Financial Systems FAQ
How do I join fsuser group to receive email notifications?
To subscribe to fsuser, send an email to join-fsuser@list.smu.edu. Leave all other fields blank or your request will not process.
What does the Financial Systems Support (FSS) department do?
Financial Systems Support is a service and support activity. Its function is to provide timely and relevant information, primarily financial in nature, about economic entities for making economic and policy decisions.
Who does FSS support?
FSS supports the entire university community on financial processing and reporting matters. We work closely with Financial Officers and other administrative support personnel.
What functions fall under the umbrella of FSS?
• Financial Reporting (Reports and Queries)
• Month-End Processing
• PeopleSoft Financials Systems Support and Maintenance
• ChartField Setup and Maintenance (Accounts, Orgs, Sub-Class, etc.)
• Q Drive Report Access
• Controller's Website
What does the University use for its financial system and how can I learn more about it?
Southern Methodist University uses PeopleSoft for its financial systems. Click here to learn more.
What are ChartFields and how do they affect data processing and reporting?
In PeopleSoft Financials, ChartFields represent accumulators that can be assigned to transactions for purposes of identification, tracking and reporting. Certain ChartFields are required for every transaction input into PeopleSoft, while others are optional.
The required ChartFields are: Fund, Account and Org. Optional ChartFields include Project and Sub-Class.
Click here for a complete overview and description of SMU's ChartField structure.
I need to have a new Org set up. How can I make this happen?
Contact your area's Financial Business Manager to request setup of a new org. Financial Officers and other authorized persons can complete the online New Org Request form.
I need to have a new Project set up. How can I make this happen?
Contact your area's Financial Business Manager to request setup of a new project. Financial Officers and other authorized persons can complete the online New Project Request form.
How can I access financial reports for my area?
Financial reports are generated at month-end and stored on the Q drive on the network. To access financial reports for your area please contact your Financial Business Manager. Financial Business Managers and other authorized persons can request Q drive access for someone by completing the online Q Drive Access Request form.
What date is the cut-off for entering transactions for this month? How can I find this information each month?
FSS typically announces month-end dates and schedules in an e-mail to the fsuser mailing list approximately 5 - 7 business days prior to the end of the month. To subscribe to fsuser, send an email to join-fsuser@list.smu.edu. Leave all other fields blank or your request will not process.
For paper deposits, please submit paper JEs to Financial Accounting for input in a regular and timely fashion. Accumulating deposits and submitting all at once creates bottlenecks and undue hardship for Financial Accounting at month-end.
If you have further questions, please contact Financial Systems Support.