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What does this mean to the UW?
What is Biennium Close?
Many governmental organizations, including the University of Washington (UW), divide their accounting records into two-year periods. Each two-year period is called a “biennium”. During a biennium revenue and expenses are recorded.
At the conclusion of the biennium the records are closed and a new set of records is opened and a “new” biennium is created. At the UW a biennium begins in July of an odd year and concludes at the end of June two years later.
What does this mean to the University of Washington?
To comply with Washington State accounting procedures for closing out the current Biennium, the University's books of account will be held open for a limited time during the month of July to record transactions processed after June 30 relating to business of the expiring fiscal period.
The Biennium Deadline Dates are the final dates on which various transactions must be received, and or processed, to ensure recording for biennium business.
Biennium 2023-2025 Date Calendar
The chart below lists procurement and payables documents related to fiscal close transactions. The dates represent the last day that departments can submit documents to allow sufficient time for processing and posting to the Biennium Close. Submission of documents well in advance of the cutoff dates will ensure timely processing.
Note: Information reflects dates for 2025. If transactions are put in after these deadlines, there is NO guarantee they will be processed for the expiring fiscal year.
Frequently Asked Questions (click to see list of FAQs at the bottom of this page)
Keep checking this calendar for updates. Dates are subject to change.
| Topic | Description | Deadline Time | Deadline Date | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Major Sourcing Events
| In order to ensure expenditures for any major purchases (RFPs) that do not have existing contracts are charged to the expiring biennium, they need to be fully approved by the department and submitted to Procurement Services by May 16th. This is only applicable to funding sources that require being being spent by the end of the fiscal year. Large purchases that do not involve an RFP may be able to be placed up to 6/1. | 5:00 pm | 5/16 | Contact: lmagill@uw.edu |
| Purchase Orders: Non-Catalog | In order to ensure expenditures are charged to the expiring fiscal year, requisitions for non-catalog orders need to be fully approved by June 2nd. | 5:00 pm | 6/2 | Contact: lmagill@uw.edu |
| Miscellaneous Payments: Foreign National Tax Treaty | For payments to foreign nationals claiming a tax treaty, have the MPs approved by June 4th. | 5:00 pm | 6/4 | Contact: pcshelp@uw.edu |
| Purchase Orders: Catalog | In order to ensure expenditures are charged to the expiring fiscal year, requisitions for catalog orders need to be fully approved by June 10th. | 5:00 pm | 6/10 | Contact: pcshelp@uw.edu |
| Invoices/Credit Memos for Purchase Orders | All invoices/credits must be approved in Workday by June 13th. Includes resolving receiving and match exceptions. | 5:00 pm | 6/13 | Contact: pcshelp@uw.edu |
| Invoice Match Exceptions - (Non-receiving) | If any campus intervention is needed to allow exceptions to move forward, have completed so exception can be resolved by June 13th. This can include having an order updated by a buyer in Purchasing. See Purchase Order-Change and Close Form | 5:00 pm | 6/13 | Contact: pcshelp@uw.edu |
| Miscellaneous Payments | In order to ensure expenditures are charged to the expiring fiscal year, transactions must be approved by department by June 16th. This allows for Procurement Services to receive, process, and send required documents to the IRS. This timeline allows for resolving any issues that may arise. | 5:00 pm | 6/16 | Contact: pcshelp@uw.edu |
Expenses:
| In order to ensure expenditures are charged to the expiring fiscal year, transactions must clear the approval process by June 17th. This allows for Procurement Services review and approval. All errors must be resolved, fully approved, and all required documents attached. | 5:00 pm | 6/17 | Contact: pcshelp@uw.edu or travel@uw.edu |
| Central Travel Account (CTA)Verification | Verify by June 16th to ensure Central Travel Account transactions are received and posted to the June cycle in the expiring fiscal year. | 6/16 | Contact: procard@uw.edu | |
| Supplier Invoice Request (SIR) | Invoices that must be posted in the expiring fiscal year must be entered and fully approved by the unit by June 16th. | 5:00 pm | 6/16 | Contact: pcshelp@uw.edu |
| Revolving Fund | In order to ensure expenditures are charged to the expiring fiscal year, submit revolving fund replenishment request via UW Connect Form by June 20th. | 5:00 pm | 6/20 | Contact: revfund@uw.edu |
| Field Advance Spend Downs | In order to ensure expenditures are charged to the expiring fiscal year, departments must submit and approve field advance spend downs requests by June 20th. | 5:00 pm | 6/20 | Contact: fieldadv@uw.edu |
| ProCard Verification | To ensure transactions are posted to the June cycle in the expiring fiscal year, we recommend ProCard transactions are fully verified by June 30th. To ensure that equipment is inventoried correctly, the deadline for equipment Verification of ProCard transactions is June 30th. | 5:00 pm | 6/30 | Contact: procard@uw.edu |
| General Receiving | Have all receiving completed for goods and services that were received and completed by 6/30. | 5:00 pm | 6/30 | Contact: pcshelp@uw.edu |
| Accounting Adjustment for Procurement Transaction | Shared Environment Accountant security role required. Have submitted in Workday by June 30th. | 4:00 pm | 6/30 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if only part of an order was received? If an invoice was processed in Workday, then this invoice will remain in match exception, "invoice received without receipt". Expense will be recorded when a receipt is created and an invoice is approved for payment.
If an expense is paid by ProCard, how will it be recorded? If the transaction is verified 6/30 and earlier, it will be recorded in the current fiscal year.
What happens if an entry has errors when the fiscal period closes? These transactions will remain in error unless it is corrected.
What happens if I have a transaction after the recommended deadline above? Most of the recommended dates are in place to allow for resolving issues and central office work. If transactions come in after the recommended date, central office will attempt to have them completed by the end of June.
What happens if the supplier invoice is processed in June, but payment isn't scheduled until July? The expense hits the funding source when the invoice is approved. If the invoice is approved in June, it will be recorded in June. The actual payment is for the settlement process.
Are there any blackout periods? No there is no freeze in any system.
What happens if I have an invoice in July that covers June goods or services? It will be recorded in the month is it approved in Workday.