The next Research Administration (RA) Town Hall will take place on Thursday, September 26, 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 also available on the Controller's Office website.
At the start of Fiscal Year 2024-25, the Contracts and Grants Accounting Payments Desk implemented a new feature in RAS to streamline the application of payments to open invoices.Known as the Payment Predictor, this functionality automatically applies payments directly to invoices when the payment amount falls within a specific dollar threshold of the invoice amount. A payment within the threshold will automatically write-off any minor overpayment or underpayment. The RAS Invoice/Payment Reconciliation screen will indicate the write-off with a WU (write-off underpayment) or WO (write-off overpayment) entry and a zero balance.Payments that exceed the threshold established by the Payment Predictor will not be applied directly and will result in a payment status of “worksheet,” indicating that CGA needs further review.Key Benefits for Research AdministratorsThe Payment Predictor will eliminate the need to generate small balance invoices or adjust and re-enter invoices due to minor payment discrepancies.When payment is applied to an invoice within this threshold, the system creates a WU or WO on the invoice payment reconciliation and zeroes out the balance due. For payments over the threshold amount, RAS will no longer create an AO (overpayment) or AU (underpayment) AR item. RAS will generate a payment worksheet indicating that the CGA Payments Desk needs further review. If deemed necessary, CGA will apply the payment to the invoice. This will create either an overpayment or underpayment; however, it will not create an AO or AU entry. If you have questions regarding any of our collection and payment processes, email [email protected].
Contracts and Grants Accounting (CGA) is pleased to share a new report within the PeopleSoft Financials Research Administration System (RAS) to further aid research administrators in identifying and reconciling open invoices. This enhancement is part of the CGA Support Team’s ongoing efforts to streamline sponsored research collections and payment processes, improve transparency, and strengthen internal controls.The Department AR Invoice Inquiry report replaces the weekly RAS A/R Aging Report posted on the Controller’s Office website, which will no longer be updated starting September 1, 2024. RAS users can access this self-service tool to identify in real time open invoices where payment has not been received or not yet applied.The new report will further assist department research administrators who need to perform research on AR aging items. Several filter options are available to search for open invoices.Key Features of the Department AR Invoice Inquiry ReportFor open invoices where payment has not been applied and received, the report provides the following information not available in the former RAS A/R Aging Report:Select the Include Child Departments checkbox to return all invoices for child departments under your selected Department ID.Selecting Dept ID “999999” will search across all departments in UCSF’s Dept ID tree.In order to search for Letter of Credit (LOC) invoices, you must enter an Award ID.Use the Accounting Date From and/or Accounting Thru Date filters to search for open invoices within a specific accounting date range.The RAS A/R Aging Report did not provide the Award PI, RSA, and CGA Service Team member assigned to an invoice. The new report allows you to search by the ID of the PI, RSA, and CGA Service Team member. Click the magnifying glass in each field to look up an ID value if needed.Click the hyperlinked Award ID in the results area to open the FSR/INV Documents tab in a separate browser window in order to view processed invoices.In addition to researching open invoices, checking Include Closed Invoices will also return invoices where payment has been applied for the specified search criteria.Getting Started with the Department AR Inquiry ReportDepartments should begin using the new report immediately. The former RAS A/R Aging Report will no longer be updated. For step-by-step instructions on running the new report, see the How to Run the Department AR Inquiry Report in PeopleSoft training guide.During the month of August, CGA will host the following demonstration sessions to review the features of the new report and answer related questions:Wednesday, August 14, 11 a.m. to noonWednesday, August 28, 11 a.m. to noonMark your calendars and click here at the start of either session to join (UCSF authentication is required).If you need help researching a payment or have other questions about our collection and payment processes, email [email protected].
UCSF is deploying a new state-of-the-art system in early 2025 called MyTime that will bring streamlined timekeeping and scheduling capabilities to UCSF and UCSF Health. MyTime will modernize the way we manage timekeeping and scheduling tasks across the campus and health system by easing manual processes and creating a better user experience.In August, all employees received an update calling out the following timekeeping changes in conjunction with the MyTime implementation in 2025:All non-exempt (hourly) employees will be expected to clock in and out for scheduled shifts and meal breaks using new timeclocks, kiosks, computer workstations, or optionally, from mobile devices.Non-exempt employees will be asked to complete an attestation or confirmation of time entries captured for each shift during the new clocking process.We will continue rounding to the nearest quarter hour for clocking in and out at the beginning and end of each shift. Please note that when clocking in and out for meal breaks, exact times will be recorded without rounding.Read the August announcement (opens in new window), sent on behalf of MyTime executive sponsors, Sheila Antrum, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, UCSF Health and Erin S. Gore, Senior Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration.More information, including answers to common questions, are available on the MyTime project web page. Managers should also consult the MyTime Guide for Managers (opens in new window) (UCSF authentication required). Both resources will continue to be updated as this initiative moves forward.
Journal preparers must enter the Bank Reference Number into the Journal Line Description field when creating journals to claim items from the Unclaimed Payments List. This practice was implemented in September 2023 to simplify the cash application process.Journal preparers and approvers should review the steps below to correctly record cash journals claimed from the Unclaimed Payments List. For step-by-step instructions, see How to Prepare, Edit, and Submit Cash Journals in PeopleSoft (Source Code 320).Find the corresponding Bank Reference Number for your payment from the Unclaimed Payments List. Enter the Bank Reference Number into the Journal Line Description field in PeopleSoft. Enter the number exactly as displayed; do not enter any additional characters or spaces. The Journal Line Description field in PeopleSoft Financials is essential to the reconciliation process. Your adherence to this procedure enhances the accuracy of automated matching and improves the efficiency of account reconciliation. The Cash Operations Team will identify journal entries missing required fields as incomplete and will contact journal preparers to reverse and resubmit the original entry.If you have questions, please contact [email protected].
