Manuals, Guides, and Procedures

As an administrative employee, you may encounter unfamiliar procedures and questions you may not know the answers to, i.e., Who do you ask? How do you find the answers? Human Resources Learning and Organizational Development offers workshops through the Program for Administrative Certification (PAC) where you will obtain knowledge of various policies and procedures needed to assist you in your position. We strongly encourage you to consider participating in this program. In addition to these workshops, we offer an administrative support group that offers monthly training and support and a way to communicate with other administrative staff across campus. 

The purpose of the group is to communicate to all administrative employees new procedures as they develop, to open up communication for the administrative employees to voice their needs, and for everyone to share their best practices with each other. Forum dates for the academic year are in the Learning and Development Portal.

Admin Chat Room Group

An ADMIN-CHAT-ROOM Google Group is available for you to join. It is a tool to help administrative employees keep in touch with each other, and in addition to Niner Insider, Inside UNC Charlotte, and other Groups and system emails, will be used to announce changes in policies, procedures, etc. You may also utilize the ADMIN-CHAT-ROOM-GROUP to ask questions to all administrative employees on campus by sending an email to ADMIN-CHAT-ROOM-GROUP@UNCC.EDU.

Not already a member? Add yourself to this group! 

Contact an Admin Coordinator: admin-coordinator@charlotte.edu

Payment method:

 

• Direct bill to AAA of the Carolinas
• Submit a Travel Reimbursement and Expense Report form

Note:  Refer to University Policy 601.8, "Appropriate Use of University Funds" to confirm if this is a permissible use of funds for your area. 

Rationale and other considerations:

The cost of commercial airline tickets (coach rate) is allowable when purchased for the purpose of traveling on University business. Because the P-card allows for an improved approval and prepayment process, it is the preferred purchasing method for buying airline tickets. 

If the employee is combining business and personal activities in the same trip, only the expense related to the business portion of the trip is allowable. Please refer to the University Travel Manual for additional information.

How to do it:

1. Complete a Travel Authorization form and obtain supervisor approval (additional special fund approval may be required, such as Grants & Contracts Administration or Treasury Services). 
2. Upon approval of the Travel Authorization form, the traveler or their designee may then purchase their airline tickets (coach rate) using a P-card.  When using the P-card for travel expenses, follow the guidelines and processes identified in the Travel Manual (link provided below).

Contact for additional questions:

• Athletics Foundation - Public Inspection form 990 FY 2017

The Works application is a web-based, user-friendly electronic card payment management service that automates, streamlines, and integrates existing payment authorization and reconciliation processes while providing management reporting & spending controls.

• Banner Finance 9 Quickcard

Purpose: Cheatsheet for Banner 9 Quickcard References.

• Security Class Descriptions

Purpose: List of Security Class Descriptions.

To determine the specific area of training required, review the guide below.

Users who have departmental financial responsibilities, including grants administration, budget management, use Finance reports or initiate financial paperwork, complete

• Banner Finance Training class available through Canvas
• Request for Banner Finance/49er Mart Access form

Users who purchase or approve the purchase of goods and services or enter receiving through 49er Mart, review

• 49er Mart Training available through Canvas

Users who monitor salary/position administration and reconciliation, complete

• Banner Finance Training class available through Canvas
• Request for Position Control Access form
• Review the EPAF documentation

Users who approve timesheets for Students or Temporary Employees

• Review the WTE documentation and watch WTE Approver’s Training Video
• Send an email to webtimeentry@uncc.edu requesting access.

Users who only need access to view Revenue and Expense information about Grant or University Funds.  

• Complete SSB Form on Request for Banner Finance/49er Mart Access Form

• Banner HR Quickcard

Purpose: Banner HR QuickCard Reference

• Banner Organization Code/Financial Manager Chart

• Banner Rule Codes

Purpose: To provide a list of Banner rule codes. Rule codes are defined system codes that determine how transactions are handled, e.g., determine ledgers posted to, budget bucket to place a budget transaction, helps identify the transaction source, and helps to segregate different types of transactions. Rule codes are found on form FGITRND.

Target Audience: Student Employment Coordinators and others responsible for approving timesheets for student and non-student temporary employees.

Overview:  This documentation focuses on web time entry, approving time, and establishing proxies in the Banner Self-Service system. 

Purpose: A budget manual guide from the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management (OSBM) for use by state departments, agencies, and institutions in the preparation and administration of their budgets. Travel policies are in section 5 of the budget manual.

Business update forum: Fall 2023

Join us as various subject matter experts from Business Affairs and the Office of OneIT provide updates and guidance for navigating the University’s financial and related administrative processes. Planned changes or enhancements to existing processes and systems are also discussed. These sessions are open to UNC Charlotte staff and faculty.

Presented by: Financial Services

Where: via Zoom (a unique link will be provided to registrants upon completing registration)

Once scheduled, registration information for the next update will be added here.

Past Forum Presentations

• April 20, 2023 / Human Resources Bonus notes
• February 16, 2023 / OneIT Q&A
• October 13, 2022 / related Q&A
• April 20, 2022 / related Q&A

About the Business Update Forum

Financial Services hosts discussion forums three times a year. Each session is customized for the needs of those individuals who lead and support the business operations within the University’s colleges and departments. During these sessions, subject matter experts from Business Affairs and the Office of OneIT provide updates and guidance for navigating the University’s financial and related administrative processes. Planned changes or enhancements to existing processes are also discussed. These sessions emphasize an open discussion format to provide a forum for voicing questions about key business operations. 

Contact Lisa Dooley to submit topic suggestions or request to present at a future Business Update Forum.

• Chart of Accounts: Account Types

Purpose: Provide a list of account types found on the chart of accounts.

• Chart of Accounts: Fund Hierarchy

• UNC Charlotte Fund Types

Purpose: Table of UNC Charlotte Fund Types and their descriptions.

• Range of Expenditure Account Numbers and Budget Pools

Purpose: Provide Chart of Accounts Range of Expenditure Account Numbers and Budget Pools.

• ARCHIBUS - New Banner Account Codes

Purpose: Shows the 2014 updates to ARCHIBUS and new account codes.

Payment method:

The method for purchasing computer, printers or related accessories is to use 49er Mart.  Note: Purchases of Apple products should go through the Niner Tech Computer Store; please refer to the Niner Tech website instructions.

Rationale and other considerations:

Orders are processed online through a web browser depending on the type of supplier used. To begin, choose a supplier and proceed with selecting items and placing them in your virtual shopping cart.  When you have finished shopping, your cart proceeds to the checkout and a requisition draft is created.  At this point, enter the appropriate accounting codes (e.g.--fund, account) to be used by your department for the order. 

Placing the order prompts the workflow process to begin.  Approvers are notified via email that an order is pending (the level of approvals depends upon the dollar amount and the type of purchase).  The final approval generates a purchase order (PO). 

To receive the order, you must log in to 49er Mart.  Receiving initiates payment to the vendor. 

How to do it:

1. Login to 49er Mart.
2. Click on the logo of the supplier (e.g., Dell, CDW-G).
3. If the vendor is a punch-out supplier, you will be directed to the vendor's site to shop for your item(s).
4. Add the desired item(s) to your cart and click "Checkout" when finished ordering.
5. You will be directed back to the 49er Mart site to create your requisition. 
6. Review the details of your order, and click "Proceed to Checkout."
7. Select the appropriate accounting codes for your college/department.
8. Perform a final review and click "Place Order."
    

Contact for additional questions:

Send an email to the Purchasing mailbox at purchasing@uncc.edu or refer to the list of Purchasing contacts.

• Capital Asset Category Guide

Purpose: Guidance on Capitalizable Construction Projects

Definition:

Consulting services are services provided by a contractor who is not actively involved in the process being studied, but rather provides expert, outside insight or advisory services about how to complete a task or perform it more efficiently.  They possess specialized knowledge, experience, expertise, or professional qualifications that make them ideally suited to provide insights and direction.   Generally, consultants are not managed by University personnel and are tasked with analyzing the situation in the manner they deem to be best.  After they have collected and analyzed their data, they provide recommendations to the University about how to complete or alter the subject matter in question. 

Payment method:

The preferred method for paying for services meeting the definition listed above is to use 49er Mart.  If the services are to be provided by an individual rather than a business, please follow the instructions on how to Pay for Independent Contractors. 

Rationale and other considerations:

A sole-source agreement or RFP may be required for certain consulting services.  Please refer to the Purchasing Manual for additional guidance.

How to do it:

1. Complete a written justification memo to explain why the work to be performed by the consultant cannot be reasonably accomplished by employees of the ordering department (refer to Purchasing Manual for additional guidance).

2. Written justification must be approved by Materials Management and the Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs.

3. Login to 49er Mart, enter the request using the General Services form and attach a copy of the agreement.

Contact for additional questions:

Send an email to the Purchasing mailbox at purchasing@uncc.edu or refer to the list of Purchasing contacts.

• Contract Review Workflow

Displays the Contract Checklist Flowchart

• Contract Review Workflow

Contract Review Workflow

• ePrint Reports with Descriptions Campus

Purpose: Table of Departmental ePrint Reports

Purpose: The chart in the memo details the FY 2022-2023 disbursement cut-off dates for Financial Transaction Requests (FTR), Employee Student Direct Pay Requests (ESDPR), Purchase Order payments, and travel to be included in the current fiscal year. Expenses incurred after the dates noted, will be charged to the next fiscal year.

If you have additional questions regarding year-end cut-off dates, please email the respective office below:

Note that a new calendar is published annually before the end of April.

• eCommerce Glossary

Analog:  For eCommerce purposes, a non- digital line i.e., a phone line as opposed to a network or Ethernet cable.

Attestation:  To certify by signature the accuracy and truthfulness of information provided.  Attestation is one component of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) validation process.

Authorization:  In the context of a payment card transaction, authorization is the first step in processing a payment card.  It occurs when a merchant enters cardholder data for a transaction to their bank (acquirer) for processing and requests approval to proceed with the sale.  The merchant’s acquiring bank then routes the request to the card-issuing bank where the transaction is authorized or denied and the response is then routed back to the merchant or their processing system.

Cardholder Data (CHD):   At minimum, CHD consists of the full Primary Account Number (PAN). CHD may also appear in the form of the full PAN plus any of the following: cardholder name, expiration date, and/or service code. See Sensitive Authentication Data for additional data elements that may be transmitted or processed (but not stored) as part of a payment transaction. 

Card Present (CP):  A payment card transaction made where the credit card is physically present (e.g., a face to face transaction, or a customer swiping their card directly into a POS terminal).

Card Not Present (CNP):  A payment card transaction made where the merchant does not see or touch the card and the cardholder does not, or cannot physically present their card for direct input to the merchant’s card/chip reader (e.g., transactions entered over the internet, telephone, mail, or fax).

Credit/Debit Card Processing:  Act of storing, processing, or transmitting credit/debit cardholder data.

eCommerce:  Any internet-enabled financial transaction.

Employee: Any employee (as defined by the Employee Handbook): faculty, student employee, or contractor employed by a third party and providing services to UNC Charlotte.

