For information, flowcharts and tables on
Revenue, Recovery and Transfer Accounts Transfer Account Decision Tree Determining Capital Expenses HST & GST Tips & Accounts Salary & Benefit Accounts by Group Research Fund
please follow the link below
McMaster University’s HST number is 11903 5988 RT0001 HST Info Page: Visit our page for contact details and more information on charging HST : https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/accounts-payable-reimbursements/what-you-need-to-know-about-hst
The kilometer allowance is set out in the Reimbursements to Individuals for University Business policy.
McMaster’s business number is 119035988.
Reimbursement for cell phone expenses must be submitted through an Expense Report. For help on submitting an Expense Report, login to Mosaic. Click on the Support and Documentation tile. Click on the How-to Guides tile. Click on the Guide for Occasional User for Travel and Expense Reports.
Please contact Financial Services at finserv@mcmaster.ca
To apply for a Diners MasterCard please complete the application which can be found at
Travel Resources
Once authorized by your supervisor, fax the application form to 905-572-1015. The following fields are required in order to process your application: name, home address and telephone, billing address, business telephone. There is no annual fee for the Diner’s card. However, the University is not participating in the optional Diners rewards program. This decision was made in order to take advantage of a longer reconciliation period (i.e. 30 days plus 30 days grace).
The Consolidated Budget can be found at
Consolidated Budgets
The Accounting and Financial Reporting department can be contacted for any year end questions at: https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/contact-us
Audited financial statements can be found on the Financial Affairs Financial Information page, at the following link: https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/annual-financial-reports/
The Banking Resolution Policy can be found at:
By-Laws – BOG – Appendix B – Banking Resolution
To open new projects please contact the following individuals: Health Sciences Research – Sonya Caissie x22107 caissie@mcmaster.ca University Research – Dave Reinhart x23711 reinhard@mcmaster.ca Trust – Robert Moss mossr1@mcmaster.ca Capital – Shari McHugh x26232 mchughs@mcmaster.ca
Please see the Overview of Funds in the PeopleSoft Finance Module at https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/overview-funds-in-the-peoplesoft-finance-module/
A Transfer Account Guide can be found on Mosaic in the Support and Documentation tile (then under How To Guides, in the General Ledger Accounts section.
Opening a program/department or updating a Chartfield. The procedure for opening a program/department can be found by using the Create/Update Chartfield Value form. If you are not certain that a new chartfield is required, please use the Mosaic eForm.
https://fsprd.mcmaster.ca/psc/prfsprd/EMPLOYEE/ERP/c/NUI_FRAMEWORK.PT_AGSTARTPAGE_NUI.GBL?CONTEXTIDPARAMS=TEMPLATE_ID%3aPTPPNAVCOL&scname=G_NCOL_FINANCE_REQUESTS&PanelCollapsible=Y&PTPPB_GROUPLET_ID=G_TILE_FINANCE_REQUESTS&CRefName=G_TILE_FINANCE_REQUESTS&AJAXTransfer=Y&
Resources and information on accounts is available on Mosaic in the Support and Documentation tile (under How to Guides, in the General Ledger section).
Please contact finserv@mcmaster.ca for advice.
rograms and departments cannot be closed entirely, but they can be deactivated so that they cannot be used for new activity. If you wish to deactivate an department or account, please contact finserv@mcmaster.ca
The policy defining research accounts can be found here: https://secretariat.mcmaster.ca/app/uploads/Research-Accounts-Policy-2009.pdf
Transfers are tracked in the budget to avoid double-counting. Correct recording of transfers helps central finance to correctly report expenses.
A recovery is the reimbursement of a cost with no possibility of gain or loss. It can be received from an internal or external source. A transfer is ‘moving around money already in the University’, therefore is always received from an internal source.
Revenue is a payment received when there is the possibility of a gain or loss. It can be received from an internal or external source. There are separate accounts to track internal and external revenue.
A listing of FAS Subcodes to PeopleSoft Account Map and a Transfer Account Guide can be found on Mosaic in the Support and Documentation tile (under How To Guides, in the General Ledger Accounts section.
Labour-Benefit Account Mapping An outline of Peoplesoft/Mosaic Labour-Benefit Account Mappings is available on Mosaic in the Support and Documentation tile (under How to Guides, in the General Ledger Accounts section).
For anything regarding the Mosaic application, the PC acronym stands for “Project Costing”.
McMaster University Ontario Corporation Number is 000089567.
McMaster University’s Non-Profit Registration Number is 11903 5988 RT0001. McMaster’s Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Number McMaster’s CRA number is 119035988. For further inquiries related to this, please email finserv@mcmaster.ca.
The legal name of the university is McMaster University.
McMaster’s business number McMaster’s business number is 119035988.
