BARS & Annual Report Filing FAQs

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When is my December 31, 2022 fiscal year end annual report due?
How do I learn more about the annual online report filing process?
I am new to the local government. How do I learn about the BARS?
What resources will the State Auditor's Office (SAO) provide to implement the new GASB standards for Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB)?
How do I obtain previous years' Budgeting, Accounting and Reporting System (BARS) manuals?
How do I find information in the BARS manual?
How can I reference the information from the BARS manual since there are no page numbers?
How do I download and/or print the BARS manual?
Where do I find templates?
What am I suppose to do about these flags in the filing system?
When are the changes to the BARS manual applicable?
When is the BARS manual updated?
I am new and I am not sure if I am receiving all emails and notifications related to the BARS manual? How can I be sure I am?
Can't find your question?

When is my December 31, 2022 fiscal year end annual report due?

For local governments with a calendar year end, the annual report for fiscal year 2021 was due by Monday, May 30, 2022.

For local governments with a calendar year end, the annual report for fiscal year 2022 is due by Tuesday, May 30, 2023.

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How do I learn more about the annual online report filing process?

SAO provides information and tools to help local governments learn about the annual filing process, please visit our About Filing Online page.

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I am new to the local government. How do I learn about the BARS?

SAO offers a webinar Introduction to the Budgeting, Accounting and Reporting System.

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How do I obtain previous years' Budgeting, Accounting and Reporting System (BARS) manuals?

Since the only manual available is applicable to the current period and the most recent reporting year, any information related to prior year is available only at a special request. Please submit a Help Desk request with the year and section or detailed description of the needed information.

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How do I find information in the BARS manual?

The quickest way to find needed information is to utilize the search function of the manual. This search function will only search the applicable manual that you are in.

image of the search box in BARS manual

 

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How can I reference the information from the BARS manual since there are no page numbers?

The BARS manual contains indices, which specify parts, sections and subsections of the text (e.g., BARS 3.11.1 – Accounting – Transportation Benefit Districts (TBD) contains twelve segments numbered from 3.11.1.10 to 3.11.1.120). These indices are static and do not change. The outdated and not applicable indices are removed and their numbers are not replaced. New information is added with new index references.

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How do I download and/or print the BARS manual?

To print: click download this manual as PDF.

image of the download PDF box in BARS manual

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Where do I find templates?

You can access them by clicking on the BARS Reporting Templates link on the main page of the BARS manuals.

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What am I suppose to do about these flags in the filing system?

We have provided a resource to help you resolve flagged discrepancies in the system: “Online Filing Flag Descriptions Guide”, available on the BARS Reporting Templates page under “Forms and Other Resources”.

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When are the changes to the BARS manual applicable?

The annual updates and BARS Alerts are combined into sections according to the year of applicability through the Alerts and Changes section.

image of where alerts and changes menu is in BARS manual

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When is the BARS manual updated?

The main BARS manual update happens at the calendar year end (December or January) and is aligned with the vast majority of governments' reporting cycle. The important changes are listed in the Alerts & Changes tab of the manual.

However, there may be some emerging issues that affect the accounting or reporting of the governments. In such cases, the manual is updated during the year and the governments are immediately notified of these updates by email.

Small corrections, clarifications and other revisions, which do not have direct impact on accounting or reporting, occur throughout the year without any alerts.

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I am new and I am not sure if I am receiving all emails and notifications related to the BARS manual? How can I be sure I am?

You can sign up for notification emails through News and Alerts.

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Questions? Email LGCSFeedback@sao.wa.gov or Call (564) 201 – 2975

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