Master Services Agreement (MSA):  The contract between a merchant and a bank that defines their respective rights, duties, and warranties regarding how each will handle bank card transactions/activity.  The MSA for the University is contracted through the state of North Carolina.

Merchant:  Any entity that accepts payment cards as payment for goods and/or services.

Merchant Account:  A bank account established to allow a business to accept payment card transactions.

Multifactor Authentication:  A means of authenticating a user when two or more factors are verified. These factors include something the user has (such as a smart card, dongle, or device), something the user knows (such as a password, passphrase, or PIN) or something the user is or does (such as fingerprints, other forms of biometrics, etc.)

PAN:  Acronym for “primary account number” and also referred to as “account number.” It is a unique payment card number (typically for credit or debit cards) that identifies the issuer and the particular cardholder account.

Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS):  A proprietary information security standard for organizations or entities that store, process, or transmit payment card data. The Standard is mandated by the card brands and administered by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC).  The Standard may be referenced at:  https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/.

Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC):  the governing body whose goal is to oversee the ongoing evolution of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard.  The Council currently consists of the five major payment brands: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and JCB, and other registered participants (e.g., banks, processors, and merchants).

Payment Cards:  Any payment card/device that is used by a card/device holder and accepted by a merchant for payment of a purchase or other financial obligation.  It typically bears the logo of one of the major card brands (e.g., Visa, Inc., MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and JCB International).

Payment Gateway:  The application interface between the merchant or customer and the payment processor which authorizes credit card payments for internet based transactions.  The gateway is responsible for receiving the payment data from the front-end system, encrypting the card information for security purposes, sending it to the bank for processing, receiving the bank’s authorization, and then communicating the authorization back to the front end system. 

Personally Identifiable Information (PII): Please see Confidential University Data.

PIN:  Acronym for “personal identification number.” This is a secret numeric password known only to the user and a system which is used to authenticate the user to the system. The user is only granted access if the PIN the user provided matches the PIN in the system. Typical PINs are used for automated teller machines for cash advance transactions. Another type of PIN is one used in EMV chip cards where the PIN replaces the cardholder’s signature.

POS - Acronym for “point of sale.” Hardware and/or software used to process payment card transactions at merchant locations.

Sensitive Authentication Data (SAD) – Security related information (including but not limited to card validation codes/values, full track data (from the magnetic stripe or equivalent on a chip) PINs, and PIN blocks) used to authenticate cardholders and/or authorize payment card transactions.

Security code:  Also known as Card Validation Code or Value. This value appears as a three-digit value printed in the signature panel area on the back of the card for Visa, MasterCard, and Discover; or, a four-digit number printed above the PAN on the face of an American Express card.  The code is uniquely associated with each individual price of plastic and ties the PAN to the plastic. 

Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ):  A reporting tool used by merchants and service providers to self-report their adherence to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS).

Service Code:  Three digit or four digit value in the magnetic stripe that follows the expiration date of the payment card on the track data. It is used for various things such as defining service attributes, differentiating between international and national interchange, or identifying usage restrictions.

Service Provider:  A business entity that is not a payment brand, directly involved in the processing, storage, or transmission of cardholder data on behalf of another entity.  This also includes companies that provide services that control or have the ability to impact the security of the cardholder data (e.g., companies that provide managed firewalls or hosting services).

Third Party:  An entity outside of the principal organization.  For eCommerce, it is a company/software/equipment that provides payment processing functions outside of UNC Charlotte infrastructure. 

Truncation:  A method of rendering the full PAN unreadable by permanently removing a segment of the PAN data.  Truncation relates to protection of PAN when stored on receipts or in files, databases, etc.  Only the last 4 digits of the PAN should appear on a payment card transaction receipt.

Virtual Terminal:  A web-browser-based access to an acquirer, processor, or third party service provider website to authorize payment card transactions, where the merchant manually enters payment card data on behalf of the customer, or provides the customer with computer/device access to the internet to enter their own card transaction data for processing.  Unlike POS terminals, virtual payment terminals do not read data directly from a payment card.  In addition, the web interface must be properly configured to secure the CHD; it must route the transaction through the designated approved PCI network and not onto the main network for the University.

Initial eCommerce/Merchant Services Training is required under PCI DSS and the University's Payment (Credit/Debit) Card Processing Procedures section IV. B. for all employees who will be interacting with payment card data, functions, or systems (e.g., credit and debit cards) as part of their job duties.

The University Security Awareness Training is also an important component of eCommerce training and is required for all University personnel that interface with card payments or card processing systems. The University Security Awareness Training is housed within the Learning and Development Portal for faculty/staff and Percipio for students. Guidance for accessing the training is located on the OneIT Information Security Education webpage and on the University FAQ site.

Electronic Personnel Action Form

Overview:  This documentation focuses on entering EPAFs for Part Time Faculty, Special Payments, and Student workers.

Resources:

• EPAF General Instructions (UPDATED: 10/5/2018)
• Hire Part Time Faculty - E50PTF (Includes instructions for E50CE - Continuing Ed)
• Hire Part Time EPA Staff - E50PTS
• Special Pay for Full Time Employee - E45SP

• Endowment Overview and Update Presentation (slides)

Purpose: To share the results of the annual spending calculation and to provide a high-level overview of the University's endowment process. This is targeted to those who manage endowment funds for their department (typically business officers and business coordinators).

• Banner ePrint Instructions

Purpose: This guide provides instructions for Banner ePrint features used in viewing and printing Banner financial reports on the web. Banner access is required to view reports on Banner ePrint. Adobe Acrobat^® Reader and a NinerNET ID and password are needed to use Banner ePrint.

• ExpenseAccountCodesDescriptions2023Jan.pdf

Purpose: Provide a list of Expense Account Codes and Descriptions

• Expense Account Code List

Purpose: Provides a detailed list of expense account codes.

Purpose: The Facilities and Administrative Rate (F&A Rate) is the mechanism used to reimburse the University for the infrastructure support costs associated with sponsored research and other sponsored projects. 

Purpose: Provides financial management guidelines for business officers and other faculty/staff involved with managing departmental finances.

The financial statement audit reports for UNC Charlotte for the past five years are linked below.

• Fiscal Year 2022
• Fiscal Year 2021
• Fiscal Year 2020
• Fiscal Year 2019
• Fiscal Year 2018

Purpose: Guidelines for departmental staff on how to record different types of journal entries.

• Fixed Assets Guidebook

Purpose: This guidebook ensures that assets are properly acquired, accounted for, maintained, and disposed.

• FY23 Fixed Assets Presentation

Purpose: Training presentation on the processes, procedures and everyday activities of the Reporting & Fixed Assets Office.

Register for this two-hour virtual training session by logging into the University's Learning and Development Portal. Once logged into the Portal, select Learning > Learner Home. Enter "fixed assets" in the search box and tap the enter key. Select the fixed assets result to view the available session and register. This workshop is offered once a year in the spring. For additional Portal details, please reference the Learning and Development FAQs.

Payment method:

 

If the purchase of floral arrangements is allowable as outlined in the policies referenced below, the preferred method for purchasing floral arrangements is to use a University-issued Purchasing Card (P-Card) (purchase must be under the card limit and must not conflict with any contractual agreement).

Other allowable methods include:

• Use 49er Mart and purchase as a non-catalog item
• Submit a reimbursement request

Note:  Refer to University Policy 601.8, "Appropriate Use of University Funds" to confirm if this is a permissible use of funds for your area. 

Rationale and other considerations:

Flowers or other similar items may be presented as an expression of sympathy, for example, in the event of the death or major illness of an employee, a member of the employee’s family or household, or as an expression of congratulations (for example, in the event of a wedding or birth of a child of an employee).  Because the P-Card allows for an improved approval and prepayment process, it is the preferred purchasing method for buying such items.

How to do it:

1. Review Policy 602.11 (link below) to confirm the allowability of the purchase and obtain supervisor approval. 
2. The floral gift may then be purchased using a P-Card. 

Coming soon!

The Financial Management Guidelines (FMG) Snapshot is a companion piece to the Financial Management Guidelines. It is a 50,000 foot overview of the FMG. We’re finalizing this document so it will be an available resource for the entire campus. We plan to have this new resource added to this webpage by December 2022.

All purchases must adhere to the policies and procedures referenced in the "Resources” section of this guidance.  

Payment method:

If paying a vendor

The preferred method to pay for all allowable food and beverage purchases, with the exception of on-campus catered events or when claiming subsistence, is to use the University-issued Purchasing Card (P-card) with a hospitality profile. This includes on-campus Chartwells Dining Services locations or any off-campus vendors that accept a P-card. Note: Special permission is needed from the Purchasing Card Administrator to exceed P-card purchase limits. 

Other acceptable forms of payment include:

• 49er Mart, if the vendor accepts a purchase order. Note: The only method to pay for catering events on campus is through 49er Mart.  
• Electronic Check Request (eCR), if the vendor does not accept a P-card or purchase order.  

If reimbursing an individual for out of pocket expenses, whether a current UNC Charlotte employee or non-employee, the method of payment depends on their travel status:

• Submit an Employee & Student Direct Pay Request (ESDPR), if not in travel status.
• Submit a Travel Reimbursement & Expense Report (TRER) from the Travel Forms Package, if in travel status.  
  • Original receipts are not required when claiming the subsistence rate; however, supporting documentation (e.g., event agenda) must still be included to substantiate the meal was not provided at the event.  
  • Subsistence meals incurred while traveling on University business may not be paid using a P-card.   
  • A Travel Authorization Form (TA) must be received by Disbursements at least two weeks before the trip if prior approval is required.  

The following table summarizes preferred food and beverage payment methods:

1. It is not permitted to use University funds to purchase commercially prepared food off-campus and bring it onto campus for consumption.
2. The University defines “Business Meal” as a meal that includes more than one person and has a bona fide business purpose deemed essential to the University’s mission. Note: A business meal must include at least one person not affiliated/employed with UNC Charlotte.
3. When using University funds, business meals consumed on campus should be purchased from contractually provided food vendors (e.g., 49er Bistro, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Einstein Bros. Bagels). 
4. Current subsistence rates can be found in the Travel Forms Package or Travel Manual referenced below.

Before initiating payment, be sure to have the following supporting documentation available:

• Contract, purchase order, invoice, receipt, or agenda
• Agenda or invitation to the event that shows the business purpose, date, and location
• Attendee list
• Entertainment Expenditure Form (not ​required if claiming travel subsistence rate)

Rationale and other considerations:

• Some food and beverage expenditures require additional supporting documentation to substantiate the tax treatment and appropriate fund source of such payments.  

• Payments or reimbursements must comply with the University’s accountable plan and fringe benefit exclusions; otherwise, they will be treated as taxable income to the recipient.

• The cost must always be reasonable, prudent, and have a valid University business purpose.  

• All purchases made with a University p-card are exempt from North Carolina State sales tax. If discretionary funds are used, departments may opt to pay for sales tax in lieu of requesting a refund.

