10. Advances

10.1 Introduction

This Chapter contains instructions for the management of advances, including the issue, management, acquittal, transfer and reporting of advances and should be read in conjunction with the SAP Instructions relating to advances.

Advances fall into the following categories:

• Temporary short-term advances: money issued to employees on a short-term basis for specific purposes and required to be acquitted within prescribed periods that are less than twelve months in duration (eg travelling allowance).
• Temporary long-term advances: money issued to either employees or organisations for periods exceeding twelve months in duration (eg school fees and rental deposits/bonds).
• Permanent long-term advances: advances issued for specific purposes that are not required to be acquitted within prescribed periods, but are reimbursed from time to time (eg petty cash advance, Cashier's advance, etc).
• Working Cash Advances: advances used where a post does not have a local bank account or a post operates in an environment where most payments and receipts are made in cash. Refer to FMM 7.17 for more information.

Finance Managers are responsible for the management of advances including monitoring the acquittal of temporary advances issued to employees, ensuring that security deposits are redeemed as appropriate and that permanent advances are approved and recorded on the SAP Advances Register and in the SAP Advances general ledger accounts

The Advances Register is a listing of all advances held by employees or organisations. It identifies the category of an advance, name of the Advance Holder, amount of the advance and, where applicable, the date the acquittal is due.

In State Offices where a Cashier's advance is made for the purpose of passport revenue collection and employees are regularly rotated to positions on a fortnightly basis, the advance should be recorded against the location of the Office (eg "Cashier Perth”) rather than the individual. Advance Holders are required to complete handover/takeover statements and a paper record of the management of the advance is to be maintained by the State Office.

In SAP, advances are recorded in the accounts receivable module as a noted item against the customer account of the person/organisation holding the advance. The SAP Advances Register is comprised of all amounts recorded against customer accounts as noted items. Regular reports should be run and action taken as appropriate in accordance with the instructions contained in this Chapter.

Outstanding acquittals of temporary advances should be vigorously pursued. Where an employee has not acquitted an advance prior to departure from an office or post, the advance must be transferred to the employee’s next location for action.

Acquittal of all advances must be made in the currency of the advance and the employee will be required to produce evidence of currency exchange transactions as part of the advance acquittal (see FMM 17.9).

10.2 Issue of Advances

Instructions

Temporary Short-Term Advances

1. Travel advances should be approved on a Movement Requisition. Other short-term advances should take account of the minimum spending proposal supporting documentation requirements at FMM Chapter 8.3.
2. Money advanced to an employee is a debt owing to the department until the advance is acquitted.  If an advance is not fully acquitted by the due date a debt should be raised for the amount not acquitted.
3. Finance Managers are to ensure that temporary short-term advances are recorded in the SAP Advances Register.
4. Where a temporary advance recipient is overdue in acquitting an advance, no additional advances or payments should be made to the recipient, with the exception of salary.

Emergency Cash Advances

5. The CFO or FAS CMD can approve the issue of an emergency cash advance in circumstances where there is an urgent or anticipated need to have a large sum of cash available for emergency purposes. The emergency advance must be recorded in SAP and is subject to the normal 5.11 checks. Any such advances must be repaid once the emergency is over.

Temporary Long-Term Advances

6. Security deposits and bonds for DFAT employees must be approved by an Approver or Approver’s agent in accordance with the terms of the governing lease or contract, where applicable.
7. Finance Managers are to ensure that temporary long-term advances are recorded in the SAP Advances Register and that repayment of deposits and bonds are recorded against the appropriate SAP GL account and cleared from the SAP Advances Register.

