A4: LINE ITEMS
11/3/98

Fiscal Agent Handbook Index | Fiscal Controls Index




Line items define the purpose for which appropriations may be used; i.e., commodities, contractual services, personal services, travel, etc.  Further, these line items support the University's budgeting processes.

The state comptroller has, through a system of expenditure coding, standardized the accounting definitions of these line items that the University and other state agencies may comply in classifying expenditures funded by the appropriation bill.

For purposes of consistency, the University has extended this system of expenditure coding to all funds regardless of source.

Line items Fiscal Agents should be concerned with are:

Personal Services & Fringe Benefits

Personal Services:  Compensation of employees holding positions which are part of the regular operating staff of the University, whether such positions are full-time or part-time. Sub-sections of personal services utilized by the University are:
 
1121 Teaching, Administrative Faculty and Graduate Assistants
1123 Civil Service
1126 Student Aide
1126 Work Study
Contractual Services
1200 Contractual Services: Charges for repair/parts and services supplied by individuals or companies who are not employees of the University.

Examples of contractual services are:
Advertising
Association dues
Auditing and management services
Book binding and processing services
Consultant fees
Copying and photographic services
Employee moving expenses
Freight, express and drayage
Interviewee expenses
Lease purchase copiers
Legal fees
Microfilming Services
Operating taxes and licenses
Permanent improvements under $5,000.00
Postal charges
Registration fees and conference expenses
Rental, film and audio visual aid
Repair & maintenance, furniture & office equipment
Repair & maintenance, machinery & mechanical equipment
Repair & maintenance, EDP equipment
Rental, office equipment
Rental, motor vehicles
Rental, real property
Rental, machinery & equipment
Software, all
Subscription and information services
Travel, non state employees
Travel
1290 Includes reimbursement for transportation, mileage, incidental subsistence, as well as fares to common carriers for travel of University employees only.

Commodities
1300 Commodities: Tangible items purchased for consumption within a period of a year or less, as well as those durable items of equipment with a greater life expectancy whose per unit cost is not greater than $99.99. A commodity will meet one or more of the following conditions:

  1.  It is consumed in use.
  2. It loses its original shape or appearance with use.
  3. It is expendable, that is, if the article is damaged or some of its parts are lost or worn out, it is usually more feasible to replace it with an entirely new unit rather than repair it.
  4. It is an inexpensive item, having characteristics of equipment, whose small unit cost makes it inadvisable to capitalize the item.
  5.  It loses its identity through incorporation into a different or more complex unit or substance.
Examples of commodities are:

Cartridges, ink
Computer disks & tapes, blank
Educational & instructional supplies Food supplies
Industrial & shop materials
Mechanical supplies
Microfilm
Office & library equipment not exceeding $99.99
Printing
Small tools not exceeding $99.99

Equipment
1500 Office and Educational Equipment: Movable tangible items whose per unit cost is greater than $99.99 with a life expectancy exceeding one year. Equipment, except for components, is non consumable and meet all of the following conditions:
  1.  It retains its original shape and appearance with use.
  2. It is non expendable, that is, if the article is damaged or some of its parts are lost or worn out, it is usually more feasible to repair it rather than replace it with an entirely new unit.
  3. It represents an investment of money which makes it feasible and advisable to capitalize the item.
  4. It does not lose its identity through incorporation into a different or more complex unit or substance. 
Examples of equipment are:

All books, regardless of cost
Computer equipment
Computer Manuals
Lease purchase equipment
Library films and maps exceeding $100.00
Library books (all departments other than the library)
Machinery, implements, & tools
Motor vehicles other than passenger automobiles
Office furniture and equipment
Passenger automobiles
Scientific instruments and apparatus
University educational equipment

Telecommunications
1700 Telecommunications: Charges for telecommunication services and equipment: faxes, modems and cellular phones.

Operation of Automotive Equipment
1800 Automotive: Charges for automotive expenses and services.

Awards and Grants
4400 Awards and Grants: Matching funds for grants such as work study or mandated tuition waiver programs as well as stipends to students. Awards to other funds, awards to outside agencies, refunds.

Permanent Improvements
6600 Remodeling and Renovation: Includes charges whether by contract or otherwise, for construction on an existing building which will either restore it to its current use or substantially alter the structure for a different use, both of which processes should increase the estimated service life or capacity of the building.

Questions regarding line items should be directed to the Controller's Office located in room E 212, phone extension 5143.


For more information contact
Controller's Office