UCF Rising

Q: Where did my navigation bar go?

A: A browser cache stores copies of web pages you visit which allows the pages to load faster. If you log into PeopleSoft HCM, and the gold menu bar at the top of the screen is missing, then you need to clear your cache. You can visit https://hr.ucf.edu/clearing-browser-cache-pc/ for assistance with clearing your cache, or reach out to your department’s IT personnel for assistance.

Q: How can I get access to PeopleSoft HCM?

A: Each task within PeopleSoft HCM has specific training and security form requirements. Please refer to the Human Resources Security Access Matrix for specifics. https://hr.ucf.edu/files//Human-Resources-Security-Access-Matrix_22Aug2018.pdf For additional assistance, please contact your department/college HR personnel.

What is the Huron Research Suite (HRS)?

HRS is the new electronic research administration (eRA) system used to conduct research administration processes and transactions at UCF. This suite includes modules for Grants, Agreements, IRB, IACUC, and COI.

This eRA implementation is part of Project Wahoo. To read more about this initiative, please visit https://wahoo.research.ucf.edu/ or email at wahoo@ucf.edu.

Where do I access the new Huron Research Suite (HRS) website?

All modules in the Huron Research Suite can be accessed from UCF’s research systems website at https://apps.research.ucf.edu/.

How does a new employee get access to the system?

UCF employees, faculty, and students are able to access the system with an active NID.

To request a Sponsored Account for a NID, please visit https://extranet.cst.ucf.edu/esponacct/.

Where can I find training resources for each of the modules in the Huron Research Suite?

Each of the modules contains a “Help Center” where reference guides and training videos are posted.

To find the Help Center, login into the applicable HRS module from https://apps.research.ucf.edu/. Click on the module name in the ribbon at the top, then click on “Help Center”.

Additional resources, including Huron Grants FAQs, the UCF Researcher Credit Split Form, Just in Time Training (Office Hours) schedule, and more can be found in the Documentation section of the Project Wahoo site at https://wahoo.research.ucf.edu.

Where do I create a proposal for research?

You will create a proposal in the Huron Research Suite (HRS) – Grants module. You can access this site at: https://wahoo.research.ucf.edu/

How do I create a new project for research?

The process to create a new project for a research award will not change. The Office of Research will set up an account as part of the award setup. 

Are any ARGIS records being converted into Huron Grants? 

All active awards, defined as having at least one open project, will be converted and available in Huron Grants.

A crosswalk will be available on October 21st on the Project Wahoo website at https: wahoo.research.ucf.edu. This crosswalk is a speadsheet that maps the existing ARGIS Research ID and Project IDs  to the new Huron Grants ID.

Will AURORA and PARIS reporting be updated?

On October 21st, PARIS and AURORA will have three sources of reporting data: Huron Research Suite (HRS), PeopleSoft, and ARGIS. The bullet points below describe what data AURORA and PARIS will be reporting.

• AURORA
  • Proposal Reports and Data Cubes – no interruption in service
  • Award Reports and Data Cubes – between November 7^th and November 11^th reports will display data as of November 6^th
  • Expenditure Reports and Data Cubes – between November 1^st and November 11^th reports will display data as of October 31^st
• PARIS (as functionality is added, updates will be released and communicated)
  • Budget & Expenditure Details – between November 1^st and November 11^th reports will display data as of October 31^st
  • Salary Details – no interruption in service
  • Converted awards will have associated deliverables on November 7^th. New awards will have deliverables starting January 1. 
  • Cash Flow and Budget Details will be available on January 2nd

AURORA and PARIS can be accessed from https://apps.research.ucf.edu.my

How do I change payroll charges hitting suspense funding?

Perform a salary cost transfer (directions above).

What are my funding options?

There are three different ways to fund employees/positions:

• Default – this could be used for all employees that should be charged to the default funding department number
• Position – this could be used to identify the funding for a vacant position.
• Appointment – this is used to use any other funding department/project.  It can vary through the year.  Meaning, if could be one arrangement for fall and different arrangement for spring in the same funding distribution eForm.

How do I change the project or department that a Principal Investigator (PI) is charged to?

For Future Payrolls: Funding Distribution Change ePAF

Past Payrolls: Perform a salary cost transfer (directions above)

What are Encumbrances?

An encumbrance is a commitment to disburse funds in the future. Recording encumbrances helps prevent over-spending the amount available in the account.

What are Salary Encumbrances?

