Reporting & Analytics Release Notes for July 2024

July 2024 Release Notes

Finance Reporting & Release Notes for July 25 have been posted to the UVAFinance website. 

As we start a new fiscal year for 2025, we've made some improvements to the Workday Budget vs Actuals app in UBI. If you have a finance reporting need or feedback, please reach out to AskFinance@virginia.edu.

Workday Budget vs Actuals App Improvements

• Updated Master Measures that will deliver more accurate data. The updated measures in the App will utilize Sources and Uses (Operating Sources/Operating Uses/Operating Transfers) instead of Ledger Account Types (Revenue/Expense/Transfers). Sources and Uses represents how we report our Sources, Uses, and Transfers for managerial and budget reporting both internally and externally. This is what is also used in Adaptive. 
• Please note that we recently released a new report in the Workday FDM Reference app called Ledger Account Type vs. Revenue/Spend Classifications vs. Sources/Uses report that you can leverage to see how these values compare to each other and how they might differ in some cases. 
• User-friendly filtering capability with the addition of the PeriodType filter as well as changing all the reports to use the AsOfPeriod filter instead of a mixture of AsOfPeriod and Fiscal Year/Period filters. 
• More robust reporting on Obligations.
• New report - Sources and Uses Statement that will give you the ability to compare Budget versions vs Actuals by Line Item in the same format that is used when we publish the annual Budget. 

Note: In the unlikely event that you encounter a broken visualization on your personal or Community sheets (should this happen you will see an error message that reads "Incomplete Visualization"), please do not hesitate to reach out to AskFinance@virginia.edu. 

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Related information: Reporting & Analytics Tips & Tricks

Attention Amazon Shoppers: Guidance on Questions

Amazon Questions?

It's been three months since the Central Amazon Business Account launch at UVA.  Thank you to everyone who has jumped in and used the account for their non-contract items!

In the time since launch, we've noticed some common questions from our users that we're sharing here for everyone's benefit: 

• How do I access the centralized Amazon account?  Jessica Lenore will be happy to assist with access-related issues.  Contact her via AskFinance@virginia.edu, or visit this Amazon link to send a request to the centralized account.
• What if I have a question about shipping, delivery, returns, refunds, or an error message from Amazon?  In these cases, contact Amazon's customer service, using the links on the bottom of the page ("Let Us Help You").
• What if I'm not sure who should handle my inquiry?  Reach out to Jessica Lenore via AskFinance@virginia.edu and she'll direct you!

We'll be hosting another Amazon buyer training soon. Watch this space for more details!

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Related information: Benefits of a Centralized Amazon Business Account

Introducing UVAFinance: Mike Hayton & LeTrecia Mathis

Introducing UVAFinance is a recurring blog feature created to introduce our team to our team, a couple of members at a time. Every other week, we present readers with a team member or two to get to know. To understand how these colleagues are situated within the greater UVAFinance structure, check out this resource on the UVAFinance website.

NEW Resource: UVAFinance by Department

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Mike Hayton, Local Support Partner Manager

Mike Hayton

What do you do as Local Support Manager? 

I am the manager for the technical support specialist team for UVAFinance. 

Who are the people/departments you work with regularly?

I work with the entirety of UVAFinance (around eleven departments), and a few departments within Enrollment (Student Financial Services, University Registrar, and Admissions on occasion).

What seasons are busiest, or what rhythms exist in your job?

We can see increased activity with SFS and UREG around the start and end of the school year. Typically on Monday through Thursday we see more use in the hoteling cubicles and conference rooms. 

What might surprise people about the work you do/this role/your department or area?

Our team consists of three different generations: Baby Boomer, Gen X, and Gen Z. Despite the variations in generations, we all work very well together. 

What do you like best about working in UVAFinance? 

The people. Everyone we provide support to is always friendly, appreciative, and patient. 

How do you connect your work with the UVAFinance Values?

From big projects like updating conference rooms, to Zoom rooms, to handling emergency requests like dead laptops, we aim to provide excellent service. 

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LeTrecia Mathis

LeTrecia Mathis, Payroll Operations Specialist

What do you do as Payroll Operations Specialist? 

My title doesn't give much of a hint at what I do, although it is Operations. My team audits payroll processes: any input that flows to an employee's paycheck is carefully checked. We review every piece of data that comes into Workday that affects an employee's paycheck and make corrections as needed. 

Who are the people/departments you work with regularly?

Within Payroll, I work closely with the Time, Reporting, and Analytics Team, as well as the Solution Center Team that addresses payroll related requests from AskFinance (such as on-demand pay). Within the Finance Team, we work with the folks who do general ledger accounting. We also work with Human Resources a lot, including talent support and compensation. 