DUNS # 207510108
Please contact Financial Systems at finserv@mcmaster.ca
The application for petty cash can be found at: https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/banking-ecommerce/pettycash
You can find the procedures for replenishing a petty cash float in the policy at: https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/banking-ecommerce/pettycash Alternatively petty cash can be replenished via PeopleSoft through the Non PO Voucher process. A step-by-step user guide can be found in Mosaic in the Support and Documentation tile (then under How To Guides, in the Accounts Payable Section.)
Transfer Petty Cash A change of Imprest Holder Application and a Petty Cash Balancing Sheet must be completed and sent to Financial Services. These forms are available at: https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/banking-ecommerce/pettycash
Petty Cash Expense Report The guidelines for completing a Petty Cash Expense Report are found at: https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/banking-ecommerce/pettycash
Closing Petty Cash You can find the procedures for closing a petty cash float in the policy at : https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/banking-ecommerce/pettycash
McMaster University’s HST number is 11903 5988 RT0001 HST Info Page Visit our page for contact details and more information on charging HST: https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/accounts-payable-reimbursements/what-you-need-to-know-about-hst
As a general rule of thumb the applicable tax follows the purchase. In other words if goods and services are purchased outside Ontario for use within Ontario they are subject to HST, therefore, the University is obligated to “self assess” all applicable taxes for these types of purchases and remit same to the government. This function is performed by Accounts Payable. If you have a questions concerning self assessment of taxes please contact a member of the Accounts Payable Team.
To apply for Individual Tax Number (ITN) please fill this form: https://hr.mcmaster.ca/app/uploads/2019/07/ITN_application-t1261e-fill-06e-1-49.pdf
For the most recent copy of the W8EXP form, contact: finserv@mcmaster.ca
To apply for Non-Resident tax waiver, a form is needed to be filled out which can be found at: https://hr.mcmaster.ca/app/uploads/2019/07/non-resident-tax-waiver-v2011-1-49.pdf
What are tax policies regarding donations? Policies and procedures for donations can be found at: https://secretariat.mcmaster.ca/university-policies-procedures-guidelines/
Charge HST on admissions if it is expected that 75% or more of the attendees are non-foreign attendees. For transactions relating to the period of December 2013 and onward: HST collected should be allocated using Soft Financials chart string field: MAC01, Fund 20, account 240000. For more detailed answers on when to charge HST, contact: hst@mcmaster.ca
Definition of common financial terms: https://www.mcmaster.ca/mosaic/systems/glossary.html
Capital assets are definted as equiment or goods (including software) that are used to carry out the business of the university with a useful life of greater than one year and a value of grerater than $5,000 ($2,000 for Computer Equipment). For further details, please see the following link: https://secretariat.mcmaster.ca/university-policies-procedures-guidelines/
What is an accrual? Accrual based accounting reports income when earned and expenses (including salaries) when incurred. This method provides a more accurate picture of the University’s fiscal position. At year end it is imperative that supporting documentation for payments (i.e. invoice or packing slip) clearly indicates the date the goods were physically received or the date the services were completed. As invoices are received in Accounts Payable following the year end close, Accounts Payable determines the year the expense was incurred. If the purchase was received/delivered before the year end close (April 30) Accounts Payable will accrue the cost of the purchase to the applicable account number to ensure the expense is accurately reflected in the year in which it was incurred. Salary accruals are done in Budgeting Services. If there are working days at the end of April after the last pay has been expenses, an accrual is done to expense the extra days. For example, if the last pay posted to PeopleSoft paid up to Saturday, April 27, an accrual will be done to expense the 2 days Monday, April 29 and Tuesday, April 30. This accrual is reversed in the new fiscal year so that the first pay in May will expense the 8 remaining days in the pay period.
Please refer to the Financial Affairs Financial Reporting Training page (https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/training/) for training resources and sessions. For PeopleSoft related training, please visit the Mosaic Learning Hub (https://mosaictraining.mcmaster.ca/login/index.php).
McMaster’s fiscal year runs from May 1 to April 30 annually. This means fiscal 2015 is the year ending in 2015 (i.e. May 1 2014 to April 30 2015). In Mosaic, each month is referred to as a “Period”, with period 1 = May and period 12 = April.
The Year End Schedule Memo can be found at https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/university-fiscal-year-end-april-30-2022/
The Accounting and Financial Reporting department can be contacted for any year end questions: https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/contact-us/
A listing of affiliates can be found at https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/app/uploads/2024/01/2024-09-13-Affliated-Entities-Chart.xlsx.
The business case checklist and template can be found in the Resource section of the Financial Affairs website under “Forms and Templates”
Credit rating reports are available at: https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/credit-rating-reports
Please visit the Research-Finance Review website at https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/about/research-finance-review.
Please visit the Financial Affairs website at https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca
he Financial Affairs organizational chart can be found on our homepage at https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/about/organizational-chart/
This Strategic Mandate Agreement between the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (the Ministry) and McMaster University outlines the role the University currently performs in the postsecondary education system and how it will build on its current strengths to achieve its vision and help drive system-wide objectives articulated by the Ministry’s Differentiation Policy Framework. For more information on SMA follow this link: http://www.mcmaster.ca/vpacademic/reports.html.
