FAQ
General
- How do I contact State Accounting?
- What is CAS?
- Does State Accounting have a policy manual to help address issues about payments, revenue, travel, encumbering documents, etc.?
Business
- What information do I need to submit in order to get paid?
- How long will it take to process a payment?
- If I receive a payment from the state, how can I tell what it's for?
- Do I have to complete an IRS Form W-9 in order to receive payment from the State of Ohio?
- I've changed my personal or business information (name, address, tax identification number), have acquired or sold my business, am doing business as another entity, etc. How do I update the information in the State of Ohio's Central Accounting System?
State Agency
- As a new Chief Financial Officer of an agency, where do I get training?
- I have a fiscal problem that I've never had before. Where can I find help?
- How do I find the correct object code for a particular expenditure?
- How do I adjust accounting information on a document?
- My CAS Security has been revoked or I can't get into CAS because my screen says that you have revoked my ID. What do I do?
How do I contact State Accounting?
Contact State Accounting via the State Accounting Online HelpDesk or by calling (614) 466-3993. Please note that you will receive a faster response by using the online form. The HelpDesk is designed to provide agencies with a single source to help answer a variety of fiscal-related questions—increasing efficiency and often eliminating duplication of effort. If the HelpDesk is unable to assist you, the appropriate OBM/State Accounting staff person will return your call.
What is CAS?
CAS is the State of Ohio's Central Accounting System and is the state's official book of record. It is used by state agencies and state supported colleges and universities to process and capture information about financial transactions.
Does State Accounting have a policy manual to help address issues about payments, revenue, travel, encumbering documents, etc.?
Or is there one source of information that provides instruction about how to complete a fiscal transaction or where I can learn about the fiscal policy of the State? OBM's State Accounting division offers this type of information in the Information-Action Manual. The I-AM is divided into sections to provide easy access to the topics you need. Some information, such as the listing of CAS codes, has been packaged as an appendix to serve as a convenient reference tool.
What information do I need to submit in order to get paid?
Vendors must submit a proper invoice in order to be paid for goods or services rendered. A proper invoice includes (1) the vendor's name, (2) address, (3) date work was performed or the delivery date, (4) itemization of the work done, materials supplied, or labor furnished, and (5) the sum due pursuant to the contract or obligation. The invoice must be on company letterhead paper and be billed to the agency that provided the service.
How long will it take to process a payment?
Once State Accounting receives a request-for-payment voucher and proper invoice from an agency, it is reviewed and verified by State Accounting examiners. Examiners have 48 hours in which to review a payment request and approve or deny it. Most payments are made within the 2-day timeframe.
If the examiner questions the payment request, the agency is contacted to seek clarification or additional information. If the agency is unable to provide satisfactory information within the 2 day period, the request is returned to the agency. For payment information, please contact the fiscal office of the department with whom you are conducting business.
If I receive a payment from the state, how can I tell what it's for?
Many large and small businesses do business with the State of Ohio and may receive many payments from different divisions within state government. The State Auditor issues warrants (checks) in either paper or electronic fund transfer (EFT) format. Every payment will include full remittance information, including:
- Agency 3-digit identifier in the Ohio's Central Accounting System (CAS)
- Vendor name, tax identification number, and address
- Batch number
- Voucher number
- Vendor number
- Warrant number
- Warrant issue date
- Remittance information up to 80 characters used to identify invoice number, etc.
Agency staff may enter invoice numbers, invoice dates, or a written description of the payment, e.g., "Inv. 12345678 of 10/4/04 for services at 123 Oak St."
Do I have to complete an IRS Form W-9 in order to receive payment from the State of Ohio?
Yes. By completing the form, the vendor certifies that he/she is providing accurate taxpayer information (name, address, tax identification number, type of business, etc.). This information is used to report certain types of payments made to certain types of individuals or businesses to the Internal Revenue Service. If you need a payment expedited, please contact Dawn Gatterdam at (614) 466-1987.
I've changed my personal or business information (name, address, tax identification number), have acquired or sold my business, am doing business as another entity, etc. How do I update the information in the State of Ohio's Central Accounting System?
You must submit an updated W-9, along with a letter from the vendor that clarifies old and new information, and supporting documentation for the change. The letter must contain the old name, the new name and a statement as to whether or not the old name remains active or should be made obsolete. Acceptable supporting documentation is recent IRS or SSA documents which shows the vendor's name and TIN. State Accounting will accept copies of some IRS correspondence to the vendor, Certificate of Amendment or Merger of Articles (available from the Secretary of State's office), or the vendor's IRS-produced mailing label affixed to Form 941 or Form 1040. Note whether the address to be added is in addition to the addresses already in the Central Accounting System (CAS) or is a replacement to the contained in CAS.
As a new Chief Financial Officer of an agency, where do I get training?
The Office of Budget and Management (OBM)/State Accounting Training Unit offers free courses in various aspects of the Central Accounting System (CAS). State Accounting announces quarterly course offerings on our website and mails descriptions and applications to each agency's chief fiscal officer. The classes are general in nature, not agency-specific and follow the material found in CAS Manual Procedures.
Each applicant must have a valid CAS user ID/password. All applications for training should be made on the appropriate form. If you need an appropriate form, please contact Mame Greulich by calling (614) 466-3600 or by e-mail at mame.greulich@obm.state.oh.us. No one will be registered by telephone.
CAS courses are free. However, a $25 fee is charged if someone is registered and confirmed for a class and does not attend or cancel prior to the class.
I have a fiscal problem that I've never had before. Where can I find help?
Please refer to your Information-Action Manual. If you are unable to resolve the issue with the I-AM, please contact State Accounting via the State Accounting Online HelpDesk or by calling (614) 466-3993. You will receive a faster response by using the online form.
How do I find the correct object code for a particular expenditure?
OBM/State Accounting publishes a list of object codes online. If you cannot identify an object code for a particular expenditure, please contact State Accounting via the State Accounting Online HelpDesk or by calling (614) 466-3993. You will receive a faster response by using the online form.
How do I adjust accounting information on a document?
Changes to grant, grant number, reporting category, spending RC, program, project and location can be made on an adjustment (ADJ). The ADJ is entered on-line by the agency. Changes to object, subobject, administrative RC, SAC, and fund must be made on a journal entry (JEG). Journal entry requests must be submitted in writing to the State Accounting Assistant Administrator. Requests will be granted only as exceptions. The original coding must have been an error and the error must be substantive. These requests should be very infrequent. The agency must include a copy of actual invoice, copy of voucher, and a cover letter DETAILING THE ERROR MADE and what controls/procedures have been implemented to keep this from occurring again.
Agencies cannot modify fiscal information from a previous fiscal year without prior written approval from the Administrator of State Accounting. Agencies cannot modify revenue documents that posted in a previous fiscal year.
My CAS Security has been revoked or I can't get into CAS because my screen says that you have revoked my ID. What do I do?
This is not Central Accounting System (CAS) security that is controlled by State Accounting. This is the sign-on assigned by the agency's information technology division/group. CAS security issued through State Accounting never uses the word "revoked" or "expired." Please contact your agency's information technology administrator.
