Banner Finance FAQ's

FOAPAL

1. Where can I find the Chart of Accounts for the University (Chart U) or the Foundation (Chart F)?

Links to Chart of Account information can be found on our Banner Finance page.

2. What is my Budget Number?

Your budget number is made up of a Fund, Organization and Program code (FOP). When processing expenditures, an Account code is combined with the FOP to define the type of expense (office supplies, travel, etc) that is being charged to your budget.

The FOP is required when charging items at the Bookstore or when another department is allocating some type of expense to your budget.

3. What Program Code should I use?

The Program Code reflects the purpose of an expense as it relates to general University functions (instruction, research, community service, student services, etc).

The Program Code listings are available on our Banner Finance page under Chart U or Chart F.

The Program Code used depends upon the type of Fund associated with the budget and the type of transaction being processed.

1. Auxiliaries, which have a Fund code that begins with H, will ALWAYS use 201 as the program code for all expenditure and revenue transactions.
2. Recharge Centers, which have a Fund code that begins with D, will use the Program Code that corresponds to the general University function that it supports (i.e. 063 - admin services) for all expenditure and revenue transactions.
3. All other Funds (such as Axxxxx, Bxxxxx, Exxxxx, FNxxxx, etc) will use the Program Code that corresponds to the general University function it supports (i.e. 011 - instruction, 022 - research, etc) for all expenditure transactions, and will use Program Code 001 for all revenue transactions.
4. If the transaction relates to scholarships, the Program Code will begin with 08.

4. What is the procedure for adding or deleting Budget (FOAPAL) authority for an individual?

To request “Approver” access, submit a FOAPAL Authorization - Approver Request.

To request “Originator” or “View Only” access, submit a FOAPAL Authorization - Originator/View Request.

Once "Approver" access is established, request for “View Only” or “Originator” access can be submitted by going to FOAPAL Authorization - Originator/View Request. Approvers can expedite requests for “View Only” or “Originator” access by initiating the request themselves. This will grant access automatically and will not require additional approvals. For instructions and help, see FOAPAL Authorization - Originator/View Quick-Guide.

To remove current access, or other questions, please send the email to BannerFinance@MissouriState.edu.

5. What is the procedure for adding a new Fund, Organization, or other element for my area?

To requset for new Fund, complete a Banner New Fund Request form and email to BannerFinance@Missouristate.edu. Be sure to have the approval from your cost center budget analyst's approval when sending the request.

To request for any others elemnets, please contact Your Budget Analyst. 

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Budget

6. When performing a Budget Query, can I save the query and retrieve it at any point in time?

Yes. A Budget Query can be created and saved on the users personal login.

7. Where can I find more help on performing and saving budget query information?

• Finance Dashboard Traning Guides

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Requisition

8. Can I save a requisition in process and come back to complete it?

Yes, requisition can be saved as Draft if you want to return to the requisition before you
submit the requisition for approval. You can edit any requisitions in Draft status. 

You can Delete any requisition that is in Draft Status. 

Disapproved Requisition, if not needed, must be deleted or it would encumber funds
and affect the balance available for use. Disapproved requisition are under Draft
Requisition queue where you must delete to disencumber the funds.

You can copy a completed requisition and use it as a template for a new requisition. To
copy a requisition, pick a requisition from your Completed Requisition queue, click on it
to open this requisition, and then click on Copy Requisition on the upper right corner to
make a copy. 

You can any Recall Requisition in Pending Queue if it has no approval records yet. To make change of a requisition in Pending Queue, you must recall the requisition first. Click on the requisition from Pending queue and Click on recall requisition on the upper right corner to recall. Once requisition recalled, it will go back to Draft Queue where you can edit or make change. 

 

9. Which text area should I use, Document Text or Item Text?

Use Comment box to enter additional vendor information, quote numbers, delivery specifications, contact information, wire transfer information, partial or full pay information, currency type information for foreign vendors, or any other required specifics of the purchase.

Please always use Public Comment under Requester Information’s tab for requisition’s document text and such text will transferred over to Purchase Order. Please DO NOT COPY AND PASTE! This causes formatting issues on the PO. Provide a brief description of the services or items to be purchased.

DO NOT use Private Comment if you wish the TEXT to print on PO. Click Next to continue to
the next page. 

 

10. Will a requisition go through without Comment information?

Yes. Banner will process a requisition without  Comment information. However, as this information is often required to correctly complete the resulting purchase, the requisition may be cancelled or delayed if more information is required.

11. If I cannot find a Vendor using the Code lookup feature, what should I do?

You can continue processing the requisition without the vendor code. Leave the vendor information blank and enter the vendor name and address in the Document Text field.

