Chartstring (Chart of Accounts)

https://bfas.syr.edu/comptroller/resources/chart-of-accounts/

All Syracuse University financial transactions and activities (e.g., buying and paying for goods, services, etc.; getting reimbursed for business and travel expenses; managing funds; etc.) utilize the chart of accounts accounting structure.

Example of an SU Chartstring:

* All chartstrings contain these chartfields.
**Available for departmental use only, not required.
***Always required for sponsored projects.

Each segment of the chart of accounts is a “chartfield.”  All segments together is the “chartstring”.

Business Unit (required field and is defaulted for all transactions)
The business unit is the legal business entity for which financial statements are reported at the end of a fiscal year.

Fund (required field)
The fund is defined as a self-balancing group of chartfield strings, established for unique budgeting, funding, accounting (including external financial reporting), and operational requirements.  The Fund always contains 2 digits.

Note: Typically, a campus department will only utilize funds 11, 13, 15, and 16 for their activity (other funds have been removed).

Department (required field)
A department is generally defined as an academic or administrative unit that has a common programmatic, operational, and fiscal (including budgetary) responsibility. A department listing can be found in the FAB Repository via My Slice My Reports for those that have access.  

Department is always a 5 digit numeric value (the first 3 digits designate the area).

Program (required field)
The program is defined as a group of common ongoing activities for which financial activity needs to be tracked and budgeted. These activities may occur within a single department or across multiple departments. Unique activities for which financial information needs to be tracked will also be accommodated here.  Program is always a 5 digit numeric value.

Account (required field)
The account is always a six digit numeric value and is defined as the natural classification of financial transactions used for recording and summarizing assets, liabilities, net assets, revenues or expenses. (e.g., travel, office supplies, salary, etc.). A complete account listing can be found in the FAB Repository via My Slice My Reports.  Select lists of  Revenue Accounts, Non-Payroll Expense Accounts, and Payroll Expense Accounts are available on the Comptroller’s Office Website.

MYCODE (optional field)
The MYCODE is strictly an optional field to be used for any special tracking needs the owner of the chartfield may have. See Update a Mycode Description Or Setup A New Mycode for more information regarding the assignment and use of mycodes.  Mycode is always a 6 digit numeric value.

New Mycodes may be set up by the Budget Manager (or appropriate designee) in each area.  Contact your Budget Manager if you have a new Mycode request. The Budget Office has a listing of mycodes:

Budget Office to review at G:\LAW\Budget\General\REPORTS\MyCodes

Project (required for Sponsored transactions)
The project ID number is a unique value used to accumulate financial and budget transactions and track project/sponsor data. These numbers are sequentially assigned by the PeopleSoft system as grants/contracts are set up. A sponsored award can have one or more projects. This provides the functionality for “sub accounts.”  Project is always a 5 digit numeric value.

Activity (required for Sponsored transactions)
The project activity is used to further breakdown a project or task. A project can have one or more of these activities. This provides the functionality for “sub accounts.”  Activity is always a 3 digit numeric value.

Budget Reference (required for Sponsored transactions)
The budget reference indicates the sponsored budget year of the transaction.  Budget Reference is always a 2 digit numeric value.