Systems and Procedures
A Division of The Office of Budget and Finance
A Division of The Office of Budget and Finance
This procedure outlines the basic control methods required when any tangible item (anything of value other than equipment) is transferred from one party to another. For the purposes of this procedure, items of value include, but are not limited to, money, checks, tickets, pre-numbered documents, and controlled documents. This procedure must be followed when transferring deposit bags to the Bursar or a Bursar-designated depository, and will serve as a guide to the minimum controls recommended if any administrative or departmental areas of the University wishing to implement an internal procedure to account for the physical transfer of a non-equipment item.
There are two types of transfers that will be described in this procedure. The first is a direct transfer between two parties consisting of an "originator" and a "receiver." The second is a transfer between two parties consisting of an "originator" and a "receiver" via one or more intermediate parties or "couriers."
This procedure must be followed when transferring secured deposit bags between departments of the University and the Bursar or Bursar-designated depositories, or if utilizing the Auxiliary & Business Services (ABS) "Bank Deposit Bag Tracking System."
Specific guidelines for the preparation and depositing of receipts are specified in procedure FN2005 Processing Cash Revenues.
Specific guidelines on the use of ABS Bank Deposit Bag Tracking System are specified in procedure CR2007 Bank Deposit Bag Tracking System.
Transfers must be thoroughly documented via the use of an Accountability Transfer Form. When transfers occur frequently, the use of an Originating Office Transfer Log or a Courier Transfer Log is recommended.
In accordance with Policy FN01 Cash Revenues, cash receipts (paper money and coins) must be transported for deposit via a physical transfer and under no circumstances by interoffice or U.S. mail. Properly endorsed checks, money orders, and traveler's checks may be sent through the interoffice mail. Empty deposit bags may be returned to the depositing departments via interoffice mail.
The party initiating a transfer will initiate an Originating Office Transfer Log. The party receiving a transfer will sign the document indicating receipt of the item.
Each party generating an Originating Office Transfer Log will retain the log on file as evidence of transfer of accountability. The Financial Records Retention Schedule requires completed Transfer of Accountability Logs and Forms (maintained in chronological order) be maintained from the end of the fiscal year in which the transfer occurred plus two (2) years. After the retention period has expired, the completed log may be recycled or shredded.
Couriers may be utilized for transferring items between the originating party and the receiving party. A Courier Transfer Log is to be used.
Policy FN01 Cash Revenues requires Bursar Deposits, Bank Deposits, and Bank Deposit Bag Tracking System deposits be transported in accordance with this procedure. Appropriate accountability transfer documentation must be maintained. See Procedure FN2005 Processing Cash Revenues and/or CR2007 Bank Deposit Bag Tracking System for specifics.
Couriers may be used to transport confidential materials between designated locations. For those offices utilizing either the Courier Transfer Log or the Originating Office Transfer log, the courier will assume responsibility for the documents by signing an Originating Office Transfer Log. The courier will then fill out the Courier's Transfer Log. Upon delivery of the transfer to the Receiving Office, the representative receiving the transfer from the courier must sign the Courier's Log for all items received and return the form to the courier. This signature completes the transaction, and the courier is relieved of responsibility of the materials.
NOTE: If a party is on a regular courier pick-up schedule the courier should be notified by the originating party if there is no need to stop.
This procedure does not pertain to the transfer of equipment. See the "Relocation of Equipment" section within Procedure CR2019 Accounting for Capital and Non-Capital Property for details on transferring equipment.
Violations of a financial policy and/or procedures should be reported to your supervisor, unit manager, your Human Resources Representative, and/or office responsible for the policy and/or procedure. Where those resources are inadequate, you may choose to make an anonymous report through the Penn State University hotline by calling 1-800-560-1637.
In situations where the use of this procedure is required, it will be the responsibility of the Financial Officer to insure that this procedure is properly implemented in their respective areas.
The Financial Officer is responsible for ensuring that procedures pertaining to the accountability and safeguarding of all cash receipts, cash funds, and other assets are established and followed in accordance with approved University policies and procedures. Regular audits relating to advances, cash, travel, equipment accountability, and other expenditures provide a means to protect University assets. The Financial Officer is responsible for working with Internal Audit when audits are being performed in the administrative area. Audits relating to sponsored activities or other audits performed by external auditors may also be performed. The Financial Officer would also be responsible for working with the external auditor and/or a central university office related to these procedures.
University Records must be retained and managed in accordance with Policy AD35 University Archives and Records Management, and the University's Records Retention Schedules that have been approved by the Records Management Advisory Committee (RMAC), the Office of General Counsel, and Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff. These Records Retention Schedules are derived from - or based upon - federal, state, and local statutes or regulations (i.e., Federal Acquisition Regulations, the OMB Uniform Guidance, Internal Revenue Service, and other regulations governing the auditability and retention of financial records0, University Policy, industry standards, and business needs. All University Records must be maintained in such a manner to provide ease of access, establish a suitable audit trail for all transactions, and to be reviewed prior to disposition.
Upon completion of the retention period, University Records must be disposed of via secure destruction or transfer to University Archives, unless an exception to the disposition process set forth below applies. If the disposition method for University Records states "Review by Archives" on the records retention schedule, the employees responsible for those records should consult the University Archivist for a final determination of disposition. For University Records that must be securely destroyed, units may arrange for shredding services by either contacting the Blue/White Shredding Program or the Inactive Records Center.
Exceptions to the disposition process are as follows:
To safeguard the privacy of individuals, records containing Personally Identifiable Information (PII), as defined in Policy AD53 Privacy Policy, or student records, as defined in Policy AD11 Confidentiality of Student Records, must be destroyed beyond recover. For additional information regarding privacy and the protection of an individual's personal information, see Policy AD53 - Privacy Policy.
Additional questions may be directed to the Records Management Program.
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For questions, additional detail, or to request changes to this procedure, please contact the Office of Systems & Procedures.
March 9, 2022