Financial Management

Policy Number 30940:  Inventory of Equipment

 

1.0       Purpose

This policy describes the general guidelines for maintaining the equipment inventory of Germanna Community College.

 

2.0       Policy

The Purchasing Section of the Business Office of Germanna Community College is responsible for maintaining an accurate record of all equipment that is considered a Fixed Asset which is in the possession of the College. 

2.1       Identifying Fixed Assets

Controllable equipment is identified through review of the ACTR0462 Potential Fixed Asset Report.  This report prints each Monday as part of the CARS weekly reports.  When any invoices involving the purchase of equipment greater than $2,000 have been processed during the previous week, the invoice will be listed on the Potential Fixed Asset Report by voucher number. Vouchers listed on the reports are pulled and reviewed.  Notations are made on the report to identify controllable equipment or to describe the reason the items are not controllable. The Potential Fixed Asset Reports are filed in a binder by date. 

 

2.2       Receiving Equipment

                        IT Equipment 

When equipment is ordered, a copy of the Purchase Order will be placed on the S:\public\technical services\purchase orders folder.

If an item was purchased from the Equipment Trust Funds (ETF) account, then in the header of the order it will be entered as ETF 110070.  These purchases must be kept in working order for five years.

When a shipment of equipment arrives for IT, pull the packing slip upon receipt.  If no packing slips are included with the equipment, then print out a copy of the Purchase Order (DO) or (PCO) from the S:\public\technical services\purchase orders folder.

The following information must be on each packing slip or Purchase Order:

·          Model and Serial Numbers for each piece of equipment

·          Signature and Date of the person receiving the shipment in IT

·          Room Location (if you plan to place the equipment in a particular room then the room number needs to be on the slip.  If not it will be entered at Warehouse).

Make a copy of this form for IT records and send the original to the Fixed Asset Coordinator within three days after receipt of the equipment.

The Fixed Asset Coordinator will send IT asset tags for the equipment within five days.  If the item is above $2,000 a burgundy tag will be assigned.  If the item is under $2,000 a blue tag will be assigned.

If the item is an ETF purchase, a burgundy tag will be assigned regardless of the cost of the item.  This will also be recorded in the IT database as an ETF item.

For all ETF items, a tag listing the year that the item can be considered surplus will be affixed in addition to  the asset tag.

2.3       Other Fixed Assets

Other items that meet the $2,000 threshold for fixed assets will be handled in a similar manner.  When a shipment of equipment arrives, pull the packing slip upon receipt.  If no packing slips are included with the purchase then print out a copy of the Purchase Order (DO) or (PCO) from the eVA website.

The following information must be on each packing slip or Purchase Order:

·          Model and Serial Numbers for each piece of equipment

·          Signature and Date of the person receiving the shipment

·          Room Location

The Fixed Asset Coordinator will tag the asset within five days of receipt of the item. If the item is above $2,000 a burgundy tag will be assigned.  If the item is under $2,000 a blue tag will be assigned.

2.4       Recording

Equipment that has been identified as controllable equipment is recorded on FAIS.  The Fixed Asset Coordinator enters this information into FAIS.  Detailed procedures for input can be found in Section IV of the Virginia Community College System Fixed Asset Inventory Manual. NOTE:  Some exceptions to the procedures are now common practice, such as not using the FAIS Input Document.  The procedure is to record needed information directly on the invoice copy and/or a spreadsheet and retain this as the documentation for FAIS input.  After review of the ACT R0462 Potential Fixed Asset Report by the Fixed Asset Coordinator, the Business Manager verifies the actions taken to insure assets are properly recorded in the specified time frame.

2.5       Equipment Trust Fund

All equipment purchased with Equipment Trust Funds (ETF) must be recorded on FAIS regardless of the cost.  All ETF acquisitions must have a value of at least $500.  FAIS (Fixed Asset Inventory System) requires completion of certain data elements to record ETF equipment.  These data elements are: manufacturer, model number, serial number, lease ID number and requisition reference number.  Detailed information on Equipment Trust Funds Procedures can be found in Section V of the Virginia Community College System Fixed Asset Inventory System Manual.

            2.6       Movement and Relocation

Equipment Move Forms must be completed and submitted to the Fixed Asset Coordinator at the time the equipment is being moved from one location to another or from one responsible area to another.  The form must be signed by the person performing the move.  Once the move is done, the form is sent to the Fixed Asset Coordinator to enter into FAIS if needed.  Once entered the Fixed Asset Coordinator will date and initial form.   The Equipment Move Form can be found at S:\Public\Business Office\Bus Ofce Forms.

2.7       Temporary Removal from Campus

Circumstances exist in which an employee needs to use college equipment at home or another location off college premises for work-related purposes.  The employee must document the reasons for needing to temporarily remove the equipment from college premises on the form Removal of VCCS Equipment from State Premises.  All sections of this form must be completed and signed by both the employee and their supervisor.  A copy of the form must be provided to the College's Fixed Asset Coordinator prior to removing the equipment from campus.  Overnight removal of laptop computers is excluded from this requirement.

Once the employee returns the equipment to college premises, the “RETURN” section of the form must be completed and the original form forwarded to the Fixed Asset Coordinator.  The Removal of VCCS Equipment from State Premises form can be found at: S:\Public\Business Office\Bus Ofce Forms.

