Fiscal Services Portal Information

The Fiscal Services Portal is part of the District's HELP Portal, a District-wide ticketing system. It is arranged by category of services:

  • General Fiscal Requests and Questions - to submit General Questions for Fiscal Services, Request Training for yourself (and others), to Request a budget/account review, and to make a Budget Owner Change Request ( FOAPAL Update).
  • Accounts Payable for SBCC Vendors & Consultants - to submit any invoice for payment to a Vendor, Consultant, Volunteer, other.  This is not used for student nor employee reimbursements. 
  • Accounts Payable (Reimbursements, Grants) to Students - to submit Emergency Grant Request and Request for Student Reimbursement.  This includes Student Travel and Student Mileage Claim.
  • Credit Card Requests - to submit requests for new cards, cancellations and renewals, as well as updating credit limits on both temporary and permanent basis. 
  • Accounting Adjustments - to submit Expense Transfer / Reclassification Request and Budget Transfer / Reallocation Requests.
  • Special SBCC Department Use Only - for use by the Food Services / SCA Departments Use Only - Use to submit all invoices to AP

The system software is a Jira product, from Altassian. Read all about Jira here to learn about the benefits and functionalities and SBCC’s workflows:

Jira is a robust tool that can be used for project management and issue tracking; Fiscal Services will be using it as an invoice management tool, in addition to receiving and tracking other requests such as Credit Cards, Budget Transfers, Expense Reclassifications, etc. Jira is web-based and the URL will be linked on the Fiscal Services web page. Our tool is unrelated to the Purchasing Department's Purchase Order process. 
  • Centralized Tracking: Invoices are stored in a centralized digital space and accessible to authorized team members. No more sifting through emails or searching for misplaced documents.
  • Customized Workflows: Mirrors our unique invoice approval process. Stages are designed, and routing queues are established, along SBCC current workflows, from submission, review, approval, to payment, ensuring transparency and accountability at every step.
  • Automated Notifications:  Automated notifications to alert stakeholders when action is required on an invoice. Whether it's a reminder to submit an invoice or a notification of approval, the Portal keeps everyone in the loop.
  • Document Attachments:  Attach supporting documents, such as receipts or purchase orders, directly to the corresponding invoice in Jira. Everything you need is neatly organized in one place.
  • Reporting and Analytics: From an analytics perspective, the tool tracks metrics like turnaround time, approval, and pending invoices to identify areas for improvement
  1. Submitter goes to the the SBCC HELP Portal (URL: sbcc.help.edu), and selects the Fiscal Services portal among the available portals listed, such as IT. 
    • Find your request type (Pay a Vendor, Request a Credit Card, etc) and follows prompts, filling in required information and "dropping and dragging" their invoices onto the page for easy upload.
    • There are required fields asking about approvals and for the primary and secondary (when necessary) approver's name, before completing the request by selecting "Submit".
  2. This activity generates a "ticket" for their request 
    • The ticket then routes to approver(s) or bypasses and routes to Accounts Payable for processing. We've built automation rules into the system checking to verify whether an approval is needed and will route the ticket based on the submitter's answers in their original entry. 
    • Email notifications are automatically generated notifying the submitter of the ticket activity as it processes through the approval and processing process.  Those named as an Approver receive auto generated emails which include the option to approve/disapprove the request directly in the body of the email or by following the embedded hyperlink to the portal's webpage. In real time and through each step of the process, the ticket is trackable and fully visible to all parties involved in the transaction, and communication is accessible from the ticket on the web page or directly from the email thread.

Find the Fiscal Services Portal By visiting the SBCC HELP PORTAL at help.sbcc.edu.

The Portal is available to all employees.  It is not intended for outside entities, students, and other.  Access with your employee pipeline login.

If you are unable to access with your pipeline login, visit IT's HELP CENTER webpage to accessing the Portal.  If you need further support, visit their Helpdesk.

Manage your tickets within your email queue or directly on the PORTAL. 

    1. To view tickets on the portal, login help.sbcc.edu and find your google account icon (your initials or an image) on the top right of your page.  The numbers in the icon relate to the number of open tickets in your queue.  Select the icon and your PORTAL queue will open.  
    2. Tickets can not be deleted by the customer; request cancellations by replying to the exxisting ticket and Fiscal Services will close your request.

