New Staff Induction Programme

- Finance
- Research Finance

17th February 2015

Finance Division Organisational Chart
 Finance department organisation

Budget & Management

Operations
Reporting
Declan Hannan Rosemary Fogarty

Purchase to pay process

RAM/Budgets
Expenses
Monitoring activity
Payroll
Management reports
Treasury including Bank & Cash
Fees Office
Financial accounts & fixed assets
Accounts Receivable
Research accounts
Ancillary Income & FEC
Systems
 Strategic Plan Objective

Resources – The Fundamentals

4 Enabling
Themes • Ensure balanced budget outturns and payroll
costs that are below 70% of total expenditure
People • Balanced outturn 2013/14
• Pay = 69.6% of expenditure in 2014/15 budget
Resources • Include strong governance practices
• Internal audit, code of governance, policies and
Quality procedures
• Comply rigorously with regulatory requirements
Communication • University Act
• And embed risk management in all our activities
• Corporate risk register approved
 Resources - Strategic Plan Objectives

• Strengthen Alignment between resource allocation

and strategic priorities
The
Implementation • Specify a revised annual budget process to improve
of the completeness and transparency
Resources
Enabling Theme
• Address how to diversify our sources of income to
maximise non-state revenue
 Link Resource Allocation
to Strategic Priorities

Goal 1 Student
Goal 2 Research
Experience

Strategic
Plan

Goal 4 Contribution to
Goal 3 International
Economic, Educational,
Focus
Social & Cultural life
 Link Resource Allocation
to Strategic Priorities

Goal 1 Student Experience Goal 2 Research

RAM Teaching Allocation RAM Research Allocation

RAM - Resource
Allocation
Model

Goal 4 Contribution to
Goal 3 International Focus
Economic, Educational, Social
RAM International Student
& Cultural life
Allocation
No RAM allocation at present
 Revised Annual Budget Process
Recruitment
Planning/Pay
Budget
State
Grant

Student Income Devolved

RAM
Intake Forecast Budget

Other
Income
Non Pay
Budget
 Devolved Budget
• Executive Committee approves RAM allocations

• Faculties/Divisions
– Set expenditure budgets within RAM allocations
– Ensure budgets plans are consistent with Strategic Plan

• Finance
– Co-ordinate and manage the budget process
– Assess budget risk and propose budget strategy
– Finance support maximisation of resources
• Information, reports, analysis, budget management, training etc.
Diversify Income to Maximise
Non State Income
 Finance department organisation

Operations

Purchase to pay process

Expenses
Payroll
Treasury including Bank & Cash
Financial accounts & fixed assets
Research accounts
Systems
 Financial systems

ERP system
AGRESSO
Extensively used in the sector – used at 4 Irish Universities
On going development – current focus Purchase to Pay
Interact via online purchasing, online expenses and online
flexible reporting (hierarchy of reporting

CORE Highly integrated to CORE HR

Payroll Self service

Tribal Student Fees

 Financial systems

Large payroll approx. 2,100 payslip monthly

PAYROLL
Self service – access via link on HR website
Access – Personnel and Financial information, payslips, P60, pension
information and hourly time sheets (Core Portal)
Approval of hourly paid – level 2 authoriser ensure correct pay rate used

Purchase Agresso online access for online interaction for purchase requisition
to Pay and goods receiving, workflow approvals
Use contracted suppliers see Procurement website
Procurement thresholds apply
Invoices go directly to accounts payable 3 way match PO/GRN/INV
Weekly payment run (51 per annum) – Prompt Pay Act Applies
Supplier set up – form – need current tax clearance certificate
 Typical tender Process

• Complex area
• UL based buyers run up between 20
and 30 tenders per annum
• Large audit emphasis on procurement
process
Contract
Strategy Evaluation execution