The Financial Affairs Mission, Vision, Values and Strategic Plan can be found on our homepage at https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/about/strategic-plan/
Send your questions to budgeting@mcmaster.ca.
Any surplus or deficit on your operating account at year end (appropriation) is or is not carried forward depending on the rules set out in your faculty/envelope. Please refer to the Operating & Ancillary budget policy at https://secretariat.mcmaster.ca/app/uploads/2019/06/Operating-and-Ancillary-Budgets-Policy.pdf
The operating budget of individual budget units is received by the Budget Committee. When all individual budgets have been received, the Budget Committee recommends the University’s budget to the President and Vice-Chancellor for onward transmission to the Finance Committee of the Board of Governors, for ultimate approval by the Board of Governors, normally at the June meeting. The University’s budget policy can be found: https://secretariat.mcmaster.ca/university-policies-procedures-guidelines/
Details on the budget model can be found on the Budget and Planning website.
https://academicexcellence.mcmaster.ca/budget-planning/
Ancillary Units are not included in the budget model as they work on a cost recovery basis and have been paying occupancy costs for several years. However, their occupancy cost internal rent charge is now derived from the budget model internal operating rate. For more information please visit https://academicexcellence.mcmaster.ca/budget-planning/
Revenues and expenses in the budget model have been allocated to the Faculty level, not departmental level. Faculties can use a similar methodology to devolve the budgets but that is not part of the budget model and Faculties decide how to implement the model and allocate to departments. For more information please visit https://academicexcellence.mcmaster.ca/budget-planning/
All budget allocations in the budget model will be net allocations. For more information please visit https://academicexcellence.mcmaster.ca/budget-planning/
The University Fund is a percentage of total attributed revenue in the budget model (excluding indirect costs of research). The University Fund is the primary mechanism for allocations that support strategic plans. For more information please visit https://academicexcellence.mcmaster.ca/budget-planning/
McMaster is known as a research intensive university and we value research. The RIF is intended to be a redistribution of operating allocations in the budget model to acknowledge the research focus of the University.
Budget due dates and presentation schedules (https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/app/uploads/2021/01/2022-23-Budget-Presentation-Schedule.pdf) are available in the Submission Timetable section of the current Budget Guidelines.(https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/budgeting/budget-guidelines-and-templates/)
The Consolidated Budget can be found at https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/budgeting/consolidated-budget/
The Operating and Ancillary Budget Guidelines are sent out to Envelope Managers and Budget Unit Managers in mid to late November of each year. These are used in the preparation of your budget submission. Budget Guidelines can be found on the Budgeting Services website. For additional information call your Budgeting Services Representative. (https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/budgeting/budgeting-services-contacts/)
The benefits charged to accounts are the employer’s share of costs. The amount is calculated as a percentage of salary. Actual charges may vary depending on if the employee has single or family coverage, and if they are part of the defined benefit pension plan or group RRSP. Please note that vacation pay is budgeted as part of salaries, not benefits.
Please see the following resources for additional details:
Budget Guidelines and Templates
https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/benefit-tables/
One-time revenue or expenses are those that are not part of normal operations and unlikely to occur in the future. They may cover multiple years, but will not recur. A structural deficit occurs when the regular ongoing costs within a business unit exceed the regular ongoing revenue/allocation for that budget unit. This means the operations of a budget unit cannot be sustained. It is important to budget ongoing and one-time revenues and expenses separately so that the Budget Committee can determine that a budget unit is sustainable and does not need to take action to cut costs. Additional explanation and examples are available in the appendix of the budget guidelines at https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/budgeting/budget-guidelines-and-templates
Please see the Guidelines for the Administration of PDA/MPDA at https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/resources/guidelines-for-the-administration-of-pda-mpda-entitlements-and-expenses/
The budget envelope is the core component of the University Budget, as the allocation of resources to an envelope reflects decisions about the funding level for the academic and/or operational plans of the several budget units which constitute the envelope. An envelope consists of one or more budget units. A budget unit typically represents a specific activity or area for which an individual is responsible. These budget units will also include all ongoing operations or activities which do not necessarily receive envelope funding. The budget policy and a list of envelopes and managers are available at http://www.mcmaster.ca/policy/General/Financial/Operating-Ancillary-Budgets.pdf
Salary accruals are done in Budgeting Services. If there are working days at the end of April after the last pay has been expenses, an accrual is done to expense the extra days. For example, if the last pay posted to PeopleSoft paid up to Saturday, April 27, an accrual will be done to expense the 2 days Monday, April 29 and Tuesday, April 30. This accrual is reversed in the new fiscal year so that the first pay in May will expense the 8 remaining days in the pay period.
