CC/ATL level, will display cumulative of all columns of data, financial, HR, and data entry.
o Cost Centre (All Details): The cost centre/ATL entered is displayed. If only the cost centre number is entered on the parameter page, all CC/ATL reports will display in order. If no ATL data is present, will display cost centre.
Please Note:
CC/ATL data is immediately incorporated into the cost centre “rollup” view, i.e. all data is summed in the cost centre view upon the data entry being saved.
Cost centre data is not immediately incorporated into the financial rollup view. All financial rollup views are updated nightly. Therefore, any changes, additions, etc. to a cost centre’s forecast or budget column will not be displayed in the unit’s financial rollup until the next day.
Detailed and Summary reports are available:
Detail: All account lines are displayed with sub-totals, totals, etc., as per the Statement of Operations format.
Summary: Major groupings of accounts are summed and displayed creating a one-page report for each centre and/or unit. The sub-totals and totals are the same as the detailed report. The Summary report is available for the financial rollup and the cost centre views.
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4.5 Downloading into Excel
4.5.1 Downloading into Excel from .pdf Reports
Any .pdf report created within the Forecast/Budget Call can be downloaded into Excel via the “Search” function.
The “Search” function can be used to display a result on the screen only or continue on and download the results into an Excel spreadsheet.
The data items to be displayed are chosen by the user.
The search can incorporate all data within the report within the fields chosen to be displayed or the search can be narrowed to specific values within the chosen fields only.
eReports functionalities previously present in eReports are all available within the Forecast/Budget Call eReport. To learn more of these eReports functions and capabilities, eReports Training is available through Human Resources Training Courses.
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4.5.2 Downloading into Excel from eSpreadsheet
All data within the eSpreadsheet can be downloaded into an Excel file. The “Download XLS” button can be found at the bottom of the display screen. The data does not need to be saved in order to successfully download.
Click “Download XLS”
The Excel file is created as a “read-only” file. The only action required to make available all Excel functionality is to unprotect the worksheet.
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The Excel file downloads with all calculating fields remaining as calculating fields. Please note that these fields are fixed and, therefore, may require adjustments as rows/columns are added/deleted. The downloaded formula can be adjusted or simply overwrite with Excel sum function.
The ability to download from the eSpreadsheet allows for a record of the work-in-progress, final data eSpreadsheet archiving, the ability to use Excel to change variables, copy the worksheet into several different scenarios, etc., and to change the format for different forms of presentation that may be required.
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4.6 Report Links
Links have been created between reports so as to facilitate the connected views that may be required by the community users. Links are available within the .pdf view, not the eSpreadsheet view.
4.6.1 Detail Report and Summary Report Link
A link from the Detail Report to the Summary Report is available at the bottom right of the Detail Report. This link is available in the financial rollup and the cost centre view.
A link from the Summary Report is available at the bottom right of the Summary Report. This link is available in the financial rollup and the cost centre view.
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4.6.2 Cost Centre to Cost Centre/ATL Link
A link from the cost centre level to the cost centre/activity-time-location level is available at the top left corner of the cost centre report. All ATL level associated with the cost centre rollup will be created.
In order to return to the cost centre level, use the internet “back” function. There is not a link to the cost centre rollup if the report is originally created from the parameter page at the cost centre/activity-time-location level.
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4.6.3 Financial Rollup Level to Cost Centre Level Link
A link from the financial rollup level to the cost centre level at the top of the report in the header description.
The report created will be composed of all cost centres within that financial node. This link is especially helpful if a breakdown of an account rollup line is required. The link to the cost centres can be initiated and a search function done in order to obtain a list of cost centres and the associated amounts entered on an account line, either historical or data entry. For example, if an amount of $100,000 is displayed on the financial forecast data entry account line 099010, the link down to cost centres is done and a search on account line 099010 will create a display (downloadable to Excel) of each cost centre and associated amount comprising the $100,000.
