Small Agency Services Bulletin - February 2020
| Important Dates | Important Messages | Small Agency Financial Services News | Travel Tips | Contact Us |
Your feedback is important
Please send your feedback about the Department of Enterprise Services' (DES) Small Agency Financial Services (SAFS). Your feedback helps us improve and better meet your needs. Finance welcomes your feedback at any time.
Important Dates
Feb. 25
- Monthly Department of Revenue (DOR) Use Tax Filing due.
Mar 6
- To reflect in your agency's February financial statements, all invoices and travel reimbursement requests are due to Accounts Payable.
Mar. 25
- Monthly Department of Revenue (DOR) Use Tax Filing due.
Apr. 30
- Performance measure actuals due for quarter ending March 31.
Back to the top.
Important Messages
DES plans to distribute two separate rebates in March
DES wishes to thank those of you who use the state's purchasing and fleet card master contacts. By working together, we are able to best leverage available rebates based on the US Bank/Voyager Fleet Card as well as the US Bank/Visa Purchasing Card. DES is sharing these additional rebates with entities who participated by using these contracts.
DES plans to distribute the rebates in March.
- The additional rebates from US Bank/Visa Purchasing Card for 2019 purchasing volume are based on Incentive No. 4 of the US Bank/Visa Purchasing Card contract 00612.
- The additional rebates from US Bank/Voyager Fleet Card for 2019 purchasing volume are based on Incentive No. 3 of the US Bank/Voyager Fleet Card contract 00612.
Both rebates are based on spend volume. Washington qualified for the additional incentive programs based on spending after enough states and public entities joined the multi-state purchasing card programs. We reached these benchmarks through DES' efforts in recruiting both other states and nonparticipating entities within Washington to utilize the contracts – an effort DES is continuing.
If your agency qualifies for a rebate and your agency receives Small Agency Financial Services for budget and revenue management, DES will deposit the rebate on behalf of your agency. Each agency's assigned DES Budget Analyst will incorporate the rebate into your next monthly financial status report.
Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) public records request
DRS received a public records request that seeks information about all members of the state's retirement systems, including all retirees and inactive members, for the period July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2019. Visit the DRS website.
Office of the Washington State Auditor (SAO) has new telephone numbers
Beginning in February 2020, several of SAO's telephone numbers have changed and will use the new area code (564) and prefix (999). The new main line number is (564) 999-0950. Learn more about the change here.
Ideas to Help Increase State Supplier Diversity
Washington State is aiming to increase state agency utilization of minority-, women-, and veteran-owned certified small businesses in contracts and procurement. Here are a couple resources to help you.
- A Master Contracts search tool for minority-, women-,veteran-owned, and small businesses.
- The Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises (OMWBE) best practices ideas.
Still have questions about the new IRS W-4?
Check out these new resources for the new IRS W-4 and estimating withholding tax.
- IRS Form W-4 - Employee's Withholding Certificate (2020)
- FAQs on the IRS 2020 Form W-4
- Understanding the 2020 Form W-4 (video)
- Tax withholding estimator
- Tax withholding estimator (video)
Back to the top.
Small Agency Financial Services News
Five Quick Tips for Handling Receipts
- Incoming cash and checks must be deposited as soon as possible.
- Generally, deposits must be within 24 hours of the receipt of cash or checks.
- DES has been granted a waiver allowing Small Agency Financial Services (SAFS) agencies, to whom they provide revenue management services, to deposit either weekly or when cash on hand reaches $500, whichever comes first.
- Two people should open the mail whenever cash or checks are expected. One person should create a list of cash and checks received and another should review it. Both persons should initial the list after the amounts have been verified by both.
- A balance and summary of all cash receipts should be prepared daily. Any shortages or overages are to be investigated and to the extent possible, corrected.
- Receipts need to be safeguarded until they are sent to SAFS for deposit. Cash and checks received should be kept in a secure location that is restricted to authorized personnel.