Permanent Long-Term Advances

8. The Finance Manager (Canberra), Finance Manager (State/Territory Offices and posts) should:
   • Appoint, in writing, all permanent Advance Holders
   • Approve, in writing, the establishment of all permanent advances and any subsequent variations to the level of a permanent advance
   • Ensure that Permanent Long-Term Advances are recorded in the SAP Advances Register and against the correct SAP GL code.
   • Note: Attached agency permanent advances must be approved by an agency official and not recorded in the SAP Advances Register.
9. The issue of all permanent advances and reimbursements to permanent advances should be approved by an Approver/Approver's agent.
10. A Cashier’s advance should only be used for the following purposes:
    • cashier's advance: held by Cashier to facilitate normal cash and emergency payments
    • cash establishment or reimbursement to the advance is issued in accordance with a Form FMA 001 signed by an Approver/ Approver’s agent
11. A change float advance should be held by a Cashier or Sub-cashier to enable change to be given to clients.
12. A stamp/franking machine advance should be used to facilitate postage and/or meet postage costs.
13. A petty cash advance:
    • Should be used to facilitate small cash payments usually by way of reimbursement to employees (eg reimbursement of taxi fares). There is usually a limit set, based on local operating requirements, on the amount per claim that may be paid from this advance. A minimum amount per claim may also be set by the Finance Manager to make the petty cash process more efficient;
    • The payment of petty cash to officials must be approved by an FMA Regulation 9 Approver (or Approver’s agent) and documented on a Petty Cash claim form; and
    • to assist the accounts section, the Advance Holder should attach a Petty Cash Summary to the FMA 001 when seeking reimbursement.
14. Holders of permanent cash advances must not mix public money (cash held by way of advance) with private money.

Procedure

Responsibility

• Finance Managers

Frequency/Conditions

• As required

Action

• Ensure that all advance payments are approved by an Approver/Approver's agent on a Petty Cash Claim, FMA 001 (or approved via PTWS) or Movement Requisition for travel advances (or approved via PTWS).
• Ensure that all advance payments are promptly and accurately processed and recorded in the SAP Advances Register and SAP general ledger accounts in accordance with SAP Instructions and Helpcards. Details should include the advance category, owning agency and recipient.
• For permanent advances:
  • Approve in writing the establishment of permanent advances, stating the purpose of the advance and any limitations (minimum and/or maximum) on the amount that may be paid per claim from the advance.
  • Appoint permanent Advance Holders in writing. Refer Chapter 2 for further instructions on appointments and the FMM Forms folder for sample letters of instruction to permanent Advance Holders.
  • Ensure that all reimbursements are approved by an Approver/Approver's agent on a Form FMA 001 (or approved electronic system). Reimbursements are to be processed in accordance with SAP Instructions and Help Cards.
  • Approve, in writing, any variation to the level of a permanent advance.
• Manage advances in accordance with Chapter 10.3 of the FMM.

10.3 Management of Advances

Instructions

1. Finance Managers must ensure that:
   • The SAP Advances Register is properly managed appropriate controls exist to ensure that temporary and permanent advances are promptly and accurately recorded
   • DFAT permanent and temporary long term advances recorded in the SAP Advances Register reconcile to the EOM Schedule and the respective SAP general ledger codes
   • The SAP Advances Register is reviewed on a monthly basis and, where applicable, appropriate follow-up action taken monthly
   • Appropriate arrangements are in place for the use of franking machines
   • Examinations of permanent cash advances are conducted in accordance with Chapter 5.11 of the FMM.
2. Employees who have an overdue unacquitted advance are not entitled to receive further payments until the advance is acquitted.
3. Where an advance acquittal is overdue by more than 30 days the amount becomes a debt due immediately by the Advance Holder to the department. Refer to Chapter 10.4 for further instructions.
4. When a permanent advance is transferred from one employee to another, the Advance Holder must prepare a handover/takeover statement. A sample statement is provided at the FMM Forms folder. The completed statement should be retained on file. Where the advance is being transferred permanently from one Advance Holder to another the SAP Advances Register must also be updated.
5. In the event of an unexpected absence of the Advance Holder, the Finance Manager should appoint another Advance Holder. Using the spare key and/or combination to open the secure container, both employees should conduct an audit of the advance and complete a handover to the new Advance Holder, with supporting documentation.
6. Advance Holders must ensure that records of all payments from permanent advances are maintained.
7. Returns/redemption of permanent advances must be coded to the SAP GL code and cost centre where the original advance was recorded.

