Frequently Asked Questions - Deposit Accounting

All departments must comply with the 4-OP-D-2-B Cash Management Policy. As outlined in this policy, departments may be required to be authorized as a cash collection point and are responsible for ensuring:

• Security when storing, managing and transmitting deposits
• Proper separation of duties
• Timely deposit delivery and reporting
• Reconciliation of records

There are primarily two ways to submit cash and/or check deposits to the university:

• Secure drop box – Cash, check, or money order deposits using the secure drop box must be secured in a university-approved tamper-resistant bag and placed in the 24-hour drop box located outside the Office of Student Finance (A1500 University Center). Deposits should include a completed Departmental Deposit Form, or for auxiliary invoice payments, a copy of the auxiliary invoice beginning with “AUX."
• Armored car services – Cash, check or money order deposits using the armored car service must be secured in a university-approved tamper-resistant bag and maintained in a locked safe or other approved secure location until the armored car service arrives. Pickup manifests should be completed for all items, and account information should not be redacted. Deposits should include a completed Departmental Deposit Form, or for auxiliary invoice payments, a copy of the auxiliary invoice beginning with “AUX” as well as a bank deposit slip noting check and cash information. Departments must submit all documentation to Deposit Accounting at CTL-Deposits@fsu.edu the same day the deposit is ready for pickup.

No. Deposits are not accepted in person at the university.

Deposit Accounting within the Controller’s Office assists departments with obtaining supplies needed to process deposits. Supply orders for deposit slips, endorsement stamps, and the initial order of tamper-resistant bags should be sent to Deposit Accounting at CTL-Deposits@fsu.edu. Note: After the initial supply of white tamper-resistant bags is provided, departments are responsible for purchasing additional bags from an approved university vendor, such as Superior Press.

The Controller’s Office drop box is available for deposits 24 hours a day, 365 days a year including holidays and weekends. The Office of Student Finance does not accept deposits of any kind in-person at the counter.

Departments regularly delivering deposits with a large quantity of cash/checks will need a key to widen the secure drop box located outside of the Office of Student Finance at A1500 University Center to deposit these bags. Keys will be supplied to departments as necessary by the Office of Student Finance. Please contact Alisha Estep at aestep@fsu.edu for more information about this process.

Deposits are generally receipted by the Office of Student Finance the next business day. Entries typically post to department ledgers within three business days of the deposit posting to the university’s bank account. This is dependent upon receipt of completed documentation from the department. To view deposits that have been posted to a department’s ledger, run the OMNI Financials query FSU_DPT_DIRECT_JRNL_DEPOSIT.

No. Receipts are not provided for deposits made to the secure drop box. Delivering deposits to the secure drop box is no different than using a secure bank deposit box. Cameras are recording the area surrounding the drop box 24/7, and all deposits are opened in the presence of two individuals within the Office of Student Finance.

Cash and/or coin should never be submitted through the mail (neither through USPS services nor through the university mail system). Please deliver cash and coin directly to the secure drop located outside of the Office of Student Finance at A1500 University Center. Cash, checks, and money orders should be secured in a tamper-resistant deposit bag before being placed into the Drop Box.

Deposits should include a completed Departmental Deposit Form or, for OMNI AR/Billing Auxiliary Invoice payments, a copy of the Auxiliary Invoice (invoice IDs beginning “AUX”).

Auxiliary invoice payments (those beginning with “AUX”) should be mailed to the university using the address below:

FSU Auxiliary Accounts Receivable
P.O. Box 3062397
Tallahassee, FL 32306-2397

Cash and coin payments, as well as any deposits received by departments, should never be mailed.

Yes. The university does accept EFT payments. Organizations requesting to pay in this manner should contact Cash Management & Banking within the Controller’s Office at CTL-Customerpmt@fsu.edu. Departments are asked to inform the payee that remittance details should be sent to CTL-EFT@fsu.edu to ensure timely processing.

Remote desktop deposit technology allows departments to scan checks in a reader that transmits the deposit to the bank electronically eliminating the need to drop off deposits to the secure drop box or utilize armored car services. When using this functionality, checks must be scanned daily. In addition, the Departmental Deposit Form along with supporting documentation (PDF format with sensitive information redacted) must be submitted to Deposit Accounting at CTL-Deposits@fsu.edu the same day checks are electronically submitted to the bank.

Note: Sensitive information includes the payer’s bank account information, the university’s bank account information on the endorsement stamp, as well as any other confidential information included in the supporting documentation.

Departments interested in utilizing remote desktop technology should contact Cash Management & Banking within the Controller’s Office at CTL-TM@fsu.edu.

