The Post Award Management (PAM) training series (opens in new window) provides an introduction to post award processes and is presented twice per year in a series of five modules. We have updated the current series format to provide more interaction between instructors and fellow learners. We encourage all new research administrators and those seeking a refresher to join us. Currently scheduled and available for registration, the below sessions run from 10 a.m. to noon: Mar 21, 2024: Cash and Collections for Sponsored ProjectsApr 18, 2024: Financial Reporting and Award Closeout for Sponsored ProjectsMay 16, 2024: Compliance for Sponsored Projects Log into the Post Award Management (PAM) training series (opens in new window) to reserve your seat for an upcoming session. If you have questions about using the UC Learning Center, contact Controller's Office Training Manager Michael Burgess.
The next Research Administration (RA) Town Hall will take place on Thursday, March 14, from 10 a.m. to noon via Zoom. We will communicate further details about the Town Hall through the Research Administration forum on Microsoft Teams. We use Teams to communicate agendas, the Zoom webinar link, and any technical issues or updates during the Town Hall meetings. You can also use Teams to submit topic requests for upcoming Town Hall meetings. Instructions to join the Research Administration forum on Microsoft Teams are available on the Controller's Office website.
When funding information is missing or invalid, UCPath posts corresponding payroll expenses to a department default chartstring. While this practice reduces the occurrence of payroll suspense items and gives greater visibility to identify and fix funding distribution issues, additional effort is required by departments to perform corrections using the UCPath Salary Cost Transfer/Direct Retro process. The quick reference guide, Understanding Department Default and Catch-All Funding Sources (opens in new window) (MyAccess login required), contains guidance for Funding Entry Initiators seeking to proactively address funding entry issues that may result in posting to the department default chartstring. Tips for monitoring potential issues using the MyReports Employee and Position Distribution Report are also provided. Financial Management Dashboard Metrics That Can Help As a best practice, departments should regularly monitor and take action to correct payroll expenses that are recorded to the department default chartstring by the following month-end close. In 2022, Audit & Advisory Services added two metrics to the Financial Management Dashboard (opens in new window) to help departments identify payroll transactions requiring corrections: Payroll Default Chartstrings: Identifies campus payroll transactions requiring correction after posting to department default chartstrings due to invalid funding setupPayroll Transactions in Suspense: Identifies campus payroll transactions requiring correction after posting to payroll suspense due to invalid funding setup. Payroll suspense items are cleared with the assistance of the Payroll Office and require two to three months to fully clear. Review Clearing Salary and Benefit Expenses in Payroll Suspense for the process and department responsibilities for clearing suspense items. Avoiding Issues When Posting Salary Cost Transfers/Direct Retros To avoid payroll expenses posting to suspense or a department default chartstring during a Salary Cost Transfer/Direct Retro, Salary Cost Transfer Initiators should take the following actions to validate chartstrings before submitting transactions: Validate both “new data” and “old data” chartstrings. In cases where a Salary Cost Transfer/Direct Retro is reversing all expenses on an “old data” chartstring, UCPath will not validate the chartstring at the time of submission (UCPath only validates chartstrings entered into the “new data” section of the transaction.). However, the chartstring for the reversing salary and benefits must be valid at the time of posting to the General Ledger or it will post to the payroll suspense account. Use the Chartfield Validator (opens in new window) in PeopleSoft Financials (MyAccess login required) to confirm that old data chartstrings are valid prior to submitting your transaction.Confirm that sponsored projects are active. A sponsored project must remain open during the entire Salary Cost Transfer/Direct Retro transaction processing period, from submission through posting to the General Ledger.Use the Salary Cost Transfer/Direct Retro schedule in the Payroll Processing Calendar to confirm processing dates.Make sure that the Salary Cost Transfer/Direct Retro transaction is approved. The approval process may sometimes take a week or more, which may cause an issue with how long the activity period will be kept active.File the appropriate paperwork for late Salary Cost Transfers/Direct Retros in a timely manner. The paperwork specifically required for Late Salary Cost Transfers/Direct Retros will need to be submitted to CGA’s Compliance Unit for review, which may add additional time to the process.Research Services Analysts (RSAs) can confirm Project Activity Periods, Activity Period End Dates, and Processing End Dates on the Award Periods tab in the Research Administration System (RAS). Consult the RAS User Reference for more information.If the intended transaction will allocate or remove expenses on an inactive activity period in the current month, contact your CGA Service Team to open the period prior to submitting the Salary Cost Transfer/Direct Retro. If you have questions about addressing payroll that posted to suspense or the department default chartstring, contact the Controller’s Office Solution Center.