FTE stands for Full Time Equivalent. We calculate FTE based on “hours” paid compared to FT scheduled hours annualized. For example, if an employee works 7 hrs/day for 5 days/wk = 35 hrs/wk = 1820 total year hours over 1820 annualized hours = 1 FTE or if an employee works 7 hrs/day for 4 days/wk = 28 hrs/wk = 1456 total year hours over 1820 standard annualized hours = .80 FTE
The University has enrolled in a rewards program with Air Canada. Please find the application form at: https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/app/uploads/2018/08/air-canrewards-nov2017.pdf University travellers may also take advantage of discounts available through the Canadian Association of University Business Officers (CAUBO) for car, hotel and VIA Rail. For more information go to https://www.caubo.ca/member-login/?redirect_to=%2fdiscover-caubo%2fmember-discounts%2fcar-rentals%2f
Questions regarding cancelling and stop payment of cheques should be directed to aphelp@mcmaster.ca.
For Purchase Order commitments please contact Accounts Payable – Purchase Orders at https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/contact-us/
Email aphelp@mcmaster.ca. Please note voucher ID in subject line.
Address format for McMaster inter-office mail: Name of Payee Address 1 = Department Address 2 = Building and Room number City = CAMPUS Province = ONTARIO Important: You will receive a warning about the missing province and postal code. Acknowledge the warning and proceed.
AP-01-GUIDELINES-Policy-Companion.pdf
To reissue a stale dated cheque (i.e. uncashed cheque older than 6 months) please send the stale-dated cheque, if available, back to the Accounts Payable department indicating to please re-issue. If stale-dated cheque is not available please contact the Accounts Payable Department with the cheque information and Accounts Payable will re-issue the cheque. Missing cheques must be older than 30 days in order to be reissued.
All transactions must first clear departmental workflow before they can be reviewed by AP and have cheques created and/or deposits made. How long this takes depends on the departmental approvers. Once received by Accounts Payable, transactions are generally processed within 5 business days and cheques are produced three times a week and direct deposits (for expenses) twice a week. A copy of the Accounts Payable Payment Schedule is available at https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/accounts-payable-reimbursements/accounts-payable-about-us/accounts-payable-payment-schedule/
The US exchange rates are updated regularly and can be found at https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/banking-ecommerce/u-s-exchange-rates. For all other currencies, please use the Bank of Canada conversion calculator found here: http://www.bankofcanada.ca/rates/exchange/daily-converter/
For questions concerning honorariums and/or paying a visiting professor, please contact the Accounts Payable department at aphelp@mcmaster.ca.
An ICQ is required when payments are being made to individuals for services rendered. The ICQ or Independent Contractor Questionnaire determines whether or not an employer/employee relationship exists between the individual providing the service and the University. For complete definitions and procedures please refer to the Policy on Engagement of Independent Contractors. For more information please visit: https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/procurement/buying -for-mcmaster/buying-from-independent-contractors/
The ICQ (Independent Contractor Questionnaire) can be found in the Policy on Payments to Individuals vs Employees. The questionnaire is a fillable Excel spreadsheet. The for more information and the fillable form can be found here: https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/procurement/buying-for-mcmaster/buying-from-independent-contractors/ Upon completion and submission of the form you will be notified by the ICQ Administrator. If the application is successful you will be provided with an ICQ number. Please include this number on the payment documentation.
The best practice for paying cell phones, internet or other utility-type expenses is PCard.
Invoices for goods for purchases made using a purchase order must be authorized for payment and sent to Accounts Payable. Mail to One James North, OJN 320 or email to appoinvo@mcmaster.ca.
Purchases less than $10,000 may be secured and paid for by PCard (BMO MasterCard) invoice (payable by Non PO Voucher) or MacBuy (eProcurement). Purchases over $10,000 follow the Policy on Strategic Procurement. SP-01
A supplier cannot be payed from a statement. The original invoice must be submitted.
In cases where service provider sent the invoice to you for service delivered (e.g. computer repair, translation, legal fees), authorize the invoice for payment. If the service totalled less than $10,000 prepare a non-PO voucher. If the service was greater than $10,000 and a purchase order exists, forward the invoice to Accounts Payable, One James North, OJN 320 or email to ap@mcmaster.ca. If service provider is an individual please contact aphelp@mcmasater.ca.
Go the Finance work list under My Work in Mosaic.
After a voucher has successfully cleared workflow, the preparer will be notified via a system generated email message. To check on the status of a specific voucher in Mosaic, navigate to: Finance->Accounts Payable->Vouchers->Add/update->Regular Entry. Click “Find an Existing Value”, enter the “Voucher ID” number and click “Search”. Click on the voucher to select it, and then click on “approval History” to see where the voucher is in the workflow process.
In the case of a cheque, the preparer of a request is notified when the request has been approved. In the case if a direct deposit, the recipient is notified when payment has been issued.
A step-by-step user guide can be found in Mosaic under the Support and Documentation tile, then under How To Guides, in the Accounts Payable section: “How to General a Voucher” and “How to find Cheque Information for a Non-PO Voucher”
There are two corporate credit cards:
What is ‘My Wallet’?
