Definition of terms used in My Grant Expenses:

Term Definition
Available Balance Total amount you have available to spend as of the date run.  Caution: salary, fringe, and F&A commitments are not included.
B001 B001 is used to reference Boston University’s negotiated F&A Rate for research activity for the period of 07/01/2010 through 06/30/2014.

07/01/2010 – 06/30/2011 62.5
07/01/2011 – 06/30/2012 63.5
07/01/2012 – 06/30/2014 63.7
Budget Category Also referred to as Sponsored Class. It is a grouping mechanism of like General Ledger (GL) accounts to reflect reporting needs and individual views.
Cost Category Cost category is divided into two areas: Direct and F&A. Direct are those costs that can be identified specifically with a particular sponsored project, an instructional activity, or any other institutional activity; or that can be directly assigned to such activities relatively easily with a high degree of accuracy. Examples include salary, fringe, lab supplies, and equipment.  F&A (also known as Indirect or Overhead), are those costs that are incurred for common or joint objectives and, therefore, cannot be identified readily and specifically with a particular activity.  Examples include rent, lease, utilities, and central staff.
Description Short text of item charged to the account.
Expense Amount Amount charged to the account.
Expense Type Describes how an expense is posted to the account.  Examples include: Invoice-Gross:  amounts paid to vendors via Purchase Order; P. Card:  amounts paid through P. Card purchase; Vendor Invoice: Non-Purchase Order related expenses paid directly through Accounts Payable.  Note: This section will be greyed out when expense in question is salary, fringe, or F&A.
F&A Rate Percentage Rate that Indirect is charged to your account as depicted in the Notice of Award.
GL Account Objects used for accounting transactions which form the basis for creating balance sheets and income statements.
Grant SAP term also referred to as Parent; this does not reflect the awarding instrument.  It is an 8-digit number sequence beginning with 50xxxxxx (federal sponsor) or 55xxxxxx (non-federal sponsor).  Records all pertinent data associated with an award and tracks the status of the award or project.  The Grant relationship to Sponsored Program can be one to many.
Grant End Date The project end date of the award.
Grant Start Date The project start date of the award.
Grant Title Title of the award as depicted in the Notice of Award.
Posting Date Date that the corresponding expense was paid.
Principal Investigator (PI) Name of the individual responsible for the financial and scientific oversight as named in the Notice of Award.
Reference Doc 10 digit number assigned to individual expenses (non-salary) within SAP.
Sponsor Funding Agency that awarded Boston University these funds.
Sponsor Award Number Award number assigned by the Sponsor.
Sponsored Program Also referred to as Internal Order, IO, or child. 10-digit number sequence used to separately track budgeted activities within a grant.  Sponsored Programs may be used to differentiate Principal Investigator and co-Investigator, required cost share, sub-contracts or tasks.  Accounts starting with 950xxxxxxx are federally funded; accounts starting with 955xxxxxxx are non-federally funded; accounts starting with 954xxxxxxx are federal fabricated equipment and; accounts starting with 959xxxxxxx are non-federal fabricated equipment.
Sponsored Program End Date The budget end date of the award.
Total Budget All budget actions, direct and F&A, added to an account to date.
Total Commitments Items which have been accounted for but not expensed.  Caution: salary, fringe, and F&A commitments are not included.
Total Expense Amount paid.
Vendor Name of merchant that payment was made to.  Note: This section will be greyed out when expense in question is salary, fringe, or F&A.