Michigan State University
Controller's Office

Administration Bldg
426 Auditorium Rd, Rm 305
East Lansing, MI 48824
517 355-5020

SECTION 20: Object Codes

Last updated: November 2016

I. General

Object codes represent all income, expense, asset, liability and fund balance classifications that are assigned to transactions and help identify the nature of the transaction. Examples of object codes might include travel expenditures, student fee income, accounts receivable, and invoices payable. Object codes are specific to a chart and a fiscal year and contain several attributes throughout the financial system for financial reporting at detail and consolidated levels.

II. Object Code Ranges

Basic Accounting Category Object Name Type Object Type Code Numeric Ranges
Asset Assets AS 1000-1999
Liability Liabilities LI 2000-2999
Fund Balance Fund Balance FB 3000-3999
Income Income IN 4000-5999
Transfer In 4100-4106
Expense Expense EX 6000-7999
7000's are expense Budget
Transfer Out 6100-6106

III. Object Code Search

For a current listing of all object codes, go to the ‘Main Menu’ in the financial system. Under ‘Lookup and Maintenance’, click on ‘Object Code’ within the ‘Chart of Accounts’ section. Select Chart Code “MS” and click “Search”.

IV. Expense Object Code Usage Restrictions

Some object codes are restricted to usage by specific departments/organizations, systems (such as payroll only), account or budget type. See attached CHART for reference.

V. Sub-Object Codes

Sub-object codes are edited and created via e-docs in the financial system. At the Main Menu, click “Sub-Object Code” under “Lookup and Maintenance/Chart of Accounts”. From here, you may look up a sub-object code to edit, or you may click “create new” in the upper right corner to create a new sub-object code.

Sub-object codes are intended for revenue and expense object codes only. The use of sub-object codes on Asset/Liability/Fund Balance object codes is extremely restricted on transaction e-docs. Therefore such sub-object codes should not be set up by departments without prior consultation with Accounting.

Sub-object codes are tied to individual accounts and are governed at the Fiscal Officer level. The account Fiscal Officer is the only approval necessary on sub-object code e-docs. Central Accounting is not on the route for these e-docs.