UPPS 03.01.14 - SAP Financial Accounting System Access Privileges

POLICY STATEMENT

Texas State University is committed to maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of its financial data and ensuring compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and internal controls.

1. SCOPE

   1. The purpose of this policy is to delineate the procedures used to control access to Texas State University’s financial accounting system.

2. DEFINITIONS

   1. Account – a unit of recordkeeping established to record financial transactions. An account is comprised of a combination of a fund, representing a unique revenue stream, and at least one of the following:

      1. Cost Center (also known as a Funds Center in the budgetary system) – an organizational area of fiscal responsibility that is considered to have a long-term, reoccurring purpose; and

      2. Internal Order (which may be a grant or funded program) – an organizational area of fiscal responsibility that is considered to have a relatively short-term purpose.

   2. Account Manager – the individual assigned the fiduciary responsibility for the funds in an account, and responsibility for assuring that the account is managed consistent with all applicable regulations.

   3. Access Privileges – the right to perform specific financial transactions. Access privileges may be assigned in two ways:

      1. Display – Data can be viewed but cannot be changed. This may include general financial data, purchasing data, and budget data; or

      2. Modify – Data can be changed. This may include adding, creating, deleting, deactivating, or approving.

   4. Principal Investigator (PI) – the individual identified on the award or contract as serving in this role for managing the sponsored program. Generally, the PI is the account manager.

   5. Requestor – an individual requesting a security role. Depending upon the nature of the request, this may be an administrative assistant, the account manager, or a higher-level administrator.

   6. Security Role – a grouping of data and transaction access privileges that may be assigned to an individual or job position (see SAP Financial Security Roles).

3. FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING SYSTEM ACCESS

   1. University employees who are granted any form of access to the financial accounting system are required to use discretion and must accept fiduciary responsibility in processing, approving, and reviewing financial data accessed.

   2. By using the financial accounting system, account managers and PIs accept the fiscal managerial duties and responsibilities outlined in UPPS No. 03.01.09, Fiscal Responsibilities of Account Managers at Texas State and responsibility for the security roles granted, as described in Account Management – Access Privileges to Financial Data within the ERP Finance System.

   3. The university will grant access to the financial accounting system only to employees of the university or external consultants who are providing services associated with the system. The university will grant access based on the responsibilities of the individual’s position.

   4. The university will deactivate or modify access privileges for employees who terminate their employment with the university or who have changed positions or job duties.

   5. The account manager or a higher-level manager in the same organizational hierarchy must approve requests for access privileges.

   6. The account manager or higher-level manager is responsible for immediately notifying Financial Services of all separating employees or employees transferring to another position by contacting fiaccountrequest@txstate.edu.

   7. Failure to comply with this policy may result in administrative action, including revocation of account access as well as disciplinary action.

4. PROCEDURES TO ESTABLISH NEW ACCOUNTS

   1. For procedures to establish all other new accounts, or to modify all other existing accounts refer to FSS/PPS No. 03.01, Chart of Accounts.

   2. Access to the financial accounting system may be granted, modified, or revoked by completing an SAP Financial-Departmental Services Security Authorization form. This form is required to grant, revoke, and modify security. As an added precaution, a periodic automated process revokes access privileges based on a withdrawn status in Human Resources.

5. REVIEWERS OF THIS UPPS

   1. Reviewers of this UPPS include the following:

      Position	Date
      Associate Vice President for Financial Services	May 1 E5Y
      Director, General Accounting Office	May 1 E5Y
      Director, Research Support Services	May 1 E5Y

6. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

   This UPPS has been approved by the following individuals in their official capacities and represents Texas State policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

   Associate Vice President for Financial Services; senior reviewer of this UPPS

   Executive Vice President for Operations and Chief Financial Officer

   President