Procedure

Responsibility

• Finance Managers
• Director, FPT
• Advance Holders

Frequency/Conditions

• Review Advances Register monthly and take follow up action promptly
• Examinations of advances as required by FMM 5.11

Action

• Manage advances so as to ensure that:
  • Permanent advances are accurately recorded in the SAP Advances Register
  • Examinations of permanent cash advances are undertaken at the required frequency in accordance with Chapter 5.11 of the FMM
  • Outstanding temporary advances are monitored and acquittal is vigorously pursued
  • Advances are transferred to the Debtors Register where acquittals are overdue by more than 30 days (see Chapter 10.4)
  • If security deposits or bonds are repaid rather than expensed, the receipt should be credited to the appropriate SAP GL code and cost centre and cleared from the SAP advances register
  • Handover/takeover statements are completed when a permanent Advance Holder is relieved by another employee, and when the Advance Holder resumes custody of the advance (refer to the FMM Forms folder)
  • Where an advance is transferred on a permanent basis from one Advance Holder to another Advance Holder, the SAP Advances Register is updated.
• Ensure that payments from permanent advances are supported by documentation, including:
  • Original receipts/vouchers for all expenditure. In the event where a receipt is lost or misplaced the official must provide a statutory declaration (when it exceeds the threshold of AUD 20) which shows that the purchase was a bona fide expense.
  • An FMA Regulation 9 Approver (or Approver's agent) has approved the claim.
  • The signature of the payee acknowledging that the cash has been received.
  • The signature of the Advance Holder acknowledging that the payment has been made.
• Finance Managers:
  • Should set a limit on the amount per claim that can be paid from the Petty Cash Advance
  • May set a minimum amount for claims against the Petty Cash Advance (eg only claims over AUD5 will be actioned and employees should consolidate petty cash claims until they meet this minimum).

Stamp/Franking machine advance

• Where a stamp register is used, the Advance Holder must record details of purchase, usage and reimbursements.
• If the work unit operates a franking machine, the Finance Manager is to determine and document appropriate procedures and controls for the use of the franking machine.

10.4 Acquittal of Advances

Instructions

1. Officials issued with temporary advances for international travel are to acquit those advances within 30 days of completion of the journey.
2. Unless mitigating circumstances exist, employees are also to acquit other temporary short-term advances within the following time frames:
   • Representation advances: within 14 days of the end of each representation cycle (refer HRM Schedule 12);
   • Other short-term advances: within 30 days of the advance being issued.  Staff should not attempt to hold off on acquittal of advances on the presumption of waiting for credit card statements to obtain exchange rates (eg travel acquittals).
3. Acquit long-term temporary advances as and when the situation demands (eg deposits for school bonds are to be acquitted at the end of an employee’s posting).
4. Officials must make every attempt to acquit all outstanding advances before departure from an office or post.
5. Officials can make arrangements with another official at post to repay a temporary long-term advance (eg rental deposit), where they are personally unable to make the repayment (eg after their departure).
6. Officials with overdue unacquitted advances are not entitled to further payments until such time as the advance is acquitted.
7. All overdue advance acquittals must be regarded as money due to the Commonwealth and be transferred to the Debtors Register. The provisions of FMM Chapter 11 then apply and the amount should no longer be regarded as an advance, but rather as a debt owing to the department.
8. Where an official has notified that they will be ceasing employment with the department:
   • Ensure that the due date for the acquittal of any advance issued to the official falls before their last day of duty
   • Immediately transfer any overdue unacquitted advances to the Debtors Register and undertake recovery action in accordance with FMM Chapter 11.
9. If the Director, FPT or Finance Managers (State/Territory Offices and posts) determines that the work unit no longer requires a particular permanent advance, the permanent advance is to be reimbursed up to its limit and then immediately repaid to a relevant SAP GL code.

Procedure

Responsibility

• Employees issued with temporary advances
• Advance Holders
• Finance Managers
• Director, FPT
• Accounts staff

Frequency/Conditions

• As specified in the condition of the advance.