You should also request a Form W-9 or a new Vendor Registration Form from the vendor as this is required before payment can be made.

Once the vendor has submitted the completed form and any other required tax information, the vendor information will be added to the system and will be available for the next purchase.

12. How do I ensure delivery is made to the right location?

If products are to be delivered to a department location, the Ship Code should be set to STMA. In the Attention To field, remove your name and enter the department name and the location where products should be delivered from the Receiving dock. (For example, Financial Services, CARR 119.) Other specific delivery information may also be entered in the Document Text.

If items are not to be delivered, as in the case of service contracts, maintenance, subscriptions, etc, change the "Ship Code" to SRVC.

13. What do I do if I have made an error on a completed requisition?

You have the ability to disapprove any requisition you have entered if the approver has not taken any action yet, you can go to Approve Document to locate your own requistion to didsapprove; or you may ask the next approver in line to perform the disapproval.

Once the requisition is disapproved, you may locate it from Draft Requisition to correct and re-complete. 

14. If I am an Approver, will I receive email notification of documents awaiting approval?

No. Notifications are not sent for documents awaiting approval.

However, an email will be generated and sent to the originator if a disapproval has occurred.

15. What are the approved dollar thresholds for how a purchase should be made?

• P-Card - per transaction limit up to $3,000
• Payment Request up to $3,000
• Bid Review threshold $3,000-$10,000
• Bid threshold: over $10,000

16. What types of budget encumbrances do the purchasing processes produce?

• Completed and approved Requisitions will "reserve" your budget, and completed Purchase Orders will "encumber" your budget.
• Open encumbrances are those to which transactions may still be applied, such as a PO that will be paid by an Invoice or modified through a Change Order.
• Closed Encumbrances will have no further transactions applied and should be zero.
• Uncommitted Encumbrances are reserving/encumbering current year budget.
• Committed Encumbrances are reserving/encumbering prior year budget.

17. Does disapproving a requisition remove a reservation from my budget?

Until a requisition is approved and completed, you will not see it on your budget as a "reservation".

Disapproved Requisition, if not needed, must be deleted or it would encumber funds and affect the balance available for use. Disapproved requisition are under Draft Requisition queue where you must delete to disencumber the funds. 

To see transactions that may be in process and affecting your balance available, perform a Budget Query and choose to View Pending Documents.

18. What do I do with the Purchase Order copy that is emailed to me from Procurement Services?

Wait for product to be delivered and print out a copy of the emailed PO.

Sign and date that copy and send to Procurement Services along with the Invoice (If available), Packing slip and any other documentation sent along with the product.

If a service has been purchased, wait for the Invoice and send it, the PO copy and any supporting documentation to Procurement Services.

19. How do I check to see if a Payment has been made?

Create a Budget Query and click on any one of the links associated with a transaction in the Year-to-date column and view payment information.

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P-Card

20. Is the P-Card system (where I allocate charges to my budget) part of Banner?

No. P-card processing is performed through the VISA IntelliLink System where your P-Card charges tracked and allocated to your budgets. However, this allocation does use the Banner FOAPAL elements.

21. If I have a P-card, do I also automatically have access to the same budget to enter Requisitions and perform Budget Transfers?

No. The access to view and manage a budget, perform transfers, or originate requisitions against a budget requires fund-organization access. Access to the P-card process does not automatically result in this authority.

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Travel

22. Where do I find information concerning University travel?

The Financial Services Travel Regulations page provides links to various sources of information regarding University travel.

23. How do I process my Hotel Reservations if not using a P-Card?

1. Make the Hotel Reservation first to be given a Confirmation Number. Enter that Confirmation Number in the Document Text of the Requisition, along with the Hotel Address information as well as the hotel's email address.
2. While making the hotel reservation, most hotels require upfront payment, which will then be re-imbursed using a Travel expense Report. If that is not possible, the department will use their personal Credit Card to get a confirmation number and also get a CREDIT CARD AUTHORIZATION FORM from the Hotel and attach it to supporting documentation that is sent to Procurement Services.
3. You will enter a Requisition into Banner and code that Requisition as a TR110 - Travel Expense commodity code. Take a print out of the entire Requisition using View Documents on the first page of the Finance tab and then print a copy of your Requisition. You will attach that print out to supporting documentation that you send to Procurement Services needs requisition number written on it and they will process the reservation.

24. Where do I find the Travel Expense Report and other forms?

• Under Finance - Forms card
• Financial Services E-Forms
• Financial Services Accounting and Budgeting

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