The OBFS Informer

Leverage the University’s Purchasing Power – Use Strategic Contracts & Awards

Feb 6, 2017 8:00 am50 views

The University has over 100 established strategic contracts and awards for use across the University System. These contracts and awards leverage the University’s collective spend, provide quantity discounts, and total cost savings for the purchase of goods and services. Established contracts and awards contain prompt shipping requirements, have defined return/warranty policies and include process efficiencies in purchase order creation and invoice processing.

University of Illinois Saves!

Feb 1, 2017 8:45 am17 views

“University of Illinois Saves”, part of the “America Saves” national campaign, will run from February 1 through March 4. Students & employees at the University of Illinois can make their dreams a reality just by setting a savings goal. Research shows that people who write down their goals are more likely to achieve them. Participate in this voluntary program and save for your dreams!

Important Changes to Online Earnings Statements

Dec 9, 2016 1:30 pm0 views

Changes are coming to deduction descriptions that appear on your NESSIE Earnings Statement. The following information is provided to help you understand your Earnings Statement, and no action is required.

Paying a Foreign National? Use This Tool!

Dec 5, 2016 3:45 pm43 views

UPB Foreign National Service Center released a new tool to assist those making payments to foreign nationals.

University Payroll & Benefits New Phone System

Nov 18, 2016 3:45 pm8 views

University Payroll and Benefits (UPB) is implementing a new phone system to improve the quality of the customer experience.

USFSCO's Agile Review Groups Infographic

Oct 14, 2016 2:15 pm27 views

At the end of 2016, the success team wanted to visually portray FY 15 successes through infographics. The first one for display was the USFSCO Agile Review Group (ARG) infographic!

FY15 Plan: Create Agile Review groups (ARGs) which are small two or three front line staff teams formed ad hoc that can quickly resolve customer inquiries or training needs without escalating them to the manager or director level

Need to know who manages your Grant?

Oct 3, 2016 1:45 pm46 views

If you need assistance with a grant but do not know who in OBFS to contact, go to the Grant Manager Search!

The Grants and Contracts Offices in Urbana-Champaign and Chicago now have this this search feature right on their OBFS Homepages for ease of use.

Taxability of Graduate Level Tuition Waivers

Sep 19, 2016 10:00 am158 views

Graduate level tuition and service fee waivers that are a benefit of employement are considered taxable income by the IRS. As a result, you may see a reduction in your take-home pay for the months of October, November and possibly December of the fall semester, and March, April and possibly May of the spring semester.

The following information includes a collection of resources to help you plan for this potential loss of income.

Learn more about Payables!

Sep 5, 2016 9:15 am36 views

Updated University Payable Training Materials - NOW AVAILABLE!!

Do you use vendors? #GetThemPaid

Aug 22, 2016 9:00 am36 views

If you do Purchase Orders or other types of invoices, you need to visit the OBFS University Payables website and its new Vendor Invoice Payment Process page.

The changes were made based upon your feedback in the OBFS Transparency Survey and the Purchasing and Payment Training Needs Assessment.

Use Account Code Favorites!

Jul 25, 2016 8:30 am88 views

Let Account Code Search keep track of the account codes you use with Favorites!

Avoid the need to spend time looking account codes up by using Account Code Search Favorites. The new Account Code Search website will let you search for account codes and tag them as a favorite. Once setup you can just log into the Account Code Search website any time to view your personal favorites. Learn how easy it is with this quick tutorial.

Better to Serve YOU... UPB Phone Solution

Jul 4, 2016 2:30 pm42 views

UPB is introducing an interactive phone system to better answer your questions.

iAction Success - UIC Budget Office

Jul 1, 2016 1:15 pm26 views

Using the OBFS BSS High-Level Capacity Forecast

Jun 20, 2016 8:45 am164 views

OBFS units can use the OBFS BSS High-Level Capacity Forecast to see what projects Business Solutions & Support is working on so users can have a better expectation of when new projects might be able to start. Project priority is set by the Finance Subcommittee (FSC) so it is possible that a new project could be made a higher priority than something already scheduled in the tool.