• All commercially prepared food (with the exceptions noted within University Policy 709, Food Service) must be prepared by the food service company under contract to the University (Chartwells).  

• Subsistence meals while in travel status are eligible for reimbursement based on three conditions: 1) departure and return times; 2) overnight travel status, and 3) location at the time of the meal expense (refer to the University Travel Manual for additional details).

Additional Guidance on Allowable Fund Sources Note: This table is provided for reference purposes only; departments are expected to read and adhere to the detailed guidance set forth by Business Affairs in University Policy 601.8, Appropriate Use of Funds.

Additional Guidance on Permitted Alcoholic Beverages and Restrictions Note: This table is provided for reference purposes only; departments are expected to read and adhere to the detailed guidance set forth by Student Affairs in University Policy 706, Alcoholic Beverages.

Resources:

Contact for additional questions:

Payment method:

 

• Submit a Travel Reimbursement and Expense Report (TRER) when in travel status; or
• Submit an Employee & Student Direct Pay Request form (ESDPR) when not in travel status

Note:  Refer to University Policy 601.8, "Appropriate Use of University Funds" to confirm if this is a permissible use of funds for your area (link in table below). 

Rationale and other considerations:

The purchase of fuel is allowable on a P-card when the employee is traveling in a rental car or Department-owned vehicle. If the employee is combining business and personal activities in the same trip, only the fuel expense related to the business portion of the trip is allowable. Note: The employee should not request mileage reimbursement when using a rental car for transportation.

How to do it:

1. Complete a Travel Authorization (TA) form (applicable for rental car) and obtain supervisor approval (additional special fund approval may be required, such as Grants & Contracts Administration). 
2. Upon approval of the TA, the traveler or their designee may then use a P-card to make a purchase. When using the P-card for travel expenses, follow the guidelines and processes identified in the Travel Manual (link provided below).

Contact for additional questions:

General requirements:

All purchases of gift cards/gift certificates (of non-negotiable amounts) must have a valid, documented business purpose as outlined in the policies referenced below, and must comply with all University purchasing and expense procedures.   

Gift card payment methods:

Purchasing card (p-card): The preferred method for purchasing gift cards is to use a University-issued Purchasing Card (p-card). The purchase must be within the p-card limits and not conflict with any contractual agreement.

• Gift cards are considered cash equivalents by the IRS. Separately submit UP 602.11 Appendix B, Reportable Gifts, Awards, & Prizes Documentation Form, to the Tax Office within two (2) weeks if:             
  • The recipient is an employee (regardless of amount), or
  • The recipient is a non-employee and the amount is $600 or greater.
• Note that some vendors/retailers will not accept credit cards to purchase gift cards.
• Amazon eGift cards: To purchase an eGift card from Amazon, send an email to your department’s Purchasing Agent for approval. Once approved, the Purchasing Agent will send a request to the 49erMart Administrator to add the applicable permissions to your user profile. Once you are notified that this has been completed, you can purchase the eGift card on Amazon.com.
• Barnes & Nobles gift cards and tangible personal property gifts may be purchased directly from the University Bookstore with a p-card or invoiced to the department through 49erMart.

ESDPR: If the recipient is an employee or student, you may submit an  Employee/Student Direct Pay Request (ESDPR). Download an ESDPR form and complete the form according to the instructions (link provided below). 

• Attach UP 602.11 Appendix B, Reportable Gifts, Awards, & Prizes Documentation Form, to the ESDPR if:
  • The recipient is an employee (regardless of amount), or
  • The recipient is a student and the amount is $600 or greater.
• Reimbursement for purchases for others: If an individual purchases gift cards to distribute to others and requests reimbursement and the gifts meet the reportable limits, UP 602.11 Appendix B - Reportable Gifts, Awards, & Prizes Form must be submitted. If the gifts do not meet the reportable limits, a list of recipients must be sent with the ESDPR to be reimbursable to the individual tax-free, in accordance with the University’s accountable plan.

Any non-reportable gifts (see UP 602.11 Appendix A) should be tracked on UP 602.11 Appendix C, Gifts, Awards, & Prizes Log Sheet, or a similar tracking sheet unless it is unreasonable or impractical to do so.

Gift certificate payment methods:

Please refer to the contacts listed on the Tax Office website. 

Last revised: 5/11/2018, 7/10/2018, 9/14/18, 7/30/19, 7/01/21

Payment method:

Complete an Electronic Check Request (eCR) Form within 49er Mart to request payment for goods or services that have already been provided and were not obtained through the issuance of a purchase order.

Note: eCRs cannot be created for employees or students. Please submit reimbursement for employees and students on an Employee & Student Direct Payment Request (ESDPR) Form.

Rationale and other considerations:

The eCR Form should be used to request payment for goods or services in situations where the department does not know the final cost of the service until it is completed, or if the department must obtain items in a true emergency situation before a purchase order is issued. 

Please note that the use of an eCR Form should not replace the University’s standard purchasing process of submitting a requisition/approved purchase order through 49er Mart prior to procuring goods and services.  

If such transactions are expected to be recurring in nature with a particular vendor, the department should consider establishing a Multi-Invoice Service Order to more efficiently process such payments. Contact your Purchasing Agent for additional information.

How to do it:

Follow the detailed eCR instructions in Canvas.

Contact for additional questions:

Send an email to the Purchasing mailbox at purchasing@uncc.edu or refer to the list of Purchasing contacts.

Last updated 9/14/18, 4/30/19, 7/18/19

• Guide to Querying Fixed Asset Information in Banner

Purpose: Describes how to navigate in Banner to obtain asset numbers and other asset information.

Payment method:

 

Rationale and other considerations:

How to do it:

Contact for additional questions:

Send an email to the Travel mailbox at travel@uncc.edu, or refer to the list of contacts on the Travel/Complex Payments website.

Last updated 12/22/2016; 7/10/2017

For instructions on how to establish or change direct deposit information online, see this FAQ. 

To request a payment to an individual, it is important to address two questions:

1. What is the purpose of the payment?
2. Is the individual currently employed by the University?

Click on the summarized flowchart below for additional guidance in selecting the appropriate payment method (guidance on paying students is also available):

Click the image below to enlarge:

Rationale and other considerations:

UNC Charlotte pays students for a variety of purposes. Most payments to students (besides government aid that is processed through Financial Aid) should either be classified as educational awards (namely scholarships/ fellowships) or compensation. On occasion, students will receive business expense payments (namely reimbursements or non-educational awards/prizes). Click on the summarized flowchart below for additional guidance in selecting the appropriate payment method:

Click the image below to enlarge:

Rationale and other considerations:

Last updated: 10/28/16, 6/17/19, 8/13/19, 8/25/20, 10/13/21

The Financial Transaction Request (FTR) Wire Transfer eForm can be used to generate Wire Transfer transactions when an ACH payment or check is not acceptable. It may also be used to send payment in foreign currencies. Please make sure the fund and account number(s) you are using is/are an accurate representation of the transaction. Financial Services reserves the right to correct any inaccurate account numbers.

Finance Transaction Request Info:
The Transaction Type you select is: Wire Transfer

*NOTE: The physical appearance of the FTR form will automatically change based on the Transaction Type selected. Therefore, it is important to complete this section first.

Wire Type - Choose either International for wires being sent outside of the US or Domestic for wires sent within the US.

Confirm the Dept. Approver 800#. This field is auto-populated with the 800# of the Preparer's direct supervisor; it may be changed if a more appropriate 'Approver' exists. If you don't know the 800# you can begin entering the name in the field and a list will appear to choose from.

Add Add'l Approver (Optional). If desired, click and fill-in an additional 800# to receive the transaction for approval. If you don't know the 800# you can begin entering the name in the field and a list will appear to choose from.

Transaction Type Info:
Index/Fund & Account - Each line must be coded with a six-digit INDEX/FUND code and a six digit ACCOUNT code. To determine the Banner Fund Code use Banner form FTVFUND. To determine the Banner Account Codes use Banner form FTVACCT and consult the Expense Account Code List maintained by Reporting & Fixed Assets.
*NOTE: AN INVALID INDEX/FUND WILL INVALIDATE THE ENTIRE SUBMISSION.

Description - Each line must contain a description. The description can be up to 35 characters long. 

Payment and Beneficiary Details:

Type of Currency - For International wires, choose the type of currency for the wire being sent, i.e. Euro, USD, etc.

Beneficiary Name - This is the name of the person or business receiving the wire. This must match the name on the bank account you are using.

Beneficiary Address - Please provide the address of the business or person receiving the wire.

Routing Number (for Domestic Wires) - This is the bank identifier and should be 9 numbers long.

Account Number/IBAN - For International wires, the IBAN normally begins with two letters followed by a string of numbers. Some International accounts do not use IBAN but may use just an account number.

SWIFT Number (for International Wires) - This is the bank identifier and may be just letters or a combination of letters and numbers.

Bank Name - Name of the bank receiving the wire.

Bank Address - Address of the bank receiving the wire.

Payment Explanation for Beneficiary - This should be an explanation the wire recipient will be able to use to identify the purpose of the payment. You can use an invoice number or a description such as "Registration for Math Conference for John Doe." Some banks require a stated purpose for the wire and that may be included in this explanation.                 

How to find the transaction in Banner:

The transaction will appear as a book disbursement, created by General Accounting, in Banner. This is a
JCD rule code and the document number will begin with the letter “D.” The wire information and
backup will be attached to the book disbursement in Perceptive Content.

If this payment is related to a Travel Authorization (TA), list the book disbursement document number on your TA.

When a department needs to return an item procured through 49er Mart on a purchase order, several key steps should occur to ensure the return is properly processed.  Please refer to the flowchart below for guidance on the returned goods process.

Click on the image below to enlarge:

For additional information, refer to the 49er Mart Canvas training, or contact your department's Purchasing Agent.

Definition:

Human subject payments are defined as payments of cash (including cash equivalents/gift cards) or tangible personal property as incentives to individuals (subjects) for their participation and time commitment in a clinical trial, survey, or research study. Please refer to the Office of Research Compliance (ORC) Human Subjects webpage for detaileds requirements for research studies that involve human subjects at UNC Charlotte.

Payment methods:

49er Mart or purchasing cards (p-cards): Can be used to purchase any items of tangible personal property, such as pens, books, candy. P-cards can be used to purchase gift cards. (refer to the Gift Cards/Gift Certificates, How to Pay guide; link in the table below). Note that gift cards are considered cash equivalents. Electronic check requests (eCRs) can also be used to issue payment directly to a recipient who is not a student or employee. The recipient must be set up as a vendor before initiating the eCR.

Petty cash: May be used for payments up to $100 per individual, per study.