As previously announced, UCSF’s cash operations transitioned in June from a single main depository bank account to four separate bank accounts. This strategic change aims to manage accounts receivables more efficiently by enhancing the identification, management, and oversight of unapplied cash. This month, the Controller’s Office is implementing three key updates in support of this transition.1. Unclaimed Payments List Report ModificationsThe Unclaimed Payments List in Box now features individual tabs for each bank account. The updated format is intended to speed up payment tracking and reconciliation by allowing cash handlers to focus on the transaction types used by their department.Until all customers are remitting payments to the new bank accounts, some payments may not promptly appear under the expected bank account tab. In such cases, check the tab corresponding to the former main depository bank account, now identified as “CGA”.2. Scanner Account UpdatesStarting July 1, 2024, all check deposit scanners will reflect new bank account selections. Additionally, Cash and Controls team is currently conducting an audit of users for remote scanners to ensure records are up-to-date and accurate.Actions Required by Departments:Ensure the correct bank account is selected when depositing checks using scanners. Refer to the June Controller's Office Newsletter announcement for updated lockbox information.If not already completed, promptly request new bank deposit slips following the process outlined on the “Requesting UCSF Deposit Supplies” resource page.Encourage customers to use designated lockboxes for check payments.3. Touchnet TransitionEffective July 1, 2024, the Cash and Controls team will transition Touchnet transactions to the new bank accounts. Changes will be implemented entirely on the back end, so there is no need for users to take any action or make any adjustments.These updates are part of our continued efforts to streamline cash handling and payment processing and to improve the efficiency of our accounts receivable processes.If you have questions or need assistance during this transition, contact the Cash and Controls team at [email protected].
Beginning August 1, 2024, the Controller’s Office will stop providing regular office hours for Funding Entry and Salary Cost Transfer Initiators and Approvers. The Controller's Office has conducted regular weekly office hours since June 2020, when UCSF went live on UCPath. Office hours provide the opportunity to ask questions in a group setting and to benefit from the answers to questions asked by colleagues.We have reached a stable point following the Salary Cost Transfer Redesign go-live in November 2023, in which several longstanding defects and transactor pain points were resolved. Office hour attendance on average for the last year has been low with the types of questions being asked easily supported by available training materials and the Controller’s Office Solution Center. Going forward office hours will be offered as needed when there is a significant enhancement or UCPath Roadmap go-live impacting Initiators and Approvers. Resources for Initiators and ApproversTraining materials and additional resources are available from the Information for Funding Entry Initiators and Approvers (opens in new window) and Information for Salary Cost Transfer Initiators and Approvers (opens in new window) pages on the UCPath at UCSF website.Known issue updates related to funding entry and salary cost transfers are posted on the UCPath System Information (opens in new window) page.Initiators and Approvers should contact the Controller’s Office Solution Center directly for support with funding entry and salary cost transfer transactions. Visit Get Help (opens in new window) on the UCPath website for a complete list of support contacts related to UCPath.
Due to upcoming system updates, UCPath will be unavailable from 5 p.m. on Friday, July 12, 2024, through 6 a.m. on Monday, July 15, 2024. During this period, UCPath will not be available to all employees, managers, and transactors. The UCPath Center advises that transactors complete all necessary UCPath transactions by 3 p.m. on July 12 to ensure timely processing. Funding Entry and Salary Cost Transfer Initiators and Approvers should continue to follow established transaction processing deadlines posted in the Payroll Processing Calendar.
Throughout the month of July, and until final close in August, more than one accounting period will be open in PeopleSoft Financials. When two accounting periods are open at one time, Report Date Filters in MyReports default to either the last closed month or the open month, depending on the report purpose and design.MyReports users will see the following default Report Date Filter values during the fiscal year-end closing process:Defaults to May 2024Actual vs. Plan Comparison ReportCurrent Year vs. Prior Year Actuals Comparison ReportDefaults to FY 2024Faculty Portfolio Monthly ReportFaculty Portfolio Payroll Detail by Month ReportOperational Monthly ReportOrganization ReportPayroll Funding ReportProject Comparison ReportDefaults to Jun 2024All other reportsAvailability of filter values and data for Fiscal Year 2024-25 also varies with the accounting periods:Available after July opensFilter value: Jul 2024 (except for Faculty Portfolio reports)Available after June closesFilter value: Jul 2024 for Faculty Portfolio reportsFilter value: Fiscal Year 2024-25FY 2024-25 Beginning Net PositionFor a snapshot of balances for the June Prelim and Interim close periods, run reports the day after the PeopleSoft and MyReports nightly batch processes are complete for each respective close. Use the Ledger Post Date field in the Transaction Detail Report to determine when a specific transaction occurred.You can use the scheduling feature in MyReports to automate production and delivery of your reports for the June Prelim, Interim, and Final Close. To use this feature, schedule your desired reports to run at campus month-end close. See the Managing and Scheduling MyFavorites in MyReports job aid for detailed instructions.Contact the Controller's Office Solution Center if you have any additional questions.
All departments that accept electronic payments as UCSF Merchants must have accurate and detailed documentation of current payment processing steps. Merchant Services has created a payment process survey to help merchants quickly and easily capture this mandatory information required to maintain PCI compliance.On July 1, department contacts for all UCSF Merchant accounts should expect to receive a Qualtrics survey link. We expect the survey to take 20 to 30 minutes to complete. Please submit all surveys no later than Friday, July 12.Further details will accompany the survey email communication. If you have questions or do not receive a survey link, please contact [email protected].
