Important accounting deadlines for researchers

At this time Research Accounting is planning its process for financial reporting for the period ending March 31, 2018, for all CIHR, SSHRC, Canada Research Chair (CRC) and NSERC grants. (Other funding agencies may also have March 31, 2018 end dates.)

CIHR, SSHRC, CRC and NSERC Grants

The Annual Statement of Account (Form 300) for grants will be sent to Researchers by Friday, May 4. As in the past, Researchers will be required to approve these statements and return them to Research Accounting by Friday, May 18 in order to meet the Tri-Council submission deadlines.

In order to ensure the annual gorm is correct, researchers and research administrators are required to do the following in February 2018:

1. Access your cost centres by logging into eReports and review your transactions for accuracy, completeness and eligibility with agency rules. It is important that only transactions/expenditures related to your grant are processed to your cost centre. If you discover any transactions that do not relate to your research, please notify either your Administrator or Research Accounting.  Prepare any correcting upload journal entries and submit them to Research Accounting resjrnls@yorku.ca no later than Tuesday, March 27 in order to ensure they are processed in time for March month end.
2. Clear outstanding personal advances by submitting a claim for reimbursement through CONCUR no later than Friday, March 16.
3. Submit outstanding approved supplier invoices (originals) to Accounts Payable no later than Tuesday, March 27.
4. Review all cost centres to ensure that all outstanding commitments for purchase orders (P.O.) are updated. A purchase order is cleared by making payment. If you have a yellow copy of the P.O. and you are satisfied with receipt of goods, sign this document and forward the related invoice to Accounts Payable for payment.  If you wish to cancel a purchase order, contact John Pastorcic at extension 22248.
5. Review all cost centres to ensure that all outstanding salary commitments terminate on or before the expiry date of your grant(s).
6. Ensure you resolve any over expenditures by making appropriate transfers/journal entries. 

Note that expenses incurred outside of the period specified in your Grant Agreement are normally not eligible.

If your grant or contract ends on or before March 31, 2018 it is important to determine whether you have funds remaining and whether you wish to spend those funds on eligible expenditures, before the grant ends. Note all salary, advances and P.O. commitments must be cleared before the end date of grant as required for reporting to Tri-Council.

Once the final cut off for processing accounts payable invoices, travel and expense claims and payroll have passed, we cannot guarantee inclusion of those expenses in financial statements we prepare for grants and contracts ending March 31, 2018.

A final schedule for March month end will be released in a few weeks by Financial Reporting.

Grant Installments for the 2018/2019 Year

If applicable, grant installments for continuing grants for the 2018/2019 will appear in your cost centre by Monday, April 9, 2018.

If applicable to your particular grant, you are required to renew your Ethics Certificate on an annual basis.  Contact Alison Collins –Senior Manager & Policy Advisor, Research Ethics at extension 55914.

New Research Awards

Once Research Accounting receives notices of award for new research grants, an accountability document will be sent to Researchers for signature. Upon its return and upon approval by Ethics, a new cost centre will be created and you will be notified via email.

Narrative/Progress reports

Where applicable, and to ensure prompt receipt of current and future funding installments, send all progress, technical reports and other deliverables to the funding agency on time and as specified in your funding agreements.

Institutional Advances

If an installment is due to a sub grantee institution it will be processed once Research Accounting receives a form 300 (financial statement) from the sub grantee institution.

General Research Fund (NSERC and SSHRC only)

Some grants can be extended beyond the official end date of the grant, provided at least 50 per cent of the funds of the entire grant have been expended. In the event that more than 50 per cent of the funds remain unspent at the official end date of the grant, the grant will not be eligible for an extension and the remaining funds must be return to the funding agency. Requests to extend grants beyond the official end date must be directed to Research Accounting.

If you have any questions with respect to the above information, contact your Research Administrator (see list below) or feel free to call Angela Zeno at ext. 55668 or by email to azeno@yorku.ca. See below a list of other Finance contacts.

Your effort in ensuring a successful Tri Council reporting year end is greatly appreciated.

York University – Key Contacts – Post Award Administration