How to Use, Create, and Maintain SpeedTypes

This guide defines and explains how to search for, enter into transactions, create, and maintain SpeedTypes in PeopleSoft.

What is a SpeedType?

To ensure transactions are correctly recorded in the General Ledger, financial administrators may establish SpeedTypes, which are 6-10 character shortcuts for commonly used chartfield combinations. SpeedTypes are used in transactional systems such as PeopleSoft, BearBuy, Connexxus, and MyExpense. When a SpeedType is entered, it automatically expands into your predefined chartstring. Use of SpeedTypes is recommended for situations where department users may be unfamiliar with the full chartstrings.

Departments are responsible for creating and maintaining SpeedTypes.

SpeedTypes do not constitute purchasing authority.

SpeedType Supported System SpeedType Usage Details
PeopleSoft Optional. Not available for Recharge units uploading flat files via Batch Journal Process.
BearBuy Optional.
Connexxus (Travel Portal) Required for direct billing of airline tickets to University fund sources in Connexxus.

How to Access the SpeedType Search and Chartfield Validator

You can search for existing SpeedTypes using the SpeedType Search and Chartfield Validator page. It is accessible from three different locations, all of which require you to be connected to the UCSF network or Pulse Secure VPN:

  1. MyAccess (opens in new window) – Log into MyAccess (not shown), then select SpeedType Search and Chartfield Validator .
  2. Financial/Payroll Codes & Data Lookup (opens in new window) page – From the Controller's Office website, click Financial/Payroll Codes & Data Lookup , then select SpeedType Search and Chartfield Validator beneath the Chart of Accounts Related section .
  3. PeopleSoft- Log into PeopleSoft from MyAccess (opens in new window)(not shown). Take one of two navigation paths depending on your access level: Click the General Ledger tile followed by the SpeedType Srch & COA Validator tile , - OR - Click the Tools and Configuration tile followed by the SpeedType Srch & COA Validator tile .

How to Search for Existing SpeedTypes and Export Search Results

From the SpeedType Srch & COA Validator page in PeopleSoft:

  1. In the SpeedType Search section, enter your search criteria in one or more fields, and then click the Search button . You can search by SpeedType, Fund, Department ID, Project, Function, Flexfield, and/or PI (Principal Investigator). The search results are displayed beneath SpeedType Search.
  2. You can export your search results to an Excel file by clicking the grid icon on the top row of your search results . When the Excel file is ready, you will be prompted to either Open or Save the file.

How to Enter SpeedTypes in PeopleSoft Transactions

When you enter a valid SpeedType in PeopleSoft, the chartstring values associated with the SpeedType will automatically be saved in the appropriate fields. A specific SpeedType will include only the individual chartfields saved for that SpeedType. The only required chartfields when setting up a SpeedType are Business Unit and Fund, thus some SpeedTypes may not expand into a specific Dept ID, Project, Activity Period, Function, or Flexfield.

Valid SpeedTypes may be used across PeopleSoft to enter saved chartstring information when the SpeedType field is available. For example, on a financial journal line:

  1. Enter the correct SpeedType or search using the magnifying glass icon . (Press tab after manual entry to load the SpeedType).
  2. The required fields Unit and Fund are populated, at minimum . Any other associated values are also saved into their appropriate fields .

General Guidelines for SpeedTypes at UCSF

Who can set up SpeedTypes?

  • SpeedTypes are set up and maintained by individual departments.
  • The “SpeedType Setup” role is provided to Financial Administrators as well as the “Chartfield Setup”, “Chartfield Requester”, and “Chartfield Approver” roles.
  • See your Access Administrator if you require the SpeedType Setup role.

SpeedTypes will become invalid if:

  • The effective date expires.
  • A part of the chartstring becomes inactive.
  • A change to rules causes a once valid chartstring to fail the nightly combo edit validation check.

SpeedType Setup Requirements and Validation

  • SpeedTypes are effective dated (default is the date of creation).
  • Must be at least six alphanumeric characters long with a maximum of ten characters.
  • Cannot contain special characters, e.g. @#$%^[ ].
  • SpeedTypes intended for use in Connexxus cannot include underscores ( _ ), hyphens ( - ), or any other special characters.
  • SpeedTypes are validated against combo edit rules and must be valid or the SpeedType cannot be saved. If valid, the saved SpeedType will be available to all systems within a few minutes.
  • Business Unit is based on the creating user’s profile.

Helpful Hints for Setting Up and Managing SpeedTypes
DO DO NOT

Create a naming convention for your department’s SpeedTypes (see recommendations below).

 Set up a SpeedType for one-time-only transactions unless used for Connexxus direct billing.

Set up SpeedTypes for BearBuy requesters who may be confused by direct chartfield entry.

Set up a SpeedType for a chartstring that is only used in financial journals, e.g. transfer transactions.

Set up SpeedTypes for faculty and staff who complete their own MyExpense reports and might be unfamiliar with the chartfields.

 

Run a SpeedType inquiry to find out if a SpeedType already exists for your chartstring before creating a new SpeedType.

  

Use effective dated rows to set up SpeedTypes for sponsored projects with multiple Activity Periods.