2.8       Physical Inventory

The objectives of a physical inventory are to ensure that the equipment recorded in FAIS physically exists, to determine if unrecorded or improperly recorded transactions have occurred, and to identify any excess, defective or obsolete assets on hand.

A physical inventory of fixed assets is required at least once every 2 years in order to properly safeguard assets and maintain appropriate fiscal accountability.  GCC does inventory every quarter – 25% of assets each time.

The Fixed Asset Coordinator requests a report from FAIS listing equipment by responsible area and room number.

The Fixed Asset coordinator will be permitted access to each room/department controlled by the college.

The equipment will be checked for a tag number as it appears on the FAIS listing.

Any discrepancies between the physical inventory and the FAIS printout will be researched and resolved in a timely manner.  There are several discrepancies that may occur:

·          Item is not in the correct room.  If this is the case an Equipment Move Form should be filled out.  See procedure under the section of Movement and Relocation.

·          Item cannot be found.  An extensive and thorough search will be conducted to locate the item in question.  If necessary, other departments such as IT or Security may be brought in to assist in the investigation.  If the item is found, then it should be returned to the location specified in FAIS or an Equipment Move Form should be filled out.  See procedure under the section of Movement and Relocation.

If the item is not found, then a Security report shall be filed and appropriate outside authorities notified.  A brief report shall be written identifying the item, model, serial number, description of property and any other items of information that would assist in identification.  This report shall be used by the Fixed Asset Coordinator to make changes in FAIS for the loss of the item.

Upon completion of the inventory, all forms and other documentation shall be retained as backup for the audit file.  A brief, one page cover shall be placed on the documentation regarding the outcome of the physical inventory and any additional procedures that had to be followed.  This cover page shall be signed by the Fixed Asset Coordinator and the Business Manager or the Vice President of Administrative Services.

2.9       Surplus Property

The most common method of disposal for equipment items is to surplus the asset through the State's Surplus Property Management section of the Division of General Services.  When a department desires to surplus an asset, they must submit a Surplus Identification Form to the Fixed Asset Coordinator.   The Surplus Identification Form can be found at S:\Public\Business Office\Bus Ofce Forms.

2.91     IT Equipment

Once IT equipment has been deemed surplus, IT will purge laptops and desktops per the VITA Policy “Purging Data from PC and Hard Drives”.  IT will place a “Notice of Computer Equipment Device Cleaning” sticker on the desktop or laptop.  Once this is done, IT will complete the surplus identification form with proper signatures and forward the completed form to Fixed Asset Coordinator.  The Fixed Asset Coordinator will examine the item to determine if it should go to surplus or be disposed of, and place a signed copy of the form on the item listing its disposition.  The Fixed Asset Coordinator will coordinate with Building and Grounds for removal and storage of equipment.  After disposition has occurred, Building and Grounds will complete their portion of the form, including initials of the person actually moving the equipment, and return it to the Fixed Asset Coordinator

When equipment is ready to be taken to the State Surplus Warehouse, pallets are made up with like items on each pallet.  The Fixed Asset Coordinator completes a 4-part Surplus Property Tag, (DGS-44-014) for each pallet.  The driver takes the tags to the State Surplus Warehouse, where an employee of warehouse signs the tag, takes their copy, and the driver returns with our signed copy.  The signed copy is given to the Fixed Asset Coordinator.

2.92     Furniture and Other Items

Before declaring an item as surplus, the department will send an email to all campuses describing the item that is available and giving a two day time frame in which to respond.  If item is wanted by another department, an Equipment Move Form should be completed per instructions in the section on Movement and Relocation.

If item is to be become surplus, the Surplus Identification Form must be submitted to the Fixed Asset Coordinator.  The Fixed Asset Coordinator will examine the item, determine whether it is to go to surplus or be disposed of, and place a signed copy of the form on the item.  Fixed Asset Coordinator will coordinate with Building and Grounds for removal and storage of equipment.  After disposition has occurred, Building and Grounds will complete their portion of the form, including initials of person actually moving the equipment, and return it to the Fixed Asset Coordinator

When equipment is ready to be taken to the State Surplus Warehouse, the Fixed Asset Coordinator completes a 4-part Surplus Property Tag, (DGS-44-014) for each group of like items.  The driver takes the tags to the State Surplus Warehouse, where an employee of warehouse signs the tag, takes their copy, and the driver returns with our signed copy.  The signed copy is given to the Fixed Asset Coordinator.

After the signed tag is returned, the Fixed Asset Coordinator will change the status of those items in FAIS per the Section IV of the FAIS Manual.  The surplus forms will then be grouped and a spreadsheet attached listing the items changed in FAIS.  The Business Manager or the Vice President of Administrative Services will review the packet and sign the spreadsheet, acknowledging agreement with the changes made.

 

 

3.0       References

Fixed Asset Inventory System Manual, revised January 1, 1992, VCCS

Fixed Asset Accounting and Control System, 1991, Office of the

            Comptroller, Department of Accounts.

 

4.0       Point of Contact

            Jane D. Krakowsky, Business Manager

 

5.0              Approval and Revision Dates

Reviewed and Approved by:                    Jane D. Krakowsky

                                                            February 21, 2005

 

Reviewed and Approved by:                    President’s Council

                                                            March 7, 2005