What seasons are busiest, or what rhythms exist in your job? 

Payroll is ongoing! Every week, we're running payrolls. On the weeks we don't have monthly payroll for the Medical Center and UPG, the workload is a little lighter, but it's always busy. The end of the month can be especially hectic; at that time, we can be running up to seven payrolls, and all of those also need to be audited. 

What might surprise people about the work you do/this role/your department or area?

Definitely the volume. We can be working with over 35,000 employees in a payroll cycle, depending on where we are in the month. And for all of those employees, we're reviewing every piece of data that is entered so they are paid with very minimal errors. 

What do you like best about working in UVAFinance?

I like that we get to interact with so many different people from all different departments across Grounds. The customer service part of my work is something I love- talking to people, from doctors and nurses to professors and staff, helping them with their issues, and giving them tools to be hands-on. 

How do you connect your work with the UVAFinance Values?

There are several ways I connect with the values, but I'll pick "impeccable source of information," because we look at everything with a fine-toothed comb, making sure that the bottom line is correct for our employees, As someone who receives pay, I take ensuring accuracy and timeliness of paychecks very seriously!

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UVAFinance Mission & Values / UVAFinance Organizational Structure / Past Introductions can be found on our site under "Resource Shelf"

Would you like to be featured in Introducing UVAFinance? Want to suggest a colleague to be featured? Email bv8h@virginia.edu

Reporting & Data Tips and Tricks

 

The Fiscal Administrator Persona Spotlight Report

In June, we reminded readers of the Spotlight reports available in Workday.  This curated list of commonly used reports should be helpful to many users, but if you're a fiscal administrator, we have something even more focused just for you!

On the Spotlight Reports listings (the reports are organized alphabetically), you'll find a category called "Fiscal Administrator Persona Spotlight Reports."  This category contains almost 40 reports that should be helpful to fiscal administrators across Grounds, tailored specifically to that role's tasks. 

Check it out; you might find some new favorite reports!

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Reporting & Data Tips & Tricks is a recurring series featuring information that will help you use the tools available at UVA to get more out of your data.  Have a suggestion?  How about a reporting question?  Reach out to the Business Intelligence & Analytics Team via askfinance@virginia.edu 

UVAFinance Welcomes Heather Hite as Senior Sourcing Specialist

Heather and her husband Todd

Heather Hite has recently rejoined the UVAFinance team this July as Senior Sourcing Specialist. With over 15 years of experience in procurement and a true passion for helping others, Hite is the perfect addition to UVAFinance.

Hite is from the Shenandoah Valley area and a James Madison University graduate. She majored in Marketing, but her first post-graduate job with Ferguson enterprises offered her a glance into the world of procurement, which she found to be fulfilling and rewarding. Hite said she followed a “natural progression” from Ferguson to higher education, and from 2008 to 2022, she was a member of PSDS as a buyer specialist, where she focused on Facilities Management and IT procurements.

Before her return to UVA PSDS, she worked for Mary Baldwin University in the role of Manager of Purchasing, Contracts, and Risk Management. There, she implemented a universal electronic contract repository. Following her time at Mary Baldwin, Hite spent two years at the Virginia Department of Social Services as a Senior Procurement Officer. During that time, she facilitated the distribution of TANF (temporary assistance to needy families) funds, and worked as the lead eVA Security Officer.

The Hites

When the new eVA system went up, Hite both developed and executed a virtual eVA user Help Desk that would offer assistance to users with questions regarding the new system. Hite holds a multitude of acclaims, including a CUPO (Certified University Purchasing Officer), a VCA (Virginia Contracting Associate) certification, as well as a VCO (Virginia Contracting Officer) certification.

As someone who had previously worked at UVAFinance, Hite had always loved what the university stood for, and as UVAFinance grew, she says she “truly loved their mission statement.” Hite also noted that UVAFinance has “excelled in how they have presented themselves as a collaborative partner to the university.” Additionally, Hite enjoyed the people-oriented aspect of her job at UVAFinance, and she acknowledged that procurement and supplier services has done an excellent job collaborating with and providing services to people. She also loves the changes made since her previous time at UVAFinance, specifically the implementation of Workday and utilization of Salesforce.

Hite says her true interest in finance and procurement started at UVA, where she felt a sense of pride in how she was able to offer her purchasing experience and actively saw what had been purchased around Grounds. Of her job in Procurement, Hite says she loves how “UVA is like a little town, and [she] loves learning about the different facilities and departments that make up the university.” 