• To open a petty cash fund for a specific research study, complete a Petty Cash Fund Request Form, which must be approved by the Office of Research Compliance (ORC) before being routed to the General Accounting office for approval. ORC will confirm that cash was listed as the compensation method on the study’s approved IRB proposal.
  • Petty cash for research studies must be initially funded through a non-grant fund (as grant funds cannot be used for advances, including to advance petty cash). Once the research study is complete and petty cash is no longer needed, the department must complete a Petty Cash Fund Request Form to close the fund. Once the petty cash fund is closed, any petty cash used for the research study can be reimbursed via grant funds by submitting a reimbursement request via an FTR form. For questions about this process, please contact Grants & Contracts Administration.
• Petty Cash Custodians must review the Petty Cash/Change Fund Procedures prior to receiving a petty cash fund. Note that reconciliation of funds is required to be sent to the General Accounting office on a monthly basis.
• Petty cash funds can have a maximum balance of $5,000. Any requests for more than $5,000 must be approved by the Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development and the University Controller.

• Requests for amounts greater than $250 should be sent at least five (5) business days in advance to allow time for the cash on hand to be requested.

Employee/Student Direct Pay Request (ESDPR): May be used when a check/direct deposit to an employee or student recipient is desired. Download an ESDPR form and complete according to the form instructions. Note that payments must be issued directly to the recipient; cash cannot be issued to administrative personnel for further distribution.

Regardless of the payment method chosen, tax reporting requirements must be met:

• Each college/department is responsible for tracking the total amount of human subject payments that each payee has received during a calendar year unless it is unreasonable or impractical to do so.
• Refer to the flowchart below for tax reporting required depending on the target study population, incentive amount, and recipient classification. Recipient classification information is also summarized below.

Click on the image below to enlarge:

Recipient classification and Tax Reporting Requirements:

• Employees: All cash incentives, including gift cards, of any amount given to employees (including student employees) are reportable on the employee’s Form W-2 and subject to federal and state income taxes.
  • If UNC Charlotte employees are targeted in the research study, then any cash incentives (including gift cards) given to employees are taxable/tax reportable to the recipients as employees, regardless of amount.
  • If the target study population is NOT specifically UNC Charlotte employees, nor is it advertised directly to UNC Charlotte employees by themselves, then incentives paid can be considered as unrelated to the recipient's employment at UNC Charlotte. If the PIs/research administrators will not be checking recipient status (employee v. non-employee), to mitigate risk, these incentives should be limited to $100 or less. Payments are subject to the non-employee reporting requirements.
• Non-employees: If combined payments to a non-employee total $600 or greater in a calendar year, the total amount given is reportable on Form 1099-MISC reporting.
• Foreign nationals: Prior to making a payment of any amount to a foreign national/non-U.S. resident, contact the Tax Office, as tax reporting (on Form 1042-S) and withholding are required.

Contact for additional questions:

Please refer to the Tax Office and the Office of Research Compliance contacts.

Last updated: 5/02/2018, 7/30/19, 8/5/19, 7/01/21

Payment method:

Choosing the appropriate method for paying an independent contractor (including the payment of an honorarium) depends on several factors. Please use the table below to select the appropriate payment method:

Payments to non-NC based companies and individuals for performance-related events:

Non-wage compensation of more than $1,500 during a calendar year to a non-NC resident contractor for personal services performed in NC in connection with a performance, an entertainment or athletic event, a speech, or the creation of a film, radio or television program, is subject to NC income tax withholding at the rate of 4%. This also applies to all services performed by ITIN holders. Such payments should be requested using an electronic check request (eCR). A non-NC resident contractor is defined as an individual or business not domiciled in the state of North Carolina. 

Note about processing honorariums via eCRs:

• If you are reimbursing travel expenses directly and solely related to an honorarium, you can either:
  • Submit the full amount to be paid via an eCR using the Payment Type of "Honorarium." This full amount, if $600 or more, will be subject to income tax reporting for the recipient on a Form 1099-MISC. The recipient can deduct qualified business expenses on their income tax return; they should consult their own tax advisor for guidance. -- OR --
  • Submit two eCRs:
    • 1. Submit the taxable honorarium amount via an eCR using the Payment Type of "Honorarium." This amount, if $600 or more, will be subject to income tax reporting for the recipient on a Form 1099-MISC.
    • 2. Submit the reimbursement for travel expenses via an eCR using the Payment Type of "Reimbursement." Attach a copy of the approved honorarium agreement, which will serve as authorization of the travel.

Please refer to the following policies, procedures, and other resources below:

Contact for additional questions:

Please refer to the contacts listed on the Tax Office website.

• Institute for Social Capital Public Inspection Form 990

• Internal Controls training presentation

Purpose: To provide a brief training on Internal Controls at UNC Charlotte.

Contact Wardell Kerson, Senior Accountant, for further information on internal controls.

Purpose: Provide a list of Inventory Coordinators by Level organizational code.

• Know Before You Go: General Guide for Travelers

Purpose: Describes the common actions and items travelers need to take and know before going on University-sponsored business trips.

Payment method:

 

The preferred method for paying for memberships to professional associations is to use a University-issued Purchasing Card (P-Card).

Other allowable methods include:

• Submit a Electronic Check Request (eCR) only if payee does not accept a credit card
• Submit an Employee & Student Direct Pay Request (ESDPR)

Rationale and other considerations:

The costs associated with professional memberships related to an employee's job duties may be allowable.  The decision on allowability is based on the requirements in OSBM Budget Manual Section 4.7.4, "Membership Dues" (see link below).  Generally, OSBM requires that membership dues paid from state funds are 1) approved by the employee's supervisor and department head or designee; and 2) for the benefit of the University, not the individual.  Because the P-Card allows for an improved approval and payment process, it is the preferred purchasing method for such transactions.

How to do it:

1. Review the resources below to confirm the allowability of the purchase and obtain supervisor/department head approval. 
2. The membership fee may then be paid using a P-Card. 
3. For memberships paid via General Funds, documentation must be uploaded into Works that shows department head approval and attestation that the membership is for the benefit of the University, not the individual.

Contact for additional questions:

Send an email to the Purchasing Card mailbox at purchasingcard@uncc.edu; or refer to the Purchasing Card website.

Payment method:

Authorized travelers can seek reimbursement for mileage, parking, and transportation costs using either the Travel Reimbursement & Expense Report (TRER) Form or the Mileage and Transportation Reimbursement (MTR) Form. The nature of the travel determines which form to use.

This applies to both employee and non-employee travel for valid university purposes.

When to use a Travel Reimbursement & Expense Report Form:  Use a TRER for claiming mileage and parking expenses if the traveler claims other travel-related expenses while traveling on pre-approved University business, AND:

• The trip takes the traveler 35 miles or more from the University duty station; and
• Involves an overnight stay.

When to use a Mileage and Transportation Reimbursement Form:  Use an MTR if the traveler is only claiming mileage and ground transportation expenses from an approved University business trip where there is no overnight stay and subsistence is not reimbursable.

Rationale and other considerations:

If you are using your personal vehicle on approved, official University business, you can be reimbursed for your mileage. Mileage will be reimbursed from the closer of home or duty station.

When driving to the airport mileage is allowed for the trip to and from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, when you are planning to park your car for the duration of travel, or when a private party is dropping you off at the airport. Please note that mileage from the University is limited to 15 miles each way.

For mileage reimbursement, you should include printed directions that show total miles driven. You may use an online mapping service for this documentation (e.g., Google Maps, Mapquest). If your actual mileage exceeds direct round trip miles, please provide an explanation. Travelers are encouraged to request motor fleet vehicles or use rental cars for University travel, subject to availability. 

Note:  Please refer to the Safety & Security page for details regarding insurance coverage when using personally-owned or University-owned vehicles. 

How to do it:

1. Review the policies and procedures listed below.
2. Complete the appropriate form:
   • Travel Reimbursement & Expense Report Form (tab 2 in the link provided below), or
   • Mileage and Transportation Reimbursement Form (link provided below).
3. Attach required documentation. Documentation depends on the type of reimbursement request and may include:
   • Parking receipts
   • Printed directions that show total miles driven
   • Travel Authorization
4. Obtain required signatures from traveler and approver.
5. Submit to Travel & Complex Payments.

Contact for additional questions:

University Policy 602.10, Mobile Communication Device (MCD) Allowances, establishes when the University will provide payment for employee use of MCDs when required to support business activities of the University, along with related administrative requirements. It is drafted with the intention of complying with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and other applicable statutes, regulations, and guidance. This policy was initially approved in September 2009, redesignated from UP-317 to UP 602.10 in October 2017, and last updated in April 2022. 

Please see the following guidance:

• UP 602.10, MCD Allowances
• MCD Supplemental Procedures
• MCD Allowance Request eForm and documentation 
• MCD Allowance FAQs 

Please contact your department’s administrative office or the following departments for questions about MCD allowances:

• Program questions: Marlo Hardiman, assistant controller for tax and payroll, in the Payroll Department.
• Processing questions: Human Resources at hrsystems-support@uncc.edu

• Independent Registered Municipal Advisor exemption letter ("IRMA Exemption")

Purpose: The municipal advisor letter serves as a certificate of representation between UNC Charlotte, its affiliated entities, and their retention of a municipal advisor. We are represented and will rely on our municipal advisor to provide advice concerning the issuance of municipal securities, investment of bond proceeds, escrow investments, and other financial services needs. Once a new municipal advisor is assigned, an updated letter will be made public on this page. 

• Nonresident Alien Tax Compliance

Training on Nonresident Alien Tax Compliance

Obtaining a receipt book

• Fill out section 1. of the Receipt Book Request Form and email it to bursar@uncc.edu.
• They will receive your request and update the "Cashiers Only" portion of the form. They will then email you and let you know your book is ready for pick up. Please allow 2 hours for us to log your information and send you a return email that your book is available for pick up.
• You must be a full time faculty or staff to request a book and you must bring your staff ID card with you to pick up your book. You are responsible for this book until it is checked back into the Cashiers.

depositing information

The Daily Deposit and Reporting Law (G.S. 147-77) require the depositing of all funds on a daily basis and to report the same on a daily basis. An exemption may be granted provided the funds to be deposited do not exceed $5000.00 and that they are deposited at least once per week. For additional information, see University Policy 602.4.

using the receipt book

A receipt must be written when receiving payment in cash. The receipt book consists of three copies. The top receipt should be given to the payee, the middle copy should stay with the department and the third copy stays in the book for cashier reconciliation purposes. You will need to bring this book to the Cashier’s Office each time you make a deposit. On the deposit form you should indicate the starting receipt and the last receipt included in the deposit. The cashier will add these receipts to make sure they balance with the deposit form and initial, date, and write down the Banner receipt number on the last receipt.

If you should need to void a receipt please write VOID in big letters across the receipt and all three copies MUST remain in the book. If the top copy has already been torn out, please staple or tape it back in.

When your event is over or all receipts have been used (whichever is first) please return the book back to the Cashier’s Office after all your deposits have been made. The cashier will sign it back in.

**If your receipt book is lost, we will notify the business manager/department head and inform them that you will no longer be able to collect monies on behalf of the department until the receipt book is found.**

If you have any questions regarding these procedures please email the Cashier’s Office at bursar@uncc.edu.

Instructions on how to pay for non travel reimbursements.

