The updated Contracting with Vendors to Accept or Process Your Payments guide includes new information on a topic many governments have questions about: peer-to-peer payment apps. These services may seem convenient, but they come with unique risks when used to collect public funds. The guide explains:
We first shared this advice in our Best practices for fueling government-owned vehicles resource. For more tips on how to improve your fueling system controls, check it out!
If you manage a billing and collection system, then you have an important report to consider – the accounts receivable (A/R) aging report. As auditors, we regularly ask about your review of certain reports and when it comes to accounts receivable, we find a lot of value in this one. In this blog post, we’d like to explain why an A/R aging report is so important and why you should review it.
We receive straightforward commonsense advice all the time. Keep your eye on the ball – if you play baseball. Cut once, measure twice – when cutting wood or fabric. And there’s the classic “stop, drop and roll” if you ever find yourself on fire. Simple, straightforward advice helps us focus on the most important thing we should do, despite many possibilities.
To receive payments electronically, most organizations need to share their bank account information with those who owe them money. Banking information includes the bank routing number, which identifies the bank that holds your account, and your account number. However, you don’t have to share your account number when you have a universal payment identification code (UPIC).
We urge our local government clients to keep in close communication with our Office to achieve cost-effective and timely audits, which is critical to help governments maintain their bond rating.
Rating agencies such as Fitch, Standard & Poor’s (S&P) and Moody’s rely on financial audits as a window into a local government’s financial health, and they require governments to provide a recent audit as part of their process.
We invite you to check out our recently updated procurement resource, the Office of the Washington State Auditor’s Buying and Bidding Guide. From learning the applicable laws and bid thresholds to getting helpful tips, this newly refreshed resource will help you navigate your next procurement process with confidence. To view the guide, click here.
As the days shorten, the Office of the Washington State Auditor’s Financial Intelligence Tool (FIT) expands, offering users a refreshed set of financial data, new ways to explore statewide revenue and expenditure trends, and a helpful financial health indicator reference guide. Read on to discover these exciting new and upcoming updates.
The Washington Finance Officers Association annual conference is back in Yakima this year, and the State Auditor's Office couldn’t be more excited! We’ve been waiting all summer for this, and with three preconference trainings and 15 sessions, we have a lot in store for this year’s conference.
It’s fairly common for local governments to use a collection agency in some capacity, such as to collect outstanding fees or fines that the government was unable to collect on its own. But how do you know if your collection agency is doing a good job? A collection agency acts on your behalf, collecting delinquent debts and remitting money back to you so you can use it in your operation.
In this article, we will discuss tips on how to monitor your collection agency to evaluate its performance.