The Hite's cute pup Hazel

As Senior Sourcing Specialist, Hite will be focused in the Facilities Management realm within Procurement. She looks forward to collaborating with others on how to strategically source solutions for departments and provide the best value for the University. Hite says she will also focus on furnishings and deliveries, as there is a higher turnover in domains like plumbing, electrical, HVAC, maintenance contracts, etc. Hite appropriately calls it the “nuts and bolts that keep the university going.” She’ll also be working to make sure tools and parts are available at the university when things need to be fixed, and in the winter, snow removal for student safety will be another focus of hers (“that is, if we get any snow!”).

In her free time, Hite enjoys spending time with her husband Todd, who is also member of UVAFinance as claims adjuster for the Office of Property and Liability Risk Management, her two children, and their English Bulldog puppy, Hazel, who makes sure they stay busy (“the puppy stage is not for the weak!”). You can most often find her outside with her husband and pup, watching her kids play sports or going for family hikes and walks. Whether it’s hot or cold, you can be sure to spot the Hite family out and enjoying the outdoors. Hite also loves being an active member of her church, serving on the committee of her local credit union, and watching sports, specifically the Baltimore Orioles.

Need a New Passport?

Need a new passport?  Take care of it at the Expo!

Hopefully, you've already RSVP'd for the 2024 T&E Expo (if  not, go do it now!)  It's going to be a great time, with dozens of exhibits, giveaways, prizes, and snacks.  

But there's more!

Besides workshops on TravelUVA, Expense Reports for Travel, and Travel & Expense Trivia, the team is also offering RealID services as well as Passport Processing.  

If you need a new passport (not a renewal), you can take advantage of the services available at the Expo.  Check out the signup online for more information and to grab a slot.   (RealID and Passport signup links are also available on the RSVP form for the Expo.)

Exploring Finance at UVA: Michele Roszell

 

Welcome to 'Exploring Finance at UVA'! This is a new, recurring blog feature that will highlight finance professionals from across Grounds, beyond UVAFinance. Meet a diverse array of staff members and delve into their roles and insights in the world of finance within the greater UVA framework.

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Michele Roszell, Financial Services Specialist

Michele Roszell

What do you do as Financial Services Specialist? 

Currently, I complete all of the Account Certifications for the Arts and Sciences Dean's Office. I am the first reviewer for Account Certifications for smaller departments for their Department Manager to review. I review and approve all of the expense reports that come through with the Dean's Office's Cost Centers. I assist with creating expense reports for those departments where an employee has left UVA.

Who do you work most with in Central Finance?

I work with Procurement, Jack Jensen, Danielle Hancock, Ask Finance, and Jenny Godden. Outside of Central Finance I work with our Department Managers and their staff or faculty.

What rhythms exist in your work? Is there a busy season? 

Every month we start off with Account Certifications. I get around 200 new ones per month. Every day I receive Expense Reports to review and either send back (the wrong Cost Center is the most common problem) or I approve them. Sometimes when faculty are traveling, they have questions and if they can reach me via Zoom or Teams, I can help them find a solution quickly. I have been part of tracking the Dean's OTPS funds since those worktags show up on the expense reports. The least busy weeks of the year are Spring Break in March when the students are gone, and the third week in October because faculty are not traveling in September or October to create expense reports. 

What do you like most about what you do? 

What I enjoy the most is solving problems and puzzles. I enjoy knowing how things work . When someone reaches out with an account certification or expense report problem, it makes me happy when I am able to help them spot the problem and fix things quickly.

Bowie, hard at work

How does your work further UVA's mission?

I believe UVA's mission is to teach the next generations. I view my finance job as being responsible with UVA's resources. I find helping the faculty learn how to use the expense report function is important so that they can get on with what they love best - teaching and research.

What's something interesting or funny about your team?

Most of us are still 100% remote. Our "co-workers" cover us in fur and hair. We love them anyway. My dog, Bowie, knows when a video meeting is going on. He sneaks up close to me to see "who" I'm talking to and if he approves! Also, my monitor (on the right)  is actually a TV and a $5 yard sale purchase, as I am steward of my finances. 

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If you or someone you know would like to be featured in Exploring Finance at UVA, please email bv8h@virginia.edu

Professional Development Corner

contributed by Patty Marbury

Now that fiscal year end has passed (congratulations!), hopefully you were able to devote some time in planning for and participating in professional development activities!

Why is professional development important?

Check out this short blog post from Harvard on the importance of professional development.

Upcoming Offerings 

Below are some offerings coming in the weeks and months ahead: 

*New* - National Conference on College Cost Accounting (NACCA)

• Annual Conference - October 30-November 1, 2024; optional pre-conference workshop, October 29
  
• The link above is the registration link with all of the information, but you may also email naccafedpanel@gmail.com for more information or if you have any questions.