Payment method:

• Current UNC Charlotte employee
• Student

Rationale and other considerations:

1. Download the ESDPR and complete according to the form instructions.
2. Submit the completed form to the Disbursements Office according the instructions listed on the form.  

Contact for additional questions:

Email the Disbursement-Travel inbox at travel@uncc.edu, or refer to the list of contacts on the Disbursements-Travel website.

Instructions on how to pay for other travel related expenses.

Payment method:

Rationale and other considerations:

How to do it:

Last updated 9/14/18

UNC Charlotte Strategy: physical location of workforce

• UNC Charlotte has a strong preference for a North Carolina workforce. Hiring preference should be given to employees living and working in-state when all other factors are equal.
  • As a North Carolina entity, UNC Charlotte has a responsibility to provide NC public sector jobs when possible.
  • This applies to students, including graduate assistants, and temporary employees.
• At this time, a workforce abroad should be avoided if possible considering the direct and indirect costs of compliance.
• Restrictions:
  • Term: Out-of-state arrangements must be temporary in nature. Terms are limited to one year. Renewals must be approved annually.
  • Multiple jurisdictions: UNC Charlotte cannot accommodate withholding prorated income taxes for more than one state in a single pay period.
  • IT Security: Employees must use University-managed devices when working remotely.

Definition of Out-of-State Employee

An employee who will be located outside the state of North Carolina when performing work for UNC Charlotte. Examples:

• A part-time faculty member teaching online classes 100% remotely outside of North Carolina.
• A full-time faculty member on paid leave residing out of state and working on grant activity for UNC Charlotte.
• Additional examples are included in the FAQs below.

Procedures

If a potential need arises for an employee to complete work for UNC Charlotte from a non-NC jurisdiction for more than one month, complete the Out-of-State Work Approval Form at least 60 days prior to the proposed start date of the arrangement. All approvals as indicated on the form must be obtained.

The form is not needed if:

• the duration of the work to be completed outside of NC is for one (1) month or less; or
• the employee will not be doing work for UNC Charlotte while outside of NC (e.g., employee is on leave, or employee is part of a faculty exchange program); or
• the employee is attending a work conference in another state

Note that the Out-of-State Work Approval Form must be completed in addition to standard Telework/Remote Work Request Form:

• For staff: Telework/Remote Work Request Form
• For faculty: Faculty Duty Station Attestation Form

potential costs

• Pass-through costs (e.g., state-specific benefits) may apply to individual employees or their hiring departments. 
• Costs are incurred every time the University must set up to withhold income taxes and set up unemployment insurance in other states. To check if the University is already set up in a specific state, contact the Tax Office.
• Out-of-country employment requires contracted service with a professional employer organization (PEO). Estimated additional cost is 40-60% of the employee’s salary. 

Background

Almost all states require employers to withhold tax from wages earned in that state. To maintain a lawful out-of-state or international employee, UNC Charlotte must comply with requirements that vary by jurisdiction and include:

• Employer registration
• Employment and wage laws, including minimum wage and required pay frequency
• Income tax withholding
• Other taxes/withholding (e.g., disability, paid family leave, local jurisdiction requirements, required benefits)
• Monthly/quarterly/year end reporting
• New hire reporting
• Unemployment insurance (UI)
• Workers' compensation

Resources

• AA-43: Faculty Duty Station Attestation Form
• HR Teleworking/Remote Work Request Form for SHRA and EHRA Non-faculty Employees
• Out-of-State Work Approval Form - Must be completed in addition to the standard telework request forms, e.g., HR Teleworking/Remote Work Request Form for SHRA and EHRA Non-faculty Employees and the Faculty Duty Station Attestation Form
• UNC System Office Regulation 300.8.6[R] on Flexible Work Arrangements and Remote Work
• ​University Policy: UP 101.22, Flexible Work & Telework Arrangements, Section II.C.9

FAQs

Does this apply to faculty who are out of state while on paid leave? (e.g., FMLA or official Reassignment of Duties)?
Yes, but only if they are doing work for the University or receive special compensation while in a different state.

How does this apply to faculty/staff who are working remotely and who may live in South Carolina?
Employees should complete the Out-of-State Work Approval Form. If approved, they should switch their withholding to South Carolina by completing and signing the South Carolina Form SC W-4, South Carolina Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate, and returning it to the Payroll Department on campus (Reese Building 3rd Floor; do not email forms with Social Security numbers).  If at any point employees need to change their withholding back to North Carolina, they should submit an updated NC-4 in My UNC Charlotte and notify the Payroll Department to stop withholding in South Carolina via an email to payrolldept@uncc.edu.

If a faculty member teaches out of state/out of the country for 5 weeks, is that ok?
They should complete the Out-of-State Work Approval Form. Approvers will determine if the arrangement introduces additional compliance requirements in the jurisdiction in question.

What is the risk to the University?
The individual has the tax liability to pay; however, they may make a case to their department that they were not informed of the tax concern and need to report and expect the department to pay the taxes owed (which has occurred). The risk to the University is financial in terms of back taxes owed, interest, and penalties that may be applied to the campus from the taxing entity (out of state local or state entity or international entity) due to non-compliance. This risk is tied to the dollar level and pattern of non-compliance, but regulations are becoming more closely monitored by all entities given better use of data matching and the states’ needs for tax revenue in the current environment.

Contacts

For tax withholding questions, contact the Tax Office.
For faculty teleworking questions, contact Academic Affairs Budget & Personnel.
For staff teleworking questions, contact Human Resources.

Created February 2019
Rev. 3/5/19, 6/11/19, 10/4/19, 11/06/20, 3/18/21, 4/09/21, 7/01/21, 12/02/2022

Click play for an Overview of Travel Rules for State Employees provided by the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management (NC OSBM).

Click play for an Overview of Travel Reimbursement for State Employees provided by the NC OSBM.

UNC Charlotte specific travel guidance and forms for faculty and staff are available on the Financial Services Travel webpage.

• Payment Card Processing Procedures

Instructions on how to access the University's Payroll Calendar.

Add and view the payroll Google calendar by clicking the payroll calendar link.

Detailed instructions are available on the University FAQ site. 

• Petty Cash/Change Fund Procedures

Procedures for Petty Cash and Change Fund at UNC Charlotte.

• Petty Cash Change Fund Training

Petty Cash/Change Fund Policy and Procedures

• Procedures for Other Payments to a Foreign National

Describes procedures for other payments to a foreign national.

• Procedures for Scholarship/Fellowship Payment to a Foreign National

Purpose: Describes how to process scholarship and fellowship payments made to a foreign national person. Examples of these types of payment may include but are not limited to the following: qualified scholarships for tuition; nonqualified scholarships for living expenses; travel award.

Purpose: Below is a list of vendors UNC Charlotte has contracted with for promotional items. Reach out to them directly to obtain a quote.

• Organizational Encumbrance List

Purpose: Review open Purchase Order Encumbrances in Banner.

• Purchasing agent assignments by ORG Code

Purpose: This file contains a table of purchasing agents by level 5 organizational code.

• Purchasing Card Manual

Purpose: Provides general Information and detailed procedures for card issuance and card processes, purchasing guidelines, and documentation requirements.

• Purchasing_Card_User_Training.pdf

Purpose: To provide the purchasing card accountholder, reconciler and approver roles user training workshop registration information and the related presentation.

Register for this one-hour virtual P-card user training session by logging into the University's Learning and Development Portal. Once logged into the Portal, select Learning > Learner Home. Enter "p-card" in the search box and tap the enter key. Select the p-card result to view all available sessions and register. For additional Portal details, please reference the Learning and Development FAQs.

Purpose: This guide is meant to serve as a one-stop reference for purchasing card (p-card) users and combines multiple resources into one document. There is a separate tab for each of the following:

• PCRG tab — Overview of allowable and unallowable expenditures by category and spending profile, and receipt reminders 
• Flag Assistance tab — Assistance ​with resolving common p-card flags in Works P-card 
• Quick Recon. Guide tab — Reconciliation instructions

• UNC Charlotte Purchasing Manual

The purchasing manual is an official guide for the departments, schools, divisions, offices, and other organizational entities of UNC Charlotte. These policies should be used for the procurement and handling of supplies, materials, equipment, and services as directed by the General Statutes of the State of North Carolina and as stated in University Policy 601.11, Purchasing Policy.

Please contact Purchasing if your specific question is not covered.

As purchasing policies or procedures change, this webpage will be updated. Please bookmark this site and refer to it often.

Scott Brechtel
Director of Materials Management
 

Overview

The Red Flags Rule (Rule) was issued in 2007 by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) after the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) added provisions to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) designed to improve the accuracy of consumers' credit-related records and directed the FTC to issue guidelines for financial institutions and creditors regarding identity theft with respect to their account holders and customers. The Rule is actually three different but related rules, two of which apply to the University.

The Rule requires financial institutions and creditors that offer or maintain one or more covered accounts to implement a written Identity Theft Prevention Program (ITPP) designed to detect, prevent, and mitigate identity theft. Red Flags are suspicious patterns or practices or specific activities that indicate the possibility that identity theft may occur. The University's ITPP was approved by the University's Board of Trustees in 2009. All departments, colleges, and units who are involved with handling Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in connection with the opening of covered accounts and with respect to existing covered accounts must comply with the University's ITPP and develop reasonable processes and procedures to verify the identity of persons for whom services are being provided and to detect, prevent, and mitigate any instances of identity theft.

The Rule also requires a user of a consumer report to employ reasonable policies and procedures when the user receives a notice of address discrepancy. Therefore, to prevent identity theft regarding an employment or volunteer position for which a credit or background report is sought, University personnel shall take the following steps to assist in identifying address discrepancies:

• Require written verification from any applicant that the address provided by the applicant is accurate at the time the request for the credit report is made to the consumer reporting agency; and

• If notice of an address discrepancy is received, verify that the credit report pertains to the applicant for whom the requested report was made and report to the consumer reporting agency an address for the applicant that the University has reasonably confirmed is accurate.

Other links of interest

• Full text of the FTC’s Fair Credit Reporting Act FCRA 15 U.S.C. §§ 1681-1681x, as amended by the Fair and Accurate Transaction Act of 2003 (effective Sep. 1, 2011)
• Full text of the FTC's Red Flags Rule FTC 16 CFR Part 681, as amended by the Red Flag Program Clarification Act of 2010 (effective Jan. 1, 2011)
• SEC and CFTC's final Identity Theft Red Flags Rule rule (effective May 20, 2013)
• Other FTC resources:
  • Fighting Identity Theft with the Red Flags Rule: A How-To Guide for Business
  • Consumer Information on Identity Theft
  • Protecting Personal Information: A Guide for Business
• NACUBO Red Flags Rule resources
• IRS site on Identity Protection
• NC Identity Theft Protection Act of 2005, via S1048
• UNC System Guidance (Feb. 2009)

UNC Charlotte Procedures and Forms

Red Flags Rule Annual Survey, to be completed by Key Areas (as defined in Procedures).

Red Flag Detection Form, to be completed if Red Flags are detected in the course of University operations.