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Appendix A: Salary Planning File
I. Overview
The Salary Planning File (SPF) is available in order to enhance the community’s ability to budget the upcoming year’s salary and benefit expenses. The SPF is not a replacement for management judgment and experience but is a tool that quickly organizes the details of salary and benefit expenses – the main expense of any unit. It can then be used to analyze and present the fiscal year’s budgeted expenditures of salary and benefits. The SPF can also be used throughout the year to reconcile the monthly payroll expenses and utilized for on-going reports, such as quarterly reports.
The SPF can be used as the main planning tool or in conjunction with a unit’s established tools to detail the upcoming complement plans and costing. The SPF does not have to be submitted to Budgets & Planning with the budget submission. The details of the salary and benefit calculations should be archived within the unit as backup to the submitted salary and benefit budget lines.
The information within the SPF is based upon Human Resource payroll data as of the end of day prior to downloading. Therefore, the most up-to-date data is used in its compilation. The file downloads into an Excel spreadsheet and can be manipulated to include anticipated changes or additions to the unit’s complement.
In addition to the salary and benefit commitments for the year, the SPF calculates the central allocations for upcoming salary incrementals.
The Salary Planning File manual is a general introduction to the calculations and functionality of the report. If you have any additional questions or any concerns on the report, please contact the Office of Budgets & Planning ([email protected]).
The login for eReports can be accessed at www.yorku.ca/ereports. The Salary Planning File is accessed within eReports in the “Financial Forecast & Budget Call” listing of eReports.
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II. Parameter Page
The following choices must be made on the parameter page:
Cost Centre or Department
Fund code – All fund codes are available in order to allow this tool to be used outside of the annual Budget Call exercise for funds 100, 200, and 300.
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All full-time employees (i.e. all outside of bi-weekly casuals) is the default choice, however, if only a certain affiliation is required for a purpose, the affiliation can be specified.
Employee Status – For the Budget Call exercise, it is suggested to download all employees so as not to leave out essential rows for those employees on short-term leaves, e.g. sessionals.
III. Excel Spreadsheet
1) Download Order
The Salary Planning File downloads in the following order:
Cost Centre
Activity/Time/Location
Account Number
Affiliation
Employee Name
2) Column Totals
Each section of Account/Affiliation/Employee has column totals for the following:
Salary Commitment
Benefit Commitment
Base Allocations
Base Allocations with Benefits
OTO Allocations
OTO Allocations with Benefits
The section column totals are summed together in a cost centre row for each cost centre at the bottom of the final section applicable to the cost centre.
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3) Header Rows
The following items download as header information items for each cost centre:
Cost Centre Number and Description
Fund Code
Activity
Time
Location
Cost Centre Status – Active or Inactive
Period – Fiscal year period
Data As – This will be the same as run date and is a reminder that the information downloaded is as processed within the HR database at the start of the day listed.
Run Date/Time
Manager
Location
The following items download as header information items and specified items as values used within the row calculations for each account/affiliation for the cost centre:
Account – Salary account number and description
Benefit Account – Benefit account number and description
Benefit Rate – Standard benefit rate for the affiliation. If changed, row calculations will change.
Affiliation
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Pay Frequency – Monthly or bi-weekly
Affiliation Increment Date – Effective date of the percentage incremental increase
Incremental Increase (%) – If changed, row calculations will change.
Increment Amount Date – Effective date of the incremental amount increase
Incremental Amount – If changed, row calculations will change.
4) Column Headers
Columns detailing each information row download for each account/affiliation within each cost centre. The following general descriptions are used to classify each column and details of each of the columns follow.
Information field indicates a field downloaded from HR database and for display purposes only. Can be changed or left blank without affecting any calculation.
Value field used in row calculations indicates a field downloaded from HR database and used within the row calculations. Cannot be changed without affecting row calculations.
Calculated field and Value field used in row calculations indicates a field derived from a row calculation, not a downloaded value from the HR database, and used within the row calculations. Cannot be changed without affecting row calculations.
Calculated field, Value field used in row calculations, and Value field used in column total calculations indicates a field derived from a row calculation, not a downloaded value from the HR database, used within the row calculations, and used within the column total calculation. Cannot be changed without affecting row calculations and column calculations.