‘My Wallet’ is a quick and easy way to pay expenses charged to your Diners Corporate Card. The Diner’s charges are uploaded daily to the Mosaic system. The cardholder or his/her delegate preparer must create an expense report to pay Diner’s directly. For more information, contact aphelp@mcmaster.ca
What is the University’s Policy on Delinquency Fees?
McMaster travelers may use their personal credit card or the Corporate Travel Card (Diners MasterCard) to pay travel-related expenses. It is the responsibility of the traveler to ensure credit card statements are paid on or before the payment due date. The Corporate Travel Card allows 60 days to settle an unpaid balance thereby providing ample time to process an expense reimbursement claim before delinquency charges are levied. The preferred method of payment of travel-related expenses, therefore, is the Corporate Travel Card. The cardholder is responsible for ensuring charges on the Corporate Travel Card are paid on time. The University is not responsible for delinquency charges and will not reimburse these charges. Please refer to the Policy and Guidelines for Reimbursements to Individuals for University Business (AP-01). https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/app/uploads/2020/03/AP-01_Guidelines.pdf
How to reimburse Diners Club if a personal expense is in “My Wallet?”
Personal expenses are not allowed to be charged to a McMaster credit card. On the rare occasion that a personal expense is charged in error, explain the error, mark the expense as personal in the exceptions section of the expense report and pay Diners directly via cheque, on-line banking, etc.
How do you reconcile a PCard?
Information on reconciling a PCard can be found on the Mosaic Learning Hub at Mosaictraining.mcmaster.ca.
Where do I submit my PCard reconciliation?
PCard reconciliations are submitted via the Travel and Expense module in Mosaic.
What is the maximum value for purchasing on a PCard credit card?
The transaction limit is $10,000CDN before HST is calculated. For USD, the transaction limit is purchase price, taxes + exchange rate must be less than $10,000. The monthly limit $50,000.
Is there a submission due date for PCard reconciliation
PCard transactions are uploaded to My Wallet typically on the 28th of the month. Your PCard reconciliation is due in AP for approval by the 15th of the following month.
Delegation is a word with multiple meanings depending on context. There are three distinct meanings in McMaster financial and research systems. Understanding these three will help ensure that tasks and authority are assigned correctly. Please find complete details at https://www.mcmaster.ca/mosaic/support/delegation.html
Training sessions are available on Mosaic Learning Hub under Finance In-Class Training Registration. The learning hub can be found here: https://mosaictraining.mcmaster.ca/
Support material is also available in Support and Documentation tiles in Mosaic Home page, then How to Guides tile. Training is available in Non-PO Voucher, Travel and Expense, PCard Reconciliation and Journal Entries.
The expenses that may be claimed by emeritus are determined by the administration of the individual department.
Training documents on travel and expense can be found in the Mosaic Support and Documentation tile, then How To Guides tile for Travel and Expense.
Reimbursement for cell phone expenses must be submitted through an Expense Report. For help on submitting an Expense Report, Go to learning hub for more information and dates for upcoming training sessions. https://mosaictraining.mcmaster.ca/
All reimbursement claims must be supported by original receipts marked paid. Please refer to the Policy on Reimbursements to Individuals for University Business.
The targeted and/or actual timelines for the processing of financial transactions can be found in the VP Administration’s Key Performance Indicators. These timelines apply only after the transactions have cleared departmental workflow and reached central finance. http://www.mcmaster.ca/vpadmin/kpi.html
Non-employees should be reimbursed using a single payment Non-PO voucher.
Follow the guidelines at the following link https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/app/uploads/2018/08/rentingvehiclesguidelines.pdf
A per diem meal allowance may be claimed in lieu of actual costs where expenses are funded by external agencies or sponsors (except agencies or ministries of the government of Ontario). Receipts are not required to support the per diem meal allowance. Note: Only meal cost incurred while on University business or during travel for University business should be claimed. The per diem allowance will not apply where meals are included as part of another reimbursable item (e.g. conference, transportation). The per diem claim should be reduced accordingly. The meal allowance includes gratuities and taxes. Please refer to the Guidelines for Reimbursements to Individuals for University Business (AP-01) for more information and recent per diem rates.
Wire transfer payments are charged to the requesting department at $30.00 and are processed once a week. Complete the Foreign Payment Request form and attach it to the Non-PO Voucher.
McMaster-University-Wire-Transfer-Form.pdf
Signatures must be in accordance with the Execution of Instruments and Strategic Procurement policies which can be found here: https://secretariat.mcmaster.ca/university-policies-procedures-guidelines/
Refer to the following link: https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/app/uploads/2023/12/SP_01-January-2024-V1.pdf
Please see our Commodities & Procurement Specialists below.
https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/procurement/buying-for-mcmaster/commodities-accordion/
To ensure that all necessary permits are obtained prior to importation please visit the Strategic Procurement website.
https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/procurement/customs/importing-to-mcmaster-university/
Any questions regarding Disposing of Surplus Goods should be directed to John Bentley, Customs & Traffic, at customs@mcmaster.ca
If the goods are valued at $1000 CAD or higher, request and complete the Asset Disposal Form. Once complete, send it to John Bentley customs@mcmaster.ca for the next steps. If the goods are valued under $1000 CAD, you can try auction them. Peter Johns is the contact pjohns@govdeals.ca provide Peter your department name and Peter will assist with the rest.