NACUBO: 

• 2024 Annual Meeting - July 23-26, 2024 in Chicago, IL and online 
  
• 2024 Planning, Budgeting, and Analytics Forum - September 22-24, 2024 in Chicago, IL / October 7-8, 2024 online
  
• 2024 Tax Forum - October 20-22, 2024 in Las Vegas, NV
  

EACUBO:

• *New* Administrative Management Program (Co-sponsored by EACUBO and Cornell University) - August 5-8, 2024 in Ithica, NY
• 2024 Annual Meeting - October 13-16, 2024 in Philadelphia, PA
  

SACUBO:

• 2024 Fall Workshop - October 30-November 1, 2024 in Austin, TX
  
• 2025 Women's Leadership Forum - February 26-28, 2025 in Virginia Beach, VA
  

Association for Financial Professionals

• Annual Conference - October 20-23, 2024 in Nashville, TN 
  
• Organizations that send three or more participants qualify for team pricing

Education Benefit

You have all year to use your $2,000 of centrally-funded education benefit for professional development or $5,250 to use for tuition toward a degree-seeking program. See https://hr.virginia.edu/career-development/education-benefits-0 for more information. (To be eligible for this benefit, you must have had six months of service in a benefits-eligible position at UVA by the start date of the class, with the intent to remain on the active payroll during the entire term of the class.)

Professional Development Request Form

UVAFinance team members - remember to use your Professional Development Request Form to submit your requests for training and professional development, before you register for any program. Remember that they go to your manager first for approval, and then to the Leadership Team for review at their weekly meetings, which are typically on Tuesday mornings. Therefore, be sure to submit requests as soon as possible. Remember, not all professional development opportunities require submission of the form. If an opportunity is less than 1/2 day AND there is no cost associated with it, then do not submit a form. Many LinkedIn Learning courses and some courses offered by UVA Human Resources or other UVA departments meet these criteria. Otherwise, the form must be submitted. 

Also consider the following as you plan your professional development for the year:

• UVA's Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion current offerings
• FREE LinkedIn Learning courses - access through Workday -- Learning. Human Resources also has a curated list on their website which includes some LinkedIn Learning Courses. (Participating in these courses does not require submitting a Professional Development Request Form.)
• UVA Human Resources offers many free programs and courses. Discuss with your manager and submit a form if the program requires a commitment equal to or greater than a half day. 
  
• NACUBO National Association of College and University Business Offers
  
• UVA is a member of NACUBO, so joining is free.
• Submit the UVAFinance Professional Development Request form if there is a fee associated with the course or program, including meetings, conferences, and workshops. There is no need to submit a request for podcasts, articles, or free courses. 
• UVA's School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) offers many Certificate programs.
  
• UVA Darden Executive Education - There are a few programs less than $2,000.
  
• Use the discount code UVA50, which provides a 50% discount for the cost of the program. (The prices listed are for the full cost.)
• See the Darden Executive Education program schedule for upcoming dates. 
• Stanford University also has an Executive Education program

UVAFinance in Action: July 25, 2024

Workday Rockstars!

Earlier this month, UVAFinance Team members spent a day learning more about Strategic Sourcing, a Workday module that could help with our procure-to-pay process.  

As we move past the stabilization period after the 2022 implementation of Workday, the team is intent on streamlining business processes and supporting our vendors.  

Three AAA bond ratings for UVA

UVA has received top ratings from major credit rating agencies Moody’s Investor Services and Fitch Ratings, both noting UVA’s robust financial profile and exceptional operating performance. The University’s consistent enrollment, high-value educational offerings, philanthropic gifts, and overall academic reputation supported the agencies’ top ratings.

The University also holds a AAA bond rating from Standard & Poor’s, most recently affirmed in August 2023.  Read more about the reaffirmation in this UVAToday article.

Kudos to the Finance Team and everyone across Grounds whose work helps maintain these ratings!

We appreciate all you do!

Congratulations to our Payroll Team leadership!  

Paul Grisdale has been promoted to Senior Director of Payroll, and Angela Coleman to Director of Payroll.  

Carruthers Hall History: the Bursar's Portrait and Chair

Elmer Carruthers, UVA Bursar from 1912-1947

One of the first things any visitor to Carruthers Hall notices (if they come in the front door, that is) is the polished wooden chair and accompanying portrait immediately to their right upon entering.  

The portrait depicts Elmer Carruthers, the man for whom the building is named, and the chair is the one he occupied during his 35 years as bursar at UVA.

