The M-Pathways General Ledger (GL) module allows the university to record and report financial transactions. It is the authoritative data source for:
- Fiscal planning and analysis
- Internal and external financial reporting
- Management and control of the university’s financial resources
Some of the common uses of the GL by university departments include:
- Submitting and reporting budget data using journal entries or the Reporting Budget Ledger.
- Reconciling financial activity online using eReconciliation
- Correcting transactions posted to the GL and/or moving funds among Chartfield combinations using journal entries.
- Recording encumbrances for reporting using Unit Defined Commitments.
General Ledger Reporting
The General Ledger records financial activity by the university’s fiscal year and an accounting period.
The Fiscal Year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30. The Accounting Periods represent the months within the fiscal year.
Financial activity for an accounting period usually concludes on the fourth (4th) business day of the subsequent month.
The month-end close identifies when all financial activity for an accounting period has been recorded in the General Ledger.
This information helps you determine when transactions appear on your Statement of Activity (SOA) and when you can reconcile.
SOA reconciliation is a common example of General Ledger reporting for most university departments. It is expected that you will regularly reconcile financial activity for your unit and/or project/grant, per U-M’s Fiscal Responsibilities (SPG 500.01) policy. "Reconciling regularly" is commonly defined as reconciling monthly, at least.
The following central offices support the business processes for recording, reporting, and analyzing financial data through the General Ledger.