If you have a party interested in the goods you may sell, however, if valued over $1000, the Asset Disposal is Required and John Bentley is to be notified. If the goods cannot be sold, but you wish to donate contact a local charity that may find use.
Information on discounted phone plans can be found on UTS webpage.
https://uts.mcmaster.ca/
Please find more information on MacBuy at https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/procurement/buying-for-mcmaster/macbuy/#tab-content-f-a-q
The support documents can be uploaded using the “Add Comments’ section.
Note: Attachments may be viewed/accessed by others. Therefore, please redact/edit any personal information.
All payment related inquires should be directed to Accounts Payable – appoinvo@mcmaster.ca
The orders under the $25,000 require one quote to satisfy the Procurement threshold requirements. Requisitioners should attach the quote for both Mosaic and MacBuy orders. Both Internal Audit and Purchasing will be looking for the quote when auditing the purchase order.
There are 3 choices: US Dollar, US Dollar next day and US Dollar same day. Please use the US Dollar only option.
All invoices that relate to a purchase order should be emailed to Accounts Payable at appoinvo@mcmaster.ca.
The purchase dollar value is pre-tax. However, shipping and installation charges, if applicable, are included in the total value of the purchase.
If the value of the good or service is greater than $121,200 (and you do not have an approved Single/Source certificate), then a RFP is required.
Please contact the the Manager of Strategic Procurement For the most updated forms.
Please see the link below for Commodities and Procurement specialists.
For information on Requests for Quotations (RFQs), please refer to the Strategic Procurement (SP-01) policy or contact a Procurement Specialist for further assistance.
https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/app/uploads/2023/12/SP_01-January-2024-V1.pdf
Effective November 1, 2018, the Limited Tendering Approval Form replaced the Single/Sole Source Form for making a purchase when only one supplier or service provider may be able, or capable of, providing the required goods or services. A signed copy of the Limited Tendering Approval Form along with supporting documentation must be included with the purchase requisition prior to making a commitment to the supplier, similar to process with the Single/Sole Source Form process. For additional details, please review the Policy or contact Strategic Procurement.
Effective November 1, 2018, the Single / Sole Source form was replaced with the Limited Tendering Approval Form. Signatures on the Limited Tendering Approval Form are required from the Requestor, Account Holder and one level higher than the Account Holder.
Go to the Mosaic login page https://csprd.mcmaster.ca/psc/prcsprd/EMPLOYEE/ERP/s/WEBLIB_PTBR.ISCRIPT1.FieldFormula.IScript_StartPage?&
To setup suppliers not currently entered in Mosaic, please go to the following link:
Main Menu | Finance | Purchasing | Requisitions | Supplier Setup Change Request Select the “Add a New Value” tab.
This will lead you to an online form which you will need to complete and submit online. When you hit submit, the form is sent to Strategic Procurement who will enter the information into PeopleSoft and assign a new supplier number.
McMaster’s preferred courier is Fedex. However you can use any courier you choose. If using a courier other than Fedex, your department must register for their own courier account and is responsible for administering that account.
Each department at the university has their own Fed Ex number. Please check with you departmental administrator, or contact Customs and Traffic.
You can make such a purchase as long as following SP-01 guidelines.
Tariffs can significantly increase total costs and limit vendor options. Procurement may recommend Canadian or alternative suppliers to help avoid tariffs and reduce financial risk.
Tariffs are applied by customs brokers at the time of import. They usually do not appear in supplier quotes. If necessary, particularly for larger purchases, Procurement or Customs Support can help confirm any duties before you finalize your purchase.
Please check the product’s classification and origin of shipping to determine if a tariff applies, enabling you to plan accordingly.
Yes, in most cases. Tariffs are an allowable expense under many research grants, including CFI. Please include them in your budget planning and consult Research Finance if you’re unsure.
Always request official customs documentation. Procurement or Customs Support can verify the claim before any payment is approved.
No. Tariffs are not managed through Mosaic or listed in MacBuy pricing. They are collected at import and listing them on a PO or invoice could lead to duplicate payment.
Possibly. Showcase pricing doesn’t always include tariffs for U.S.-manufactured goods. For any high-value or imported item, you can consult Procurement before proceeding.
Before purchasing, use MacBuy to find Canadian suppliers whenever possible. If importing, factor in tariff costs and timelines. When in doubt, ask Procurement for help.
Please work with your Procurement specialist to ensure there are not any potential exemptions or alternative suppliers.
If you are buying through McMaster for a McMaster project or initiative, you should follow McMaster guidelines. If it is a hospital-related expenditure, please ensure you adhere to the hospital’s policies.