 

 

Recommended SpeedType Naming Convention Guidelines

  • To make SpeedTypes easier to find, use the first character of any new SpeedType to designate the Control Point as shown:

1st Character

Control Point

M

School of Medicine

D

School of Dentistry

N

School of Nursing

P

School of Pharmacy

F

FAS

E

Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost

C

Office of the Chancellor

W

Chancellor’s Campus-wide

G

Foundation

V

Development

R

University Relations
  • Departments should develop a naming convention for the remaining characters in the SpeedType.
Remember: SpeedType setup does not have workflow, so anyone with the proper access may create, change or inactivate any SpeedType.

How to Add a New SpeedType or Select an Existing SpeedType for Editing

To Create a New SpeedType:

  1. Click on the General Ledger tile , followed by the UCSF SpeedTypes tile .
  2. The SpeedTypes page displays; click the Add a New Value tab .
  3. Enter a SpeedType Key name between six and ten alphanumeric characters using your department’s naming convention and the recommendations provided above . Do not use special characters such as “@ # $ % ^ [ ]”/.
  4. Click the Add button .

 

You can edit any aspect of a previously established SpeedType, except for the name. To change the name of a SpeedType, you will first need to set up a new replacement SpeedType with the appropriate name and chartstring information. Then, follow the steps outlined in the How to Inactivate an Existing SpeedType in this guide to remove the old SpeedType.

 

To Select an Existing SpeedType for Editing:

  1. Navigate using step 1 in the To Create a New SpeedType steps above, and then, on the Find an Existing Value tab, enter part or all of the SpeedType Key you want to edit.
  2. Click Search. If only one SpeedType matches your search criteria, the SpeedType Definition page displays automatically. Otherwise, select the correct SpeedType from the Search Results. (not shown)
  3. Complete the desired updates to the SpeedType using the other portions of this guide, as needed, before clicking Save. (not shown)

How to Complete the SpeedType Definition Page

After completing the steps above to add a new SpeedType value, the SpeedType Definition page displays. Complete the fields as described:

  1. Effective Date  - Defaults to the current date but should be changed to reflect when you want this SpeedType to become usable in PeopleSoft.
  2. Description  – Enter a description of the SpeedType.
  3. Notes (Optional) – Enter any notes to further describe how or where this SpeedType should be used.
  4. Security Option – Best practice is to allow All users to access the SpeedType as the other options severely limit usefulness. If you choose a specific user, enter the Employee ID in the Specific User field. If limiting by department, enter the Dept ID in the All users in department field.
  5. Interested Parties (Optional) – Receive an email if the SpeedType becomes inactivated. Enter as many email addresses as you like, separated by commas.
  6. Enter the desired chartstring components . Unit and Fund are required fields.

Before you continue, determine if the SpeedType you are adding should contain effective dated records. This feature is most commonly used to automate the population of the correct Activity Period for a specific project by inputting an effective date range for each required period. If your use case requires effective dating, continue to the How to Add Effective Dated Records to a SpeedType for Use with Multiple Activity Periods section of this guide below before saving.

  1. Click the Save button . If validation fails, correct and Save again. 

How to Add Effective Dated Records to a SpeedType for Use with Multiple Activity Periods

Use effective dating to set up multiple Activity Periods on sponsored projects.

To add an effective dated record to an existing SpeedType, follow the instructions above in the How to Add a New SpeedType or Select an Existing SpeedType for Editing section above prior to following the steps below.

To add an effective dated record to a new SpeedType - before you save, follow the steps below.

This example explains the use of the effective dating feature to create additional records for specific date ranges and Activity Periods. While this is the most common use case, effective dating may be used to change any field(s) of the SpeedType's chartstring when it is entered into a transaction during the date range of the effective dated record.

  1. On the SpeedType Definition page, click the + icon to add a new record .
  2. Click the View All link to see all effective dated records on one page . Note, you can also click the previous and next arrow icons to the left of the View All link to review one record at a time.
  3. Enter the Effective Date for the new record. In our example, we are setting the date range for Activity Period 01 and 02 for the selected chartstring. Activity Period 01 is from 1/1/22 to 12/31/22, so the Effective Date is 01/01/22 . Activity Period 02 is from 1/1/23 to 12/31/23, so the Effective Date is 01/01/23 .
  4. Enter the appropriate Activity Period for the newly added record .
  5. Repeat steps 1-2 to add as many records as needed. If you want to remove a record, click its - icon . 
  6. When all records are populated, click Save . This will take some time to complete while chartstring combinations are validated. If validation fails, make corrections and Save again.

Effective Dates begin automatically and previous periods are automatically inactivated when the new period begins.

How to Inactivate an Existing SpeedType

Follow the instructions above to find the existing SpeedType you want to inactivate on the Find an Existing Value tab of the SpeedTypes page, then:

  1. Click the + icon to create a new record .
  2. Change the Effective Date on the new record to the date you want the SpeedType to become Inactive . 
  3. Change the Status drop-down menu to Inactive .
  4. Click the Save button. (not shown)

The SpeedType will be made inactive on the Effective Date of the new record.

Give Us Your Feedback