Column ID Column Information
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A. ID
Information field
Employee ID
B. Rcd#
Information field
Employee Record Number
C. Name
Information field
Employee Name
D. Start Date
Information field
Effective start date of information row. This indicates the start date relevant to that particular row of information of salary, hours, position, etc. For example, a salary increase effective July 1, 2006 will have a row with a start date of 01-July-2006. If the employee were active prior to July 1, there will be another row listing the information and pay up to 30-Jun-06.
E. End Date
Information field
Effective end date of information row. As per column D, this indicates the end of that row of information of salary, hours, position, etc. A temporary assignment to a different position will create a row with a start and an end date. For example, Start Date = 01-July-2006 and End Date 30-Sept-2006. If the employee were active prior to July 1, there will be another row listing the information and pay up to 30-Jun-06. If the employee is active post 30-Sept-06, there will be another row listing the information and pay from 01-Oct-06 onward.
F. Job Description
Information field
Job Description within Human Resources database.
G. Position Number
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Information field
Position number for employee. Certain affiliations have systems of position numbering. Position number is not equal to job number. Each active employee should have a unique position number (if a position numbering system is applicable).
H. Band
Information field
The band number for the employee’s position and affiliation. Certain affiliations have systems of banding categories. For example, YUSA 9 or CPM 2.
I. Step
Information field
Certain affiliations have systems of steps to indicate levels within a band. For example, YUSA step 1 = entry level and step 2 = job level.
J. Status
Information field
Status of employee. For example, A = active, R = retired, L=leave of absence without pay.
K. 30-APR-06 Pay Rate
Value field used in row calculations
All pay rates listed are effective as per column D, Start Date. This column lists the pay rate per month/bi-weekly applicable only during the start and end dates listed. This column is entitled as “30-Apr-06 Pay Rate” to indicate these rates are the rates currently listed within the HR database prior to the beginning of the fiscal year and have not had any incremental increases of the upcoming year applied.
L. Pay Description
Information field
Description of the particular type of earning applicable to the information row. For example, a YUFA employee may have a row of Regular Earnings and a row of a Non-Leave Research Grant (reclassified earnings).
M. Dist %
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Value field used in row calculations
The distribution percentage applicable to the information row and the cost centre and account number in the header. For example, one employee may have two departments funding the salary and is set up to be paid as 50% from one department and 50% from the second department. The pay rate in Column K will display the full 100% and each applicable account/affiliation section will have a row calculating at 50%.
N. HR FTE
Value field used in row calculations
FTE = full time equivalent. A full FTE of 1.0 represents a full-time position working full-time hours. For example, an employee with a regular workweek of 35 hours and working 35 hours will have an FTE of one. If at some time during the year, the employee is established as working 21 hours, the FTE will be reduced to 0.6.
O. Override FTE
Value field used in row calculations
Override FTE downloads as an exact copy of column N, HR FTE. If an individual’s row of information has an HR FTE as a reduced FTE, but the reduced FTE is not an on-going situation, i.e. it is only relevant for the listed period of time, the FTE in this override FTE column should be changed to reflect the normal on-going workload. For example, if a YUFA employee is currently on sabbatical and has an HR FTE of 0.8 in column N, but the reduced workload is only applicable during the sabbatical period and the individual normally would have a full FTE, the override FTE in column O should be changed to 1.0.
P. Distributed rate of pay
Calculated field and Value field used in row calculations
The rate of pay per month/bi-weekly charged to the cost centre/account/affiliation.
Q. Pre-incr Pay periods
Value field used in row calculations
Number of months/bi-weekly periods within fiscal year prior to the affiliation’s incremental pay increase and within time frame of information row. These periods will be paid at the distributed rate of pay (column P).
R. Post-incr Pay periods
Value field used in row calculations
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Number of months/bi-weekly periods within fiscal year after the affiliation’s incremental pay increase and within time frame of information row. These periods will be paid at the distributed rate of pay (column P) increased by the incremental percentage and with the addition of the incremental amount (if applicable).