The Controller’s Office conducted 23 instructor-led training classes between October and December to help Salary Cost Transfer Initiators and Approvers prepare for the redesigned salary cost transfer process that went live on November 13, 2023.This month, training will transition to a new eLearning course available in the UC Learning Center. The new course (opens in new window), UCPath Salary Cost Transfer Entry and Approval Process, is required before new Salary Cost Transfer Initiators and Salary Cost Transfer Approvers can be granted access and enter or approve cost transfers in UCPath online. Department Access Administrators and Control Point Financial Officers are responsible for ensuring that users have completed their required training before allowing access to UCPath to conduct salary cost transfers.The new salary cost transfer process is a complete redesign that requires the use of new pages in UCPath following new data entry procedures. As a result, existing salary cost transfer users who did not complete an instructor-led training class to prepare for the redesigned process should complete the new online version as soon as possible. These users have been assigned the new course in the UC Learning Center and can find a link to the training by clicking the My Required Training link.UCSF’s Information for Salary Cost Transfer Initiators and Approvers (opens in new window) page contains links to the full curriculum of required training and additional resources. If you have questions or encounter any issues using the new salary cost transfer process, contact the Controller’s Office Solution Center.
Mark your calendar for the next Research Administration (RA) Town Hall that will take place on Thursday, March 14, from 10 a.m. to noon via Zoom.We will communicate further details about the Town Hall through the Research Administration forum on Microsoft Teams. We use Teams to communicate agendas, the Zoom webinar link, and any technical issues or updates during the Town Hall meetings. You can also use Teams to submit topic requests for upcoming Town Hall meetings.To join the Research Administration forum on Microsoft Teams:Sign into Microsoft Teams and navigate to the Teams page.Click Join or create team.Type “Research Administration” in the Search teams search box.From the Search results, hover over the Research Administration team and click Join team.Instructions to join the Research Administration forum on Microsoft Teams are also available on the Controller's Office website.
This month, petty cash verification letters will be distributed via DocuSign to all petty cash custodians. To ensure petty cash is properly accounted for and that records are accurately stated, custodians must complete their verification letters no later than Wednesday, February 14, 2024. Failure to comply with the required process may result in closure of the petty cash fund.Please submit any petty cash account changes before January 10, 2024, to help ensure a smooth verification process. Procedures for making changes to your petty cash account are available on the Controller’s Office website.If you do not receive your letter by January 17, 2024, or if you have questions about the verification process, contact the Cash Operations Team.
Review journal posting dates and funding entry deadlines
The Post Award Management (PAM) training series (opens in new window) provides an introduction to post award processes and is presented twice per year in a series of five modules. We encourage all new research administrators and those seeking a refresher to join us for the latest series.Currently scheduled and available for registration, the below sessions run from 10 a.m. to noon:Jan 25, 2024: Award Setup for Sponsored ProjectsFeb 22, 2024: Billing for Sponsored ProjectsMar 21, 2024: Cash and Collections for Sponsored ProjectsApr 18, 2024: Financial Reporting and Award Closeout for Sponsored ProjectsMay 16, 2024: Compliance for Sponsored ProjectsLog into the Post Award Management (PAM) training series (opens in new window) to reserve your seat for an upcoming session. If you have questions about using the UC Learning Center, contact Controller's Office Training Manager Michael Burgess.
As previously announced, a new video presentation, Trainee Appointment and Compensation Review Under the New Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) (opens in new window), is now available in the UC Learning Center.After watching all four sections of the presentation, participants will receive an email link to register for a live Q&A session. Sessions will be offered via Zoom from 1 – 2 p.m. on Wednesday, January 17 and Wednesday, January 24. To help us address everyone’s questions, please include your questions when you submit your registration.We strongly encourage all research administrators with responsibility for financial/post award management of Postdoctoral Scholars, GSRs, and Residents/Clinical Fellows, to watch all four sections and attend a follow-up Q&A session.
Later this month, the MyReports team will release a new version of the Employee & Position Distribution Report. Based on input from the MyReports Campus Advisory Group, a new Project RSA column will be added to the Display Columns picklist filter. When added to the report output, this column will indicate the Research Services Analyst (RSA) assigned to the corresponding Project for the position funding distribution line. In addition, the Annual Rate column will be included in the default display.Users can select from the Display Columns picklist filter to further tailor the report output and can save individual filter settings via the MyFavorites functionality.Look for an additional announcement via the MyReports listserv once the new report features are available. Contact the Controller's Office Solution Center if you have any questions about MyReports or to report a potential issue.