Salary encumbrances are claims made against budgeted funds. Encumbered funds are spoken for, so to speak, and can’t be used for any other purposes. By budgeting for anticipated salary expenses and setting money aside, you ensure that your spending is within your budget.

What factors are important when determining salary encumbrances?

A: Encumbrances take into account personnel details and funding details as defined within PeopleSoft HCM. Job changes such as work breaks, terminations, and pay increases will affect encumbrances, as will funding distribution changes and project end dates.

How are encumbrances used?

• Allow organizations to recognize future commitments of resources prior to an actual expenditure
• Management tool used to reflect commitments in the accounting system
• Attempt to prevent overspending on limited funding sources
• Generated based on job annual salary information and Department Budget Table information (funding sources)
• Can be sent to PeopleSoft Financials using the Encumbrance to General Ledger

Will payroll encumbrances ‘use up’ my whole department or project budget?

This is possible, but can be avoided by:

• for E&G, separate budget for payroll versus non-payroll could be established in different department numbers.
• budgeting for payroll (including fringe) and non-payroll related expenses at the beginning of the year,
• timely allocation of mid-year budget changes,
• timely processing of salary cost transfers or other expense transfers during the year,
• and timely processing ePaf changes during the year.

Employees will be paid regardless of the department’s budget status. Department expenditures should be monitored regularly and action must be taken to resolve E&G budget deficits at the VP Org level before the end of the fiscal year.

How does PeopleSoft calculate salary encumbrances?

PeopleSoft calculates encumbrances by calendar day. For nine-month faculty, PeopleSoft uses the bi weekly comprate to determine each day’s salary expense; for all other employees, PeopleSoft uses the annual rate to determine each day’s salary expense. Once the daily rate has been calculated, that amount is distributed against the employee’s funding distribution effective that day, for the remaining number of days. The remaining number of days is determined by the employee’s break in service (IE, work break, termination date), the end of the fiscal year (when the funding source is a department), or the end of a project (or the end of the employee’s commitment to the project, if before the project ends.)

What should I do if I think my encumbrances are wrong?

Employees with job tasks related to budget have been granted roles in PeopleSoft HCM and can access reports to assist with troubleshooting encumbrances. The BIP_ENC_C1 report will show the employees and amounts that make up the encumbrance for the department or project in question. The BIP_ENC_E2 shows the job data details that affect encumbrances, while the BIP_ENC_E3 shows all potential funding sources for the employees for the fiscal year. For more information on the available reports, please visit https://hr.ucf.edu/ucf-rising-hris-enhancements/.

 When will my encumbrances change?

Currently, encumbrances are updated each week night that is outside of payroll processing. If an eForm is executing that changes an employee’s job or funding distribution, the encumbrance will update that night; If the form is executed during payroll processing, the encumbrance will update when payroll is complete. Encumbrances are also updated by the payroll process: as the budgeted funds are spent, the encumbrance is liquidated, then recalculated to ensure the remaining encumbrance is accurate.

How can I calculate my own encumbrance? 

Simplified, encumbrances as of 11/1/2019 can be calculated:

• 9MO: Salary Encumbrance = Fiscal Year remaining days (Nov 1 – May 6 = 188) * Bi-Weekly Comp Rate / 14
• All Other Employees: Salary Encumbrance = Annual Rate * Remaining days in Fiscal Year (243) / 366

The above formulas do not take into account job changes, funding distribution, project end dates or any other factors that may change affect encumbrances.

How do I create a Salary Cost Transfer?

Salary Cost Transfers (SCTs) are completed in the PeopleSoft Human Resource system (HCM). These SCTs will be completed using new eForms.

Will I be able to transfer salary costs in the General Ledger?

No.  Salary Cost Transfers (SCTs) need to be done in the PeopleSoft HR system (HCM).

Will I be trained on the new Salary Cost Transfer (SCT) process?

Yes, training will be provided to those individuals that will be processing the new salary cost transfers. Look for upcoming announcements on the training. The training will be offered as a web course for your convenience. For additional questions regarding this training please contact HCMRising@ucf.edu

Why can’t I pull up anyone using the Salary Cost Transfer eForm?

A: The Salary Cost Transfer eForm is available for any paychecks issued after 11/5/2019. Paychecks will be available for redistribution using this form beginning with pay period end 11/14/2019. For paychecks prior to that date, please use the Legacy Salary Cost Transfer eForm.

What is the fringe rate that will be associated with the salary cost transfers?