S. Ttl Periods
Calculated field and Value field used in row calculations
Number of total periods (month or bi-weekly) pre and post-incremental and encompassing the entire time period of the information row (i.e. if row is 1May06 without an end date, total periods should equal 12 months or 26 bi-weekly periods. If the time period of the information row within the upcoming fiscal year comprised six months, total periods should equal 6 months or 13 bi-weekly periods.)
T. Salary Commitment
Calculated field, Value field used in row calculations, and Value field used in column total calculations
Total salary to be paid within the time period of the information row and to be charged to the cost centre/account.
U. Benefit Commitment
Calculated field and Value field used in column total calculations
Total benefit to be paid within the time period of the information row and to be charged to the cost centre/account.
V. Annual Salary Pre-Incr
Calculated field and Value field used in row calculations
Annual salary on distributed rate of pay over full year (not time span on information row) prior to the incremental percentage increase and the incremental amount increase. This value includes the total reclassified income and the override FTE. For example, if an employee has a distributed rate of pay of $5,100/month, a reclassified row of $900/month, an HR FTE of 1.0 and an override FTE of 1.0, the field calculates as $6,000/month x 12 months = pre-incremental annual of $72,000. If the HR FTE in the above example was 0.8 and the override FTE was 1.0, the field would calculate as $7,500/month ($6,000/0.8) times 12 months = pre-incremental annual of $90,000. This field does not include salary paid to the employee distributed to other accounts and/or cost centres.
W. Annual Salary Post-Incr
Calculated field and Value field used in row calculations
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As per the pre-incremental annual salary (column V) and has the incremental percent and the incremental amount included. For example, on the $72,000 pre-incremental annual salary above, a 3% incremental increase is calculated and added to the $72,000 and then a PTR of $2340 is added after the incremental calculation to equal a post-incremental salary of $76,500. The incremental amount is calculated based on the distribution percentage and the override FTE. If the distribution were less than 100% or the override FTE were less than 1.0, the PTR would be reduced accordingly. For example, if the $72,000 pre-incremental annual represented a split distribution of 80/20, only 80% of the $2340 would be added to the post-incremental annual salary.
X. Base Allocations
Calculated field, Value field used in row calculations, and Value field used in column total calculations
The amount of base allocations to be transferred to cover the incremental increase on the information row, calculated as the increase from the pre-incremental salary to the post-incremental salary on a monthly or bi-weekly basis and times the number of pay periods post-incremental specified on the information row. In the $72,000 example above, the post-incremental annual salary is $76,500. The total base increase (without benefits) is $4,500. If the information row has only two months post-incremental and zero pre-incremental, the base allocation will calculate as $4,500/12 times 2 = $750 base allocation. This base allocation calculation includes the increase on the re-classified amount.
Not all incrementals are centrally funded. Please see the general qualification section.
Y. Base Allocations With Benefits
Calculated field and Value field used in column total calculations
The amount of base allocations with the benefit percentage added.
Z. OTO Allocations
Calculated field, Value field used in row calculations, and Value field used in column total calculations
The OTO allocation is a negative allocation and represents a one-time-only reversal of the central allocation on the information row. In certain scenarios,
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the base allocations with benefits transferred is greater than the amount paid in the fiscal year. For example, the YUSA increment is effective 1Aug06. If the base given on an information line is for the incremental increase over 12 months, an OTO negative allocation is required for the 3 months prior to the incremental increase being paid.
Not all incrementals are centrally funded. Not all OTO negative allocations calculated on the spreadsheet are relevant. Please see the general qualification section.
AA. OTO Allocations with benefits
Calculated field and Value field used in column total calculations
The amount of OTO negative allocations with the benefit percentage added.
AB. Reclassified Income/Mth
Value field used in row calculations
The reclassified income/month set up for the employee on the information row’s record number and charged to the information row’s account and cost centre. Reclassified charged to other accounts and/or cost centres are not included as those amounts will be taken into consideration in the other account/cost centre calculation.