Authorized Budget Approvers are responsible for reviewing all "tickets" assigned to a given budget code and taking action to approve, deny, or to reassign the approval to the appropriate party.  

    1. Faculty and Staff assign a Budget Owner to approve their Fiscal Services request (aka "ticket") for invoices, expense transfers, credit card limit changes, etc.  based on their understanding of who manages the budget.  
    2. Approvers receive an email from the Fiscal Services Portal notifying them of an "Approval Required" on a new ticket. Approvers may not approve directly in the email, rather it is necessary to select the "View Request" hyperlink to review the ticket directly in the PORTAL. 
    3. Viewing Request in the Fiscal Services Portal, the Budget Owner can view all the details of the ticket, view any associated documentation that has been uploaded (such as invoices, purchase orders, and itemized receipts), and may either approve, deny, or respond back with questions.
    4. Timely response is key.  Tickets will not be processed without proper approvals.  Budget Owners should re-assign open tickets to a proxy when they will be unavailable to approve.  
    5. If you are not the correct individual to approve this request, please reply to this email to notify us and we will update the request and route to the correct approver.
General Fiscal Requests and Questions

Use this form in lieu of sending us an email!  This is our replacement to the accounting group email address. 

    • This form asks only for your ORG number/name and to describe your issue., as you would in an email.
    • Attachments can be dropped & dragged straight into the form.  
    • Submitting this form creates a "ticket". 
    • You can add additional parties to the ticket at any time. 
    • You will receive a confirmation email with more information.
    • Fiscal Services routes tickets to the appropriate team member for service. 
    • Track your ticket, in real time!

Please tell us the system / topic on which you would like to be trained and whether you would like to include anyone else in your training. We will identify a team member to coordinate a session.

  • Options include, but are not limited to: Concur System, Simpler Tool, Portal Tool, Accounting Processes and Procedures, Travel & Conferences.
  • This form asks only for your ORG number/name and to describe your training needs
  • Submitting this form creates a "ticket".  
  • Fiscal Serivces routes tickets to the appropriate team member for scheduling. 
  • Track your ticket, in real time!  

Please tell us the budget code/program for which you would like a review and your outstanding concerns. A team member will be coordinate a review session.

    • This form asks only for your budget number and a brief description of your need.
    • Optional: Attachments can be dropped & dragged straight into the form.  
    • You can add additional parties to the ticket at any time. 
    • Submitting this form creates a "ticket".  
    • Fiscal Services routes tickets to the appropriate team member for scheduling. 
    • Track your ticket, in real time!

Budget Ownership necessitates changes across several platforms within Fiscal Services.  In order for all transactions to continue uninterrupted, submit a request in advance of the effective date. 

    • This form asks for the name of the new and former budget owner, as well as the Budget Owners SBCC ID (K#), budget codes and names, effective dates.
    • Form also includes a checklist to establish access to Fiscal Services tools, and to sign up for Fiscal Services tools and procedural training for the new budget owner.
    • Affected Trust & Auxiliary Funds must have a Signature Card update completed. 
    • Submitting this form creates a "ticket".  
    • Fiscal Services routes tickets to the appropriate team member for processing. 
    • Track your ticket, in real time!
Accounts Payable to Vendors & Consultants

Use the Fiscal Services Portal, selecting the "Accounts Payable to Vendors" request to submit any invoice/receipt for payment.

    1. For Accounts Payable procedures, visit more information here.
    2. Please allow 15 days for payment to be issued. 
    3. SBCC pays all vendors by Net 30 Terms.  We encourage Vendor's register for Vendor ACH Registration for Electronic Payments.

TO SUBMIT AN INVOICE IN THE FISCAL SERVICES PORTAL, select between the following two forms:
    1. Invoices without a SBCC Purchase Order 
    2. Invoices with a SBCC Purchase Order (required for invoices exceeding $10,000)

To complete this form, you will need several items.  Please do your best to complete the requested fields; submit and we'll help you navigate gathering the information. The information is:

    1. Vendor Name - This is the name on the invoice or receipts.  It may be a business or an individual who has provided a product or service to the District.  This includes vendors, consultants, volunteers, and community members.
      • For employee reimbursements, go to the Concur tool to submit your request. 
      • For Board of Trustee member, go to the Concur tool to submit your request. 
      • For all student reimbursements, go to Accounts Payable (Reimbursements, Grants) to Students category on the Portal.
    2. Vendor Invoice Number -List the invoice number on the vendor's invoice.  If there is none listed, leave blank.
    3. Payment Due Date - List the date listed on the vendor's invoice.  If none, provide your best understanding on the date the invoice is due for payment.
    4. Vendor SBCC ID (K#) - List the SBCC K# associated with this vendor, if known
    5. Primary Budget Approver - Select the budget owner who is responsible for this budgetary expense and authorizes the purchase of this product/services.
    6. My Primary Approval is contained within the attachment - all invoices required budgetary approval.  
      1. Answer YES if your attachment includes documented authorization by the Primary Approver listed above.
      2. Answer NO if your attachment does not include any signatures or email thread approvals. 
      3. The Portal's routing queue will bypass your approver if you answer YES and it will route to your approver if you answered NO.  We'll communicate with you the status of your invoice.
    7. Is this a Trust and Auxiliary Fund (including Clubs) and requires approval?  - All requests for that pay from a FUND that begins with a 7 (Trust Funds) and an 8 (Club Funds) require secondary budget approval. 
      1. Answer YES if your attachment does not include any signatures or email thread approvals by a secondary, authorized approver.. 
      2. Answer NO if your request does not include a Trust & Auxiliary Fund or if your attachment includes documented authorization by a secondary, authorized approver.
      3. The Portal's routing queue will bypass your approver if you answer YES and it will route to your approver if you answered NO.  We'll communicate with you 
      4. Trust, Auxiliary and Club Fund "Authorized Approvers" are designated on the Signature Cards submitted annually to the Student Finance Department.  All Trust & Auxiliary Signature Cards must be current in order to utilize the Funds. Visit our Trust & Auxiliary Funds webpage for more information and to update your Signature Card.  
    8. If you selected yes, above, please enter a Secondary, Authorized Approver - Select an approver from the list of authorized signer's on the current Trust & Auxiliary Signature Card and we will route for their approval.
    9. Transaction Details: Briefly describe purchased product / services  - This information will provide Fiscal Services context to verify your budget code selection and ensure compliance with District policy. 
    10. List your SBCC Purchase Order (If purchase exceeds $10k, PO is required)
      1. If your purchase exceeds $10,000, visit www.purchasing.edu to procure a Purchase Order before submitting any invoice for payment.   
      2. PO's are not automatically paid.  All PO's must be converted to an invoice and submitted to Accounts Payable via the Portal for payment. 
    11. Attach Vendor Invoice (including itemized receipts and any other supporting documentation)
      1. Use this area to drop any documents that will substantiate the request for payment. 
      2. Documentation may be in any common formats (pdf, jpeg, doc, csv, text) and may include an invoice, receipts, contract, Purchase Order, email correspondence with authorizations, among other items.  Visit our Procedures webpage to ensure compliance with the District Spending Policy. 
    12. Budget Details
      1. Populate each field with your FUND, ORG (Organization), ACCOUNT, and PROGRAM number.  These are all required fields in a "full budget code".  Some programs used an Activity Code and a Location Code.  Use those when assigned. 
      2. Visit our Fiscal Services Information webpage for more information on Budget Codes.  Our Simpler Financial Reporting Tool is an alley in maintaining accurate coding and maintenance on spending. 
    13. Additional Text Box
      1. Use to add additional budget codes needed, or any special instructions for payment, such as in person pickup, or certified mail.  
      2. Also note here in instances where a document is requested to be attached to an outgoing payment.  Attach the document in Step 11, above, and note what is needed.

The Food Services and School of Culinary Arts conduct a lot of business with local vendors to procure fresh and raw foods and materials to operate SCA classes and Food Services venues. This form is to be used by the Food Services and SCA staff to submit their vendor invoices for payment.

