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What’s New on FMX?

“What’s New” Archive

Annual Certification of Estimated ORP State Contributions Due

Junior/community colleges must certify estimates of state matching contribution funds for employees participating in the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) by Aug. 15.

See Annual Estimate of Optional Retirement Program (ORP) State Contributions (FPP A.003) for complete information including instructions and forms.

Direct Deposit Fraud Increasing: Prepare Your Staff

State agencies are reporting more frequent instances of attempted direct deposit fraud. Thieves send direct deposit authorization and payee change request forms to agencies to update an existing, legitimate vendor’s bank account information and the vendor’s name, address and contact information.

Agencies must be vigilant when setting up or changing direct deposit account, payee and/or address information. Agency staff should always verify change requests with an established vendor contact. Agencies should not use the contact information on the request form to verify the changes, because it may be fraudulent.

Review the Fraud Prevention Recommendations on TexPayment Resource, which include:

  • Don’t Be a Target of Fraud.
  • Vendor Impersonation Fraud.
  • Payment Processing Tips.

Note: If your agency hosts payment forms on its website, ensure the forms are secure and require a login to prevent unauthorized use. Current forms are always available on FMX.

State agencies should immediately report attempts or instances of direct deposit fraud to the Comptroller’s Payment Services section: payment.services.dd@cpa.texas.gov or (512) 936-8138.

Certification of Physical Inventory Due

State agencies must conduct an annual physical inventory of property by Aug. 31.

Agencies must then submit the Certification of Physical Inventory Conducted by Agency form (73-283) to the Comptroller's office by Sept. 20.

See Certification of Physical Inventory in the SPA Process User’s Guide for details.

Salary Supplement Report Due

State agencies and institutions must report certain salary supplements to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, the State Auditor’s office and the Secretary of State by Sept. 15.

See Salary Supplements Paid From Sources Other Than Appropriated Funds (FPP F.031) for instructions and the online report form.

Hotel Occupancy Tax Refund Reports

Agencies that reimburse employees for state-related hotel stays are due a refund for hotel occupancy taxes. USAS automatically generates the refunds each quarter.

The hotel occupancy tax refund for June through July will be available Aug. 9 on DAFR8190 and DAFR8200.

See Hotel Occupancy Tax Quarterly Refund (FPP B.006) for more information.

Reminder – Pay Card Program Ends

The pay card program that provides payroll or annuity net pay on debit cards ends Aug. 31. Payroll offices can load payroll on existing cards through the Aug. 1 pay date, and employees may use their current pay card until its balance is depleted.

Agencies should alert participating employees to the cancellation of the pay card program and discuss alternative payment methods (warrant or direct deposit) to receive payroll or annuity net pay.

Contact Payment Services for more information.

See Pay Cards for Payroll and Retirement Payments (FPP P.004) for more details.

Earned Federal Funds Collections

Earned federal funds that agencies deposit into Appropriation 70000 in amounts above the level identified in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) are appropriated, subject to certain conditions and deadlines.

See Appropriation Authority for Earned Federal Fund Collections Above the Annual Level in Earned Federal Funds and Indirect Cost Reimbursements to the General Revenue Fund (APS 023) (FPP A.017) for conditions and deadlines.

Contact your agency's appropriation control officer with questions.

HRIS Reappointment Reporting

Institutions of higher education must report certain information about jobs and reappointments at the beginning of each fiscal year. Submit reappointment information via electronic file transfer (EFT) by:

  • Sept. 3: EFT #1 — Class codes and carriers.
  • Sept. 8: EFT #2 — Reappointments for fiscal 2026.
  • Sept. 10: EFT #3 — Terminations for fiscal 2025.

The HRIS September maintenance deadline is Oct. 7. See HRIS Higher Education Reporting Procedures for Reappointments (FPP M.003) for reappointment details and instructions.

Updates to Comptroller Manual of Accounts

Substantive changes have been made to the Texas Comptroller Manual of Accounts (FPP Q.009), reflecting legislation passed by the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, and effective before Sept. 1.

The Manual of Accounts provides current information on state agencies, appropriated funds, and accounts and object codes to use when properly recording accounting transactions.

Limits on New Accounts, Funds and Revenue Dedications

House Bill 4488, 89th Legislature, Regular Session, continues the policy of limiting the number of new general revenue accounts, special funds and dedications of revenue.

See Funds Consolidation: Limits on New General Revenue Accounts, Special Funds and Dedications of Revenue (FPP A.046) for a summary of HB 4488.

Reminder – USAS Budget Entries and Appropriation Schedules

Agencies must enter fiscal 2026 appropriation budgets in USAS and submit all required documentation by July 31.

Budget entry and documentation submission must be complete before appropriation control officers can approve a budget setup.

See Establishing Appropriations by Method of Finance, Rider, Capital Budget and Transfer Schedules (FPP A.020) for more information including schedules, instructions, definitions and samples.

New CAPPS STARR Financial System

The Comptroller’s office signed a contract on June 30 to begin the CAPPS State of Texas Accounting and Reporting Resource (STARR) project, which will modernize the state’s critical financial functionality by replacing the USAS, TINS and SPA legacy systems with a cloud-based solution.

The new CAPPS STARR system will include core USAS/TINS/SPA functions used by the Comptroller Fiscal Management staff, and by all state agencies and institutions of higher education The project begins in July 2025, with anticipated launch on Sept. 1, 2027.

Contacts statewide.accounting@cpa.texas.gov with any questions about the CAPPS STARR project.

