The Bottom Line

A Quarterly Newsletter from the Division of Finance http://www.finance.upenn.edu/default.asp March 2016

Additional Newsletters Office of Research Services

http://www.upenn.edu/researchservices/newsletter.html

Prior Issues of The Bottom Line http://www.finance.upenn.edu/ftd/bline.shtml

ACA Coverage for Drexel Co-ops

All Drexel Co-ops should be entered in PennWorks with Job Class Code 599060. This Job Class Code is bypassed when calculating Affordable Care Act (ACA) eligibility. Drexel Coops are covered by their own Drexel Student Health. If the incorrect Job Class is entered (i.e. Temporary Extra Person, Student Worker, etc.) they will be inappropriately included the University's ACA calculations. Please review your records as soon as possible to ensure all Drexel Co-ops are properly coded with Job Class 599060.

BEN FINANCIALS REMINDERS

BEN Financials Access Request eForms

BEN Financials eForms must be completed by the

person requesting system access. Our auditors

require that the user gaining access be the one to

click the checkbox on the form stating that the user

will abide by the confidentiality policy. The only

exception to this is for Delete & Transfer From

eForms. The Delete and Transfer From forms can

be completed by the supervisor or access

administrator on behalf of the user.

We no longer need Delete eForms for Consultants

with only access to the Requisitioner

responsibility. However, you may submit a form if

the consultant leaves prior to their 90-day renewal.

Users receiving BEN Financials access need to

have a valid Penn email address; there are no

exceptions. BEN Financials eForms received with

a non-Penn email address will be returned. Please

note – the email address on the BEN Financials

eForm defaults from the Penn Directory so any

email changes need to be there.

When active users are changing their PO Manager

‘Dollar Limit Authority’ and/or Default Approver,

please make sure that he/she is selecting ‘Add’ next

to PO Manager or Requisitioner. If the User does

not select ‘Add’ the eForm does not route to

Purchasing therefore the eForm may be returned to

the User for updates.

When selecting the option ‘Change Org List’ for

Budget Entry, GL Inquiry, GL Reporting, and/or

Freeze Grants please make sure that User selects

‘Add’ or ‘Remove’ next to each Org. If those

options are not selected we may need to return the

form or contact the User for details.

Please refer new or existing users to the How to

Request/Update BEN Financials eForms PDF

Document http://www.upenn.edu/computing/da/eforms/requestUpd

ateAccess-030612.pdf

Continued on Page 2

In This Issue…

BEN Knows Page 10

Cashier’s Office New Hours .............. Page 2

Comptrollers

2014 1042-S Tax Return ............. Page 2

Phila Residents - Earned

Income Tax Credit ...................... Page 2

Did You Know ................................ Page 10

Human Resources

Changes to Legal Hiring Under Phila’s Fair

Criminal Standards Law ............... Page 4

Information Systems and Computing

Take Your Office Wherever You Go Page 8

ISSS Workshops ............................ Page 9

Purchasing Services ....................... Page 5

Quarterly Quiz ............................... Page 9

Research Services

Cost Transfers ............................ Page 7

Effort Reporting Deadlines ........... Page 6

PennERA.................................... Page 6

2

The Cashier’s Office Hours Changing Effective Monday, March 7, 2016

The new hours from Monday thru Friday are:

Open: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Closed: 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Open: 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

All deposits and student payments can be placed in our drop box located to the right side of our office when you enter the Franklin Building. Cash deposits which should be in a sealed

security bag can also be left in the drop box. Your automated email will be your receipt.

The Bottom Line March 2016

BEN FINANCIALS REMINDERS

Continued from the previous page

BEN Financials Desktop Requirements

Java 1.8 Update 51 is the lowest version of JRE supported for use with BEN Financials (all versions higher than 1.8 update 51 are expected to work). Java is not required for end users who have access only to the Requisitioner responsibility.

In order for IE 10 & IE 11 to work with BEN Financials ‘upenn.edu’ must be added to the Compatibility View (Tools > Compatibility settings).

The BEN Financials Desktop Requirements page can be found here - http://www.finance.upenn.edu/ben/benfin/desktop_req/requirements.shtml

BEN Knows Hot Topics

Users that have questions on invoice holds can be directed to the Holds quick reference guide: http://www.finance.upenn.edu/ftd/documentation/QRG_markpo.pdf.

New Requisitioner and PO Manager users must have a Deliver-To location defined in their profile before entering requisitions in BEN Buys: http://www.finance.upenn.edu/benknows/browse_topics/requisitions_definitions/Enter_Deliver-To_Location.shtml

When a purchase order is rejected the buyer can update the purchase order, edit the requisition, or cancel the original purchase. Additional details on the steps are available here: http://www.finance.upenn.edu/benknows/browse_topics/purchase_order_definitions/po_rejected.shtml.

Please call the BEN Helps Line (6-HELP) or submit

a BEN Helps ticket http://BENHelps.finance.upenn.edu

for any questions.

The University has been made aware that some of our International Students, Faculty, and Staff have received IRS Notice CP22A stating that their 2014 taxes were being recalculated, and now have a tax due. The IRS justification for the underpayment of taxes is due to the withholding credit, which was reported on Line 62 (1040NR) didn’t match what the University reported on your behalf. Please note: The University of Pennsylvania followed policy and procedures and paid all federal taxes on your behalf. The University Tax Department has been in constant communication with representatives of the Internal Revenue Service and PwC. We were able to validate the University’s filing information of Form 1042-S. The forms were received and processed by the IRS. However, this IRS problem seems to be a systematic occurrence which is affecting many International individuals at other Schools and Universities. The Tax Department is working diligently to resolve this issue as soon as possible. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer any tax advice at this current time. However, any remedy to the situation will be released as soon as information from our partners is received. If you have any questions or concerns, please fill free to contact Tax and International Operations at tax@exchange.upenn.edu.

Office of the Comptroller

IRS NOTICE FOR 2014

1042-S TAX RETURN

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The Bottom Line March 2016

What is EITC?

EITC is a Federal Tax refund available to working

individuals and families meeting certain eligibility

requirements. Of all the Philadelphians eligible for

EITC, nearly 40,000 do not even apply—leaving

almost $100 million on the table. The average

credit amount in Philadelphia is over $2,400, so

hurry and find out if you’re eligible.

The deadline to file is April 18, 2016!

How do I know if I’m eligible?

• You (and your spouse, if filing a joint return)

have a valid Social Security number (SSN).

• Your 2015 earned income is within the limits

below.

• You are 25 to 65 years of age or have a

qualifying child.

What do I need to do to get the EITC?

• File your federal tax return and complete the

EITC form.

• Meet the eligibility criteria.

Can I still qualify for the EITC in 2012, 2013 or

2014?

It’s not too late! You have up to three years to

amend your previous tax returns.

For 2012, the deadline to file an amended return is

April 15, 2016, so don’t wait.

Call 215.686.9200 or visit

www.YouEarnedItPhilly.com for help. The City

of Philadelphia is partnering with organizations to

offer

Free tax preparation by IRS-Certified preparers

for qualifying families and individuals. Call or visit

our website for more information or to find a free

tax preparation service location near you.

2015 Income Eligibility Based on Filing Status

# Qualifying

Children Single

Married

(Filing Jointly) Maximum Benefit

None $14,820 $20,330 $503

1 $39,131 $44,651 $3,359

2 $44,454 $49,974 $5,548

3 or more $47,747 $53,267 $6,242

Office of the Comptroller

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The deadline is April 18—don’t wait!

4

The Bottom Line March 2016

The City of Philadelphia’s Fair Criminal Standards Ordinance, also known as the “ban the box” law, has been amended. The amendment goes into effect on March 14, 2016. The amendment changes when and how an employer may legally consider an applicant’s criminal record during the employment process. It also prohibits any automatic exclusion of applicants with criminal convictions from a job or class of jobs. Penn is committed to fair and legal recruiting and employment practices. To honor that longstanding commitment, be sure to follow the guidelines below. Failure to comply with the amended Fair Criminal Standards Ordinance may result in fines up to $2,000, as well as lawsuits.

DDOOSS AANNDD DDOONN’’TTSS Do not ask applicants or potential applicants to

disclose or reveal any criminal convictions at any time during the application process. According to Philadelphia law, the application process begins when the applicant inquires about employment and ends when the employer extends a conditional offer to the applicant. Asking applicants about criminal convictions before making a conditional job offer is unlawful, even if applicants are told that they need not answer the questions.

You may notify prospective applicants that the University will conduct a criminal background check after a conditional job offer is made and that any consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job. Indeed, a notice regarding background checks will appear on all job postings within Penn’s online employment application site https://jobs.hr.upenn.edu.

Do not discuss a candidate’s criminal record during the application process, even if the candidate offers the information. If candidates disclose a criminal conviction to you, inform them that criminal convictions are considered and addressed only if a candidate receives a background check as part of a conditional offer of employment.

Do use Penn’s offer letter templates to ensure that your offer letter properly informs candidates that the employment offer is conditional on satisfactory background check results. Updated templates will be available for download on or before March 14, 2016 at https://www.hr.upenn.edu/myhr/resources/hiringofficer/handbook/appendix and https://www.hr.upenn.edu/myhr/resources/forms/recruitment#offer.

Do not extend an offer to another candidate until the preferred candidate’s background has been investigated. The amended Philadelphia law requires 10 business days for conditionally hired candidates to provide evidence of the inaccuracy of information in their background check or to provide an explanation regarding their background check.

BBAACCKKGGRROOUUNNDD CCHHEECCKKSS WWIILLLL CCOONNTTIINNUUEE The University will conduct criminal background checks on all candidates for regular full- and part-time staff positions who receive conditional employment offers; however Penn’s online employment application forms will no longer ask applicants to consent to a background check at the start of the application process. A criminal background check must be completed before a candidate’s start date. All background checks must be reviewed by an HR representative. No candidate will be automatically excluded from employment due to a felony or misdemeanor conviction. Rather, all convictions will be reviewed and analyzed in accordance with applicable legal requirements, taking into consideration various factors including but not limited to the nature of the offense, the time that has passed since the offense, the particular duties of the job being sought, the applicant’s employment history before and after the offense and any period of incarceration, any character or employment references provided by the applicant, and any evidence of the applicant’s rehabilitation since the conviction. Please consult your HR representative for further guidance.

FFOORR MMOORREE IINNFFOORRMMAATTIIOONN If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your school or center HR recruitment representative. For a listing of representatives, check the Recruitment and Staffing contacts page at https://www.hr.upenn.edu/myhr/resources/hiringofficer/contacts, or call Recruitment and Staffing at 215-898-7287. You can also refer to the Penn Hiring Officer Handbook, available online at https://www.hr.upenn.edu/myhr/resources/hiringofficer/handbook.

Recruitment and Staffing

Changes to Legal Hiring Under Philadelphia’s Fair Criminal Standards Law

5

The Bottom Line March 2016

How to Buy Wine and Spirits

As we move into the busy event planning season, please make a note of the change in name for Capital Wine and Spirits , now known as Breakthru Beverage Group- PA. The same Ben Buys supplier number of 437387 will still apply. When ordering wine and spirits, please click here to follow the ordering instructions and Penn’s alcohol policy.

Penn Purchasing Services has launched its new website at www.upenn.edu/purchasing. Designed to speak to and support many different audiences within the Penn community, from those individuals that oversee procurement for their departments to local and regional suppliers that do business with the University, the new site features many enhancements for its visitors. Incorporating feedback from site users and other stakeholders, the new design features:

o New supplier search capabilities that offer purchasers the ability to refine their o requests based on specific criteria; o Reorganized content so users can quickly find the information they need, using fewer clicks to reach their

targeted destination; o Simplified industry concepts and terms in easy-to-understand language; and o Integrated best practices which enhance the overall user experience.