Departments must obtain approval to utilize the armored car service and prepare deposits as follows: :

• Complete a Departmental Deposit Form
• Complete a bank deposit slip noting check and cash information
• Complete the pickup manifest for all items
• Submit all documentation to Deposit Accounting at CTL-Deposits@fsu.edu the same day the deposit is ready for pickup
• Secure all cash, check, and/or money orders in a university-approved tamper-resistant bag, ensuring account information is not redacted
• Secure deposits awaiting pickup in a locked safe or other approved secure location until the armored car service arrives

Departments interested in utilizing armored car pick-up services should contact Admin Services within the Controller’s Office at CTL-Admin-Services@fsu.edu.

Yes. Departments authorized to deliver departmental deposits directly to a branch of the university’s bank must provide a copy of the Departmental Deposit Form, the bank deposit slip, and any other supporting documentation to CTL-Deposits@fsu.edu on each day a deposit is made.

All departments handling deposits must comply with the university’s 4-OP-D-2-B Cash Management Policy. As outlined in this policy, departments may be required to be established as an authorized cash collection point and are responsible for ensuring the following:

• Security when storing, managing, and transmitting deposits
• Proper separation of duties
• Timely deposit delivery
• Timely notification of electronic payment and reporting of credit/debit card sales
• Reconciliation of deposit accounting entries to receipts and sales records

A cash collection point is defined as any university department or entity that collects over $5,000 annually on a recurring basis, unless the collections occur infrequently or are for the recovery of expenditures. Cash collection points must be authorized before collections begin and adhere to the 4-OP-D-2-B Cash Management Policy.

Departments interested in learning more about becoming a cash collection site should contact Tax & Compliance within the Controller’s Office at CTL-Tax@fsu.edu.

There are primarily two forms used for submitting departmental deposits:

• Departmental Deposit Form – This form is used to record cash, check and credit card deposits for revenue, travel reimbursements and other expense refunds or reimbursements. Cash and check deposits should include the bank deposit slip, while credit card deposits must include the daily batch settlement report.
• Incoming EFT Payments Form – This form is typically used for recurring electronic funds transfer (EFT) deposits received via ACH or Wire to eliminate the administrative burden on a department; however, it can also be used for non-recurring EFT payments.

These forms should be submitted along with any supporting documentation to Deposit Accounting at CTL-Deposits@fsu.edu within two days of receipt. Departments should refer to the Deposit Guidance for assistance on how to process each deposit, and examples of each deposit type are also linked within the document. Additional forms for processing departmental deposits can be found on the Deposit Accounting – Forms page.

The following documentation should accompany the Departmental Deposit Form:

• A copy of the daily batch settlement report for point-of-sale credit card transactions
• A copy of the bank deposit slip for cash and/or check transactions

The Incoming EFT Payments Form is used to record departmental deposits that are paid via EFT (ACH/Wires). This form and any relevant supporting documentation should be sent to CTL-Deposits@fsu.edu for processing.

No. The accounting distribution for auxiliary invoices is predefined in OMNI Financials when the invoice is created, recording the revenue and related accounts receivable.

No. Departments using Transact functionality, both eMarkets and virtual terminals, do not need to submit departmental deposit forms. The accounting distribution is predefined in Transact when the item is created, recording the revenue and related cash to the department’s ledger.

Per the 4-OP-D-2-B Cash Management Policy, departments should submit Departmental Deposit Forms and supporting documentation for all deposits within two business days of the payment(s) being received.
The Controller’s Office conducts weekly checks for documentation required for deposit processing and will reach out to those department representatives and Budget Managers where timely information is not being received.
Please ensure that all forms and documentation are submitted to CTL-Deposits@fsu.edu in a timely manner.

No. A separate form should be used for each payment type. Only cash and checks can be combined on the same form. Credit card payments must be submitted on a separate form.

A revenue deposit is a payment received for point-of-sale activity in exchange for sales of goods/services provided to that customer by an Auxiliary department as part of the Auxiliary’s approved mission. Please refer to the Deposit Guidance for more information.

Expense refunds are payments received from a vendor to refund a department for all or a portion of a payment previously made to that vendor. The payer must be the vendor who originally was paid by the university and supporting documentation of the expense must be provided. The defining characteristic here is that the department had previously paid the vendor and recorded an expense for this item.

Please refer to the Deposit Guidance and related Examples for more information.

Expense reimbursements are payments received from a third party to reimburse the university dollar for dollar on an expense that the university paid for in advance on behalf of the same third party. These deposits may also be related to funds received to reimburse the university for payments previously issued to a vendor, faculty, staff, student, or other member of the university community. This includes travel reimbursements. Please refer to the Deposit Guidance and related Examples for more information.

