This site provides Accounting & Finance guidance for the Olin Business School. If you are not affiliated with Olin, please refer to the central Financial Services site.

ANNOUNCEMENT

REMINDER

  • Domestic airfare should be booked at least three weeks in advance
  • International airfare should be booked at least 60 days in advance

**Start Planning for Fiscal Year End** Computer equipment and accessory purchases should be placed in the WUIT ServiceNow order platform by June 1st to ensure processing in the current fiscal year. Custom orders via WUIT Service Now should be initiated well before June 1st to allow time for custom quotation, vendor coordination, and shipping. Remember, orders placed through WUIT Service Now do not require advance approval.

About Accounting Services

The Olin Business School Finance and Accounting Department processes Olin’s financial transactions and manages the school’s budget. Our ultimate goal is to provide you with the highest level of service and information in support of Olin’s academic and research missions. The office is located in Room 333 of the Piper Executive Programs Suite on the third floor of the Charles F. Knight Executive Education and Conference Center, but our staff is working mostly remotely. We hope you find everything you need here. Feel free to contact us for further assistance.

USEFUL LINKS:

Accounting Representatives

Every Olin department has representatives who can advise you on University policies and processes, including payments to vendors, reimbursements, and travel expenses, as well as budget and reporting needs. See our contact page for information on who to contact for support.

Workday Finance

Washington University replaced its legacy finance system, Accounting Information System (AIS), on July 1, 2021. Workday Finance unifies a wide range of finance functionality into a single system. It includes areas such as Banking & Settlement, Procurement, Financial Accounting, Grants, Customer Accounts, Endowments, Expenses, and others. Learn more about the key changes and core concepts of Workday Finance and Workday Human Capital Management (HCM) here.

Financial Planning

The Financial Planning team is responsible for providing financial reporting and analysis and managing Olin’s annual budgeting process. This is largely a collaborative process in partnership with the departments and services that make up the school. Washington University operates on a fiscal year from July 1 to June 30 and begins the annual budgeting process in the fall.

Accounts Payable

Your Accounting Representative can advise you on the appropriate process for paying department invoices and reimbursements.  All payment requests should be made via Freshdesk using the appropriate form for the expense (reimbursement vs. supplier payment, etc.). If you are unsure of the best method to pay for something, please submit a general inquiry ticket in Freshdesk. For more information on Freshdesk navigation and usage, please review the tutorial videos available here.

Purchasing

Washington University has strict policies that govern the purchasing process.  The Purchasing Department website offers a list of preferred vendors as well as online resources that facilitate making purchases.  For more information, please refer to the Washington University Purchasing website. 

For information on contracts, please refer to the Contracts page.

For more information on various expenses, please refer to the Other Expenses page.

Tracking Expenses

The Foundation Data Model (FDM) replaced the University chart of accounts in the transition to Workday on July 1, 2021. The new FDM made it easier, and faster, to understand our financial health from the University level to the school- or unit-level. There are identification numbers for grants, gifts, projects, and endowments.

Contact your Accounting Representative for questions or assistance.

*Please visit the Olin policy site for a comprehensive list of Olin & WashU policies.