When Carruthers occupied the position, UVA did not have a Controller or VP of Finance.  "Bursar" was essentially the chief financial position at the University, reporting to the President on UVA's finances and overseeing financial operations. 

Carruthers's portrait was not always so prominently featured in the Carruthers Hall.  After he retired in 1947, other bursars came and went and his portrait was in and out of storage as the building changed.  

By the time renovations to the Finance office space were complete in the early 2000s, however, Carruthers' living relatives had applied enough gentle pressure that the beautifully framed portrait and carefully restored desk chair had a place of honor waiting for them.

What's a Bursar?

Steve Kimata, now AVP for Enrollment and Student Financial Services, recalls that during his time as bursar at UVA (he was actually the last person to hold the role of bursar), both of Mr. Carruthers' great-granddaughters visited from time to time to check in on their great-grandfather and to share stories about earlier days at UVA.  

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Do have an interesting story from Carruthers' and/or Finance's history?  Let us know!

New F&A Revenue Improvements Through Creation of Monthly Allocation Process

Contributed by Amanda Meares

Through collaborative efforts between OSP and UVAFinance, there has been a constructive change within the system regarding F&A revenue worktags, using an allocation process that will occur at the end of each month. This action is necessary to remove a duplication of F&A revenue posted to the Grant worktags. The information below highlights the necessity of this new process, an overview of the process itself, and how it will affect you.

Issue Overview

The Workday Finance configuration of the F&A Revenue Allocation profile for the posting of F&A recoveries led to a duplication of F&A revenue being posted to the Grant worktag. There were two duplication scenarios, one of which Grant Revenue earned for F&A Expense was posted to the appropriate Grant Revenue Ledger Account (Grant Worktag Only). Second, F&A Recovery for the F&A expense posted to 4110: Federal Grants and Contracts Revenue Ledger Account (Grant and Designated Worktags).

These duplication scenarios meant that fund balances on Grant worktags were incorrect, and resulted in complications in the Grant close process due to the inability to achieve a $0 fund balance following each Grant's period of performance were present. 

Resolution Implementation

The allocation process was implemented to remove the double-counted F&A revenue from the Grant and Designated worktags combination and consolidate them onto the appropriate FDM strings for the revenue allocation profile utilizing the Designated worktag only. 

In terms of the process implementation timeline, the allocation was completed for the FY23 and FY24 on June 27th, 2024, coinciding with the fiscal year-end close. Ongoing monthly allocations will be completed during the month-end close process. 

Impact on You

The Grant Worktag will be systematically removed from the F&A revenue during the month-end close process. Visibility of these activities will be detailed in the Journal Lines Detail reports and similar reports, with the journal source of "Allocation." The account certifications for June will include the one-time correcting allocation entry for the entire FY24 period. For future account certifications, the activity will net out within each month. 

Corrected Grant worktag fund balances will be reflected at the start of each month, ensuring accuracy for financial planning and reporting purposes.  It is important to note that minor conversion errors are still being resolved, but these impact a smaller subset of the Grant population. 

Reports within QlikSense remain unchanged as the allocation journal source has already been excluded. These F&A reports are designed to report based on the F&A revenue posted to the Grant and Designated combination prior to the allocation adjustment to Designated only. Any manual reporting that includes the F&A revenue on ledger 4110: Federal Grants and Contracts Revenue ledger account must be reviewed for consideration regarding the inclusion or exclusion of the allocation journal source for accurate Grant worktag reporting based on each scenario. 

If you have any questions about this new process, please reach out to AskFinance@virginia.edu

Introducing UVAFinance: Sara Johnson-Ward & Michelle Gregory

Introducing UVAFinance is a recurring blog feature created to introduce our team to our team, a couple of members at a time. Every other week, we present readers with a team member or two to get to know. To understand how these colleagues are situated within the greater UVAFinance structure, check out this resource on the UVAFinance website.

NEW Resource: UVAFinance by Department

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Sara Johnson-Ward, Senior Sourcing Specialist

What do you do as Senior Sourcing Specialist? 

Sara Johnson-Ward

Buyers solve problems. We identify the needs of our clients and search for the best solution at a reasonable cost to fulfill their demands. We negotiate on behalf of our clients and continually seek to improve processes. Some examples of solutions I have sourced are editorial services and book design, licensing agreements with museums and furniture makers, buses, office moving services and furniture, signage, conference services, computers and software, and shot glasses and big nickels for Monticello. It’s never dull, forever changing, and always a challenge.

Who are the people/departments you work with regularly?