For cash receipts not related to a bill issued via MacBill, please contact our accounts receivable office at macpay@mcmaster.ca and they can help to direct you to the appropriate process.
Cash Deposits Please contact the Accounts Receivable Office at Gilmour Hall room 109.
Please email the Accounts Receivable Office at acctrec@mcmaster.ca and provide your dept and account number to debit.
Yes. All banking information required for EFT and Wire Payments can be found on a MacBill invoice.
If a MacBill invoice has not been yet been issued, please email macpay@mcmaster.ca for assistance in creating one.
Information on accepting credit and debit cards can be found at the following link: https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/banking-ecommerce/pci-dss-overview
The University has a contract with a payment processor called Moneris and they must be used exclusively for processing credit card payments. More information can be found at: https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/banking-ecommerce/pci-dss-overview/
To apply for a merchant number a form must be completed. The form can be found at: https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/app/uploads/2018/07/Payment-Card-Merchant-Number-Approval-Form.pdf
Please visit our Payment Cards and eCommerce page
Banking & eCommerce
This module is now available. For more information, please go to https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/are-you-working-in-a-mcmaster-department/
Note: There is NO option of reprinting the receipt in Mosaic. The instructions below provide the workaround that is available instead. 1. Go to Main Menu, Finance, Accounts Receivable, Payments, Direct Journal Payments, Modify Accounting Entries. 2. Select your Business Unit, Dep Id# and click Search. 3. The screen of the requested Direct Journal will be displayed. 4. Print the screen of that Direct Journal.
Notify the Accounts Receivable Office at acctrec@mcmaster.ca with your request to claim the funds. The backup for this request must also be provided.
Workflow approval is determined by the chartfield string that is used (department, program, project etc…) and the type of activity (journal, purchase order, expense report etc…) that is is being processed. For information on how a specific transaction is routed through workflow, please contact finserv@mcmaster.ca
To request a change to the approver on a chartfield value, or to change the name/description, please use the Mosaic eForm. https://fsprd.mcmaster.ca/psc/prfsprd/EMPLOYEE/ERP/c/NUI_FRAMEWORK.PT_AGSTARTPAGE_NUI.GBL?CONTEXTIDPARAMS=TEMPLATE_ID%3aPTPPNAVCOL&scname=G_NCOL_FINANCE_REQUESTS&PanelCollapsible=Y&PTPPB_GROUPLET_ID=G_TILE_FINANCE_REQUESTS&CRefName=G_TILE_FINANCE_REQUESTS&AJAXTransfer=Y&
The chain of approvals cannot be changed in Travel and Expenses. You can add approvers in a Non-PO voucher.
To manage a delegate in Mosaic, go to the Main Menu and select “Finance”, then select “My System Profile”. Under “Alternate User”, enter the user you wish to delegate your approvals to and the dates for the delegation to occur. To delete a delegate, leave this area blank. Click “Save” when done.
To access the PeopleSoft system, users must be on the McMaster network or attached through the McMaster VPN. (Users connecting from a Hamilton Health Sciences or St. Joseph’s Healthcare facility do NOT need to use the VPN.)
If you already have a MacID and Mosaic account, you can find the login page at https://epprd.mcmaster.ca/psp/prepprd/?cmd=login
If you need to apply for Mosaic Finance access, please use the form found at https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/financial-reporting-systems/finance-position-security-request/ (please note a McMaster employee will need to complete the access request).
All questions related to MacIDs for non-employees should be directed to the University Technology Services (UTS) service desk. They can be reached at extension 24357, or by email at uts@mcmaster.ca.
Once an employee is hired by the department and approved by Human Resources, an employee profile is completed. At this point, an employee can apply to UTS for a MacID username and password. Finance Access is applied at the position level. If an employee is hired into a current position Finance Security will automatically be applied. For new positions, a Mosaic eForm will need to be completed. This form is available at https://fsprd.mcmaster.ca/psc/prfsprd/EMPLOYEE/ERP/c/NUI_FRAMEWORK.PT_AGSTARTPAGE_NUI.GBL?CONTEXTIDPARAMS=TEMPLATE_ID%3aPTPPNAVCOL&scname=G_NCOL_MCM_POS_SEC&PanelCollapsible=Y&PTPPB_GROUPLET_ID=G_TILE_MCM_POS_SEC&CRefName=G_TILE_MCM_POS_SEC&AJAXTransfer=Y
A Quick Guide on Journal Entries can be found by logging into Mosaic and clicking on the Support and Documentation tile from the homepage, and then the How-to Guides tile. Under the General Ledger heading is the Journal Entry Quick Guide, which explains the journal entry tool in detail.
Yes, there is ample space in the description field available for each journal you create, in addition to a description field that is available for each journal line. Also, you can attach documents to each journal entry.