Pre- Award Contract

qualification decision award
& tender
notice &
documents
tender
report
 Expenses
• Process up to 15,000 expense claims per annum
• Ensure compliance with expenses policy
• Weekly expense claim payments by EFT
• Attaching scanned receipts to expense claims now available
Scan receipts
and attach to Equipment &
UL Policy online consumables Weekly
applies claim** limit of €175 payments

Online Use online Online

submission expenses for approvals
via Agresso. professional
Register as subscriptions
via
online user and workflows
conferences

**For externally funded

projects original receipts
must be submitted
 HEA & Consolidated
Financial Statements

HEA accounts
Required under the Universities Act
Prescribed format based on income and expenditure
– excludes subsidiaries and associated companies
Capital expenditure included as expenditure
Reported on by PWC annually

Incorporate activities of subsidiary and associated

Consolidated
financial companies
statements Prepared based on GAAP
Audited by PWC as commercial auditors and C&AG
 Research Finance

New Staff Induction Programme

– Research Finance
 Research Supports Available

Departments

Faculties / Research
ADRs Office
Pre-Award

EU Project Research Finance

Management
Community

Post-Award

Library HR

Institutes
 Research Finance

Cost Centre
Funding
Award Management
opportunity
Cost centre set up Expenditure:- Approve
Budget pay, PO’s and expenses
Authorised access to available budget
Funding Call
guidelines Hierarchy Reporting:- Monthly
Research Proposal Pension report to cost centre
Authorisation form owner, HOD and Dean’s
Budget
Financial reports
Audits
 Research Finance

PRE-AWARD:- FUNDING PROPOSAL

• Assist in budget preparation, review and approve all
funding proposals
Funding – Early input improves award outcomes
opportunity • Budget guidelines for individual calls
– Eligible and ineligible costs
• Budget justification should be consistent with
budget numbers
• Salary scale information on website
• Research Proposal Authorisation Form
 Research Finance
POST AWARD: BUDGET MANAGEMENT
• Cost centre for each project and multiple cost centres e.g.
Competence Centre
– Responsibility of cost centre manager
– Agresso has budget and remaining budget available information
– On going throughout term of project and management within budget is the
responsibility of PI
–
Award Pay and non pay expenditure & commitments – review ongoing
– Budget reallocation required? Budget reallocation submission requires
Finance sign-off

• Monitor/approve pay commitments – Recruitment forms,

Contract Renewals, Student Financial Aid forms
• Invoicing Schedule for Industry Funded Research
• Monthly reports to budget holder
 Research Finance

POST AWARD:- REPORTING & AUDITS

• Prepare and submit all funding reports
• Time frames for submission of reports vary
between agencies
Cost Centre • Ensure only eligible expenditure claimed
Management • Supporting documentation required for all
expenditure
• Time sheets and time declarations required for all
projects, please ensure at the end of the project
that you get these from all team members and
retain
 Research Finance

POST AWARD:- REPORTING & AUDITS

• Note publicity requirements:- funding agency
acknowledged and logos incorporated
• Adherence to UL Policy & Procedures – Travel &
Subsistence
Cost Centre
Management • Adherence to Procurement procedures must be
evidenced e.g. retain copies of quotes, tenders
(Procurement Training)
• Auditors will generally wish to meet PI’s to discuss
project
 Research Finance – Key Contacts

Research Accounts Office

► Sandra Hammersley
► Management Reporting, Budget Management, Proposal Support,
Report approval, Expenditure Approval, Overhead allocation
► Thomas Vaughan
► Expenditure Approval, Proposal Support, SFI, HEA, PRTLI, EU
► Patricia Bourke
► EU, DAFM, Student Financial Aid Forms
► Shay McAuliffe (Sinead O’Leary ML)
► New Cost Centre set-up, EI, IRC, HRB
► Eimear Bulfin
► EI & Innovation Vouchers, Invoicing & Debtors
► Patrick Greaney
► EI & Innovation Vouchers, audit file preparation
Thank You