WEBINAR: Cash at College - Spending, Saving & Student Loans

Jun 6, 2016 1:45 pm50 views

USFSCO Student Money Management Center's summer webinar schedule, Cash at College: Spending, Saving & Student Loans, is now available. Please share with any students, parents or other staff that you think may benefit.

Did You Know About iBuy Icons?

May 23, 2016 9:15 am49 views

Learn about the icons in iBuy to make the most of your procurement searches!

Collaborate with Us on the UPB Training Initiative

May 9, 2016 10:15 am68 views

University Payroll & Benefits needs your help! Read about UPB's new training initiative and how you can help develop training programs to reach you and your colleague's learning needs on different topics.

It's that time again!... Benefit Choice

May 4, 2016 1:15 pm58 views

Learn about FY 2017 Benefit Choice Information and when you can attend Q & A Sessions presented by University Payroll and Benefits (UPB).

How to Reduce Rejected TEM Expense Reports

Apr 25, 2016 9:00 am55 views

University Payables staff processes approximately 900 TEM expense reports (ER) each day. Read tips for reducing the possibility of rejection and increase the speed of reimbursement payments here.

Employee Benefits - Discounts & Perks!

Apr 5, 2016 9:00 am3273 views

As an employee of the University of Illinois, there are many discounts and perks available beyond that fabulous paycheck. Learn about a few perks you can take advantage of as a University of Illinois employee!

Important Upcoming Conferences - We want to hear from you!

Mar 28, 2016 9:15 am32 views

OBFS takes our transparency initiative very seriously and we are continuously working on ways to better serve our customers to deliver clear and consistent solutions. Check out these conferences where there will be a transparency table to answer your questions.

The University’s iTravel online booking tool saves time and money!

Mar 21, 2016 8:30 am80 views

iTravel is hosted by Corporate Travel Planners (CTP), the University’s only contracted full service travel agency. This post provides many reasons why departments should use iTravel or a full service CTP agent to make all their University travel arrangements.

Strategic Procurements: The Who, What, When, Where, Why and How

Mar 14, 2016 9:00 am59 views

Understand strategic procurements at the University of Illinois by reading about how the Strategic Procurement Department meets Illinois Procurement Code (30 ILCS 500/) requirements, providing contracts for a large number of commonly purchased supplies and services.

New P-Cards use chip and pin technology

Feb 29, 2016 8:00 am33 views

The new P-Card mailed in early 2016 to active Cardholders will have chip and pin technology. Read the full blog entry to learn more about what the chip and pin technology will require.

University of Illinois: Save. Compete. Win!

Feb 22, 2016 11:00 am27 views

The University savings competition, “University of Illinois Saves”, part of the “America Saves” national campaign will run from America Saves Week (Feb. 22) to National Financial Literacy Month (April 8). Participate in this voluntary program and Save. Compete. Win!

Giving the Contract Services Office an Identity

Feb 15, 2016 11:00 am24 views

Understand what the Contract Services Office does and how they have used the Transparency Commitment to set and accomplish new goals in creating their identity.

P-CARD Training/Certification Deadline is Feb 29th! Have you completed your training?

Feb 12, 2016 2:30 pm32 views

All employees who are assigned as Cardholders, Reconcilers, Approvers, Department Card Managers (DCMs) or as a Delegate must complete the Web-based P-Card Training and pass the certification quiz in order to retain active use of a Purchasing Card (P-Card) and/or maintain a role in the P-Card program.

The Web-based P-Card Training/certification quiz must be completed between the dates of November 1, 2015, and February 29, 2016, to satisfy the certification requirement.

Strategic Procurement: Keeping Customers Informed

Feb 1, 2016 11:15 am28 views

Learn about Strategic Procurement's role at the University, their goals and iACTion plans as part of the Transparency Commitment!

OBFS Transparency Commitment – A Response to the University Administration Review

Jan 18, 2016 12:45 pm32 views

In response to the University Administration Review in 2012, the Office of Business and Financial Services (OBFS) created the OBFS Transparency Commitment initiative. To better gauge the effectiveness of this new initiative, a survey was commissioned by OBFS in January of 2015. The results of that survey have been summarized and are available for your review, along with additional methods for customers to interact with and provide feedback to OBFS departments.