Note that, while Key Areas must comply with the University’s ITPP, from a Red Flags Rule risk management perspective, all employees who are involved with handling PII must comply with the following procedures related to information security and fraud prevention.

Protection of Personally Identifiable Information

To further prevent the likelihood of identity theft occurring during the conduct of University business, the University will take the following steps with respect to its internal operating procedures to protect PII: 

• Ensure that its website is secure or provide clear notice that the website is not secure; 
• Ensure complete and secure destruction of paper documents and computer files containing individual account information when a decision has been made to no longer maintain such information; 
• Ensure that office computers with access to PII are password protected; 
• Ensure that laptops are password protected and encrypted;
• Avoid use of social security numbers when possible; 
• Ensure the security of physical facilities that contain PII;
• Ensure that transmission of PII is limited and encrypted when necessary;
• Ensure computer virus protection is up to date; and
• Require and keep only the kinds of individual information that are necessary for University purposes.

Hard Copy Distribution

Each employee and contractor performing work for the University will comply with the following security measures related to hard copy files with PII:

• File cabinets, desk drawers, overhead cabinets, and any other storage space containing documents with PII will be locked when not in use, when unsupervised, and at the end of each workday.
• Clear desks, workstations, work areas, printers and fax machines, and common shared work areas of all documents containing PII when not in use.
• Whiteboards, dry-erase boards, writing tablets, and other writing surfaces in common shared work areas with PII will be erased, removed, or shredded when not in use.
• When documents containing PII are discarded, they will be placed inside a locked shred bin or immediately shredded using a mechanical crosscut or Department of Defense-approved shredding device. Label locked shred bins as “Confidential paper shredding and recycling.”

The following can be used to educate your staff regarding the Red Flags Rule and University’s ITPP:

• UNC Charlotte’s Red Flags Rule - ITPP Procedures include definitions and specific actionable items on how to prevent and mitigate identity theft, including a “Red Flag Identification and Detection Grid.”
• For information about data classification and handling, visit the University FAQ site.

Payment method:

 

Rationale and other considerations:

How to do it:

1. Complete a Travel Authorization form and obtain supervisor approval. Note that a Travel Authorization is not required if the event is local and the attendee will not be in travel status.  
2. Upon approval of the Travel Authorization form, the traveler or their designee may then pay the registration fee using a P-Card. When using the P-Card for travel expenses, follow the guidelines and processes identified in the Travel Manual (link provided below).

Contact for additional questions:

Send an email to the Purchasing Card mailbox at purchasingcard@uncc.edu, or refer to the Purchasing Card website.

Last updated 9/14/18, 6/03/19

If you are considering the possibility of accepting payment cards as a method to collect revenues for your University department or unit, e.g., for merchandise sales, event registration, or other University-related revenues, you should become familiar with the UNC Charlotte Payment (Credit/Debit) Card Processing Standard and the UNC Charlotte Payment (Credit/Debit) card Processing Procedures.   Below is an overview of some key points to understand:

General Requirements for Payment Card Processing

1. Any department, college, group, or individual who wishes to process credit/debit cards (payment cards) must receive approval from their departmental Business Manager and the eCommerce Office (eCO).
2. All card processing for the University must operate under a UNC Charlotte merchant Account / ID (see below under “Establishing a New Merchant Account”) or an approved alternate process.
3. All contracted services or other purchases related to card processing must receive approval from the eCO and ITS (if appropriate) before they are initiated. All contracts which involve card processing, or link to third party card processing sites, must be reviewed by the eCommerce Manager  before they are executed.  Any contract that pertains to card processing that does not contain required language will be required to go through an Addendum process before card processing set ups are implemented.
4. All online card processing must occur on an approved, secure web site, through an approved 3^rd party processor. 
5. Face to face transactions must be processed on Point-of-Sale (POS) equipment ordered or rented through the eCO on terminals approved and provided by the State, or, through an eCO approved virtual terminal. 
6. All staff that interface with card transactions must complete the individual requirements for card processing, as listed below under “Establishing Merchant User Access”.
7. Access to reporting systems will be based on a least privilege basis, or limited to the least number of staff that are required to complete the related tasks.
8. All card transactions that are processed on behalf of the University or its affiliates must be deposited to the University Cashiers on a daily basis.
9. Transaction fees, as set by NC OSC  (North Carolina Office of the State Controller), are charged on all processed transactions.  General Accounting receives and pays these invoiced charges and debits the designated merchant’s fund monthly.
10. Documentation of processes related to card processing are required to be submitted to the eCO at least annually and whenever significant changes occur.
11. Merchants must complete an annual Payment Card Industry (PCI) Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ), signed Attestation, and other related documentation as required.

Establishing a New Merchant Account

1. Complete an Initial Interest Form to Process Payment Cards to assess whether your department's/unit's activity meets the criteria to accept payment cards at UNC Charlotte.
2. Once your Interest Form has been approved, complete an Application to Process Payment Cards (EC-APP).
   • Approval must be obtained by your department's Business Manager before submitting to the eCO.
   • Note that a University eCommerce 'Merchant Account' is established for each major department on campus that accepts payment cards.  If your department does not currently have its own Merchant Account, certain minimum sales thresholds apply for establishment of a new Merchant Account.
   • Note also that you must know detailed information about your potential payment card processing setup to fill out this application.  Required fields include: business case, frequency and volume of transactions, types of processing requested (e.g., online, face-to face/POS), Banner Fund code to deposit revenues into and from which to charge credit card fees, draft refund policy, list of employees who will be handling card data, and agreement to the following statements:
     • Storage/Retention:  University staff and entities are prohibited from storing the Primary Account Number (PAN) or Sensitive Authentication Data (SAD), physically or electronically (e.g., computer hard drives, CDs, Disks, and other external storage media), after authorization of the transaction.  Records pertaining to card transactions will be kept in a physically secure, limited access location for two fiscal years.  If no litigation, claim, audit, or other official action involving the records has been initiated, all records will be destroyed via cross-cut shredding after this time period.
     • Sensitive Cardholder Data (CHD) (as defined by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council - PCI SSC):  Our office will not store the Primary Account Number (PAN) or any sensitive authentication data (Full magnetic stripe data or chip equivalent, card validation number/security code, or PIN block) physically or electronically.  Any request to accept sensitive CHD by mail will be pre-approved by the eCO, and the physically received portion of the record containing CHD will be cross-cut shredded immediately after the transaction is entered for processing (the day it is received).  Sensitive CHD will not be collected/accepted via email or fax.  Any sensitive CHD gathered via POS devices will only be stored within the device until settlement (must occur daily), after which the data is automatically erased.
     • Receipts:  All software will be configured so that all customer and merchant receipts print only the truncated card number (the last four digits), and the customer copy does not display the expiration date.
       (N/A for internet-only merchants)
     • Deposits:  Our office will complete and submit a Payment Book Receipt (PBR) (with the required supporting documents attached) to the Cashier's Office no later than noon of the business day following each credit card settlement.
   • The eCommerce office will make a final determination of the best business solution available after evaluation of the application.
3. If, as part of the payment card processing setup, the applicant desires a third party application that interfaces with the University network/gateway processor, the applicant must also:
   • Receive approval from the eCO for the use of the requested third party before the third party is contracted.
   • Work with the eCO to ensure contracts reflect required PCI and card processing language.  No contracts that involve card processing are to be exectued without approval from the eCO first.
   • Receive approval from ITS if the third party agreement that involves ITS resources must comply with IT Governance processes.  A review of those may be located at IT Governance.
4. Once a business solution is agreed upon and approved, if a new Merchant Account is to be created, the new Merchant must complete a Merchant Agreement Form.
   • This must be signed by the departmental Business Manager before sending to the eCO.
5. The eCO will then establish the new Merchant Account and set up required account information with NC OSC.

Establishing Merchant User Access

Once a Merchant Account is established, each employee that has access to and/or is required to handle cardholder data must:

1. Be a permanent employee of UNC Charlotte.
2. Complete a background check (completed by HR for all new employees prior to hire).
3. Complete all required trainings and forms which include, but may not be limited to, initial and annual training required for the PCI Data Security Standards ( PCI DSS), and the ITS Security Awareness Training.  Information on training may be located on the eCommerce Training page.
4. Sign the DSS Acknowledgement Form (EC Acknowledgement Form).
5. Complete the EC Merchant Access Request to Reporting Systems. (Access the form via the Imaging website at:  https://workflowforms.uncc.edu/imaging/imaging-forms-department/ecommerce)
   • This must be approved by the employee's supervisor.
   • Approval for access will be evaluated based on:
     • Whether the above requirements are met,
     • The business need for access, and
     • The number of access already granted within the requesting department.
6. Once approved, the eCO will set up access with NC OSC to both ClientLine (for STMS) and OMS (for AmEx) and notify the user.  The new user must login to OMS within 72 hours of initial setup.  Access to the TouchNet Payment Gateway and/or TouchNet Marketplace is also initiated via the EC Merchant Access Request form and is implemented by the eCO.
7. To maintain access to eCommerce reporting systems, users must login every 21 days, or their access will automatically lapse and may require that the access request be resubmitted.

Origins

Campus divisions and departments are ultimately responsible for the accuracy and timely submission of personnel action forms including Personnel Distribution forms (PD7) and time records. Failure to do so may result in overpayments to employees, creating an unnecessary financial burden on the department.

Payroll Calendar & Due Dates: Each year, Payroll provides monthly and bi-weekly schedules for the upcoming year, including deadlines for receiving personnel action forms and time records. The Payroll Calendar is readily available on Payroll's website.

Supervisors: All supervisors must communicate information about search postings, hiring recommendations, terminations, leaves of absence, pay rate changes, etc. to their department’s Business Officers in a timely manner. The supervisor is then responsible for ensuring that the information is submitted through the proper approval process (e.g., through the Graduate School, Office of Academic Budget & Personnel, Human Resources and/or Payroll) prior to the "Paperwork Due to Payroll" date (in Payroll Calendar). Since some of the personnel action documents must have multiple approvals before delivery to Payroll for processing, departments may need to anticipate review time or simply monitor the status of the personnel action to help prevent potential overpayments and ensure new/current employees are paid timely.

Overpayment & Collection Process

If the employing department becomes aware of a potential overpayment, Payroll should be contacted immediately, and this overpayment form must be completed. Upon notification, Payroll will:

• Gather the supporting documents and calculate the overpayment on a gross-to-net basis. The employee is only required to repay the net amount if repayment can be accomplished within the same calendar (tax) year.  If repayment crosses the calendar (tax) year, the gross amount must be repaid.

• Send written notification to the employee, with a copy to the employing department, detailing the overpayment and the University's expectation for collection. This includes notification of North Carolina General Statute 147-86.23 which outlines the University's right to add interest & penalties to past due accounts. Effective January 1, 2015, the University will assess a one-time 10% late payment penalty and accrue interest charges at 5% annually unless payment is received or a payment plan has been agreed to by both parties within 30 days of the notification date.