Action

Travel Advances – for acquittal in Australia

• To acquit a temporary advance for international travel, provide the following documents within 30 days of the conclusion of travel:
  • For overseas travel, a completed Overseas Travel Diary (short-term missions)
  • Boarding passes;
  • Original receipts and/or invoices for accommodation and other expenditure. In the event that the traveller loses or misplaces a receipt they must provide a statutory declaration (when it exceeds the threshold of AUD 20) which shows that the purchase was a bona fide business expense and was made in accordance with the department’s travel policy.
  • Any other documentation as advised by FSB from time to time

Travel Advances – for acquittal at post

• Part 4 of the approved movement requisition, signed by the official travelling and giving details of any changes to the approved itinerary
• Boarding passes
• Original receipts and/or invoices for accommodation and other expenditure. In the event that the traveller loses or misplaces a receipt they must provide a statutory declaration (when it exceeds the threshold of AUD 20) which shows that the purchase was a bona fide business expense and was made in accordance with the department’s travel policy.

Temporary Short-Term Advances

• Provide original receipt(s)/invoice(s) substantiating expenditure from the amount advanced within 30 days of the advance being issued or, for HMA/representation advances, within 14 days of the end of the HMA/representation cycle or for travel advances, within 30 days of completion of the journey.

Temporary Long-Term Advances

• Provide an original receipt/invoice substantiating the payment of the security deposit/bond, etc. to the Finance Manager. Returns/redemption must be coded to the appropriate SAP general ledger account and cost centre.

Permanent Long-Term Advances

• In Australia, the original receipts and/or invoices for petty cash expenditure. In the event that the traveller loses or misplaces a receipt they must provide a statutory declaration (when it exceeds the threshold of AUD 20) which shows that the purchase was a bona fide business expense and was made in accordance with departmental policy.
• Overseas
  • As per instructions for Australia except the Finance Manager shall set the limit having regard to the AUD amount set and the difference in exchange rates.
  • Finance Manager has decided to cancel a permanent advance, arrange reimbursement of the advance to its approved limit (the approval of an Approver/Approver's agent is required for reimbursements to permanent long-term advances); and
  • Once reimbursed to the limit of the advance, immediately repay the full advance to the Cashier and obtain a receipt.

Accounts Staff

• Promptly and accurately process the acquittal of advances in accordance with SAP Instructions and Help Cards.

10.5 Transfer of Advances

Instructions

DFAT Officials

1. Finance Managers are responsible for implementing procedures that require employees to acquit all outstanding advances before departure from an office or post.  For example, for employees departing posts, Return to Australia (RTA) airline tickets may be withheld until the employee has acquitted all outstanding advances.
2. Employees must make every attempt to acquit all outstanding advances before departure from an office or post.
3. In circumstances where it is not possible for an employee to acquit outstanding advances prior to departure, the advances should be transferred to the employee's next place of duty.

Attached Agency Official

4. Where an official of another agency has departed an office or post and has not acquitted an advance the debt must be transferred to the attached agency Central Office.
5. To transfer the advance cable details of the unacquitted advance to the agency's Central Office and provide a copy of the cable to the senior representative of the agency at the post. The documentation should be retained on file (refer FMM Chapter 11.5).
6. Once the agency has been advised of the transfer by cable the unacquitted advance can be removed from the office's or post's Advances/ or Debtor’s register.

Procedure

• Responsibility
• Finance Managers
• Director, FPT
• Employees transferring from an office or post

Frequency/Conditions

• As required

Action

DFAT Officials

• Process the transfer of the outstanding advance to the official's next location in accordance with SAP Instructions and Help Cards.
• The sending post should advise (by cable or email) the receiving office that an advance has been transferred to them and is to provide documentation to the receiving office as requested.

Attached Agency Officials

• Advise the agency's Central Office by cable/letter that the unacquitted advance is transferred to them, advising details of the advance. Refer to the FMM Forms folder for a sample advice.
• Provide a copy of the cable to the senior representative of the agency at the office or post.
• Retain the cable and associated documentation on file.
• Remove the advance from the SAP Advances Register in accordance with SAP Instructions and Help Cards.

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