The Services and Athletics Strategic Sourcing team works with many departments across grounds. I work with Travel UVA, the Darden School, the School of Education and Development, the Sorensen Institute, Virginia Humanities, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the Medical Center, the University Physicians Group, Kluge-Ruhe, the Batten School, the McIntire School of Commerce, and Athletics. As you can see, our team services a wide range of departments at UVA.

What seasons are busiest, or what rhythms exist in your job?

The beginning and the end of the fiscal year are usually the busiest. After new budgets are released, projects begin and by the end of the fiscal year, departments are trying to wind down their budgets. Both seasons drive peak workloads for Procurement and Supplier Diversity Services. Our request for proposal process usually kicks off in spring and is spread over the summer and fall.

What might surprise people about the work you do/this role/your department or area?

Most people do not realize that public Sourcing Specialists need a basic understanding of procurement laws in Virginia. We want to help staff and suppliers adhere to those requirements, and we want to help solve problems. No buyer would stay in the profession if they didn’t enjoy the challenge of problem-solving.

What do you like best about working in UVAFinance?

I have always enjoyed the team that I work with at UVA. Every member is committed to serving the University to the best of their ability and knowledge. I also enjoy the variety of requests for purchasing and getting to know staff in other departments.

How do you connect your work with the UVAFinance Values?

I strive to provide great service to UVA faculty, staff, and suppliers, and to be a supportive and reliable colleague for my team. During the RFP process, I research and provide information to the Evaluation Committee with the goal of helping them clearly define the solution they seek. Finally, I am always looking for opportunities to improve processes.

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Michelle Gregory, Finance Manager, Data & Technology

Michelle Gregory

What do you do as Finance Manager for Data & Technology? 

As the Manager of Finance Data and Analytics, I help develop reports built in a suite of reporting technologies and manage/improve the systems we use to handle financial data and reports. This involves working with various business partners to make sure the data is accurate and useful, fixing any issues that come up, and leading initiatives and projects to enhance our financial tools and processes. Additionally, I lead a team and we work together to transfer knowledge to ensure we can support each other through peak times or when a team member is out of the office.

Who are the people/departments you work with regularly?

I collaborate regularly with FP&A (Budget Office), various school/department finance units, and other UVAFinance departments.

What seasons are busiest, or what rhythms exist in your job? 

UBI work maintains a steady workload with a consistently large queue for new and change requests. Earlier this year, we started collaborating with the OSP team to implement a release model for our RAD apps, encompassing development, testing, and deployment. This evolving process has enhanced the stakeholder’s understanding of each release, deployment time, and the purpose of the change.

Our work with Adaptive Planning, our financial planning and analysis tool, follows a cyclical pattern. The business period spans from September to March, while the sprint to late summer is dedicated to continuous improvement and new year maintenance efforts.

Workday Financial reporting has transitioned into continuous improvement efforts, ensuring ongoing enhancements and optimizations.

What might surprise people about the work you do/this role/your department or area? 

The unpredictability of each day, which keeps the work engaging and dynamic.

What do you like best about working in UVAFinance? 

What I love most about working in finance is the people. In my 3 ½ years here, I’ve had the pleasure of working with wonderful colleagues who are always supportive. Whether I need assistance from other UVAFinance units or collaboration with our business partners, I find everyone to be incredibly helpful and great to work with. Additionally, our finance leaders prioritize work/life balance and provide opportunities for professional development, which makes this a truly rewarding environment.

How do you connect your work with the UVAFinance Values?

In my role, I connect with the UVAFinance values while delivering innovative solutions that ensure accuracy, reliability, and consistency. By collaborating closely with partners and colleagues, I support continuous improvement initiatives. These priorities have allowed me to build respected and trusted relationships, all while maintaining a commitment to excellent service. 

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UVAFinance Mission & Values / UVAFinance Organizational Structure / Past Introductions can be found on our site under "Resource Shelf"

Would you like to be featured in Introducing UVAFinance? Want to suggest a colleague to be featured? Email bv8h@virginia.edu

Wellness Resources: July 2024

Free Group Fitness Classes 

Join a free Hoos Well Group Fitness class this summer! The classes are open to all faculty, staff (and spouses). Classes include Body Pump, Barre, Yoga, Aqua Jogging, (virtual) Pilates, and Cycle, Strength & Core.

Classes run from June 3 - August 9, 2024. 

Check out the whole schedule HERE.

Tune as You Go

Many of us forget to take regular, short breaks during the day. It can be extremely beneficial to stand up, stretch, and/or take a few deep breaths throughout the day. Regular breaks can enable us to get back to what we were doing with a renewed sense of focus and energy. 

The Tune as You Go resources provided by FEAP include a collection of short meditations, visualizations, and general guidance to promote your well-being during the workday. Investing a few minutes to reset your nervous system can do wonders to reduce stress and anxiety and increase your overall productivity. 

