Upcoming Deadlines at a Glance
- Friday, 10/27 - Submit a list of DeptIDs for inactivation in BFS (Today)
- Monday, 10/30 - Complete Q1 Key Controls
- Friday, 11/17 - Submit completed and approved org tree change requests
Action Items
Submit a list of DeptIDs for inactivation in BFS by Friday, October 27 (today)
We are rolling out the process to begin clearing the backlog of DeptIDs which are currently on planned inactivation but have not been cleared in BFS. These are the DeptIDs that are currently restricted for planning in CalPlanning. While we have been able to inactivate DeptIDs in CalPlanning, we have not been able to do so in BFS until now. There are instructions on how to complete the BFS inactivation process on the Planning DeptID Inactivation webpage. Please plan to follow the BFS DeptID inactivation process and submit the list of inactive DeptIDs by Friday, October 27.
We will announce the process for ongoing or new requests for DeptID inactivation at a later date, so for the time being please continue to submit new requests via the inactivation form or with your Entity Hierarchy Redesign request. This new process does not apply to all divisions; therefore, if you do not have a DeptID inactivation spreadsheet in your shared Divisional Folder, you don’t need to submit the DeptID list. Please feel free to reach out to Latina Kamau-Kirika at dfl_concierge@berkeley.edu with any questions.
Complete Q1 Key Controls by Monday, October 30
Please complete and submit the Financial Reporting Review and System Access Review by Monday, October 30. Please visit the Division Key Controls page for instructions and more information. Email questions about the financial reporting review controls to the Financial Accounting & Controls team at gao@berkeley.edu and questions about the system access review controls to the BFS System Access team at secbfs@berkeley.edu.
Submit completed and approved org tree change requests by Friday, November 17
If you would like to submit changes to the Org Tree, please submit your completed, Budget and Financial Operations (BFO) Committee approved request by Friday, September 22. 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. As a reminder, the May 16 submission date was the last day that approved change requests could be submitted for entry to the May Master Org Tree. Allowable changes through November 30 include New DeptIDs, New Org Nodes, Description Changes, and moves of DeptIDs and Org Nodes.
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. Important: Please review the update on the estimated processing time for journal source configuration of new L4 org node codes. As a reminder, journal source configuration for new L4’s is required if there is a need to prepare and approve journals.
- Please review the Org Tree Calendar for the timeline of allowable org tree changes throughout the year.
- Please review the new Org Tree Lookup Tool This new tool replaces the monthly manually produced Master Org Tree and will provide the most current org tree data as of one business day before. Training materials and Job Aids are located on the CFO website.
- There are updates coming soon to the Department Prefixes, and How to Create Visio files job aids located in the Tools and job aids section of the Organizational Tree web page.
- 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.
BEAR grant reports update
The Berkeley Excellence Accounts for Research Grants (or BEAR Grants) support Berkeley's ladder faculty as they advance their research, scholarship, and creative accomplishments. Next week, the Budget and Financial Operations team will send out to the academic divisions for the eligibility and separation list by the Academic Personnel Office (APO) for the FY23-24 BEAR Grant program and the BEAR Grant carry-forward balances report. Please review and send it back to us before Friday, November 30, 2023. Please note that the appeal deadline is December 1, 2023. The BEAR Grant program fact sheet and frequently asked questions are available on the BEAR web page for your reference. If you have questions regarding using BEAR funds, please contact the Budget and Financial Operations team at: centralresourcemanagement@berkeley.edu. For questions regarding eligibility, please contact the APO office at appolicy@berkeley.edu.
Informational Updates
Change to Faculty Club invoice process
The campus has a material amount of money owed to the Faculty Club for services provided, including hotel lodging, room event fees, hotel room charges, business and entertainment meals, and other business and entertainment-related expenses. The amounts owed represent unrecorded liabilities of the campus and are presently not in BFS for expenses incurred or in the BearBuy system. In order to ensure expenses are recorded completely, accurately, and timely within our system, and to ensure the Faculty Club receives timely payment, we’re changing the way we’ve historically managed purchasing and payables going forward. We will no longer settle invoices monthly through a billing process paid through BearBUY as we’ve historically done. The Controller’s Office is working with the Faculty Club for outstanding amounts owed and we will be reaching out to DFLs with updated procedures in the near future. In the interim, we would appreciate it if each department would make sure any remaining outstanding invoices that have been provided by the Faculty Club are paid ASAP. Any questions should be directed to the Accounts Payable help desk at disburse@berkeley.edu.
Save the date for the Sustainable Travel Event on 11/7 and TSA PreCheck 11/6-9
Save the date to attend a Sustainable Travel Event on Tuesday, November 7 from 11 am to 3 pm at the Recreational Sports Facility. This event is in coordination with a TSA PreCheck event, which will be held from Monday, November 6 through Thursday, November 9. The UC Berkeley Travel Team is partnering with the Campus Sustainability Office to offer a sustainable travel event. This event will focus on sustainable options for business travel, including how to reduce our travel-related carbon footprint. At the event, there will be raffle prizes, food, drinks, and vendors focused on sustainability and travel. We will post updates to the Sustainable Travel Guide page. The TSA PreCheck event from November 6 to November 9, 2023, is also at the Recreational Sports Facility (2301 Bancroft Way), in room 42. At this event, there will be interview appointments to complete the TSA PreCheck enrollment process on campus. Visit the TSA PreCheck event page to read detailed instructions on how to apply. If you are interested please do not delay, as we expect the appointments to fill up fast. Please reach out to the Travel Team with any questions at travel@berkeley.edu.
Berkeley Financial System (BFS) scheduled maintenance and update
There will be scheduled system maintenance taking place on Friday, October 27, 2023.
The BFS November update is scheduled to take place Saturday, November 4, 2023 to Sunday, November 5, 2023. The update will make the software current, improve security, and ensure that Oracle supports the BFS. It will also include some changes to the BFS system user interface.
BearBUY (BB) scheduled maintenance and update
BearBUY will be unavailable from Friday, November 3, 2023, 5 pm to Monday, November 6, 2023, 6 am for updates and maintenance and will include changes to the default landing pages. Detailed release notes will be available in October.
In November, the default Landing Page will be the new Guided Dashboard Landing Page which is live in pilot mode on BearBUY today. The current landing page will remain available as an optional page. Users will be able to save any dashboard as their own personal landing page. For in-person demonstrations, please attend the BearBUY Open Office Hours.
Cal Answers update on Thursday, November 9 - take action by November 2
We're updating Cal Answers to ensure continued vendor support from Oracle. Please review the Cal Answers Upgrade Job Aid regarding changes to be aware of and actions to take by the end of November 2 to ensure your existing bookmark links work in the updated Cal Answers.
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.
CalPlanning Training
The next series of CalPlanning and Smart View training classes begin Thursday, September 14. The curriculum uses a blended learning model. Courses begin with self-study using online “books” divided into chapters supplemented with practice exercises and short videos. Courses culminate with a group session using Zoom in which participants work on case studies in small teams to apply the material covered in the self-study. The self-study materials are available on the website for everyone to use; they can be a helpful resource for those that have already completed the training and are looking for a refresher. Review the CalPlanning Training page for schedules, links to enroll, and to access the self-study materials.
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