Fiscal Year-End Close Schedule

See the 2025 Master Schedule of Year-End Close Events, which includes:

  • Processing deadlines.
  • Support contacts.
  • System maintenance dates and times.

USAS and CAPPS Financials Year-End Process

The fiscal 2025 USAS annual cash-basis close occurs on Aug. 29. Instructions, including deadlines for submitting documents, are in USAS Annual Close Process (FPP Q.004).

See Scheduling Critical Payments at Fiscal Year-End for more information by appropriation year, including deadlines.

Agencies using CAPPS Financials must also follow CAPPS Financials Year-End Processing Instructions (FPP T.001).

CAPPS HR/Payroll Fiscal Year-End Process

CAPPS Central agencies must follow CAPPS HR/Payroll Fiscal Year-End Processing Instructions (FPP T.003) to prepare for the fiscal year-end process.

The system will be unavailable from 5 p.m. Aug. 29 until normal activities resume at 8 a.m. Sept. 2.

SPA Fiscal Year-End Process

The last SPA processing cycle before the fiscal year-end close runs Aug. 29. SPA will be available Sept. 2 to accept both fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2026 transactions.

See SPA Fiscal Year-End Close Process (FPP N.008) for more information.

SPRS Fiscal Year-End Process

SPRS agencies must process transactions in the prescribed order for the rollover to fiscal 2025. See SPRS Fiscal Year-End Processing Instructions (FPP O.002) for complete information.

Accounting Policy Meeting

An accounting policy meeting about preparing for fiscal year-end close, USAS system-generated lapse and a shared cash review will be held July 24, 10 a.m.–noon. Attend the presentation in person or online (via webinar).

See the Accounting Policy Meetings page for more information.

Note: For the webinar, use the Google Chrome browser to avoid Webex compatibility issues.

CAPPS User Group Meetings

A CAPPS Financials user group meeting will be held July 24, 9–10:30 a.m.

A CAPPS HR/Payroll user group meeting will be held July 29, 9–10:30 a.m.

See CAPPS Financials User Group Meetings or CAPPS HR/Payroll User Group Meetings for more information.

Reminder – Statewide Cost Allocation Worksheet and Forms Due

Deadlines for agencies listed in Fiscal 2024 Statewide Cost Allocation Summary of Fixed Costs by Agency are:

  • July 11 – Statewide Cost Allocation Worksheet due.
  • July 16Fiscal 2024 Agency Statewide Cost Allocation Plan by Method of Finance data available.
  • Aug. 1 – General Revenue Reimbursement of Statewide Allocated Costs form and Federal Funds Reimbursement Calculation form (only for listed agencies with federal funds) due.
  • Aug. 27 – Full reimbursement due. Agencies may submit earlier.

See General Revenue Reimbursement for Statewide Allocated Costs (FPP A.022) for instructions, contacts and forms.

SWCAP Worksheet and Forms Due

The fiscal 2024 Statewide Cost Allocation Plan (SWCAP) provided by the governor’s office is now available.

Deadlines for agencies listed in Fiscal 2024 Statewide Cost Allocation Summary of Fixed Costs by Agency are:

  • July 11 – Statewide Cost Allocation Worksheet due.
  • July 16Fiscal 2024 Agency Statewide Cost Allocation Plan by Method of Finance data available.
  • Aug. 1 – General Revenue Reimbursement of Statewide Allocated Costs form and Federal Funds Reimbursement Calculation form (only for listed agencies with federal funds) due.
  • Aug. 27 – Full reimbursement due. Agencies may submit earlier.

See General Revenue Reimbursement for Statewide Allocated Costs (FPP A.022) for instructions, contacts and forms.

HB 500 Supplemental Appropriation and Reduction Transactions Due

Processing Supplemental Appropriations and Reductions (FPP A. 047) has been updated with instructions for USAS and CAPPS to reflect House Bill 500, 89th Legislature, Regular Session.

Affected state agencies and institutions of higher education must complete these profiles and transactions by July 31.

Preliminary Copies of the 2025 EEO-4 Report Available

Preliminary copies of the 2025 Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)-4 Report will be available to agencies July 24 via electronic file transfer. Agencies must review the preliminary report and submit the electronic Report Acknowledgment form to the Comptroller’s office by Aug. 7.

The governor’s office uses the report, which reflects state agency hiring practices for odd-numbered years, to comply with U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reporting requirements. Agencies receive a preliminary report to review the data and enter or submit changes before the final report is sent.

See Equal Employment Opportunity Report (EEO)-4 (FPP G.003) for complete copies.

GASB Questionnaires Due

All general revenue (GR) consolidated and full reporting agencies must complete and submit every Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) questionnaire by Aug. 15. The GASB Questionnaires page on the AFR website provides:

  • Links to each GASB questionnaire.
  • Descriptions and PDF previews of each GASB questionnaire.
  • Links for more information specific to each GASB statement.

Contact your agency’s financial reporting analyst with questions about any GASB questionnaire.

Reminder – Certification Due for Certain USAS Balances

To ensure correct fiscal year-end USAS balances for imprest, petty cash and travel advance accounts, agencies must certify that USAS balances and agency computed balances (cash plus outstanding reimbursements) agree. Only cash accounts with funds from the state treasury are subject to this requirement.

Certification is due July 7. All corrections must be entered in USAS by July 18.

See USAS Balances for Imprest, Petty Cash and Travel Advance Accounts (FPP A.045) for more information, including the updated Petty Cash Certification web application.