Filing training and other resources
The State Auditor’s Office (SAO) provides training to local government staff to help them file their annual report, and works with partners to provide classes in finance, budgeting, accounting, reporting and other relevant fields.
| Quick Links |
| Annual BARS Update Training |
| Annual Filing Workshops and Training |
| eLearnings |
| In Person Trainings |
Annual BARS Update Training
The Annual BARS Update training occur in the fall each year. The training schedule will be available late summer.
Prior year recorded webinars can be found in the eLearnings section below.
Annual Filing Workshops and Training
The annual report deadline is 150 days after a government’s fiscal year end. Annual reports for governments whose fiscal year end is December 31, 2020, were due by May 30, 2021.
The annual filing workshops and webinars for the fiscal year 2020 filing season have been completed. For assistance or filing support please contact LGCSFeedback@sao.wa.gov.
eLearnings
The State Auditor’s Office is pleased to offer free, web-based training opportunities to help train government staff:
Open for registration
- Save the Date – New live webinars coming in August 2021!
- Leases for Cash Basis BARS: Wednesday, August 4, 2021 from 10:00 – 11:00 am
- Leases for GAAP Basis BARS: Thursday, August 5, 2021 from 10:00 – 11:00 am
Recorded eLearning
- Leases, as of February 2020 (eLearning runs 27:51)
- Covers the changes to governmental lease accounting and reporting for both GAAP and Cash Basis.
- Introduction to the BARS Manuals (eLearning runs 50:00)
- Covers the basic contents of the Budgeting, Accounting and Reporting System (BARS) Manuals and guidelines for navigating the manuals.
- SAO 2020 BARS Update:
- This training is a recording of the October 2020 webinar for the 2nd Annual BARS Updates for GAAP and Cash Basis BARS, including information on Asset Retirement Obligations, Fiduciary Activities, OPEB, and BARS Coding changes, annual filing updates, and more.
- BARS GAAP Update (eLearning runs 1:30), Training Handout
- BARS Cash Update (eLearning runs 1:34), Training Handout
- SAO Recording – OPEB for Cash Basis Governments (eLearning runs 41:00)
- This webinar covers the Other Post-Employment Benefits reporting requirements, resources, and tools available for Cash Basis local governments.
- SAO Recording – Schedule 06: Bank Reconciliations for Cash Basis Governments (eLearning runs 1:25:20)
- This webinar covers the Schedule 06 reporting requirements, resources, and tools available for Cash Basis cities, towns, and counties.
Not finding what you are looking for? Check out other eLearnings available on our Solutions and Resources page.
Training Classes
Register for training classes in finance, budgeting, accounting, reporting and other relevant fields through WFOA’s Non-Conference Training page.
For more information or questions regarding any of the trainings listed above contact LGCSFeedback@sao.wa.gov.