5.0 Quarterly Certification Process

Updated December 30, 2009

5.1 Highlights of Certification Process

• Salary
 distribution
 changes
 for
 charges
 within
 the
 quarter
 may
 be
 made
 via
 the
 electronic
 salary
 distribution
 system
 (eSDS)
 without
 written
 justification
 for
 up
 to
 90
 days
 following
 the
 end
 of
 the
 quarter.
 Example:
 For
 Q1,
 July‐September,
 retroactive
 changes
 may
 be
 made
 until
 December
 30
 without
 written 
justification 
to 
charges 
posted 
back 
to 
July 
1.


• After
 the
 90‐day
 period,
 eSDS
 Administrators
 cannot
 make
 changes
 to
 the
 distribution
 via
 eSDS.
 Exceptions
 will
 require
 approval
 of
 the
 Director
 of
 the
 Office
 of
 Sponsored
 Programs
 (OSP)
 and/or
 the
 Controller,
 and
 if
 approved,
 will 
be 
processed 
by 
HR/Payroll.



• Requests
 for
 distribution
 changes
 more
 than
 90
 days
 after
 the
 end
 of
 the
 quarter
 must
 be
 submitted
 via
 a
 Late
 Distribution
 Change
 Request
 web
 form.
 http://vpf.mit.edu/site/payroll/forms


• These 
time 
limits 
apply 
to 
all 
cost 
objects, 
not 
just 
sponsored 
projects.



• There
 is
 an
 exception
 for
 terminating
 federally
 funded
 sponsored
 projects,
 which
 require
 final
 reports
 within
 90
 days
 of
 project
 termination.
 The
 window
 for
 retroactive
 changes
 to
 terminating
 federal
 projects
 is
 until
 the
 end 
of 
the 
month 
following 
the 
month 
the 
project 
terminates.



• Certification
 must
 be
 indicated
 electronically
 in
 the
 electronic
 salary
 certification
 system
 (eDACCA),
 even if a department chooses to have the certifier
 sign 
paper 
copies 
of 
DACCAs.•

• Certification
 is
 expected
 60
 days after the quarterly DACCAs become 
available.


See Quarterly Certification Schedule >>

Note: It is important that departments perform a monthly financial review to verify distributions and make timely distribution corrections, to ensure good financial management, operation of internal controls, and reduction of overall effort required. Falling behind will result in a potentially onerous catch-up effort at the end of a quarter, when there is less time for corrections.