• For Repayment Options: Contact Payroll (Note: Current employees will have their overpayment collected through a payroll deduction, unless other payment arrangements are made.)

Most of the time, individuals make repayment arrangements within 30 days of being notified; however,

• If Payroll has not received a response after 30 days, the overpayment is considered past due and a second communication is sent, indicating interest and penalties will begin unless repayment arrangements are made immediately. 

• Students with a past due overpayment will have a registration hold placed on their account until payment is made.  Once the overpayment is 30 days past due, the student will be denied readmission, transcripts, diploma, etc. until payment is made.

• If no response is received after 60 days past due, then the Controller’s Office notifies the State of North Carolina Attorney General's (AG) Office of the debt.  The AG's office then sends a final communication to the employee for collection.  The Controller’s Office will also refer the debt to the North Carolina Department of Revenue (NCDOR), under North Carolina General Statute 105A-3(b), to have it deducted from the employee’s State income tax refund according to the Set-Off Debt Collections Act (SODCA).

• If no response is received to the AG's letter within 90 days, then the University may turn the debt over to a state-approved collection agency.

Once full repayment is received, the funds are returned to the department and updates are made to the employee's gross pay, taxes, deductions, and benefit records. If needed, an amended Form W-2 is issued.

• Sales Tax Exempt - Home Depot

• Sales Tax Exempt Certificate - Barnes & Noble

FORM - E-595E Streamlined Sales & Use Tax Agreement Certificate of Exemption

• Dollar General Tax Exempt Approval Certificate

Dollar General Tax Exempt Approval Certificate

• Food Lion Tax Exempt Certificate

Food Lion Tax Exempt Certificate

• Hobby Lobby Sales & Use Tax Exemption Certificate

• Kentucky Tax Exempt Certificate

Kentucky Tax Exempt Certificate

• Sales Tax Exempt Certificate - Lowe's

Lowes Tax Exempt Certificate

• Microsoft Corporation Tax Exempt Certificate

Microsoft Corporation Tax Exempt Certificate

• Office Depot Tax Exempt Certificate

Office Depot Tax Exempt Certificate

• Staples Tax Exempt Certificate

Staples Tax Exempt Certificate

• Walmart Tax Exempt Certificate

Walmart Tax Exempt Certificate

Please remember that all security incidents must be immediately reported to your supervisor, who must immediately take action to determine the extent and category of the breach to minimize loss of sensitive data.  The chart below indicates other parties that must be notified when a breach occurs.  Refer to UNC Charlotte UNC Charlotte Policy Statement #311.5 Personal Information Security Breach Notification Procedures for further guidance.

Purpose: Clarifies the source of all University signature authority, the responsibilities of those individuals to whom University signature authority has been delegated, and the consequences of signing Contracts without the appropriate signature authority. 

Payment method:

The method for purchasing computer software is to use 49er Mart.  Note:  Purchases of enterprise-level software requires prior approval from ITS. Single user license software downloads or those requiring prepayment to receive the license key may be allowable on the P-Card and will be evaluated on a case by case basis.

Guidance is available on paying for mobile communication device (MCD) apps.

Rationale and other considerations:

Orders are processed online through a web browser depending on the type of supplier used. To begin, choose a supplier and proceed with selecting items and placing them in your virtual shopping cart.  When you have finished shopping, your cart proceeds to the checkout, and a requisition draft is created.  At this point, enter the appropriate accounting codes (e.g., fund, account) to be used by your department for the order. 

• Placing the order prompts the workflow process to begin.  Approvers are notified via email that an order is pending (the level of approvals depends upon the dollar amount and the type of purchase).  The final approval generates a purchase order (PO). 
• To receive the order, you must log in to 49er Mart.  Receiving initiates payment to the vendor. 

How to do it:

1. Login to 49er Mart.
2. Click on the logo of the supplier (e.g., Dell, etc).
3. If the vendor is a punch-out supplier, you will be directed to the vendor's site to shop for your item(s).
4. Add the desired item(s) to your cart and click "Checkout" when finished ordering.
5. You will be directed back to the 49er Mart site to create your requisition. 
6. Review the details of your order, and click "Proceed to Checkout."
7. Select the appropriate accounting codes for your college/department.
8. Perform a final review and click "Place Order."

Contact for additional questions:

Send an email to the Purchasing mailbox at purchasing@uncc.edu or refer to the list of Purchasing contacts.
 

• Sources and Uses of University Funds Presentation (slides)

Purpose: The University’s operations and activities are supported by a variety of fund sources, and each of these sources has its own spending characteristics and rules. This presentation covers the broad categories of these funding sources and some of the key considerations for the use of these funds. In addition, several of the key online resources available to departments to guide faculty and staff with their spending practices are highlighted.

See How to Pay Students and/or How to Pay Individuals guides. For additional questions, consult with the Tax Office.

Payment method:

The preferred method for paying for subscriptions to professional journals, other periodicals and electronic surveys is to use a University-issued Purchasing Card (p-card).  

Other allowable methods include:

• Submit a reimbursement request

Rationale and other considerations:

The costs associated with subscriptions to professional journals, magazines, other periodicals and surveys is an allowable expense on a p-card. Because the p-card allows for an improved approval and prepayment process, it is the preferred purchasing method for such transactions. 

Please note that the periodical/journal must be delivered to a University address for the cost of the subscription cost to be allowable. 

Note:  Refer to University Policy 601.8, "Appropriate Use of University Funds" to confirm if this is a permissible use of funds for your area. 

How to do it:

1. Review the resources below to confirm the allowability of the purchase and obtain supervisor approval. 
2. Pay the subscription using a p-card. 

Questions? Email the purchasing card inbox or refer to the Purchasing Card website.

Payment method:

The method for purchasing supplies and equipment is to use 49er Mart. 

Rationale and other considerations:

Orders are processed online through a web browser depending on the type of supplier used.  To begin, choose a supplier and proceed with selecting items and placing them in your virtual shopping cart.  When you have finished shopping, your cart proceeds to the checkout and a requisition draft is created.  At this point, enter the appropriate accounting codes (e.g., fund, account) to be used by your department for the order. 

Placing the order prompts the workflow process to begin.  Approvers are notified via email that an order is pending (the level of approvals depends upon the dollar amount and the type of purchase).  The final approval generates a purchase order (PO). 

To receive the order, you must log in to 49er Mart.  Receiving initiates payment to the vendor. 

Note:  When purchasing used equipment, please refer to the Materials Management Purchasing Manual (link below) for additional guidance.

How to do it:

1. Login to 49er Mart.
2. Click on the logo of the supplier (e.g., Staples).
3. If the vendor is a punch-out supplier, you will be directed to the vendor's site to shop for your item(s).
4. Add the desired item(s) to your cart and click "Checkout" when finished ordering.
5. You will be directed back to the 49er Mart site to create your requisition. 
6. Review the details of your order, and click "Proceed to Checkout."
7. Select the appropriate accounting codes for your college/department.
8. Perform a final review and click "Place Order."

• Foundation Public Inspection 990 FY 2017

Foundation Public Inspection 990 FY 2017

• Travel Manual

Purpose: Guidance for faculty/staff regarding payment for travel expenses incurred for UNC Charlotte business purposes.

• Sales Tax Exempt Certificate Florida

Florida Tax Exemption Certificate

• W-9-2023.pdf

This form is used to provide vendors with UNC Charlotte's taxpayer identification number.

• Income Tax Status Letter

Letter stating contributions to UNC Charlotte are tax deductible as a 501c3 

• UNCCIF Public Disclosure Form 990 FY 2017

Hotel location and information

UNC Charlotte Marriott Hotel & Conference Center (Hotel) is located close to campus and offers many ways to partner with the University. Situated on approximately four-acres near the PORTAL Building, the Hotel is located at 9041 Robert D Snyder Road, Charlotte, NC 28262 and offers direct access to the LYNX Blue Line. For more information, call 704-978-8000 or visit Marriott.com.

Did you know that UNC Charlotte Marriott Hotel & Conference Center has...

• 226 guest rooms
• 5 suites including the 1,700 square foot Chancellor suite - the only room with an outdoor terrace
• Curated art program created by UNC Charlotte faculty, alumni and students
• More than 20,000 square feet of function space
• Largest space: 7,000 square foot Crown Room that can hold as many as 800 people (when at 100% capacity) for a stand-up reception
• More than 6,000 square feet of designed outdoor function space - the outdoor plaza has views of the UNC Charlotte campus
• All function space located on one level
• A full service restaurant, Golden Owl Tavern

To learn more about the Hotel visit the Inside UNC Charlotte website.

How to book your next campus event

If a campus department desires to hold an event at the Hotel, the department contact should first consult with their department head or another appropriate manager to confirm approval and fund availability. Click on the summarized flowchart below for the complete procedures departments should use for scheduling campus events at the Hotel.

Click the image below to enlarge:

How to reserve a hotel room

1. Reserve a Standard guest room on Marriott.com at the UNC Charlotte Business Rate by following the Hotel's reservation procedures and hotel policies. Note that this rate only applies to individual travel for University guests traveling on University business.
2. Email the completed information form to the Hotel via Sales@unccharlottemarriott.com.
3. If applicable, complete the third-party authorization form for purchasing card (p-card) on file (this will be emailed separately).

Overview

Moving expenses for new hires at UNC Charlotte can either be reimbursed using State funds or provided via an allowance using Discretionary funds. These procedures outline the difference between the two methods and how to request a reimbursement or allowance. All moving support from the university is fully taxable to employees.

Provisions

Fund Sources¹

Only one of the following two types of funds may be used to pay for moving expenses:

• State funds may be used for moving expense reimbursements. The employee is required to submit a pre-approval request to use state funds.
• Discretionary funds may be used for moving allowances.
• Only one type of funds (Discretionary or State) can be used for a single employee for the reimbursement/allowance.
• Gross-up: Discretionary funds must be used for the gross-up portion of a reimbursement/allowance, if applicable, regardless of the fund type used. Gross-up cannot be added for faculty reimbursements funded via Academic Affairs Budget (AAB) State funds.
• See the chart in “Standard Allowance Levels” for additional information on fund sources.

1) Refer to Policy 601.8, Appropriate Use of University Funds, for definitions of fund types. Generally speaking, Discretionary funds must be designated by the letters “DISC” in the fund title. State funds are all other funds (General Funds, trust funds, special funds, etc.).

Standard Allowance Levels

Departments can submit a total request up to the following amounts: 

1. Moving expense support is not considered "special pay subject to the "3/9ths" rule for 9-month faculty.
2. AAB (Academic Affairs Budget) provides the funding for faculty moving expenses for all colleges/departments except for the Belk College of Business (BCOB) and The Williams States Lee College of Engineering (COEN).
3. Funding for staff moving expenses is contingent upon the availability of departmental funds. Note that while HR (Human Resources) approves moving expense reimbursements/allowances for staff they do not provide any central source of funding.
4. For exceptions, include the following required information: Candidate's Name; Rank and/or Title; Any additional working title (e.g., Distinguished Scholar); Department/College; Standard Amount of Moving Support for rank; Requested Exception Amount; Reason exception is needed.