- Agencies should maintain written procedures on all cash handling and cash control procedures. These should include the procedures used by the agency and the roles and responsibilities of staff handling and reviewing cash receipting activity.
DES seeks workshop ideas
DES Small Agency Financial Services has been presenting educational workshops for our customer agencies since September 2014. We have had great turnout and feedback from the workshops.
We are aiming to have another workshop in next few months and later in the year, and would like to hear from you. Please let us know about topics you would like us to cover or revisit.
Here is a list of the prior workshops:
- Cash Management / Handling
- Legislative and BATS
- OneWa
- Payroll
- Policies
- Public Disclosure
- Records Management
- Risk Assessment
- State Auditor
- Statewide Vendor
- Technology Leasing
- Travel and TEMS
- Website Services
- Year End Accounting Close / Budget Build
Small Agency Highlight
DES is excited to share fun information and exciting news about our small agencies. In the past, we have included write-ups on awards, important events, and special visitors to our small agency customers.
If you have news you would like to share in our next monthly bulletin, please let us know.
SAFS (Small Agency Financial Services) Team Updates
Did you know? Your DES financial support team consists of ALL of our SAFS team members. Even though you may work with specific SAFS members regularly, other SAFS members often step in to assist and provide continuity of services. We would like you to know about our whole SAFS team. Below is a list of each work group within SAFS, the members you may hear from, and recent news or a message from each team.
| Team | Members | News / Message |
|---|---|---|
| Accounts Payable |
Sarah Parker |
1099-MISCs for all of our small agencies were successfully filed with the IRS by January 31! Thank you to all who helped track down last minute vendor Tax IDs and for continued efforts throughout the year setting up vendors in the Statewide Payee system. It really makes the 1099 process more efficient. |
| Budget |
Chad Johnson |
Budget staff continue to support you during the 2020 Legislative Session. We can help explain how amended bills might affect the costs, receipts, and savings for your agency. |
| Payroll |
Carrie Knudson (previously Winslow) |
Carrie Winslow, Payroll Supervisor, is now Carrie Knudson. Her new email is carrie.knudson@des.wa.gov |
| Revenue Management |
Kara Skinner |
Revenue Management welcomed Crystal Marshall to the team February 10th! Crystal comes to us from the private sector but has been working in accounting fields for a number of years. In the coming weeks she'll be getting up to speed on all of your cash receipting and invoicing needs! Welcome Crystal! |
| Administrative Assistance |
Danelle Guerin |
DES Payroll statistics for January 2020 (40 agencies served)
| Total Employees Paid | 1,234 |
|---|---|
| New Hires / Rehires | 26 |
| Transfer In / Transfer Outs | 5 |
| Separations | 18 |
| Supplemental Payments / Walkthroughs | 5 |
| Overpayments | 2 |
DES Accounts Payable statistics for January 2020 (31 agencies served)
| Invoices Received from Agency | 1,933 | 76.46% | $6,741,204.21 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invoices Paid on Delegated Authority | 439 | 17.37% | $728,247.70 |
| Travel Requests Paid through TEMS | 148 | 5.85% | $40,108.04 |
| Payments Reissued (SOL, Lost Warrant) | 8 | 0.32% | $4,835.88 |
| Total Payments Processed | 2,528 | 100% |
$7,514,395.83 |
Back to the top.
Travel Tips
Helpful Hints for Good to Go! Transponder Accounts
A Good To Go! account is the cheapest and easiest way to pay tolls in Washington. With an account, your tolls will be paid automatically without having to stop at a toll booth or worry about bills in the mail. Check out helpful hints on setting up and using a Good To Go! account.
Contact Us
If you would like to know what budget analyst, payroll analyst and HR business partner is assigned to your agency, see our Agency Assignments webpage.
If you would like to get contact information for DES SAFS and HR staff, see our Contacts webpage.
If you have suggestions or feedback about the Small Agency Services Bulletin, please send your comments to SmallAgencyBulletin@des.wa.gov.
Back to the top.