Account Structure

Project, Task, Award, Expenditure Type and Organization (PTAEO) Account Numbers 

PTAEO (also known as PTA) Accounts are used for Sponsored Project Awards, PTAEO stands for Project, Task, Award, Expenditure Type and Organization Number (every department has a distinct Org Number)

Determining the Award Number to Use When Setting Up a PTA Account

The Award portion of the PTA Account string represents how we receive payments from the sponsor, the following are the different ways we receive payments from the sponsor:

  • Letter of Credit, the Award portion of the PTA Account string would be LXXXXX for Non-DHHS awards
  • Letter of Credit, the Award portion of the PTA Account string would be SLXXXX for DHHS awards
  • Billed, the Award portion of the PTA Account string would be BXXXXX.
  • Payment Schedule, the Award portion of the PTA Account string would be PXXXXX. 

Setting Up Multiple Projects Under the Same Award

Multiple projects are typically set up when multiple Principal Investigators or multiple Departments are involved on the same sponsored project award.

When PTA Accounts Stay the Same or Change

The PTA account stays the same if the award meets all of the following criteria:

  • Automatic carryover of funds from one budget year to another.
  • Sponsor award number does not change during the life of the award.
  • No annual financial reports are required or only a final financial report is required at the end of the award.
  • No invoices are required or only require a final invoice at the end of the award.

The PTA account changes if any of the following scenarios apply:

  • The sponsor does not allow automatic carryover (prior approval from the sponsor is required). We only need to change the project number yearly if we do not have to send a final invoice to the sponsor, if we do need to send a final invoice yearly, then we change the entire PTA account (typically on billed B-awards) yearly.
  • The sponsor requires an annual financial report, the Project Number (example 500243) in the PTA account string will change each year. This is applicable to non-billed awards.
  • If the sponsor changes their award number yearly, the entire PTA account string will change yearly as well.
  • If a competing renewal is awarded by the sponsor, the entire PTA account string will change yearly as well.
  • If there is a unique set of circumstances that affect the PTA account string set up, your sponsored research manager will contact you and discuss.

Cost Share 

If we receive an award that includes cost sharing, the Sponsored Research Manager will assign Expenditure Types for the cost share budget categories listed on the funding proposal. If clarification is needed, the Sponsored Research Manager will contact the Department Grant Manager.

The Sponsored Research Manager will fill out a standard Budget Template which assigns Expenditure Type Codes to the awarded budget categories on that particular project.

Here is a list of the standard Expenditure Type Codes that will be used by OSP:

  • 6000A All Salaries (Budget Only)
  • 6500A All Fringe Benefits (Budget Only)
  • 7038A Equipment under $5,000
  • 7119A Equipment over $5,000
  • 7400A Supplies (Budget Only)
  • 8110A Travel Foreign - If allowable (Budget Only)
  • 8140A Travel Domestic (Budget Only)
  • 8511A On-Campus Indirect Costs OR
  • 8512A Off-Campus Indirect Costs

Foreign Currency Awards

  • These are awards that require converting payments from the sponsor to US currency.
  • After the Sponsored Research Manager has set up the PTA account, the Sponsored Research Manager reminds the Principal Investigator and Department Grant Manager that at the end of the award, if the sponsor does not fully reimburse all costs charged to the account due to the fluctuating conversion rate, the department is responsible for covering any unpaid expenses.
  • The Sponsored Research Manager needs to let the Department Grant Manager know that we only increase the budget in OGA by the amount of funds received in converted US dollars, this way the Principal Investigator and Department Grant Manager will know that the OGA budget always equals revenue received to date on that award.
  • The Sponsored Research Manager will need to let the Department Grant Manager know to use the current conversion rate to roughly estimate what the total awarded amount will be converted to in US dollars so they can spend accordingly.
  • As we enter the last quarter of the awarded budget period, the Sponsored Research Manager will communicate with the Department Grant Manager to see where we are with spending and what we think the final payment will roughly convert to in US dollars. Spending in the final quarter of the award should be conservative.
  • The Sponsored Research Managers will monitor these types of awards closely and communicate frequently with the Department Grant Manager.
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