Important: Before starting the upload process you must install a Journal Entry Upload Tool found at https://epprd.mcmaster.ca/psp/prepprd/EMPLOYEE/EMPL/c/EPPCM_CONTENT_MGMT.EPPCM_PUB_VIEWER.GBL?Action=U&EPPCM_CONTENTID=3088&EPPCM_CATG_TYPE=T&PORTALPARAM_PTCNAV=PAPP_EPPCM_PUB_VIEWER_GBL&CONTEXTIDPARAMS=EPPCM_CONTENTID:3088. If this step is skipped the spreadsheet journal will not upload.
Once above installation is complete a detailed guide “Journal Upload Quick Reference” can be found within the Support & Documentation Tile within Mosaic home page, then How To Guides under the Journal Uploads Section.
Journals create unbalanced entries when more than one fund or Business unit is used. To obtain the balance, the Peoplesoft “Inter/Intra-Unit Processor” completes the entries by automatically charging the same amounts to the fund and the inter/intra-unit balance sheet accounts only – No department, program, or project is double charged. That way, Peoplesoft enables the user to record the transaction using a minimal number of journal entry lines without entering all the lines that are required to fully balance the entry.
The month end schedule can be at https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/financial-reporting-systems/schedules/month-end-schedule/
There are a few different ways to obtain reports in the Mosaic System.
For Information on how to do “Ledger Inquiry”, open Mosaic and click on the “Documentation” tab. Under the “General Ledger” heading there is a “Financial Information Quick Guide”.
For information on using the “Statement of Operations” Nvision report, please visit: https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/financial-reporting-systems/financial-reporting-tools/
The GL WorkCenter can be accessed from the Mosaic portal by clicking on the “My Work” tab, then selecting “GL WorkCenter” in the left navigation pane, and then clicking on the “Reports/Queries” tab. If after you click on the “My Work” tab you do not see the “GL WorkCenter” link, please contact finserv@mcmaster.ca to request access.
Note: It is recommended the Ledger Inquiry or Trial Balance reports are used to look up account balances.
Instructions: Please visit the Mosaic Learning Hub (https://mosaictraining.mcmaster.ca/login/index.php). Login using your MAC ID. Quick reference material for can be found on the Home page under Course Material secetion. Select “General Ledger”, then select “Journal Entry – Quick Guide . pdf”. Ledger Inquiry examples begin on page 5 and Trial Balance on page 15. The Mosaic Learning Hub also offers in-class and web-based courses on a number of important topics.
Please visit the Mosaic Learning Hub (https://mosaictraining.mcmaster.ca/login/index.php). Login using your MAC ID. The Mosaic Learning Hub offers quick reference guides, in-class and web-based courses on a number of important topics.
The labour distribution reports include information on salary, wage and benefit, hours worked and calculated FTE details by account and by month for each employee charged to that cost centre. Further information and resources can be found on Mosaic in the Support and Documentation tile (under How To Guides, in the Human Resources section).
This information can be found in Mosaic by using the search found at Finance > Project Costing > Project Definitions > Team. If you do not have access to this screen please contact an accountant in the appropriate area. McMaster Research Finance or Health Sciences Research Finance.
Definition of common terms can be found in the Glossary of Financial Terms (https://www.mcmaster.ca/mosaic/systems/glossary.html). PC is an acronym for Project Costing. “PC Business Unit” is used when recording transaction for a “Project”.
For training on Mosaic/PeopleSoft software please visit the Mosaic Learning Hub (https://mosaictraining.mcmaster.ca/login/index.php)
The how-to guides in Mosaic provide resources on journal entries. Log into Mosaic, click on the Support and Documentation tile, and then the How-to Guides tile. Under the General Ledger heading, there are resources relating to journal entries: General Ledger, Journal Entries, and Workflow presentation Journal Entry Quick Guide
Training related to PeopleSoft Financials can be found on our Mosaic Learning Hub (https://mosaictraining.mcmaster.ca/login/index.php). Note : You can find Log in link at the upper right hand portion of the screen. Refer to the Training FAQs for further information or contact the training coordinator.
A trust administrator’s responsibility is to :
The spending allocation for trust funds is normally credited to trust fund accounts annually in July.
Please see the Statement of Investment Policies and Objectives – Investment Pool for details. https://secretariat.mcmaster.ca/university-policies-procedures-guidelines/
For guidance on opening a trust fund in Mosaic, go to https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/investment-management-trust-funds/establishing-a-trust-fund/.
A general trust is a perpetual and long term trust fund. Perpetual trusts are funds from which only income from the capital may be expended. Long-term trusts are funds from which both the income and the capital may be expended. Any capital to be spent from long-term trusts must be defined as expendable.
A specific trust is a short term trust fund which is to be spent in the current year for some expressed purpose.
Preservation of capital account is used to track the amount of income earned by the fund that is greater or less than the amount allocated for spending (including administration) each year.
Trust fund training resources can be found at https://financial-affairs.mcmaster.ca/services/investment-management-trust-funds/trust-fund-training/. For inquiries regarding training sessions or for additional information, please contact Robert Moss (mossr1@mcmaster.ca)
Operating money should not be transferred into trust funds.