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1.  An explanation merely stating that the transfer was made to "correct error" or "to transfer to correct project" is not sufficient.
2. A cost transfers from one budget period to the next solely to cover cost overruns is not allowable.
3. Examples of acceptable explanations include the following:
   1. Payroll forms were not processed timely because the financial plan for the award was being revised.
   2. Individual transferred from one project to another, but the appropriate paperwork could not be processed before the payroll deadlines.
   3. Individual was transferred from one project to another for only one pay period.
   4. Charges had to be placed against an alternate account because an authorized signer for the award was unavailable.
   5. Data entry error occurred when entering the index number on the original transaction.
   6. The individual that prepared the original transaction misunderstood the principal investigator's instructions.
   7. The principal investigator mistakenly gave the wrong information to the individual that processed the original transaction.

E. Grantees must maintain copies of the approved cost transfers as well as the supporting documentation that must be made available for audit or other review. Frequent errors in recording costs may indicate the need for additional training and/or enhanced communication among the principal investigator, Accounting Services department, and Payroll Services department to ensure compliance with all appropriate university payroll, reimbursement, accounting, and personnel policies and practices.

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1. When the same person serves as the Principal Investigator under two more federal awards, the ostensibly discrete projects supported by those awards may actually comprise a single program of related projects. In some cases, even awards with different PIs may support projects that comprise such a program.
2. The concept of related projects differs from the concept of common costs. Common costs are costs that are incurred for the benefit of two or more projects and allocated between those projects on some reasonable basis.
3. Cost transfers between projects that comprise a program of related projects may be made if the following conditions are met:
   1. The transfer is made within 3 months following the month in which the cost was originally recorded in the Financial Accounting System, and
   2. The PI is able to determine and justify the allocation of the costs to each related project.

D. Cost Transfers to Distribute Departmental Clearing Fund Expenses

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