Project Setup

Once ORSP has forwarded an OPAS or award documents to Research Accounting, the information is entered in Banner FIS, the index/fund is assigned, the PI is notified, and the signature sheet is sent to the PI to indicate who will have authority to approve expenditures.

As soon as the index is active in Banner, expenses can be recorded. Pending the setup of approvals per the signature sheet, transactions may be approved by Research Accounting.

Roles and Responsibilities

Setup of a Pending Award

PI/Department

  • Upon assurance from sponsor that a grant is forthcoming, the PI can fill out an OPAS form requesting a departmental guarantee for expenses prior to receipt of the award from the agency. The OPAS obligates departmental funds should the award fail to come through.
  • The PI routes the OPAS for Dean/Department Head signatures.
  • The fully signed OPAS is sent to ORSP.

Office of Research and Sponsored Projects

  • ORSP approves the OPAS and forwards the fully signed OPAS along with the PIAF to Research Accounting.

Research Accounting/Departmental Accounting

  • Upon receipt of the OPAS, a file is opened for the award.
  • The file is forwarded to departmental accounting for setup of Banner FIS index/fund.
  • Following setup in Banner by departmental accounting, the file is returned to Research Accounting. The award is assigned to an accountant.
  • The accountant notifies the PI by email of the pending index. The signature sheet to set up approvals and request FIS web access is scanned and attached to the email sent to the PI and the PI’s support staff.
  • Budget for the amount approved on the OPAS is entered in Banner.

Setup of a New Award

Office of Research and Sponsored Projects

  • Upon receipt of the fully signed and executed agreement in ORSP, the grant/contract officer for the award determines if it is a new award or an award that was previously set up with an OPAS and pending index. The award documents are forwarded to the PI, the PI’s departmental research staff, and Research Accounting. A cover sheet on the award indicates the index if one already exists.

Research Accounting/Departmental Accounting

Pending to Active:

  • Upon receipt of the award documents, if an index is indicated the award is forwarded to the accountant.
  • The accountant routes the award file with the documents to departmental accounting to change the award from pending to active.
  • Departmental Accounting verifies the setup is correct, makes any necessary changes to information in Banner and returns the file to Research Accounting.
  • The Research Accountant replaces the pending budget in Banner with the actual award budget. Any discrepancies in the budget are referred first to ORSP and then to the PI/Department.

New Award, no pending:

  • A file is set up for the award in Research Accounting upon receipt of the award documents.
  • The file is forwarded to departmental accounting for setup of Banner FIS index/fund.
  • Following setup in Banner by departmental accounting, the file is returned to Research Accounting. The award is assigned to an accountant.
  • The accountant notifies the PI by email of the index. The signature sheet to set up approvals and FIS web access, and the budget received in RA is scanned and attached to the email sent to the PI and the PI’s support staff.
  • The budget is entered in Banner as received from ORSP unless there is a discrepancy which has to be resolved. The Research Accountant works with ORSP and the PI to resolve any problems with the budget and enters the correct budget in Banner.
  • The signature sheet is forwarded to FIS Support for approval setup in Banner and FIS web access as indicated.