3024.6 How to Update Approver and Auditor Roles in e-Reimbursement Procedure

Procedure # 3024.6; Rev.: 1 (Effective May 8, 2017)
Related Policy: UW-3024 Expense Reimbursement Policy
Functional Owner: Accounting Services, Division of Business Services
Contact: Expense Reimbursement Program Manager – Allie Watters, expensereimbursement@bussvc.wisc.edu, (608) 263-3525

Procedure statement
Who is affected by this procedure
Procedure
Contact roles and responsibilities
Definitions
Related references
Revisions

I. Procedure statement

Expense reports are routed for approval based on the department code used in the funding string(s). Division Coordinators request updates to the approval matrix as needed.

II. Who is affected by this procedure

e-Reimbursement approvers and auditors; Division Coordinators.

III. Procedure

Reviewing an Approval Matrix
1. To view your division’s current approver matrix, log into the Shared Financial System (SFS) and click on the Requester/Approver tile. Under Business Unit and Dept, enter full or partial department ID (minimum of two characters) in the Department field, and click Fill Grid. This will return a list of results for all SFS approval processes; the results can be downloaded as an Excel spreadsheet and irrelevant results filtered out.
2. Division Coordinators may also request a complete listing of the approvers, auditors and backup auditors from Accounting Services by emailing expensereimbursement@bussvc.wisc.edu. Include all six-digit department code ranges for those you are requesting (e.g. “Please send me an updated approval matrix for 48xxxx”).
Requesting an update to the Approval Matrix
1. Log into the Shared Financial System (SFS) and click on the Expenses tile. Within the Expenses tile, click the EX Approver Changes tile, then click Add an EX Approvers eForm. Fill out the required fields and once completed, submit the form. The submitter of the form will receive an email confirming successful submission. Once the approver change(s) has been updated, the submitter will receive another email stating that it has been approved. Requests are typically addressed within three business days. All requests must be made by a Division Coordinator.
2. Alternatively, a Division Coordinator may request changes by returning a copy of the approval matrix spreadsheet to expensereimbursement@bussvc.wisc.edu noting which changes are to be made. All requests must be made by a Division Coordinator.
Guidelines for Approval Roles
1. Employees serving in any approval role must have taken Expense Reimbursement – Approver/Auditor training and UW-Madison Travel Policy Training.
  1. Approvers
    1. Approvers are pooled. Multiple approvers can be added to the same department range and the Shared Financial System (SFS)/e-Reimbursement will require only one of them to approve an expense report.
    2. There is no backup approver role. Employees may serve as a backup approver functionally, but their approval assignment will be no different than a primary approver.
  2. Auditors
    1. Auditors are not pooled. If multiple auditors are setup for the same department, expense reports for that department will require all assigned auditors’ approval.
  3. Backup Auditors
    1. Backup auditors receive no automated workflow. They only receive workflow which has been manually routed.
    2. The backup auditor matrix serves as a guide for Accounting Services to route expense reports for which the primary auditor cannot serve (e.g. the primary auditor served as the alternate on the expense report).
    3. The backup auditor role can be used for any employee who doesn’t receive automated workflow, but who has taken expense report training and may serve in any approval role on a sporadic basis.

IV. Contact roles and responsibilities

Approver: Upon submission, expense reports are first reviewed by an approver. Approvers are responsible for reviewing supporting documentation, reviewing expense reports for policy compliance, and reviewing funding being charged.
Auditor: Expense reports are reviewed by an auditor after the approver. Auditors are responsible for reviewing expense reports for policy compliance.
Backup Auditor: Backup auditors receive no automated workflow, but may serve in any assigned approval role on an ad hoc basis. They only receive workflow which has been manually routed.
Division Coordinator: responsible for submitting approval matrix update requests.

V. Definitions

Approval Matrix: the full list of all approvers, auditors and backup auditors for a specified department range.

VI. Related references

UW-3024 Expense Reimbursement Policy

VII. Revisions

Procedure Number	3024.6
Date Approved	May 8, 2017
Revision Dates	Jan. 19, 2021 – Updated Procedure Number to 3024.6 from 320.6 April 26, 2023 – Additional methods added for reviewing the approval matrix and requesting updates to the approval matrix.

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