Departments should ensure purchases comply with university Procurement Policy in advance of purchasing goods/services that benefit third parties.

This depends on whether the deposit is a donation or an expense refund/reimbursement. Charitable gifts or other revenue deposits must be sent directly to the FSU Foundation for receipt and processing. Refer to the Forms and Resources page of their website for processing details. Expense refunds/reimbursements tied to OMNI Financials expenses should be deposited with the university using the Departmental Deposit Form.

Sponsored Research revenue deposits are managed by the Office of Research and are not processed by Deposit Accounting. Clarification concerning who would process the payment and examples can be found in the Deposit Guidance document. Expense refunds/reimbursements tied to OMNI Financials expenses are processed by Deposit Accounting using the Departmental Deposit Form.

The Controller’s Office has issued Deposit Guidance and related Examples which provide clarification on how to properly record deposits received by departments per the university’s Placement of Funds Policy.

Per the Business Management Guide, each department is responsible for reconciling departmental deposits to ensure all funds have been received and properly recorded. All transaction data needed to complete departmental deposit reconciliations is available in OMNI Financials. Departments should use the following queries:

• FSU_DPT_DIRECT_JRNL_DEPOSIT – This query is used to review and reconcile deposits recorded as AR Direct Journals (ARDs).
• FSU_CTRL_AUX_PAYMENT – This query is used to review and reconcile deposits recorded as AR Payment Journals (ARPs) associated with auxiliary invoices.

Accounting entries for deposits are recorded with one of two journal types in OMNI Financials.

• ARD Journals - For deposits not associated with auxiliary invoices, Deposit Accounting records entries using AR Direct Journals. These entries appear as ARD journals on departmental ledgers, and the accounting distribution is based on the information provided on the Departmental Deposit Form. Entries for payments received via Transact eMarket and virtual terminals also appear as ARD journals on departmental ledgers; however, the accounting distribution is based on the predefined system set up for the item in Transact.
• ARP Journals – For deposits associated with auxiliary invoices, Deposit Accounting applies the payment against an open item in the accounts receivable system. These entries appear as ARP journals on departmental ledgers when payment is received to record cash and clear the related accounts receivable.

Accounting entries will be posted to department ledgers within three business days of the deposit posting to the university’s bank account and upon the Deposit Accounting team receiving all required forms and supporting documentation.

Yes. Payment attachments in OMNI Financials are available using the deposit Payment ID and may include check images, Departmental Deposit Forms, and other payment remittance documentation. This information is easily accessible via hyperlink on the OMNI Financials query FSU_DPT_DIRECT_JRNL_DEPOSIT. However, for step-by-step instructions, refer to the Reviewing Attachments & Receipts for Deposits training guide for assistance.

Note: Check images transmitted directly to the bank via armored car service are not retained in OMNI Financials unless the information is provided with the Departmental Deposit Form and uploaded as an attachment.

If a correction is needed after a deposit has been recorded, departments should complete a Departmental Online Journal Entry (DOL) Form. Once signed, these forms are submitted to General Accounting at CTL-GeneralAccounting@fsu.edu for processing.

A credit card chargeback occurs when a cardholder disputes a credit or debit card transaction, and the issuer (bank) returns the transaction for review. Cardholders typically have up to 120 days to dispute a charge; however, the university generally only has 14 calendar days to respond.

Chargebacks are categorized by reason codes, and may include the following:

• Fraud - Unauthorized or suspicious transactions
• Credit Not Processed - Refund or credit not received
• Defective/Not as Described - Goods or services not as expected
• Not Received/Not Provided - Goods or services not delivered
• Canceled Recurring Transaction - Charges after cancellation
• Data Entry Error - Incorrect amount or currency
• Duplicate Processing - Same charge processed more than once

To successfully dispute a chargeback, departments should provide the following supporting documentation based on the reason for dispute:

1. Fraud
   • Email/chat conversation with the cardholder showing their participation in the transaction.
   • Confirmation of the receipt of goods/services by the cardholder.
   • Signed agreement or attendance logs to connect the person receiving the goods/services and the cardholder.
2. Credit Not Processed
   • Show that a credit is not due by providing proof that the good or service was accepted by the customer at the time of the transaction.
   • Provide an explanation of why the credit/refund is not due (i.e., good or service provided, or a refund was already processed).
   • Provide proof that a credit was already issued.
3. Service/Merchandise Defective or Not as Described
   • Provide a written rebuttal addressing the cardholder's concerns and include copies of all the transaction receipts, order forms, invoices or contracts if available.
   • Supply evidence that the cardholder was aware that the merchandise was purchased in "as-is" condition.
   • Provide proof that replacement merchandise was provided or shipped.
   • Supply proof that the good/services were not returned to the merchant.
   • Supply proof that an attempt was made to repair or replace damaged or defective goods or provide replacement services.
4. Services Not Provided or Merchandise Not Received
   • Properly disclosed terms and conditions detailing the cancellation, return, and refund policy acknowledged by the cardholder.
   • Proof that the cardholder is benefiting from the goods/services despite the claimed cancellation.
   • Attendance logs, proof of work submitted, and/or signed receipts.
5. Cancelled Recurring Transaction
   • Receipt or invoice signed by the cardholder indicating that each transaction was authorized to be charged to the account.
   • Evidence that the customer did not cancel the Recurring Payment Plan in accordance with the merchant's policy.
6. Data Entry Error
   • Copy of the transaction receipt or other documentation to prove that the transaction was processed under the appropriate transaction code or currency code.
   • Copy of the receipt or other documentation to prove that there was no error in the transaction amount or credit amount processed.
7. Duplicate Processing
   • Provide two separate transaction receipts, invoices, or logs confirming there was two separate and valid transactions.
   • Evidence that the cardholder has benefited from both transactions.

Pre-arbitration cases are escalated disputes related to a case previously responded to and awarded in the university’s favor. The bank/issuer will notify the Controller’s Office if a cardholder further escalates the dispute.

Upon notification of the incoming pre-arbitration, Deposit Accounting will update the department and request further support to dispute the chargeback.

The department should provide additional evidence validating the cardholder’s participation in the transaction not provided for the initial Chargeback dispute. Supporting documentation may not be used twice for the same dispute. Therefore, new evidence and documentation must be prepared and supplied by the department.

A department can also accept the escalated dispute should they determine the cardholder is due the disputed funds. Documentation and a statement supporting the department’s decision must be provided to Deposit Accounting to submit a response to the bank/issuer.

A retrieval is a request for transaction documentation. Retrieval requests are not considered chargeback disputes and have no accounting impact. Requests will only be escalated to a chargeback status should the cardholder dispute the transaction after receiving the additional information as to what it was related.

The department should provide detailed information about the transaction, including any goods or services provided because of the payment along with supporting documentation including transaction receipts, invoices, and contracts.

Deposit Accounting notifies departments when a credit card chargeback is initiated and provides a Dispute Notification detailing the following:

• Cardholder and issuer information
• Dispute reason
• Disputed amount
• Response deadline

Deposit Accounting will communicate regularly with the department until the response deadline has passed or when new information concerning the chargeback has been received.

If the dispute is valid, (i.e., in the case of duplicate processing or if the cardholder is due a refund), the department can accept the chargeback. Departments that agree with the dispute should provide a written explanation as to why the chargeback is being accepted.

Since the transaction will automatically be refunded to the customer by the bank, departments should refrain from issuing a refund.

Should a cardholder dispute a transaction that the department has determined is a valid charge, the department may dispute the chargeback. First, the department should contact the cardholder regarding their reason for disputing the transaction. Approximately 90% of disputes can be resolved during this initial outreach.

Should a cardholder dispute a transaction that the department has determined is a valid charge, the department may dispute the chargeback. First, the department should contact the cardholder regarding their reason for disputing the transaction. Approximately 90% of disputes can be resolved during this initial outreach.
If the cardholder agrees that the charges are valid once outreach is conducted, they may withdraw their dispute by contacting their bank directly and providing a written statement to the department of their intent to withdraw their dispute and why. For Transact chargebacks, cardholders may withdraw their dispute by completing a Transact Chargeback Withdrawal Form.
If the cardholder continues to dispute the transaction and the department wants to dispute the chargeback, a written statement concerning the transaction and why the charge is valid as well as supporting documentation for how the cardholder is receiving services or benefits related to the payment will need to be provided to Deposit Accounting.

Banks typically issue a decision within 30 days of receiving the university’s response. Deposit Accounting will notify the department of the outcome.

Credit card chargeback debits and credits are recorded to OMNI Financials with the same accounting distribution as the original transaction. How this occurs depends on the credit card terminal used:

• Transact eMarket/Virtual terminals – Debits and credits post automatically within Transact based on pre-defined accounting distribution on the item being disputed. The accounting entries feed to OMNI Financials automatically from the Transact system, and no action is required by the department.
• Bank of America Merchant Services/American Express terminals – Debits are processed by the bank when a dispute is initiated by the cardholder. Departments are required to submit a Departmental Deposit Form to Deposit Accounting providing the accounting distribution to record the debit to the department’s ledger. If the dispute is awarded in favor of the university, Deposit Accounting will record a credit to the department’s ledger using the same accounting distribution the department provided for the debit.