5) Hidden Columns
There are seven additional columns downloaded as hidden columns. (Please see below). The columns can be unhidden and changed in order to change individual parameters within each information row’s calculations.
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AC. Increment Percent
Value field used in row calculations
This field pulls from the increment percent field within the account/affiliation header. The row calculation utilizes this field. If the employee is not eligible for the incremental percentage increase, this field can be changed to zero on the individual’s information row and the incremental percentage will not calculate.
AD. Increment Amount
Value field used in row calculations
This field pulls from the increment amount field within the account/affiliation header. The row calculation utilizes this field. If the employee is not eligible for the incremental amount increase, this field can be changed to zero on the individual’s information row and the incremental amount will not calculate.
AE. Benefit Rate
Value field used in row calculations
This field pulls from the benefit percent field within the account/affiliation header. The row calculation utilizes this field.
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AF. Subject to Benefits
Information field
AG. Pay Periods
Value field used in row calculations. This should not be changed unless the row is changing from a monthly to a bi-weekly pay.
AH. Union
Information field
AI. Earning Code
Information field
IV. Qualifications and Limitations
The Salary Planning File is a tool only. It cannot incorporate automatically all complement scenarios.
It is not a confirmation of base/OTO allocations within the upcoming year.
Not all increments are centrally funded. Management knowledge of incremental funding is essential in order for the base and OTO allocations to be adjusted correctly. For example, cost centres not centrally funded for their operations do not receive central funding for their complement salary increments. Non-academic contract positions are not centrally funded. These are just examples and do not constitute an exhaustive list of incremental qualification/non-qualification.
Generally, OTO negative allocation calculations are within the file for YUSA and for YUFA/YUFAE. Other negative allocations should be changed to zero.
Incremental increases and funding should only be included within the Budget submission if they are known, i.e. those affiliations for whom negotiations will be commencing in the upcoming fiscal year should not have additional amounts included within the salary/benefit commitments nor in the base/OTO funding.
Bi-weekly casuals are not included within the SPF download. An additional section can be created to include the estimation of the casual complement.
V. Functionality within Salary Planning File
1) Deleting a Row:
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Highlight row and delete. No further adjustment is required.
2) Adding a Row:
Highlight a row within the account/affiliation section to which an additional row is to be added. Insert row. Change information fields and enter applicable pay data into 30Apr06 pay, distribution %, FTE, number of periods pre and post-increment.
If a row from another account/affiliation section is used, the calculations may not be correct as that row will be continuing to pull its information from the original account/affiliation section header. The fields within the hidden column are fixed. Please see below.
If a row from another account/affiliation section is required, the hidden columns must be opened and columns AC, AD, AG, and AE may all require changes.
If a blank row is entered and then personnel data entered, no formulae to calculate salary/benefit commitment, etc. will be on the row.
If a row is entered within the section, the column totals will automatically incorporate the items within the new row. If a row is entered as the first or last line within a section, the column totals will need to be adjusted. In the example below, the formula can be changed to “=SUM($T$34:$T$37)” or the summing function can be used to replace the fixed formula within cell T38.
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3) Changing Benefit Rate for Account/Affiliation Section:
Change the benefit rate within the header to the applicable benefit rate and all rows within the account/affiliation will re-calculate accordingly.
If column AE within any row has been changed and no longer pulls from the header, an adjustment on that row will be required either to change the field to pull from the account/affiliation header or the applicable benefit rate added directly to the field.
4) Changing Increment Percent or Amount for Account/Affiliation Section:
Change the increment percent and/or the increment amount within the header to the applicable benefit rate and all rows within the account/affiliation will re-calculate accordingly.
If column AC (increment percent) or column AD (increment amount) have been changed and no longer pull from the header, an adjustment as per above is required.
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The effective dates within the headers are information fields only. Changing these fields will not affect calculations.
5) Changing Increment Percent or Amount for Single Row in Account/Affiliation Section:
Display the hidden columns. Overwrite column AC for the increment percent and/or column AD for the increment amount.
