Expenditure Accountability Checklist

• Divide the responsibility for processing financial transactions between at least two people.
  • Example: Delegate the task of preparing transactions to one employee and approving transactions to another.

Note: If you don't have enough employees to divide duties, create a division of responsibility by contacting another department within your same vice chancellor area.

Establish an alternate approver so:

• Financial transactions can be processed when the primary signature authority is unavailable
• Employees with signature authority do not authorize their own reimbursements, entertainment, and travel expenses
• Employees do not authorize payments to or reimbursements for a direct superior

Review fund guidelines to ensure that expenditures are in compliance.

For more information, see:

• Federal Grants:
  • Cost Principles for Educational Institutions (OMB Circular A-21, PDF)
  • Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Other Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Nonprofit Organizations (OMB Circular A-110, PDF)
• Endowments: The terms and conditions of the specific bequest
• Extramural awards: The terms of the award, sponsor-approved budget, and any other sponsor requirements

Promptly cancel or change authorizations when employees:

• Transfer out of the department
• Assume other duties that don't require signature authorization
• Terminate employment with UCSD
• Make name changes
• Change the type of financial transactions they're responsible for

Sample completed transactions to determine the efficiency of the process you're using.

Review financial transaction reports in a timely manner.