The Program is about Tracking
Required = No
The Activity segment (the second A) in FOAPAL is an optional segment that can be flexibly used to track work within or across organizations.
In our earlier example of what would not require an organization, our “Fall Festival” would be an excellent example of an activity. Suppose multiple organizations participate in the Fall Festival. In that case, they could use an Activity code to track all activity related to the Fall Festival to understand all the costs associated with it across the university.
Generic Activity codes have been established in the system that can be freely used by schools/departments to track an internally identified need. For example, a department could use EVT001 to track financial activity related to a specific event they are responsible for. These generic activity codes can be used in reporting within the particular group (department/division/school) using the code.
When an activity needs to be tracked throughout the University, or across schools or divisions, a specific named activity code can be requested. Fiscal Services will determine if the expenses could be grouped using any other attributes available in the system. If the grouping is truly unique, the request will be approved. Requests for named activity codes should be supported by a communication plan to explain how the departments will be informed of the need to use the code to ensure meaningful data is collected. The use of the Activity code requires all responsible departments to use the Activity code consistently on all appropriate transactions, so it should be well-communicated and there should be a shared understanding of when to use it. Usage of Activity codes is the responsibility of the department or group requesting the code, and will not be administered by Fiscal Services.