In an effort to reduce administrative burden and optimize day-to-day financial operations, the Office of Post Award Financial Services (OPAFS) announces a major update to the Over 90-Day Redistribution Workflow. Effective immediately, certain Ledger 5 scenarios that previously required manual central oversight will now be processed via system automatic approval.

Historically, any redistribution exceeding 90 days involving a Ledger 5 project triggered an automatic system approval stop. This mechanism required a comprehensive review by the Financial Integrity team and formal sign-off from the OPAFS director. While critical for maintaining compliance in high-risk areas, this blanket restriction often created operational bottlenecks for routine administrative adjustments.

Key Workflow Changes

To eliminate unnecessary hurdles, the system has been reconfigured to approve transactions automatically in two specific, low-risk scenarios:

• Ledger 5 to Non-Ledger 5 Transfers: Transactions transferring charges out of a Ledger 5 project and into a non-Ledger 5 project will no longer trigger a system approval stop. These will be automatically approved, regardless of whether the transaction is over 90 days.
• Same-Project Phase Changes: For institutional units utilizing project phases, adjustments made solely to a phase associated with the same Ledger 5 project will bypass the approval stop and move straight to automatic approval.

Institutional Impact

“Our goal with these enhancements is to focus central office review only where it is truly required,” noted the OPAFS leadership team. “By automating these common scenarios, we hope to streamline daily workflows for campus administrators and lighten the administrative load during peak business windows, such as year-end closings.”

Implementation Guidelines for Administrators

While the system update reduces manual touchpoints at the central level, research and financial administrators must adjust their Electronic Retroactive Adjustment (eRAF) submission habits to align with the new workflow:

• Verify the Approval Stop: Only initiate and submit an eRAF justification package if you actively receive an approval stop message during transaction entry.
• No Message, No Package: If the transaction processes without triggering an approval stop message, the central office does not require a justification package.
• Maintain Internal Compliance Documentation: The reduction of central approval stops does not alter institutional compliance requirements. Individual units must continue to internally document the clear business purpose and appropriate departmental approvals for all cost transfers—whether processed in the HR system or the financial system—regardless of whether a central approval stop occurs.

Need Help?

For questions regarding these system updates or compliance documentation standards, please contact the OPAFS Help Desk.