Only department representatives with a Transact eMarket or virtual terminal may request Transact refunds. Due to the varying refund policies in place across campus, Deposit Accounting is unable to accept refund requests from cardholders directly.

Departments must submit the Transact Refund Request Form to Deposit Accounting at CTL-TransactRefunds@fsu.edu for processing.

Refunds are typically processed within 1–3 business days, provided all required information is submitted.

No.Transact processing fees are non-refundable and are not returned when a refund is processed.

Deposit Accounting will notify the department via email when the refund is complete and will provide the Transact refund transaction ID. A detailed receipt is available upon request.

No. Refunds for payments made through Bank of America or American Express terminals must be issued by department representatives on the terminals where the original payments were made.

Refunds should be processed back to the original payment method. If the credit card has been cancelled or purged from the system, a refund to the original payment method may not be possible. In these instances, departments can submit a Departmental Refund Request Form to Accounts Payable at CTL-AccountsPayable@fsu.edu for processing.

Deposit Accounting can only process refunds for transactions processed through the Office of Student Finance virtual terminal. Similar to departmental refunds, these refunds are only processed at the request of the Office of Student Finance and with a completed Transact Refund Request Form. All other online student payment refunds processed through Transact are handled by the Office of Student Finance.

There are varying reasons a check may be returned and unprocessed by the banking institution. Returned checks cannot be redeposited. Below is a list of the most common reasons:

• Insufficient Funds (NSF) - All checks returned for insufficient funds are submitted twice for clearing by the bank. If the check does not clear on the second attempt, the check will be submitted as an NSF item. NSF returned checks mean that at the time the check was presented to the account holder’s bank, there were not sufficient funds in the account to pay the check or draft.
• Stop Payments - Stop payments occur when check issuers initiate requests through their institution to stop the processing of checks sent to the university. This often occurs when a replacement check has been issued or the original payment is no longer required.
• Closed Accounts - Closed account returns occur when the account holder’s bank account that was associated with that check is closed.
• Refer to Maker - Checks returned for this reason require the depositor to contact the maker of the check. Refer to Maker means the department should contact the person that wrote the check to find out why the item was returned. If the maker does not know why the item was returned, the maker should contact their own bank for the reason. The merchant cannot obtain the reason for return from the maker’s bank, only the maker can get this information.

The Deposit Accounting Manager will provide the department and budget manager a courtesy notification via email of the returned item notice with information as to why the check was returned, the original documentation for the deposit in which the check was processed, how the returned check will be recorded, and instructions on collecting repayment.

Since the funds are automatically debited by the bank, the Deposit Accounting team will reverse the original deposit, crediting cash to the department.

Typically, the Controller’s Office assesses a $25.00 returned check fee. However, if a department is aware of extenuating circumstances related to this payment that may warrant an exception to the fee, they should communicate all relevant details and management within the Controller’s Office will consider whether an exception may be granted.

Fees for returned items for reasons other than insufficient funds are determined by the Associate Controller for Cash Management. The Deposit Accounting team will work with management to determine and communicate to the department information related to any assessed bank or returned check fees.

Returned check fees are recorded to an accounting distribution determined by the Controller’s Office. Assessed fees cannot be recorded as revenue to the department; therefore, it is important that the department identifies collected repayments separately from the fee to ensure that they are posted appropriately.

No, returned checks are not eligible for representment. A new check or another form of payment is required from the account holder for repayment of returned checks.

• Credit Card - If a department has a designated credit card terminal used to collect daily sales, it can be used to collect repayment. However, the department must communicate with the Deposit Accounting team to ensure that the repayment and any assessed fees are recorded appropriately.
• Check or Cash (within 30 days of item being returned) - If the department collects a check within 30-days, the check should be remitted to the Controller’s Office and recorded using a Departmental Deposit Form. The department must communicate with the Deposit Accounting team to ensure that the repayment and any assessed fees are recorded appropriately.
• Check or Cash (after 30 days of item being returned) - If repayment is not made within 30-days of the item being returned, then the Auxiliary Services team will create a receivable item in OMNI Financials to initiate collection attempts on the payment. The Deposit Accounting Manager will communicate with the Auxiliary Services team if payment is not received within this period. Should this step be necessary, a member of the Auxiliary Services team will reach out to the department for next steps.