Journal Vouchers that include a WBS Sponsored Cost Object

If the JV will use a significant portion of the remaining available balance on a recently expired account, you will need to provide thorough and complete documentation to satisfy auditor requirements. Attach an email from the Principal Investigator (PI) explaining why these charges were transferred to the research account. You can use the Attach Supporting Documents feature in the Atlas Journal Voucher application or follow these instructions if you are submitting a journal voucher through SAP.

Since this transfer will help alleviate an overrun, you should provide thorough and complete documentation for auditing purposes. Attach an email from the Principal Investigator (PI) explaining why these charges should be removed from the research account. You can use the Attach Supporting Documents feature in the Atlas Journal Voucher application or follow these instructions if you are submitting a journal voucher through SAP.

Actual research expenses must remain on the cost object to properly account for the research being conducted and for the Institute to correctly calculate MIT’s F&A rates. To remove the WBS overrun, you should use the Record Project Overrun G/L 420314 for both the debit and credit entries.

Some WBS accounts are set up with a parent/child structure. If you are attempting to transfer expenses outside of the parent/child structure of the original WBS account, you will need to provide additional details when completing your Journal Voucher.

It is crucial that the Details field in this scenario include the following information:

• An explanation of the expense
• The benefit to the new cost object of the expense
• Why the new cost object is more appropriate
• Why the expense was not on the WBS originally

If the JV transfer is within the same award type, you should explain the reason for the transfer within the award.

To correct an error, you should provide a detailed explanation of the error, including how it occurred and how it was discovered.

If a JV is submitted late, you should explain why this transfer was not done promptly and how this type of transfer will be prevented in the future.

Provide the purpose of the meeting, who attended (including whether they are an MIT community member or an external party), and the date and location of the meeting. If the prior approval terms in Kuali Coeus do not allow meeting, foods & beverages, sponsor and RAS approval is required. Attach approval confirmation as a PDF file to the journal voucher. You can use the Attach Supporting Documents feature in the Atlas Journal Voucher application or follow these instructions if submitting a journal voucher through SAPgui.

If the JV is transferring a Membership and Dues expense, you should include the name of the membership organization (please avoid acronyms), who the membership is for, the date range, and how the membership benefits the project.

To record a project overrun, you should first ensure the debit line is not to a WBS cost object. Include standard Details (above) for the journal voucher. The G/L for Record Project Overrun (G/L 420314) must be used for both credit and debit lines.

For clearing a swept charge, you should include details about what was purchased (attach an invoice to the JV if possible) and how the purchase benefits the cost object to which the charge is being transferred. Explain why the charges were not processed within 21 days (which caused them to be swept). You can use the Attach Supporting Documents feature in the Atlas Journal Voucher application or follow these instructions if submitting your journal voucher through SAPgui.

Please provide information about the traveler(s), the purpose of the trip, and how the trip benefited the research project.

When creating a JV for a partial transfer amount, you should explain how the partial amount was determined. Some examples of allowable allocation methodologies are space, effort, the number of units, or headcount. Explain how the expense benefits the new cost object(s). 

(Note: Detailed explanation is not needed if it is an even split between cost objects)

To transfer a Health Insurance Expense, you should provide the coverage period and the name of the person(s) covered by the health insurance expense in the details field. This information will be checked against the new cost object. The coverage period must be within the new cost object’s start and end date.

When reclassifying an expense on a settlement account, you need to include the original G/L code (6XXXXX) in the justification where the charge is currently located and use the correct corresponding G/L account (4XXXXX) for both debits and credits. Verify that the correct corresponding G/L (4XXXXX) is used.

Common Settlement accounts and their corresponding G/L:

When reclassifying a transaction from an unallowable code, you should include the G/L code the charge is sitting on in the details text. Explain why the charge was initially classified as unallowable and why the new G/L code is more appropriate.

Backup is not included to comply with HIPAA Laws.

The description text (not the details field) requires the purchase order number followed by the document number and the vendor’s name (For example, “PO# XXXXXX Doc # XXXXXXX Vendor Name).  If you notice a duplicate purchase order number, delete one of those numbers.

If the JV involves Honorarium and Speaker fees, you should include details about what the honorarium was for the name of the person receiving it. Explain how this honorarium and related activities benefit the cost object.