Reference Sheet for Faculty & Staff#1 Revision V 1.0 PublicationDate 2008-10-03


Faculty of Engineering
Financial Service Team (FST) / Publication
Date
2008-10-03
Reference Sheet for
Faculty & Staff
#1 / Revision
V 1.0
PROCESS NAME : RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION SERVICES
OVERVIEW:
The principal goal of Financial Service Teams (FST) is to enhance the level of support to researchers and their departments in their financial managements of research grants. This document explains the specific services provided by the FST Manager in this context.
  1. Research Administration Services:
Your FST has received specialized training from central Financial Services in the areas of research administration, accounting standards and best practices. The FST manager is also familiar with granting agency guidelines. They can help you manage the financial aspects of your grants more efficientlyand make optimum use of the funds at your disposal:
  • Review your Minerva financial statements(on a monthly basis) to identify potential wrong charges and/or ineligible expenses. Meet with each Principal Investigator(PI), on a periodic basis,topresent the PI’s financial position across all funding sources.
  • Compile a list of available current funding; communicate findingsto each PI for planning purposes with special attention to the timing of grant renewals and impending closures.
  • Liaise between PI and the Research & Restricted Funds Office (RRF)to assist with clearing of any outstanding over-expenditures/balances.
  • Coordinate to ensure that specific deliverables are sent to the funding partner in order to ensure holdback payments.
  • Review annual financial statementsasrequired by granting agencies. TheFST will report backany discrepancies to the RRF requiring revisions.
  • Follow up with each PIto ensure timeliness of all ethics related documentation, (i.e. sent to appropriate pre-award offices well in advance in order to expedite fund opening/renewal authorization).
  • Assist with the submission of any new applications, while in conjunction with the pre-award offices.
  1. Other Services:
  • Provide user support for all systems and tools related to financial administration.
  • Use your FST for any assistance you need. They are your key resource person for resolution of any problem, issue or question; the FST manager will liaise with central support units such as Human Resources, Purchasing Services and Research Grants Office, in addition to the RRF office.
  • Assist with record retention.
  • Coordinate with the Research & Restricted Funds Office the receipt of additional information that may be required from the Principal Investigator during an audit.
  1. Financial Transaction Services:
Your FST is knowledgeable about many processes surrounding financial transactions, such as:
  • Procurement/payment of goods & services (purchase requisitions, invoice positive approval, payment requests)
  • Requests for Expense Reimbursement, including travel advances
  • Payroll (POPS, Minerva appointment forms)
  • P-card reconciliation and record retention
  • Inter-departmental charges
  • Error corrections (journal entries)
CLOSING COMMENTS:
Carrying out these functions in close proximity to your research activity will provide you with:
  • More immediate access to full time employees trained in financial & research administration.
  • Improved turnaround time to address questions as they relate to granting agency guidelines, University policies as well as the Faculty’s operations and procedures.
  • Increase efficiency vis-à-vis disapproval and resubmission of transactions by placing the FST manager closer to the researcher

Questions?
For further information, please contact the Financial Services Team (FST) assigned to serve you.