Decision-making in the financial administration is governed by the administrative regulations and the standing orders on financial transactions. In addition to the standing orders, the government's bookkeeping legislation, other rules on public economy, and the guidelines of the state to its accounting offices are followed in the department's financial administration, in accordance with the rules and regulations from the bursar's office. On the Alma pages of the bursar's office the guidelines for financial administration are available: The accounting framework maintained by the bursar's office details the remits of the department as well as the account scheme for budget accounts and business accounting.

The department steering committee decides on how the allocated undivided funds directed to the department will be used and will approve the department budget annually. The department staff is informed annually at the staff meetings about the department finances and their future. The department is responsible for applying for research funding and administration of research projects.

The financial administration of the department belongs to the whole university's financial administration. Some of the financial issues of the department are handled at the department, some at the bursar's branch in the Kumpula service centre, and some by the centralised group accounting in the bursar's office. The chains of financial administration are long, starting at department level and ending in the accounting at the bursar's office. The functions of financial administration (expenses, income, travel invoices, bookkeeping, reporting, etc) are handled through the electronic systems of the university. Financial administration at the department follows the procedures of the department office. HIIT employs some of the administration services of the department, but handles some of its finances independently, such as posting expense invoices.

The primary duties of the financial administration at the department are:

• Planning and monitoring the administration and finances
  • planning and reporting department finances
  • monitoring of allocated funds; budgets and follow-up of expenses
  • preparation of documents for target negotiations with the dean
  • reporting on the previous year; statistics
  • preparation of financial statements
  • correction entries in the accounts on the basis of memo recepits

• Financial analyses and computations in support of the department leadership

The centralised financial administration of department projects with external funding, as well as their transactions (income and expenses) are handled by the Kumpula service centre.