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6) Adding an Account/Affiliation Section:
Copy entire account/affiliation section (any section can be changed for this purpose) and insert above the Cost Centre total row. Display the hidden columns and change the fields to pull from the copied header.
Columns AC, AD, and AE all require changing as all download as fixed fields. For example, cell AC153 would require a change to “=G$151” and this change could then be copied down the remainder of the column within the new section.
Columns AF, AH, and AI can be erased as they represent only information fields that are not necessary for this purpose.
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If the newly created account/affiliation is for a bi-weekly affiliation, as opposed to a monthly affiliation, column AG requires a change from 12 to 26 in order for the calculations to be correct.
Account/Affiliation header fields can then be changed to reflect the new account/affiliation and its applicable information.
The Cost Centre total row will require a change in order to include the new section within its totals. This also applies if an entire account/affiliation section is deleted from the Salary Planning File. In the example below, the added account/affiliation section total row 161 is not included within the Cost Centre totals formulae. Display the calculation in each field within the cost centre total row and add $T$161 (example only). If there had been a deletion of a section, the formulae in each field would have a #REF! within it that would require deletion. Each of the six column total fields requires this change. (As each field is a fixed formula, it cannot be done to one field and copied across.)
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Appendix B: General Guidelines Forecast 2005-06
General Guidelines Forecast 2005-06
As in prior years, the University is preparing the year-end forecast. This forecast enables the University to understand how the 2005-2006 fiscal year is progressing.
In order to prepare the forecast, we require your assistance.
We are asking all managers of cost centres in the Operating Fund (Fund 200), Ancillary Fund (Fund 300), and Special Purpose Fund (Fund 100) to prepare a year-end forecast for fiscal year 2005-2006. We require the submission of a consolidated forecast for your division/faculty/department/unit, Special Purpose Projects (Fund 100) and Special Academic Projects (Fund 200), along with a variance analysis. The completed forecast must be finalized in e-Spreadsheet (see below) and variance explanation (if required) is to be submitted to the Finance Division by March 3.
If you manage or monitor an individual cost centre, you need to consult with your Executive Officer to determine internal timelines and responsibility.
A tool called Financial Forecast and Budget Call e-Spreadsheet is available to assist in the forecast preparation, calculation and submission.
The e-Spreadsheet can be found at the eReports website: https://ereports.its.yorku.ca/ereports/login.jsp.
After you login, select My eReports/ Financial Forecast & Budget Call/Enter View Financial Forecast & Budget. A full explanation can be found in “Financial Forecast and Budget Call e-Spreadsheet: Guidelines and Training Guide”.
A) Financial Forecast e-Spreadsheet
A financial forecast should be developed for each cost centre. If needed, it can be developed and submitted at the Cost Centre, Activity, Time or Location level. It is your choice.
The forecast process consists of three elements.
3) The projection of estimated revenue and expenses for all cost centres and accounts to the end of the year and
4) An explanation of significant variances for individual cost centres and accounts and
5) An explanation of why the year-end financial position is higher or lower than the budget.
Preparers have the choice of using the e-Spreadsheet tool to create their forecast or use their own methods. Either way, your final submitted forecast must be entered by cost centre and account using e-Spreadsheet.
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B) Submission
Forecasts and variance to budget explanations are required for each faculty and division as defined in PBA.
In addition, this year we are requesting analysis at the group account level, as defined in PBA, where significant variances exist.
A new report now available on eReports, the Forecast Variance Report, can be used as a tool to assist in identifying where analysis is needed. This report summarizes at the rollup level where analysis is required. See Guidelines section 4.4 for more details.
Analysis is required, for the divisional/faculty/departmental unit where the 2005/06 forecasted actual to budget variance is greater than plus or minus 10%.
This analysis should be at the group account level as well as the bottom line - the difference between budgeted and forecasted Total Revenue less Expenses.
Variance analysis, for Funds 200 and 300, can be submitted directly on eReports using the Forecast Variance Report. Pull up this report and click on the link at the top right of the page Click here for Forecast Variance worksheet – for more details see Section 4.4.2 in the Guidelines.
