Chartstring Validation Rules Updated in UCPath

The UCSF chartstring validation interface with UCPath will be updated later this month to allow for more flexibility when validating sponsored award chartstrings on Funding Entry and Salary Cost Transfer pages in UCPath. Currently, Funding Entry and Salary Cost Transfer Initiators encounter combo edit errors when entering chartstrings where:

  • A future effective dated funding entry distribution contains a project with an activity period status that is inactive or pending for that future period.
  • A project or activity period is inactive on a paycheck for which a salary cost transfer is being performed, even if the amount charged is not changing. This is due to the current salary cost transfer process validating all “transfer to” distribution lines.

Validation errors in these circumstances require the Initiator to cancel their transaction until the project or activity period can be opened by Contracts and Grants Accounting (CGA).

The chartstring validation rules for UCPath will be updated as follows:

  • A chartstring will pass validation when the award has any open activity period, even if the open period does not align with the effective date of the transaction.
  • An award with no open activity periods will continue to fail validation, and the initiator will need to contact CGA to open an activity period.

This change is intended to reduce the need to coordinate with CGA to open activity periods for transactions that will not impact the General Ledger. The chartstring validation change will not extend to the PeopleSoft Financial system; payroll transactions posting to inactive activity periods or projects will fail validation and will need to be cleared from payroll suspense. Initiators must independently determine if they are transacting on an inactive period that needs to be opened. If the intended transaction will allocate or remove expenses on an inactive activity period in the current month, a request must be sent to CGA to open the period prior to submitting the funding entry or salary cost transfer.

Funding Entry and Salary Cost Transfer Initiators and Approvers will receive notification via the UCPath Users listserv once this change is available in UCPath. If you have questions, contact the Controller’s Office Solution Center.