DFL weekly update - May 6, 2022

Upcoming Deadlines at a Glance

  • Friday, 5/13 - Ensure schedulers check final Spring CSIR data
  • Tuesday, 5/17 - Submit Form A templates
  • Wednesday, 5/18 - Submit completed and approved org tree change requests
  • Friday, 5/27 - Submit Strategic Priorities template
  • Friday, 5/27 - Submit non-contract and grant deficit clearing waivers
  • Friday, 6/10 - Submit budgets in CalPlan and budget template

Budget Process

Budget process update

The budget process guidelines and assumptions are available on the FY2022-23 Budget Process page, along with the budget process timeline and information about this year’s budget process templates. If you have any questions, please contact the VCF Immediate Office at vcfinance@berkeley.edu.

Form A templates due Tuesday, May 17

We released Form A templates to the divisions with ladder-rank faculty. The purpose of Form A is to plan campus support for faculty appointments. The completed templates are due back to dfl_concierge@berkeley.edu on Tuesday, May 17.

CalPlanning availability

The CalPlanning tools CalPlan and HCP are unavailable for edits until mid-May while we make updates to the system. While the planning tools are down we’ll actualize the Forecast, update central transfers for FY22 and FY23, and implement DeptID inactivation and CF1 changes. We will also load updated UCPath HCM data for planners to review and selectively copy to HCP. The CalRptg and HCPRptg reporting applications will continue to be available to run reports and Smart View queries.

Action Items

Ensure schedulers check final Spring CSIR data by Friday, May 13

Final corrections to class schedule and instructional record data for the spring semester are due by Friday, May 13. There are Student Information Systems (SIS) Class Schedule & Instructional Record (CSIR) Error and Review Reports to assist schedulers in this task. We’ll send the schedulers their reports directly before the deadline and they are available on the SIS reporting center. This information must be finalized in SIS by Friday, May 13. Please contact Office of Planning & Analysis Research Analysts Kira Blaisdell-Sloan or Beatriz Brando with questions at opa-csir@berkeley.edu.

Submit completed and approved org tree change requests by Wednesday, May 18

If you would like to submit changes to the Org Tree, please submit your completed, Budget and Financial Operations (BFO) Committee approved request by Wednesday, May 18. As a reminder, the submission date is the last day that approved change requests can be submitted for entry to the May Master Org Tree. Allowable changes through May 31 include New DeptIDs, New Org Nodes, and Description Changes. The last opportunity for allowable Org Tree changes to be processed this fiscal year is in May and approved and signed forms must be submitted by the May 18 deadline. As a reminder, the Org Tree will be closed to all changes from May 31 through fiscal close. We recommend that you submit your change request form for review as soon as possible to allow time for the BFO team to review your request, follow up with you for any necessary clarification, approve your request, and allow you time to obtain all required signatures before the submission deadline. The time needed to review change requests will vary, depending on the complexity of the request. For more information:

  • A high-level summary of the process to approve org tree changes is available on the DFL concierge webpage.
  • An overview of the org tree change submission deadlines is available in the Org Tree Submission and Processing Timeline.
  • Please review the Org Tree Calendar for the timeline of allowable org tree changes throughout the year.
  • Please submit questions and requests for changes to the Org Tree to dfl_concierge@berkeley.edu. Note: If you plan to request an Org Node change or Entity Hierarchy redesign, please contact dfl_concierge@berkeley.edu and explain what you would like to change before completing the request form because these changes are typically more complex and involve longer consultations.

Submit non-contract and grant deficit waiver requests by Friday, May 27

The non-contract and grant (C&G) FY2021-22 Deficit Waiver request form is now available on the VC Finance website. If you are planning to submit a non-C&G waiver request, complete the form by Friday, May 27. As a reminder, all divisions are expected to meet their operating needs within their available funding; waivers should only be requested for exceptional circumstances. Deficits less than $25,000 are not eligible for a waiver request. To assist in this process, use the fund deficit report in Cal Answers: Dashboards>Finance>Fund Deficits Reporting>Deficits to be Cleared. Note that you do not need to submit a new request for a previously approved multi-year deficit waiver unless you require a higher waiver amount. To view waivers that were approved as part of a prior multi-year request, use the waiver report in Cal Answers: Dashboards>Finance>Fund Deficits Reporting>Waivers and Tolerances. More information about non-C&G deficit resolution policy and processes, including waiver eligibility thresholds, how to clear deficits, and what happens if a deficit is not cleared, is available on the Fiscal closing related page. If you have other questions regarding the non-C&G deficit clearing process, please contact the Financial Planning & Analysis team at dfl_concierge@berkeley.edu.

Informational Updates

Training available - Budgeting for Experienced CalPlanning Users

To support experienced CalPlanning users during the budget process, the Financial Planning & Analysis team is offering a one hour lecture and demonstration course called Budgeting for Experienced CalPlanning Users. This one hour class covers data seeded in the budget, Composite Benefit Rates, minor changes and enhancements in CalPlanning, and key reminders relevant to the 2022-23 budget process. More detailed information is available on the Budgeting for Experienced CalPlanning Users page. Follow the links embedded in the dates to add the session to your calendar.

FY23 budget process office hours

We’re offering a series of online office hour sessions to answer your questions about the budget process, completing the templates, and entering budget data into CalPlanning. These sessions will be staffed by the Financial Planning & Analysis team. When you sign up to attend, you'll receive the link to the Zoom meeting for your session. We ask that you complete a separate form for each session you wish to join to ensure we’re properly staffing the sessions. These sessions are not training. For training and job aids to help you in using CalPlan and HCP, please review the training section of the CalPlanning website.

CalPlanning and Smart View Training

Do you need to learn or enhance your skills in CalPlanning or Smart View? Training classes are available through the end of June 2021. Visit the CalPlanning Training page to learn more and sign up. Our new blended learning model combines self-study work that you can do at your own pace with instructor-led group learning sessions where you can apply the material covered in the self-study.

Office Hours for CalPlanning and Smart View

Office hours are available so that you can ask specific questions about CalPlanning and Smart View. Request office hours and indicate the topic for which you are requesting support. Office hours are an opportunity to get individual support for a specific challenge your unit is facing; they are not a replacement for training.

Cal Answers Training

Please review the self-service learning resources on the Cal Answers website, where Cal Answers users will find a complete course in basic navigation as well as short videos, job aids, wiki documentation, and a list of Frequently Asked Questions. Additionally, the two-hour instructor-led classes build on the basic navigation skills covered in the self-study. There are separate courses focusing on financial dashboards and student data dashboards. In the class, a subject matter expert will guide a deep dive into the reports and data available in the dashboards and answer specific questions.

Changes to the DFL in your division?

If the DFL role in your division is changing, email fpa@berkeley.edu to ensure our website, communications, and training plans are updated.

DFL Weekly Updates Page

As a reminder, these updates are regularly posted to the DFL Weekly Updates page so you can reference past updates at any time. Additionally, the Operational Deadlines page provides an overview of deliverables by quarter.

Thank you,

Office of the Vice Chancellor of Finance