Special Purpose Projects
Forecasts and variance to budget explanations are required for each Fund 100 Special Purpose Project. For these cost centres please fill out the Fund 100 Variance Explanation worksheet found on the Finance web site. Please explain the variance between total revenue less expenses to budget and any variances, by PBA account grouping, where there is a difference between forecast and budget of +/- 10%.
C) Central Allocations
If units have any outstanding central allocations, please provide details to Financial Reporting and they will convey them to the Office of Budgets and Planning.
D) Deadline
Your forecast must be finalized via eSpreadsheet; explanation of variances must be submitted no later than Friday, March 3, 2006. We would appreciate receiving them as soon as they are completed and approved.
Should you require assistance, please contact your Executive Officer or Michael Humpage at [email protected]. Thank you in advance for participating in this important financial process.
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Appendix C: General Guidelines Budget 2006-07
General Guidelines Budget 2006-07
1. Submission due date is Monday, April 10, 2006
2. Rate of cut on total cuttable base is 2.5%
3. Budget submission is done via the Forecast/Budget Call eReport. This tool will assist in
the budget preparation, calculation, and submission. It can be found at the eReports
website (www.yorku.ca/ereports).
4. The Forecast/Budget Call detailed manual and associated documentation can be
downloaded from the Finance website (www.yorku.ca/finweb).
5. All active cost centres in Funds 100 (Special Purpose Projects), 200 (Operating), and
300 (Ancillary) are required to submit budgets. Budget submissions are required
separately for each active cost centre and cannot be submitted on a rollup equivalent
basis.
6. If an active cost centre is not expected to have any revenue/expense activity in the
upcoming fiscal year and is not to be inactivated, a separate form indicating the reason
for non-activity is required. The Zero Budget Explanation form is available on the
Finance website along with the other 2006-07 Budget documentation.
7. The Salary Planning File will be available by Thursday, February 9, 2006 and will greatly
assist any unit with detailing and calculating the upcoming fiscal year’s complement
costs. A detailed manual for the SPF will be made available on the Finance website.
8. Training is available and encouraged. Please call Victoria Abaca in Budgets & Planning,
extension 22014, [email protected], to schedule training.
If you require assistance or have any questions concerning the Budget 2006-07 process and requirements, please contact Budgets & Planning directly.
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Appendix D: Fund 100 Variance Submission Form
The Fund 100 Submission form for the variance report is available on the Finance website:
www.yorku.ca/finweb/.
Detail:
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Summary:
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Appendix E: Others
1) Community Notice 08 Feb 2006
To: Executive Officers, Financial Officers, Budget Officers, Directors, and Managers
From: Steve Dewar, Assistant Comptroller & Manager of Financial ReportingJoyce Vance, Budget Manager, Office of Budgets & Planning
CC: Trudy Pound-Curtis, AVP Finance and CFOAldo DiMarcantonio, Comptroller
Date: Wednesday, February 8, 2006
Subject: Forecast/Budget Call eReport for 2005-06 Forecast & 2006-07 Budget
The Forecast/Budget Call eReport is now available in eReports (www.yorku.ca/ereports). Important changes have been developed within the report and are outlined in the attachments. Please read all attachments prior to initiating Forecast and Budget entry.
The submission due dates are as follows:
Financial Forecast 2005-06 – Friday, March 3, 2006 Budget 2006-07 – Monday, April 10, 2006
The 2006-07 base cut is 2.5% of cuttable base.
Forecast submission is required for all active centres in Funds 100, 200, and 300. Forecast submission may be done at the equivalent of a rollup basis.
Budget submission is required for all active centres in Funds 100, 200, and 300. Budget submissions are required for each active centre and cannot be submitted on a rollup basis.
Supporting guidelines for the Forecast 2005-06/Budget Call 2006-07 are now available on the Finance website (www.yorku.ca/finweb).
