For CAMS Coordinators

When a piece of equipment is purchased and paid for, we gather the information from the accounting system and determine if the items should receive a tag. When we tag the asset, we record the location, model, serial, VIN, and other important identifying information to be entered into our database.

Tagging an item allows us to assign a unique number that easily identifies the asset as an NC State University property. NC State University capital asset tags are white stickers with red and black lettering.

Occasionally, an asset meets the criteria to be tagged but it is not physically possible to place a sticker on it. For example, a piece of lab equipment could be too sensitive or too small for us to affix a sticker. In this case, we would assign a number to it and record the asset’s information in our database.

If you discover an asset that should be tagged but is not, let us know the purchase information for the asset. We will research the item and tag it if necessary.

If you discover an asset with a ripped or defaced tag, let us know the old tag number and we will come and replace the tag.

Primary Criteria for Tagging

The main criteria used for determining whether an asset should be tagged is:

• The original cost is more than
  • $5,000 for a single piece of equipment.
  • $100,000 for a single software license.
• It will last 2 or more years.
• It is a singular piece of functional equipment/software.
• Items purchased with Contract & Grant money may be tagged if they cost less than $5,000, if so identified by the Grant.
• Fabrications are individually reviewed at completion to determine if a capital asset has been created and needs to be tagged.
• Modular workstations and cubicle offices are considered non-capital assets by NCSU. The cost of the entire suite or office may be more than $5,000 when purchased, each individual piece does not exceed the threshold and each piece’s use is not dependent on the others. They are easily removable or reconfigurable.
• Simply wiring two separate pieces of equipment together, in order to conduct an experiment or grant task, does not constitute a single piece of equipment or capital fabrication.
• Supplies, consumables, replacement/repair parts cannot be included in the capital total for an asset.

Help us protect the University’s assets

• Complete your annual inventory thoroughly and on time
• Report stolen property immediately to Campus Police
• Send obsolete equipment to Surplus
• Update Home Use forms annually
• Develop department procedures to safeguard assets
• Store high theft items our of sight
• Lock cabinets and doors

Documents you should keep on file

• Invoices and other purchase documents
• Donation forms
• Surplus Disposition forms
• Stolen Property Reports
• Home Use forms (CA-2)
• Offsite Storage forms (CA-3)

Each asset on your inventory has a condition code assigned to it that summarizes the overall condition of the asset. As the CAMS coordinator, it is your responsibility to update the condition codes for each asset on your inventory. As condition codes are primarily subjective in nature, the following criteria have been provided as a guide to using in deciding an asset’s current condition.

Condition Code / Remaining Useful Life

• E – Excellent , > 5 Years
• G – Good, 3 – 5 Years
• F – Fair, 1 – 3 Years
• P – Poor, < 1 Year
• Home Use, Overrides all other Condition codes

It is important to choose a valid room number when updating an asset’s building/room location. The CAMS database obtains its listing of campus buildings and room numbers from the Facilities database. When selecting a room number for your asset, locate the small, silver, metal plate on the inside of the door frame. The number engraved on this plate is the room number from the facilities. If there is more than one door to a room, verify the room number on both metal plates.

Be sure to verify the room numbers against the floor plans for your building. If you find that the floor plan needs updating, you can fill out an online facilities form at: https://facilities.ofa.ncsu.edu/bldg/floor-plans/.

Lost Assets
As you keep track of your assets during the year, you may discover that one is lost. If you have made every attempt to locate the asset within your department, you may report the lost item to CAMS.

Complete an Asset Disposition form through the online system. Once CAMS receives the completed form, we will update the status of the asset to Lost.

Lost items stay on CAMS for one year in hopes that the department will be successful in locating the item. If the item is found, the department should notify CAMS. In the event that the department does not locate the item within a year, the asset will be removed from the CAMS system.

Stolen Assets
In the event that a theft has occurred, contact Campus Police to file a report. Complete an Asset Disposition form through the online system, noting the Police Report number. Once CAMS receives the completed form, we will update the status of the asset to Stolen.