Click HERE to access the Tune as You Go collection (requires NetBadge login).

July Well-Being Classes 

• What Ted Lasso Can Teach Us About Cultures of Mattering 
• July 10, 12pm - Presented by FEAP
• Navigating Market Volatility
  
• July 24, 10am & 2pm - Presented by Fidelity

The above emotional and financial well-being classes are eligible for earning $25 Hoos Well rewards. You must be enrolled in a UVA Health Care Plan to earn rewards.

 

Which Produce Has the Most and Least Pesticides? 

Summer is the season to find a variety of fresh produce not available at other times of the year. Fresh always seems to taste better, but, many fruits and veggies are sprayed heavily with pesticides. Strawberries, spinach, and grapes top the list for the most pesticides while avocados, sweet corn, and onions are the "cleanest" produce tested by the EWG. For produce on The Dirty DozenTM list, it's best to buy organic (or low sprayed local). Check the Clean 15TM for produce with the least pesticides. 

UVAFinance in Action: July 11, 2024

 Did you miss the SWaM Supplier Expo last month?  Check out this video with highlights of the event!

  

Addie Coe

Recently, Patrick Wood was awarded the "Hoos Building Bridges" award (way to go, Patrick!).  We're proud to report that UVAFinance's Addie Coe was also a nominee.  Her nomination cited the demonstrated partnerships she builds across schools and units, as well as her ability to problem-solve and resolve conflict that ensures all parties are well-heard and understood.  Great job, Addie!

Meet the Interns!

Summer 2024 Interns!

UVAFinance is pleased to welcome the newest group of interns for Summer 2024!

Sam Ewing (far left) will be working with Bill Define this summer, helping him with financial operations and Enterprise Risk Management.

Lillian Durden (left) will be assisting Julie Richardson in the Treasury department. This summer, she'll be helping find banking software and other treasury-related projects.

Hayden Peper (middle) will be working closely with Brandi Van Ormer and Matt Bonham in Communications, assisting with the UVAFinance website, blog, graphics, and anything else comms-related. 

Jeffrey Zhang (right) will be joining Andrew Sallens and Jamie Reid as a part of the Business Systems Support department, where he'll be optimizing Salesforce customer relation management. Through AI and machine learning, Zhang will be working on building models to generate case resolution time predictions on the customer side for better client experience, as well as automated case routing and classification programs. 

Audrey Hanger (far right) will be working this summer with Addie Coe, Director of Procurement Operations, and mentored by Susanna Huang, Business Analyst in the Procurement Operations team. Her main focus this summer will be on a Supplier File Analysis project, where she is coming up with an offboarding policy and procedure to be implemented at UVAFinance, as well as researching different supplier management practices at other institutions. 

We are thrilled to have these interns working with us this summer, and look forward to the valuable opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow together.

Two New Spend Categories for Capital Furniture Purchases

Two new spend categories will be used starting the new fiscal year to track Capital Furniture Purchases:  

• Furniture Capital SC0820 (individual movable furniture >$5K, such as a conference table or sofa).
• Furniture NonCapital SC0353 (furniture under $5K and cubicle units; we will not be capitalizing cubicle furniture individually).

Additional guidelines regarding Capital Furniture purchases:

• Capital Furniture must be purchased on a Purchase Order.
• As with other Capital Equipment purchases, freight and installment costs are capitalized with the asset using the same spend category, Furniture Capital SC0820.
• On grants, both Furniture Capital SC0820 and Furniture NonCapital SC0353 are excluded. For specialty lab furniture allowed on a grant, users should continue to use Equip Capital Lab SC0494 as in the past, such as for purchasing a Biosafety Cabinet.

If you have any questions, please email us at askfinance@virginiaedu

UVAFinance Welcomes Cynthia Mendoza as Business Process Lead

Cynthia and Lema

Cynthia Mendoza recently joined the UVAFinance Team at the end of June as Business Process Lead. With her valuable background in Project Management at University of Florida, her experience in HR, and a lifelong commitment to learning and critical thinking, Mendoza is undoubtedly a great strength to UVAFinance. 

Mendoza is originally from Miami, but now lives in Gainesville, FL. She completed her undergraduate and masters degrees at the University of Florida, both of which she majored in English. She started her career pursuing education, teaching English to first generation college students at a community college nearby, where she realized how much she enjoyed "helping others discover their inner learners." 

This experience pushed Mendoza to explore opportunities that would allow her to help others expand their knowledge. While she enjoyed teaching, she realized the practical aspects of the job were what truly drew her in. Her first experience in the corporate world began when she started as a trainer at a small company in Gainesville. There, an internal recruiter encouraged her to explore training within higher education. Mendoza then transitioned to Project Management at University of Florida, where she worked on configuring systems to operate effectively and efficiently. 

Mendoza's interest in serving as Business Process Lead at UVAFinance was partially due to the acclaim that the University of Virginia holds. She notes that UVA's reputation as an amazing school and organization really drew her in. Additionally, she appreciated that the role had many of the components which she had most enjoyed at her previous job. 

Yumi, or "queen of the house"

In addition to Mendoza's skillful employment background, the internships she participated in at the University of Florida, as well as her eCornell certification on project management both accentuate her as a perfect fit for the role as Business Process Lead at UVAFinance. She also approaches things from a "learning perspective," and she says she is always cognizant of how the knowledge of others and working alongside them will provide the opportunity for her to learn even more. 

She attests that as Business Process Lead, she will primarily focus on Procure to Pay and supporting that team specifically in optimizing processes post implementation of Workday. She reiterates that "if we can help people improve upon their jobs, then we can also help them enjoy coming to work."

Mendoza and her partner Lema have an adorable Pitbull-Chihuahua mix named Yumi, who is described as "queen of the house." In her free time, Mendoza loves travelling and exploring new restaurants and breweries. Her most recent adventure was to Seattle, where she had the opportunity to go on an orca sighting tour where she did, in fact, spot an orca. 

Blackhawk Network: UVA's Preferred Gift Card Vendor

Blackhawk is our preferred vendor

Buying gift cards at UVA?  Use Blackhawk Gift Card Network, UVA's preferred gift card vendor.  

Choosing the Blackhawk punchout catalog in the Marketplace means: 

• Invoicing is streamlined
• No need to reconcile the purchase on your T&E Card
• No restrictions on the amounts you purchase

We've put together a handy page of resources for using the Blackhawk Gift Card Network, and you can access those on the UVAFinance website. 

Questions or concerns?  Reach out to us via askfinance@virginia.edu 

UVAFinance Welcomes Krista McDaniel as a Senior Sourcing Specialist

The McDaniels

Krista McDaniel has recently joined the UVAFinance team as a Senior Sourcing Specialist. Her comprehensive background working in procurement and higher education is valuable in the position she'll take on with UVAFinance. 

McDaniel is originally from Stanley, VA, and went to Liberty University for college, where she received her bachelor's in multi/interdisciplinary studies, and began her master's in education. She realized that education wasn't her desired path, and after she "fell into" a procurement opportunity which she thrived in, she decided to pursue that route doing something she enjoyed. 

Prior to UVAFinance, McDaniel worked at James Madison University as a Buyer Specialist, and subsequently, as Senior Buyer. As a part of procurement at JMU, she had the opportunity to work across all different departments, purchasing in construction, services, hotel/travel, and athletics to name a few. 

McDaniel said she had heard about the role with UVAFinance from a former colleague that worked at UVA. She was particularly interested by the position's flexibility and the opportunity to work with a large variety of different departments at the university. Also, the allure of UVA's reputation and size drew her into the role as well. 

As a Senior Sourcing Specialist for UVAFinance, McDaniel will work on the Services and Athletics team, taking care of purchases for them. She is excited to explore this role with UVAFinance, as she is eager to learn more about the higher technology focus the university possesses. 

McDaniel and her husband Corey have a full house of furry friends, with three dogs and three cats running about their new house! In her free time, she loves hanging out with family that's local, watching the Washington Capitals games, and finding a good TV show to sit down with: Gilmore Girls is her go-to!

Hold for Pickup Checks: Timing Changes

Schedule changes

UVA's recent switch from printing checks in-house to outsourcing them to Bank of America means schedule changes for "hold for pickup" checks.

The AP Team performs settlement runs three times weekly.  Any "hold for pickup" checks in the day's run will be available for pickup the next afternoon.  

Guidelines to keep in mind:

• Submit your supplier invoice requests by close of business the day before the settlement.  We will approve all pending supplier invoice requests the morning of the settlement.  Note that this is a change (the deadline used to be 9:30 the morning of the settlement instead of the close of business the day before the settlement). 
• Submit your invoice correction forms ASAP (preferably the day before the settlement, so we have time to make any needed corrections.  

Since run settlements are run at 9:45 am on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, "hold for pickup" checks are available in the cashier's office on Tuesday, Thursday, and Monday.

See the UVAFinance site for more information, and, as always, reach out to the AP team via askfinance@virginia.edu with further questions.

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Related information:  Check Printing Outsourcing: Impacts to Check Requests