    • All standard District Policy, process and procedures, applies to Food Services and SCA, with the following adapted procedures for Accounts Payable.
      • Available by request: Food Services and SCA budgets by Index Code.
      • Use this separate form for submission of most invoices.
Accounts Payable (Reimbursements, Grants) to Students

This is an Accounts Payable form is to be used for all reimbursements to students including, but not limited to:

    1. Student Travel
    2. Pre-Authorized Purchases Students Made on Behalf of District (for Department, Club, ASG, etc)
    3. Meal Money
    4. Mileage Claim Reimbursement (must complete and attach this Student Mileage Claim Worksheet)

To initiate a Request for Student Reimbursement, go to the Fiscal Services Portal 8 Accounts Payable (Reimbursements, Grants) to Students and select Requests for Student Reimbursement
      • Submit your request directly on the Fiscal Services Portal.  
      • To complete a request, you will need to identify the expense that needs to be transferred and provide the new budget code. 
      • Confirm available funds prior to submitting request. 
      • The Budget Owner(s) will need to authorize the request.
      • If you would like to use a paper form, you may complete the old paper form and attach to your Student Request ticket in the Fiscal Services Portal. 

This form is to be used for all stipends, grants and awards for students.  This includes Emergency Grants. 

    1. Stipends are regular or fixed payments made to an individual in recognition of work performed for SBCC and the work performed was not related to their employment at the college, nor considered Financial Aid. 
    2. Grants are money that do not need to be paid back and are used to provide financial assistance towards education.
    3. Awards are money that do not need to be paid back and used to acknowledge and recognize an accomplishment.
    4. Other types of student payments that do not process through Fiscal Services should be directed to the referenced Department:

To initiate a Request to Pay a Student Stipend, Grant & Award, go to the Fiscal Services Portal 8 Accounts Payable (Reimbursements, Grants) to Students and select Grant, Stipend and Award Requests
      • Submit your request directly on the Fiscal Services Portal.  
      • To complete a request, you will need to identify the expense that needs to be transferred and provide the new budget code. 
      • Confirm available funds prior to submitting request. 
      • The Budget Owner(s) will need to authorize the request.
      • If you would like to use a paper form, you may complete the old paper form and attach to your Student Request ticket in the Fiscal Services Portal. 
Credit Card Requests

Use to request a new District-issued Credit Card, to request adjustments to current credit limits, and to cancel your card.

  • This forms asks for employee identifying information and questions on planned use of for card funding. Information required is the employee name and SBCC ID (K#). 
  • For new requests, consider planned use and select the appropriate Limits needed (Single Purchase and Total Monthly Spending Limits) 
  • Review the employee's and the standard limits before submitting the request. 
  • Considerations on setting limits 

Visit here. for more information on our Credit Card policies and procedures.

Accounting Adjustments

An expense made or charged to one account that needs to be transferred to another account is called an Expense Transfer.  Visit Expense Transfers Procedures for more information here.

To initiate your expense transfer, go to the Fiscal Services Portal 8 Expense Transfer / Reclassification
      • Submit your request directly on the Fiscal Services Portal.  
      • To complete a request, you will need to identify the expense that needs to be transferred and provide the new budget code. 
      • Submit a separate Budget Transfer request, if funds are needed. 
      • The Budget Owner over the NEW budget will need to authorize the request.
      • For supporting documentation, we recommend screenshots or hyperlinks from your Simpler Reports. 
      • If you would like to use a paper form, you may complete the old paper form and attach to your Expense Request ticket in the Fiscal Services Portal. 

Budgets transfers are needed when a Budget Owner makes strategic changes to their program plans which necessitates changes in planned spending.  Budget Owners initiate a reallocation of their current budgeted allocations to fund the expenditures in their updated program plans.  Restrictions apply; all Budget Transfers are regulated by AP 6250. Visit Budget Transfers Procedures for more information here.

To Initiate your request:  Fiscal Services Portal 8 Budget Transfer Request
    • Submit your request directly on the Fiscal Services Portal. 
    • To complete a request, you will need to identify the the existing budget code that needs to be transferred and provide the new budget code. 
    • Do not use for new budget requests. 
    • Both the former Budget Owner and the new Budget Owners will need to authorize the request.
    • For supporting documentation, we recommend screenshots or hyperlinks from your Simpler Reports. 
    • If you would like to use a paper form, you may complete the old paper form and attach to your Budget Request ticket in the Fiscal Services Portal. 

Need additional budget? 

Requests for new budgets should be directed to, and approved by, your Vice President.  New requests may also require approval by the Board of Trustees.

Coming Soon to the Fiscal Services Portal!  
Until these forms have migrated, please continue to follow existing forms and procedures for the following activities: