Welcome to the latest edition of BFS Insider News, where we share key updates from Contracts & Grants, Financial Services, Procure to Pay, Travel & Entertainment, and more!
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Upcoming BFS User Group Meeting!

Don’t miss the next Business & Financial Services User Group Meeting on April 30, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM, featuring essential updates on Financial Services, Contracts & Grants, and Procure to Pay. You can join the session directly via Zoom (Webinar ID: 975 0562 2691) or participate by phone at +1 669 219 2599.
Two bar graphs in blue and gold showing 90% and 81%
Payroll Certifications
  • Phase I (7/1/23–6/30/24): 90% complete
  • Phase II (7/1/24–6/30/25): 81% complete
  • Phase III (7/1/25-12/31/25): 0% Complete
Phase I & II certifications are past due and must be submitted immediately. 
Email emf@ucr.edu for support.
 
For Phase I, 835 of 927 certifications have been completed (90%), and 804 of 988 Phase II certifications have been completed (81%), representing an overall certification rate of 86%, with the remainder still pending department or PI review. 
 
Phase III Payroll Certifications due dates: 
  • Coordinators review due by May 15, 2026
  • PI Certification due by June 1, 2026
Award Closeout Overview Updates 
The Awards Closeout Website (link), Forms & Resources (link), training materials (link), and the Award Closeout Certification Form (link) have all been updated ahead of the Phase III Certification period which became live on 04/15/2026. 
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Upcoming Fiscal Close Office Hours!

Don’t miss the Fiscal Close Office Hours (FY26) on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM.

 

This session is designed to assist with navigation and answer questions regarding the FY26 year-end close, including key deadlines, department action items, and essential reference materials. You can join the session directly via Zoom (Webinar ID: 950 91586 921) or participate by phone at +1 669 219 2599.
Web Recharge Updates
Billing Descriptions Resolved 
The issue regarding inaccurate billing descriptions transferring from Web Recharge to the General Ledger has been successfully resolved. Standardized and accurate descriptions will now appear correctly across all financial reports to ensure better transparency.
 
Credit Memos for Mass Billing
The technical issue preventing the processing of credit memos against web recharge orders entered via mass billing has been successfully resolved. Users can now apply credits to these specific orders without encountering previous system errors. This fix ensures that all mass-billed transactions now can be adjusted appropriately.
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Short-term Investment Pool (STIP) interest
Contract & Grant Awards
Budgeting for FY24 and FY25 STIP interest has been completed for projects ending in "098" in PPM within the March 2026 (2026-03) accounting period.
 
Looking ahead, FY26 interest for the first and second quarters (Q1 & Q2) will be budgeted in the April Accounting Period (2026-04), followed by the third quarter (Q3) in the May Accounting Period (2026-05).
 
Moving forward, all STIP interest will be budgeted quarterly during the month immediately following the end of each quarter.
Updated Manual NCT Forms
Non-Payroll Cost Transfer
Updated Manual NCT forms have been uploaded to the BFS website and are now available for use. These new forms incorporate helpful total fields for both "transfer from" and "transfer to" amounts to streamline the documentation process. To ensure accurate and efficient processing, please verify that debits and credits net to zero for each line of the cost transfer form.
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Manual Payroll Cost Transfers (MPCT)
Updated Guidance & Materials

The guidance and related artifacts for manual cost transfers have been updated.

 

Please note that the Manual Salary Cost Transfer (MSCT) has been renamed to Manual Payroll Cost Transfer (MPCT). This updated naming convention more accurately reflects the scope of these transactions, which include all payroll‑related expenses, not salaries only.
The following updates have been completed:
  • The guidance document has been revised to reflect the new MPCT terminology and includes additional content to clarify previously communicated requirements.
  • The request form has been updated to incorporate additional guidance, including input from Extramural Funds Management (EMF).
  • The Pre‑Journal Template has been revised to align with new and clarified requirements for MPCT submission.
For further questions, please review the MPCT webpage or reach out to UCRPayroll@ucr.edu.
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Oracle Updates
Redwood Style
Oracle Purchasing, Receiving, and Supplier Registration modules are scheduled to be migrated to the new Redwood Style interface to improve the user experience.
 
Please join us for the upcoming User Group Meeting on April 30th, where we will share specific implementation timelines for this transition. This session will provide essential details on what to expect as we modernize our procurement tools across the system.
Purchase Order
Receiver Field
The Receiver field is now a required entry on all Purchase Orders to ensure workflow accuracy. This update corrects a previous setting where the field was optional, which triggered erroneous "Receipt Required" notifications to the assigned buyer. By designating a specific receiver, you ensure that automated system alerts are routed to the correct individual for timely processing.
Screen capture of empty Receiver Field showing an error
Screen capture of PO with Budget Date circled in red.
PO Change Orders
Budget Date within Project Start/End Dates
When issuing a change order with updated funding distributions, you must ensure the budget date on the PO line remains within the active project’s start and end dates.
 
For instance, if a project begins on April 1, 2026, any earlier budget date must be updated to fall after that start date to avoid system conflicts.
 
Failure to align these dates will prevent encumbrance entries from posting, leading to significant errors and payment delays during invoice processing.

Lenovo Outlines Steps to
Mitigate IT Market Volatility 

To help mitigate IT market volatility through 2026, Lenovo and UC Procurement have released a strategic briefing focused on reducing cost exposure and managing supply risks through standardized configurations and proactive forecasting.
You can now access the session recording and presentation slide deck to learn how to navigate these multi-year hardware cycles effectively.
Classic Purchase Requisition Module
Permanent Retirement Date
The Classic Purchase Requisitions module is scheduled for permanent retirement on May 16, 2026.
 
Following this date, the Redwood Self Service Procurement module will become the default interface for all purchase requisitions. We encourage users who haven't yet, to begin using the Redwood module now to ensure a smooth transition before the classic version is no longer available. 
 
Training resources are available on the BFS Training Resources Page (link) by searching RSSP or by retaking any of the applicable web based training courses (link). 
Screen capture of the classic requisitions page within Oracle Financials, as well as a screen capture of the "Purchase Requisitions (Retiring)" tile circled in red. In the center "Retiring on May 16, 2026" is displayed in white text on a red box.

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