Accounting

Statewide Accounting glossary

This is a list of terms used within the Washington Administrative and Accounting Manual (WAAM) and within Workday. To find a term, enter it in in the search box, and select 'Apply'.

Term	Category	Definition
Local fund/accounts		Accounts under the control of an agency with cash on deposit in a local bank account and requiring the signature of agency officials on a check for disbursement. Some local funds are on deposit with the State Treasurer as a matter of convenience or statutory requirement.
Location Membership Security Group	Cross Application	A location membership security group is one whose members are any workers assigned to that location.
Lockbox services		Lockbox services are a payment processing solution where an agency's customers send payments to a dedicated post office box (the "lockbox") managed by a bank or third-party processor. The bank or processor then collects, processes, and deposits these payments into the agency's account, streamlining the payment cycle and accelerating the availability of funds to the state.
Measurement Focus		The accounting convention which determines: (1) which assets and which liabilities are included on the governmental unit's balance sheet; and (2) whether its operating statement presents "financial flow" information (revenue and expenditures) or "capital maintenance" information (revenues and expenses). Refer to Current Financial Resources Measurement Focus and Economic Resources Measurement Focus.
Miscellaneous Payment Data Entry Specialist		Performs Miscellaneous Payment Data Entry functions for assigned companies. This role can create Miscellaneous Payees, create Miscellaneous Payment Requests, and view/change/cancel Miscellaneous Payment Requests. No approval authority.
Miscellaneous Payment Request		A Workday operational transaction used to make a payment to a one-time payee. Refer to WAAM Chapter 90 - Statewide Customers and Suppliers for more details on Suppliers and Miscellaneous Payees.
Modified accrual basis		The basis of accounting under which expenditures, whether paid or unpaid, are formally recognized when the liability is incurred against the account, but revenues are recognized only when they become both measurable and available to finance expenditures of the current accounting period. All governmental funds use the modified accrual basis of accounting.
Nonappropriated funds		Moneys that can be expended without legislative appropriation. Only funds in accounts specifically established in state law as being exempt from appropriation fall into this category. Nonappropriated accounts can be either budgeted (and subject to OFM allotment approval) or nonbudgeted.
Nonbudgeted funds		Funds that are not subject to either the appropriation or the allotment process.
Object of expenditure		A common grouping of expenditures made on the basis of homogenous activity, goods or services purchased, or type of resource to be used. Applies to the character of the article purchased or service obtained (rather than the purpose).
Open Item	Financial	Supplier and customer invoices that have an amount owing or due. For expense reports, a line item to be paid or reconciled.
Operating budget		A biennial plan for the revenues and expenditures necessary to support the administrative and service functions of state government.
Organization Security Group	Cross Application	An organization security group is one whose members are any workers assigned to that organization.
Payroll cards		A prepaid, reloadable card issued by an employer to an employee to pay their employee's wages or salary electronically.
Pension (and other employee benefit) Trust Funds		Used to report resources that are required to be held in trust by the state for the members and beneficiaries of defined benefit pension plans, defined contribution pension plans, other post employment benefit plans, or other employee benefit plans.
Permanent Funds		Used to account for resources that are restricted to the extent that only earnings, and not principal, may be used for the benefit of the state or its citizenry.
Phase 1A Scope		The replacement of AFRS with the new Workday ERP system, including accounts receivable, cost allocation, accounts payable, spending plans, purchase authority, banking, fixed assets, interagency payments, and more.
Point of Sale		An electronic payment system in a merchant location where consumers pay for retail goods and services, through the use of credit cards and/or debit cards that directly access and deduct funds from the customer’s bank account.
Predefined security Group	Cross Application	Workers are assigned to the predefined security groups through a business process. These groups cannot be changed except by reversing the business process or executing a new business process, such as applying for a position, or being hired. Examples include: Employee, Contingent Worker, and Applicant.
Prepaid cards		A type of card that allows you to spend money that has been preloaded onto it in advance. Unlike a debit card, it is not linked to a bank account. In most cases, you can't spend more money than you have already loaded onto the prepaid card. Prepaid cards can be reloadable or disposable, but are most often reloadable. Prepaid cards have a broader usage than gift cards, which can typically only be used from a particular store or brand. Refer to WAAM Section 60.30.130 - Electronic Benefit Transfers, Payroll Cards, Stored Valued Cards, and Other Electronic Technologies.
Private-Purpose Trust Funds		Used to report trust arrangements, other than pension funds or investment trusts funds, under which principal and income benefit individuals, private organizations, or other governments. The resources held under these arrangements are not available to support the government’s own programs.
Program		Any of the major activities of an agency expressed as a primary function or organizational unit. Agencies may not alter their program structure without the explicit approval of the Legislature and OFM.
Project		Accumulates costs for planned work over a period of time for planned outcome that may be capitalized or expensed. Project types include non-billable, billable, capital and opportunity. Project can be subdivided into sub-projects, phases and tasks. Refer to Workday Term Worktag: Project.
Proprietary fund		A fund classification used to account for the state's ongoing organizations and activities that are similar to those often found in the private sector. These funds are considered self-supporting in that the services rendered by them are financed through user charges or on a cost reimbursement basis. There are two types of proprietary funds: enterprise funds and internal service funds.
Proprietary Funds		Used to account for a government's ongoing organizations and activities that are similar to businesses found in the private sector. These funds are considered self-supporting in that the services rendered by them are generally financed through user charges or on a cost reimbursement basis. Proprietary funds use the economic resources measurement focus and the accrual basis of accounting. There are two types of proprietary funds: enterprise funds and internal service funds.
Purchase		The Acquisition of goods or services, including the leasing or renting of goods.
Purchase card		A card issued to a card custodian or cardholder for the purpose of making authorized purchases of goods or services on credit on behalf of the agency.
Purchase order		(A16) - A document that authorizes the delivery of specified merchandise or the rendering of certain services. This form is used by agencies to encumber, liquidate, and authorize payment for such purchase requisition requests.
Purchase requisition		(A15) - A form used by agencies to request the Department of Enterprise Services, to order materials, supplies, and equipment, or to request an amendment of a previous requisition.
Quest		An internal tool the Agency Readiness Team (ART) uses to track and respond to agency questions.

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