Stolen items stay on CAMS for one year in hopes that the missing asset will be recovered. If the item is found, the department should notify both CAMS and Campus Police. In the event that the department does not recover the item within a year, the asset will be removed from the CAMS system.

Surplus or Scrap Assets
If your department has a broken or unwanted inventory asset, do not throw the item away. You must send the item to the Surplus department. To send an item to Surplus, fill out a Surplus Request Form through the online system. The Surplus department will pick up the item and mark it as received.

Once marked as received by the Surplus Department, the item will automatically be removed from your inventory listing.

In some cases, you may need to report a scrap asset that has been salvaged for parts or destroyed (due to renovation or natural disaster). To report a scrap asset, complete an Asset Disposal form through the online system. Once CAMS receives the completed form, we will remove the item from your inventory listing.

Transfers Between Departments

CAMS must be informed of assets transferred between departments. To report a transfer, complete an Asset Transfer Form through the online system. The form must be initiated by the Department that currently owns the asset. Once the receiving Department has approved the form, the asset will automatically be transferred into the inventory of the new department.

Transfer or Sale to Other Entities

The transfer or sale of assets to other universities or agencies must follow specific guidelines. The applicable guidelines depend on who has ownership rights to the equipment. Please refer to the Property Tracking and Disposition Manual for current policy.

Donations

Please note that at no time can a University Asset be donated to any external entity. It must be sold or disposed of via the Surplus Department.

NC State University equipment can be used at home provided the following three criteria are met:

1. The use will not interfere with the needs of the college or department.
2. The use of the equipment has been approved by the appropriate Dean/Director/Department Head.
3. The equipment will only be used for University business.

CAMS Home Use Form CA-2 should be filled out to track assets being used away from campus for more than 30 days. Since CAMS no longer requires a copy of this form, file the CA-2 forms in your department.

Using the online system, the CAMS coordinator should change the condition of the asset to Home Use.

To verify the Home Use asset during annual inventory, the employee should bring the item to the office for the CAMS coordinator to inspect. If it is not practical for the employee to bring the item back, the coordinator should draft a letter for the employee to sign that verifies the condition of and responsibility for the asset.

We realize that departments relocate to new offices or buildings at various times throughout a given Fiscal Year.

If your department is relocating, please contact us and let us know. Once the transition has been completed to the new location we will want to complete an interim physical inventory to assure that all capital assets have been accounted for at the conclusion of the relocation.

Please keep in mind that if you no longer want items, you need to send them to Surplus or Transfer them to another department. Please do not throw away unwanted assets, nor leave them in hallways or empty offices when you move.

Like other state agencies and institutions, all University property assets are required to be insured for the perils of fire and lightning. Currently, general-funded operations receive fire and lightning coverage without a premium charge. Special (Receipts)-funded departments pay premiums for this coverage. We are insured through the North Carolina Department of Insurance for this general property coverage. Placement of insurance coverage is arranged through Insurance and Risk Management (IRM) at NC State University.

University departments have the option, as their business decision, to purchase additional property insurance coverage for perils such as wind, hail, sprinkler leakage, vehicles, theft, vandalism, and other perils. Also available for purchase is coverage for special perils “all-risk” and scheduled “all-risk” coverage. Information can be found at the Insurance and Risk Management Website at http://www2.acs.ncsu.edu/insurance/ or contact our office by phone at any time.

Two very important reminders in the best interests of our department customers:

(1) Coverage is location-specific, thus, it is very important that your department representative notify IRM of any facility moves involving relocation of contents as property assets.

(2) If your department acquires contents and equipment that may reflect a significant increase in asset values at an existing location, please also inform IRM. Upon notification from your department, we will report these values to our insurer as increases in respective coverage limits at the applicable location. Remember, there is no premium charge for fire coverage for general-funded assets, so those value increases would not result in an increased premium.

Current CAMS Coordinators