If you bookmarked any of your favorite pages, please take a few moments to reset them when you first visit the new site. Here is a list we have put together of our most frequently visited webpages that you may find helpful:

Approved Caterers Resend P.O. To A Supplier Commodity Matrix Supplier Classifications How to Return Products to Suppliers Tax Exemption Certificate P.O. Cancellation Procedure University Supplier Types Purchase Order Terms and Conditions

Many other preferred webpages are accessible via the home page of the site.

Questions may be directed to feedback@exchange.upenn.edu.

6

The Bottom Line March 2016

Please remember that all NIH single-project

applications (e.g., R01’s and most others including

F, K, and T mechanisms) being submitted through

Grants.gov to the eRA Commons should be

prepared directly in PennERA, not in ASSIST. We

have noticed an increase in the number of single

project applications being inappropriately created

in ASSIST rather than in PennERA.

Many of you are aware that the National

Institutes of Health has developed an online web-

based application process called ASSIST. It was

initially developed only to be used with multi-

project applications, such as P-type mechanisms

(e.g., P01’s).

Recently however, NIH has made ASSIST

available for single-project applications, such as

Career Development Awards (K mechanisms),

research projects (e.g., R01’s), Fellowships (F’s),

etc. It is remains the university’s policy that these

applications be created and submitted via System-

to-System (S2S) using PennERA. Data entry

demands are significantly less when using S2S.

If you have any questions about proposal

creation in PennERA, be sure to write to

PennERAhelp@lists.upenn.edu.

We also are now able to complete multi-project

applications, P mechanisms, in PennERA as S2S

submissions. However, we are still in a pilot phase

and looking for additional volunteers planning

upcoming submissions, who would like to work

with us to prepare these as S2S submissions.

Although we have had successful complex/multi-

project submissions using System-to-System, we

would like to continue working closely with

departments on some additional multi-project

proposals to ensure that the proposal completion

and submission process will proceed smoothly

when implemented university-wide. Please

contact PennERAhelp@lists.upenn.edu if you are

interested.

Below are the remaining FY16 deadlines for effort reporting for planning purposes:

Effort Reporting

Period Description Start Date End Date

Last Date for Reallocations

through Payroll

Date Forms

are Available

Closing Date /

Due Date

12/31/15 Quarter 2 - Weekly 10/01/15 12/31/15 1/25/2016

2/1/2016

4/1/16

Fall Semester – Monthly 07/01/15 12/31/15

03/31/16 Quarter 3 - Weekly 01/01/16 03/31/16 4/18/16 4/25/16 6/24/16

06/30/16 Quarter 4 - Weekly 03/31/16 06/30/16

7/25/16 8/1/16 9/30/16 Spring Semester – Monthly 01/01/16 06/30/16

These dates can also be be found in the Effort Reporting section of the ORS website:

http://www.upenn.edu/researchservices/effortreporting.html

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NIH Single-Project Applications Please Use PennERA Not Assist

7

The Bottom Line March 2016

Sponsored Programs Policy 2113 “Cost Tansfers

and Payroll Reallocations” was revised in January,

2016. The changes are the result of the need to

tighten our internal controls to support adequate

documentation of the reason why the cost transfer is

being made, how the cost transfer directly benefits

the project to which the costs are being moved, and

that the Principal Investigator has approved the

transfer. A Cost transfer Justification Form is now

required to be submitted to ORS for both less than 90

day cost transfers and for those over 90 days. You

may review the revised policy at:

http://www.finance.upenn.edu/vpfinance/fpm/21

00/2100_pdf/2113.pdf.

The Cost Transfer Justification Form is available at:

http://www.upenn.edu/researchservices/.

The Office of Research Services has begun

collaborative project with ISC to modify the Research

Inventory System (RIS). The two-year project will

bring small and large enhancements to improve on

the user experience and support changed compliance

requirements related to subawards on federally

funded projects resulting from the implementation of

the Uniform Guidance. We will be using a rapid

turnaround methodology that will result in small

monthly changes to the system for many of the

improvements. More significant changes, which

include the creation of a Subrecipient Community

that will house general information about

subrecipient institutions and auto-populate parts of

the subaward request module and the creation of

data warehouse functionality for reporting from RIS

will be developed and released as targeted

milestones. You are likely to see small changes to

the way pages look from time to time. We will

provide ongoing communications as the project

proceeds, especially for the rollout of the larger

enhancements.

This is a brief reminder that NSF is initiating

changes for proposals submitted on or after January

25, 2016.

Proposals MUST be submitted by 5 pm LOCAL

time. For proposals from Penn, this means 5pm in

Philadelphia, regardless of where the PI might be at

the time of submission.

Authorized Organizational Representative

signature must be complete by this 5pm deadline

(the grace period between PI submission and AOR

signature has been eliminated).

Please make sure your NSF proposals are

submitted far enough in advance to allow for ORS

submission as well as PI upload of the proposal

before the 5pm deadline on the proposal due date.

Also, as NSF has increased the number of automated

compliance checks, please try to submit early enough

to allow for correction of any compliance check

failures.

Additional changes to NSF proposal submissions

that become effective January 25, 2016 include:

Preparation of a single copy document for

“Collaborators and Affiliations” for each Senior

Personnel listed on the proposal

Add a new certification to the coversheet of each

Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC)

Upload each Current and Pending Support for Key

personnel in a single PDF file or as text associated

with the individual. These support documents may

no longer be grouped together in a single PDF.

Upload each Biographical Sketch of each Key Senior

Personnel as a single PDF or as text associated with

the individual.

As a reminder, proposals should be submitted to

ORS at least three (3) business days prior to the

sponsor due date. Questions? Please contact

your ORS pre-award Associate Director.

Reminder of Changes to NSF Grant Submissions

Cost Transfer and Payroll Reallocations

Research Inventory System (RIS) Project Underway

8

Take Your “Office” Wherever You Go!

The Bottom Line March 2016

Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus is now available to all full-time faculty and staff at participating Schools and Centers as part of the PennO365 service. Office 365 ProPlus features a full version of Microsoft Office, which includes: Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote, Outlook, and more. Please note that at this time, the Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) is not participating in the program.

Your Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus account includes access to the following applications and services:

Microsoft Office Online: Log into the Microsoft online portal and access the online version of Microsoft's productivity suite to create, edit, and share documents through your web browser from any location.

Microsoft OneDrive for Business: Receive 1 TB of data storage on OneDrive for Business, Microsoft’s cloud data storage and collaboration solution. You can access OneDrive through your web browser, use installed Office 365 ProPlus apps to save and retrieve files on personal computers and mobile devices, and sync OneDrive to your local file directories.

Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus for Personal Computers & Mobile Devices: Install the latest version of Office 365 ProPlus on up to 5 personal computers (Mac and PC) and/or mobile devices (iPhone, iPad, Android Phone and Tablet, Windows Phone). This includes Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote for both Mac and PC.

Faculty and staff now join Penn students who have already started downloading and using this software on their personal computers and devices. Office 365 ProPlus was made available to all currently enrolled students at Penn last summer via Campus Express. The program benefits all undergraduate and graduate students, as it provides a substantial cost savings while allowing students to stay up-to-date with the latest versions of Microsoft’s productivity applications. 10,152 students have downloaded the software as of February 10, 2016.

To learn how to get started with Office 365 ProPlus, visit the PennO365: Office 365 ProPlus website at: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/how-to/penno365-office-365-proplus.

VVOOIIPP PPOORRTT BBIILLLLIINNGG CCHHAARRGGEESS

Charges for Voice Over IP (aka PennNet Phone) ports are currently billed as Telecom charges under General Ledger object code 5262. In addition, for administrative purposes, these ports are currently listed on both the Telecom and Networking reports generated from BEN Financials and the Data Warehouse. (The ports appear with a $4.75 charge on the Telecom reports and a $0 charge on the Networking reports.)

In an attempt to simplify this billing process and, report both data and voice ports under one object code and in one report, we will be changing this process. Effective in FY2017 (July 2016), all ports (whether for data or voice) will be billed under a single object code (5309), and clients will no longer see any port charges on their Telecom billing reports. This change will have NO impact on client charges, it will only shift the costs from Telecom to Networking, and will require an adjustment to your departmental budgets by shifting the amount you have allocated in object code 5262 for the VoIP ports to object code 5309. We recently surveyed several Senior Business Administrators to obtain feedback on this change and received positive feedback.

Please advise if you have any questions or concerns regarding this change. Also, if you would like a projection of the annual costs of the VoIP ports for your CNAC or ORG (based on the current number of active ports), we would be glad to provide you with that information.

If you have any questions, please contact us at 215-898-1319 or email billing@isc.upenn.edu.

9

The Bottom Line March 2016

The National Institutes of Health has

International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)

is pleased to offer the following

workshops in Spring 2016:

Topic Date & Time

H-1B Workshop 3/9/2016 1:00 - 3:00pm

J-1 Scholar Workshop 3/18/2016 1:00 - 3:00pm

To register for a workshop, please visit our Registration Page.

All workshops will take place at ISSS, located at 3701 Chestnut Street. Please follow the signs for Penn Global.

We hope to see you there!

Instructions: The following questions can be answered based solely on information contained

in this issue of The Bottom Line.

To participate in the contest, please submit your answers via email to

training@exchange.upenn.edu no later than May 1, 2016

The Winner will receive a gift certificate for lunch for two to the University Club

1. What Job Class Code in PennWorks do I use for a Drexel Co-op?

2. List one condition to justify a ‘Cost Transfer’. Hint: You may need to click on a link?

3. During the application process, when can I ask an applicant about their criminal record?

4. When is the appropriate time to submit an e-Form for access to BEN Financials?

5. List two BEN Financials reminders – pick two that perhaps you were unaware.

Last Quarter’s Winner

Deborah Fortunato

Financial Assistant

Penn Student Agencies

Quarterly Quiz

March 13th 2:00 a.m.

10

The Bottom Line March 2016

http://www.finance.upenn.edu/benknows/

…The link for ‘Shopper’ and the link for ‘BEN Financials’ are two different links. Please share this with you Shoppers,

Requsitioners and PO Managers.

Shopper – https://www.campusexpress.upenn.edu/weblogin/sciquest/access

BEN Financials - http://benapps.isc-seo.upenn.edu/

… NIH has announced a new salary cap. For FY 2016, the Executive Level II salary is currently set at $183,300,

increasing to $185,100 effective January 10, 2016.

…The new F & A Rates are posted on ORS Website http://www.upenn.edu/researchservices/penndata.html

…There is a new Quick Reference Guide titled “New Gift Fund/Designation Creation Process QRG’ on the Financial

Training Department Documentation page. Included is a link to an updated ‘BEN Financials New Fund Request Form’

…For For information regarding BEN Financials, PennWorks/Payroll/Personnel, Additional Pay, Concur, Petty Cash,

Space@Penn, etc. training, go to the following link:

http://www.finance.upenn.edu/ftd/Training_&_Access_Forms.pdf

BEN

Knows

Accessing BEN Financials – New End Users New BEN Financials end-users must successfully complete BEN Financials training and submit a BEN Financials Access Request eForm within 60 days of completing training. If the 60 day requirement is not met, the eForm will be disapproved and routed back to the Requestor. The end-user will need to be retrained and submit a new eForm upon completion.

The BEN Financials Access Request eForm can be obtained at the following URL: http://www.upenn.edu/computing/da/eforms/

To access the form: Expand section under BEN Financials Select ‘BEN Financials Access Request eForm’ If you are not currently authenticated into a U@Penn secured site, you will be prompted to enter your PennKey

and Password

IMPORTANT: Once the form has been processed by Financial Systems, an email will be sent to the individual who initiated the request. Be sure the “Initiator” is the end-user requesting access. The email will contain

your BEN Financials username and detailed instructions on how to generate your password. You can also get detailed instructions by clicking here for the “Self-Service

BEN Financials Password Generation” documentation.

Tip: It is best not to submit your eForm in advance of training as the eForm will be rejected back to the Requestor until the training has been completed.

Did You Know…