A: The fringe rate for salary cost transfers completed for any paychecks issued after 11/5/2019 will be the fringe that was paid with those payroll earnings. For the actual rates, please visit https://fa.ucf.edu/cfbr-ucf-cfbr/.

Q: Why is my OPS Employee showing two paychecks for Pay Period End 10/31/2019?

A: Any employee that was affected by the payroll error for pay date 10/25/2019 will show two paychecks for pay end 10/31/2019 and zero paychecks for pay end 10/17/2019. The row with the smaller check number would be for the earnings that were paid on pay date 10/25/2019.

Q: What is the fringe rate that will be associated with the Legacy salary cost transfers?

A: The fringe rate for all Legacy Salary Cost Transfers will be the fringe rates for Fiscal Year 2019. For the actual rates, please visit https://fa.ucf.edu/cfbr-ucf-cfbr/.

Q: Why doesn’t my new Cost Center Report have any data?

A: The new Cost Center Reports will contain payroll data for any payroll transaction created after 11/1/2019. The first full payroll will be available via the new Cost Center Reports by 11/19/2019. For details on new reports, please review https://hr.ucf.edu/files/HCM_Report_Guide_UCFRising.pdf.

Q: Why are there two processes showing in the Line and OPS Employee File Process List?

A: In order to make sure historical data was available, we split the report into two options. If your “As Of Date” is before 11/1/2019, choose the “ZHR36517 – LGC” (ZHR3651L) process; if your “As Of Date” is on or after 11/1/2019, choose the “ZHR36517” (ZHR36517) process.

Can I do payroll transfers in the General Ledger?

No. They need to be completed in HCM.

How will I ask for access to do payroll transfers if I do not do them in the General Ledger anymore?

HRIS will be working with HR Liaisons, Budget Directors and other departmental/college personnel to define users who need the new roles for implementation.

How and where do I make a payroll transfer?

In PeopleSoft HCM, Main Menu > Department Self Service > ePAF Home Page > Start a New ePAF > 

For paychecks issued on or after 11/22/2019: choose “Initiate Salary Cost Transfer”

For paychecks issued on or prior to 11/08/2019: choose “Initiate Salary Cost Transfer for Legacy”

There are new security roles for this process, and your department/college will be determining who keys these transfers and who approves them.

What are the transition dates of using the existing system, ARGIS, and using the new system, Huron Grants?

What happens to payroll charges when the funding project ends?

A funding end date is required and tracked on all project/grant funding for an employee/position.  When an employee has expenses after the funding end date they were set up with, there are two possible outcomes:

• If the employee was 100% funded from that expiring funding source, the expenses incurred after the funding end date will charge to the department default charge code

If the employee was split funded, the payroll expense portion related to the expired funding will charge to the department suspense charge code

What is a default department for payroll?

The employee’s home HR department is their default department.

What is a suspense department for payroll?

Every home HR department is assigned a funding source to use for suspense charges. This funding source is used when an employee is split funded and part of their funding (grant/project) expires, any expenses for that project/grant after the funding end date will be charged to the home department suspense charge code.  So the other “good” funding sources continue to be charged their proper percentage, and the expired portion is charged to suspense.

How do I change the project or department that a principal investigator (PI) is charged to?

Changes in funding project(s) or department(s) for future payroll journals are made by submitting a funding distribution change eForm. Changes for previously posted payroll journals are made by performing a salary cost transfer (see Salary Cost Transfer).

How are overhead funds distributed?

Overhead funds (cash) are distributed on a bi-annual basis, in January and July.   January’s distribution will be calculated using overhead earned from January 1st, through June 30th of the previous calendar year.  July’s distribution will be calculated using overhead earned from July 1st, through December 31st of the previous calendar year.

How will charges for College Work Study employees work?

The salary associated with a work study student will be based on the funding department you included on the appropriate ePAF.  The fringe will automatically be charged to the default department number associated with the home department linked to the employee.

If my requisition was not sourced to a purchase order prior to the UCF Rising cut off dates will I be able to process it after go live?

If the requisition is spent against a department, it will remain open and available for processing after go live.  If it is spent against a project, it needs to be cancelled and recreated after go live.  (Project requisitions created prior to November 1 cannot be copied to create a new requisition, due to the activity and budget structure changes).

All project PO’s (sponsored and construction) are being rolled.  While it is true construction projects are not changing Ledgers, there is a budget conversion taking place, because the method and tables being used are different, since we’re switching to budget push from PC, rather than collecting from KK.