Expenses covered and documentation

The moving expenses covered and documentation requirements are different for moving reimbursements paid via state funds vs. moving allowances paid via discretionary funds. The flowchart in the Procedures section below shows the approval process required for each.

Moving Reimbursements using State Funds

• All documentation and receipts that support the amount being requested are required to be maintained and submitted.
• “Moving-related expenses” covered via a Moving Reimbursement are outlined in detail in OSBM Budget Manual Sections 6.8 and 6.9. Only specific expenses can be paid via state funds for moving expense reimbursements. Please make sure you review these sections in detail so you understand what can and cannot be reimbursed via State funds.
  • ​Only specific travel expenses can be paid via state funds. These are detailed in the OSBM Budget Manual and on the Reimbursement Request form. Additional costs are the responsibility of the employee. Notably:
    • Section 6.8:
      • The only items allowed to be covered are “household and personal goods,” which excludes items that require special handling such as animals, boats, airplanes, motor vehicles, antiques, satellite dishes, campers, woodworking equipment, workshop items, heavy machine equipment, and building materials.
      • The cost of packing, transporting, and unpacking is limited to 15,000 lbs.
      • Additional storage is not covered.
      • Expedited service, space reservation, and other special or non-routine services are not covered.
    • Section 6.8.2: Transit insurance costs are limited to the carrier’s required base coverage of $0.60 per pound per article.
    • Section 6.8.3: Appliance connection/disconnection costs are allowed up to $500.
      • Includes electrical, water, gas hook-up, household appliances, and connection of a single telephone.
      • Does not include “items considered unnecessary to household operations such as television antennas, cable connection, satellite dish, nor any type of power tools, nor other equipment associated with home workshops, hobbies, or other activities.”
      • Does not include utility deposits or running of utility lines.
    • Section 6.8.4: Mobile home moving costs are allowed up to $1,000 in lieu of an allowance for loading, unloading, and insurance coverage.
    • Section 6.8.5:  Employee travel & subsistence
      • For locating new residence (house hunting): Mileage is reimbursable for a maximum of 3 round trips: max 2 days/1 night each, max 6 days/3 nights total. Airfare is NOT reimbursable unless savings to the state can be shown. Subsistence is allowed for each member of the family per trip, limited to state rates (see Travel Manual, Section VIII.1.1). Lodging is allowed for one double room.
      • For the day of moving: Mileage is reimbursable for a one-way automobile trip (max of two cars). Airfare is NOT reimbursable unless savings to the state can be shown. Subsistence is allowed for each member of the family (see Travel Manual, Section VIII.1.1). Employees have two days to complete the move. Lodging is allowed for one double room.
  • Moving-related expenses do not include those incurred for job candidates during recruitment (e.g., during on-campus interviews). See the Travel Manual for further information about recruitment related reimbursements.
• Pre-approval is required (Budget Manual Section 6.9.1). The pre-approval form must include bid information from three professional movers. If the employee prefers to rent a moving truck, the employee must provide a bid from one professional mover to show that the cost to rent a moving truck is less than the cost to hire a professional moving company (including estimated packing material costs such as straps, blankets, boxes). An estimate of other reimbursable costs (generally those listed under Section 6.8.5 above) must also be included.
• The moving reimbursement will require out-of-pocket expenses for the employee, and will likely take more than one month to process. The reimbursement is still taxable to the employee. Requirements set forth in the OSBM Budget Manual are strict and detailed. Note that Chancellor approval is required.

Moving Allowances using Discretionary Funds

• No supporting documentation or receipts are needed. Exceptions:
  • When the request is for $10,000 or more:
    • Receipts must be maintained and submitted.
    • The amount is limited to the moving-related expenses actually incurred, supported by receipts.
  • Moving expense documentation should be maintained if an exception amount is being requested (See Standard Allowance Levels chart below) to support consistency among amounts paid to new employees.
• “Moving-related expenses” covered via a Moving Allowance includes expenses related to house hunting, moving truck rentals, hiring of moving companies, costs for shipping household items and related supplies, costs to store household items before or during the move, costs to ship household pets, mileage incurred during the move, other move-related costs such as connecting/disconnecting utilities, and temporary living arrangements.
  • Moving-related expenses do not include those incurred for job candidates during recruitment (e.g., during on-campus interviews). See the Travel Manual for further information about recruitment related reimbursements.

Policies applicable to both Reimbursements and Allowances

• Payment for all moving-related expenses is the responsibility of the employee.
  • No moving-related expenses can be paid directly to an employee or to a vendor (e.g., via p-card, 49er Mart, or ESDPR) outside of the Moving Expense Reimbursement/Allowance Form.
    • Departments should avoid paying for any moving-related expenses outside of the Moving Expense Reimbursement/Allowance Form, as doing so creates unfavorable taxable consequences for the employee.
    • If moving expenses are found to have been paid for an employee’s benefit via p-card or 49er Mart (or otherwise outside of the Moving Expense Reimbursement/Allowance Form), the expense will need to be added to the employee’s wages after-the-fact. The employee will be responsible for related federal and state income and FICA tax withholdings (which will be deducted from the employee’s regular pay) unless the department chooses to gross up the payment (use the gross-up calculation form).
• The moving expense reimbursement/allowance is a taxable lump sum payment, intended to offset some of the employee’s moving-related costs at the discretion of the hiring department. Recipients should expect approximately 35% in taxes to be withheld from their moving reimbursement/allowance.

Eligibility

• Moving reimbursements/allowances are available for full-time, permanent positions.
• Eligible employees will be moving from outside a 100-mile radius of the Greater Charlotte area.
• The employee's move must be completed within the first year of employment.
• Exceptions require pre-approval.

Discontinuation of Employment

Employees that leave University employment prior to 90 days must reimburse the University 100% of any allowance received (gross, not net of taxes). Should an employee voluntarily leave University employment within one year of hire for a position other than a promotion within North Carolina state government, they may be required to reimburse the University for a prorated portion of the allowance. The employee should work with the hiring department to determine the amount to be repaid. No tax withholding or reporting adjustments will be made by the Payroll Office. Repayment should be made directly to the department outside of the payroll system.

Procedures

1. If using State funds, your department or college's business support staff should complete a Pre-approval Request Form (download this form before completing it).
   • Here is an instruction guide you can share with new employees that walks them through the information that is needed for the pre-approval and reimbursement. 
   • Attachments should be uploaded as PDFs. Do not upload attachments as zip files.
2. To request reimbursement/allowance, your department or Moving Expense Reimbursement/Allowance Form (download this form before completing it). Note that new employees should NOT complete this form for themselves. The form and attachments should be emailed directly to imagenowpay@uncc.edu.
3. The form will follow this approval workflow:

Click the image below to enlarge:

4. Once approved, Payroll will process on the next available payroll cycle.
   • A moving allowance can be paid on the employee’s first paycheck provided that: 1) all HR hiring process steps are completed so that the employee and their job is established in Banner, and 2) the allowance form has been submitted to Payroll at least two weeks prior to the pay date. Required HR hiring process steps include:
     • Employee’s job is established in Banner (NBAJOBS).
     • Parts 1 & 2 of the Form I-9 are completed, along with other HR related hiring documents; please reference HR’s New Employee Forms webpage.
     • Direct Deposit has been set up by the employee; follow the steps in this FAQ (employee must have their NinerNet credentials first).
     • For new 9-month faculty, if all the above are complete, a moving reimbursement/allowance may be processed earlier than the faculty member’s first payroll distribution (typically end of August). Business support staff submitting the requests should send copies of the completed Form I-9 and attest that direct deposit has been set up, before submitting the moving Form. Incomplete paperwork can cause delays in processing.

*Please allow appropriate time for required approvals.
*Also, remember that the existence of a UNC Charlotte ID # (800#) does not necessarily mean the employee’s job is established in Banner.

Contacts

• Faculty: Contact your College/Unit Business Officer
• Academic Affairs Budget: aa-budget@uncc.edu
• Academic Affairs Personnel: aa-personnel@uncc.edu
• Staff/HR: Sarah Ekis, Director of Staff Position and Performance Management
• Disbursements: travel@uncc.edu 
• Tax: taxoffice@uncc.edu
• Payroll: PayrollDept@uncc.edu

Examples that illustrate the difference between recruitment and house hunting expenses

Scenario #1:

A candidate comes to Charlotte for an on-campus interview. The candidate returns home and receives a job offer and accepts it. Subsequently, the candidate returns to Charlotte for a bonafide house hunting trip.

Travel Reimbursement: For the first trip, the candidate may be reimbursed for recruitment-related travel expenses (based on State limit criteria; refer to the Travel Manual).

Moving Support: For the second trip, the employee may not be reimbursed for any expenses related to this trip as recruitment-related travel. Instead, the department can either: 1) request a moving allowance for the employee to help cover any house hunting and/or moving expenses if they elect to use Discretionary funds, or 2) reimburse the employee for house hunting expenses using State funds; see OSBM Budget Manual Section 6.8.5 “For locating new residence” for restrictions, including that airfare cannot be reimbursed.

Scenario #2:

A candidate comes to Charlotte for an on-campus interview. The candidate does some house hunting while in Charlotte during this trip but is primarily in Charlotte for the purpose of the interview. The candidate returns home and receives a job offer and accepts it.

Travel Reimbursement: The candidate can be reimbursed for recruitment-related travel expenses (based on State limit criteria; refer to the Travel Manual), but not for any specific house hunting expenses (including transportation, lodging, and subsistence costs on days not covered under the candidate’s business trip, usually limited to one day before/after the interview).

Moving Support: If the department requests a moving allowance for the employee using Discretionary funds, the department can request an amount that will help cover any house hunting expenses, as well as other moving-related expenses incurred by the employee. If the department elects to reimburse the employee using State funds, specific house hunting expenses can be covered; see OSBM Budget Manual Section 6.8.5 “For locating new residence” for restrictions, including that airfare cannot be reimbursed.

Created 2/18
 

• NCSalesandUseTaxExemp2023.pdf

This form is used to provide vendors with UNC Charlotte's North Carolina sales and use tax exemption number.

• UNC Charlotte Cash Management Plan

North Carolina law, Chapter 147-86.10 of the General Statutes, requires that "all agencies, institutions, departments, bureaus, boards, commissions and officers of the State...shall devise techniques and procedures for the receipt, deposit, and disbursement of monies coming into their control and custody which are designed to maximize the interest-bearing investment of cash and to minimize idle and nonproductive cash balances."

The University Controller has responsibility for developing and administering the Cash Management Plan in compliance with the Statewide Cash Management Plan, North Carolina General Statutes, and the State Treasurer. This Plan is maintained in the University Controller's office for auditor review. The Internal Audit Office will periodically review cash management activities to ensure compliance with University policies and procedures. The State Auditor will annually determine if the University is in compliance with the Statewide Cash Management Plan.  

The University's Cash Management Plan most recently approved by the Office of State Controller (OSC) can be found above.