Object Codes

Common MCB Object Codes - Excel version here.

Course Accounts

6540 Includes items used for the planning and execution of the course, more specifically the lecture, discussion, and advisory portions of the course (i.e. books, toner cartridges, AV, office supplies, small devices used in lecture).

8630 Professional training to enhance skills and knowledge attained for both personal development and career advancement.

8690 Speaker/lecture fee (performed in MA); Harvard employees CANNOT be paid honorariums 

8691 Speaker/lecture fee (Outside MA & International) 

General (Discretionary/Departmental)

6640 Pens, general note pads, tape, tissues, toner, flash drives, first aide kits, kitchen supplies, and general use over-the-counter medication, etc.

6630 Books

6570 General food and drinks for tea room. Cookies, coffee, tea, food for lab meetings, etc.

7230 Event space rentals

7290 Includes payments for guard services and monitoring services, including security for special events

7703 Medical Insurance/Premiums; Ordinarily HUHS insurance costs 

8060 Meals/food purchases are related to an event (Speaker talk, Outreach, department/program events etc.) *Alcohol must be charged to object 8450 

8360 General fees, permits, license (i.e. visas)

8455 Celebratory event-related costs such as food, non-alcoholic beverages, flower arrangements etc. (mainly used by department-wide events)

8450 Expenses that should NEVER go on a sponsored award (i.e., alcohol, sales tax, celebratory events, farewell parties, holiday celebrations etc.)

General Lab Use (Scientific purposes)

6520 Purchase of Live animals (mice, frogs, zebrafish, flies, c elegans/worms); non-vertebrate animals do not require IACUC approval

6530 Purchases of supplies and materials for research animals (e.g., food, bedding)

6600 Lab supplies (Reagents, gels, nuts & bolts, gas, well-plates, tissue plates, gloves, test tubes) 

6684 Controlled Substances

6710 Computer software <$5000 - Software that is purchased with one-time transaction, not leased or paid incrementally on subscription basis

6750 Computer Hardware less than 5k (Computers, hard drives, motherboards, cables, computer connectors, power supplies for computer hardware, printers etc.) 

6760 Equipment less than 5k (Generally non-disposable items that are reusable; small microscope, lenses, pipettes, surgical tools, kitchen toaster, power supplies for equipment)

8030 Animal per diem

8090 Subscription to software licenses and cloud storage (i.e., Dropbox, Amazon cloud), website fees, apple care, add-on extended computer warranty 

8100 Lab services such as Oligo sequencing and Genotyping

8140 Repairs and maintenance fees

8250 Technical services such as pipette calibration

8267 Parking for non-travel needs (parking permits for vendor to fix machine or for guest speaker)

8276 Billing agreement invoice payments - Salary and fringe 

8550 Printing and Publishing (i.e. publication of journals, poster printing, etc.)

8648 Billing agreement invoice payments - Tuition and fees (No overhead assessed) 

8680 Includes payments to professional organizations supporting an individual's job responsibilities and institutional memberships in professional organizations 

8702 Shipping to benefit actual research (bacteria to another institution for a technical service or a collaboration)

Domestic Travel

7650 General obj. code can be used for expenses that don't fit into specified object codes 7651-7655

7651 Domestic airfare and baggage fees, egencia fees

7652 Lodging

7653 Ground transportation, car rental, parking en route to and from business travel destination

7654 General meals while traveling

7655 Specific meals with a business purpose, (post-doc candidate interview, collaborations, etc.)

8510 Telecom (including internet, phone calls)

8631 Conference fees

Foreign Travel

7670 General object code to be used for foreign travel expenses that don't fit into specified object codes 7671-7675

7671 Foreign Airfare, baggage fees

7672 Lodging

7673 Ground transportation, car rental, parking while in a foreign business travel destination

7674 General meals while traveling in a foreign country

7675 Specific meals with business purpose, (post-doc candidate interview, collaborations, etc.) while in a foreign destination

Non-sponsored Capital Equipment/Software (over 5k)

6803 Computer includes hard drives, Non-Sponsored^Equip

6811 Non-Sponsored Fabrication

6813 Scientific Equipment, Non-Sponsored

6815 Computer software and databases with a unit cost equal to or above the capitalization limit, AND with a contractual term or useful life of more than two years. This code is used for purchases from non-sponsored funds only.

Sponsored Capital Equipment/Software (over 5k)

6804 Computer includes hard drives, Sponsored^Equip

6812 Sponsored Fabrication

6814 Scientific Equipment, Sponsored

6816 Computer software and databases with a unit cost equal to or above the capitalization limit, AND with a contractual term or useful life of more than two years. This code is used for purchases from sponsored funds only.

*Regardless of the original source of funding Capital Equipment (object codes 6801-6816) purchases require confirmation from Building Ops and Vendor Justification Form (VJF). If the expense is greater than 25k, then a debarment form is also required. If HCOM does not prompt you to complete a VJF, please upload a copy.