The Salary Planning File and accompanying guidelines on the Finance website are scheduled to be released Thursday, February 9.
Training is available and encouraged. Please call Victoria Abaca in Budgets & Planning, extension 22014, [email protected], to schedule a suitable training time for yourselves and/or your unit.
List of Attachments:1.Highlights of Forecast/Budget Call report changes2.General guidelines on Forecast 2005-06 submissions3.General guidelines on Budget 2006-07 submissions
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2) Highlights 2005-06 Forecast / 2006-07 Budget Call Memo 08 Feb 2006
Highlights
Forecast 2005-06 / Budget Call 2006-07
eReport Changes
There are four major areas of enhanced functionality within the Forecast 2005-06 /
Budget Call 2006-07 eReport and are briefly highlighted below.
1. Forecast Variance Reports and Submission:
Forecast variance reports are now generated within the Forecast/Budget Call eReport
and submission from the community to Financial Reporting will now be done via data
entry in eReports. Generation within the eReport allows for the most up-to-date financial
data to be used within the variance reports, allows for the widest distribution of the
information possible (dependent upon current access), and enables users to enter the
variance reports with comments and analysis directly into eReports.
2. CC or CC/ATL choices of submission:
Forecast and Budget submissions can now be done either at the cost centre level or at
the cost centre/activity-time-location level and have the financial data within the report
corresponding to the CC or CC/ATL choice of submission. Previously, the report allowed
for CC or CC/ATL submissions, however, the financial data would only create at the
CC/ATL level if ATL transactions were present in the historical data of the cost centre.
Please note:
Only forecast or budget data entry can be done at any one time within the
spreadsheets. A new step determines whether the requested function is data entry for
the Forecast or for the Budget.
Upon initial access into a cost centre and the indication of Forecast data entry, a
prompt will appear and the CC or the CC/ATL level for the Forecast must be chosen in
order to continue. Upon initial access into a cost centre and the indication of Budget data
entry, a prompt will appear and the CC or the CC/ATL level for the Budget must be
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chosen in order to continue. The same submission level for both the Forecast and
for the Budget is not required.
The user cannot reverse the choice of CC or CC/ATL for the Forecast and/or
for the Budget in the eReport system. A request to Budgets & Planning or Financial
Reporting to reverse the submission level choice must be submitted. The reversal of
either and/or both of the Forecast and Budget level choices will delete all data
entry, i.e. all Forecast data (not Budget data) if only requesting the reversal of the
Forecast submission level choice or all Budget data (not Forecast data) if only requesting
the reversal of the Budget submission level choice. Due to the above, it is imperative
that all involved are updated prior to data entry as to each area’s submission level
of choice for the Forecast and for the Budget.
3. Automatic Calculation of Benefit Accounts Lines
The Budget submission report now includes the option of an automatic calculation of the
benefit account lines corresponding to the salary account lines and calculating from the
budget data entered on the salary lines. This is an optional function and the calculated
amounts within the benefit account lines can be overwritten in order to accommodate any
anomalous situations (e.g. T4 and T4A income included within the salary line amount).
4. Diagnostic Reports of Forecast/Budget Approval Status
Diagnostic reports are now available that identify the Forecast and Budget submission
status (approved or not approved) of the unit’s cost centres (including separate lines for
CC/ATLs). This will allow for various levels of management to track their overall status of
Forecast and Budget submission completion.
All of the items highlighted above are discussed in detail in the Forecast 2005-06 /
Budget 2006-07 Guidelines available on the Finance website
(www.yorku.ca/finweb).
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5 POINTS OF CONTACT
For any questions, please contact:
FINANCIAL REPORTING for the FINANCIAL FORECAST:
Michael Humpage Intermediate Financial Analyst
Ph: 40583
Email: [email protected]
OFFICE of the BUDGETS and PLANNING for the BUDGET CALL:
Joyce Vance Manager, Office of Budgets and Planning
Ph: 33412
Email: [email protected]
Vicki Abaca Budget Coordinator, Office of Budgets and Planning
Ph: 22014
Email: [email protected]
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