FAQ: UCPath Funding


Overview

This article contains questions frequently asked about UCPath Funding and the answers to those questions.

FAQ's 

Q. Why doesn’t UCPath have my combination/chartstring?

A: If you receive an error when entering the chartstring in UCPath, be sure that you are typing in the correct values. Also, any chart segment that has an all-zero value in OFC should be left blank in UCPath.

  1. Run the UCSD-DSH Project Information Lookup/Project Information Lookup Panorama report in BAH to look up the Project COA and verify you are using the correct values, such as financial unit and UCPath-specific fund, for the Project.
  2. Once you've verified that you have all of the correct values for the chartstring and still receive an error upon entry, run the Combo Code Report or the Combo Code and Chartstring Validation Report in BAH to see if the combination has been sent to UCPath correctly.
    • If it is not there, please submit a submit a ticket with the entire chartstring from the Project COA Lookup report and screenshot of the UCPath error. Move the error message box away from the entered chartstring before taking the screenshot so that the agent can verify what was typed in. 
  3. If a chartstring value associated with an existing Project has changed, you will need to request a new Project or Task. According to the 5/10/22 Budget and Finance newsletter, under "Changes to Project Financial Setup," Effective immediately, to ease the reconciliation of projects and improve controls, departments must request a new project or task when a change in Fund, Function, Program, Location or Project Organization is needed.

            d. If the Task value is not valid or if the Project has exceeded its end date, the chartstring combination will not be sent to UCPath. Verify in PPM that the Task and Project you want to use is still valid and not expired.

            e. If the Project has expired and you are awaiting an extension, check the Combo Code Report or the Combo Code and Chartstring Validation Report in bah.ucsd.edu 2-3 days after the end date is changed in PPM. 

            f. If it is not there, please submit a submit a ticket with the entire chartstring from the Project COA Lookup report and screenshot of the UCPath error. Move the error message box away from the entered chartstring before taking the screenshot so that the agent can verify what was typed in. 

            g. If the Project has expired and will not be extended but you still need to make historical funding changes or perform a direct retro in UCPath, please open a case at support.ucsd.edu/path for assistance. 

            h. If you request changes to an existing chart segment, the new chartstring might not be available in UCPath until 2-3 days after you receive confirmation that it has been entered in OFC.

Q: Are there any UCPath transactions that exclude the use of Sponsored Funds?

A: Beginning 10/1/21, the use of sponsored Funds is NOT allowed in the Default Funding Profile in Funding Entry and is NOT allowed for the Over-the-Cap in Direct Retro. No sponsored Funds can be used for Over-the-Cap (cap gap) in UCPath, even if allowed by the private agency/award.

  1. If a sponsored Fund was previously entered in the Default Funding Profile, it will remain until there is a change made to the MCOP/salary cap worksheet. At that point, an error message will appear and the Default Funding Profile must be corrected before the funding update can be submitted.

Q: Why was General Liability (GAEL) or UCRP Supplemental Interest (RPNI) charged to an award when those expense types are not allowed?

A: The most likely reason is that the chartstring used in UCPath Funding Entry does not contain a Fund that UCPath recognizes as associated with a federal or federal-flow-through sponsored project. To resolve this issue, use the UCSD-DSH Project Information Lookup/Project Information Lookup Panorama report in BAH to look up the Project COA.

  1. You will need to update position funding to use the chartstring(s) containing the correct UCPath Fund, as well as perform Direct Retro transaction(s) to complete the reconciliation. Find the steps needed in the Payroll Reconciliation Toolkit.

Q: What is the UCRP Supplemental Interest Assessment (RPNI)?

A: The University of California Retirement Plan (UCRP) interest assessment recovers the interest costs associated with the UC Retirement Plan unfunded liability. The UCRP Supplemental Interest assessment is applied to Non-Federal funding sources of covered compensation. The employer contribution is uniform, applying to all UCRP active members, regardless of their tier or membership class. The assessment appears on the Distribution of Payroll Expense Report (DOPE) as “RPNI” or "UCRP SI". 

UCRP Supplemental Assessment Interest (RPNI) Rates set by UCOP (Updated 6/23/2021):

 

Jan. 1-June 30, 2020

FY 2020-21

FY 2021-22

FY 2022-23

Estimated FY 2023-24 and beyond

Estimated rates are for planning purposes only and are subject to change

All Non-Federal Covered Compensation0.77%0.30%0.30%0.30%0.71%

Q. What is the GAEL Assessment?

A: Visit here for current rates and background information.

Q: Why are some expenses bypassing Oracle PPM and posting directly to the Oracle GL?

A: This happens when Position Funding in UCPath contains a sponsored project Fund but the Project, Task and/or Funding Source field is blank. PPM requires that all three fields contain data. To resolve this issue, find the complete UCPath-specific Fund chartstring associated with your sponsored project using this article KB0032301: How to Determine a Chart String (COA Reference Guide) and the Project COA Lookup report. You will need to update position funding, as well as perform Direct Retro transaction(s) to complete the reconciliation. Find the steps needed in the Payroll Reconciliation Toolkit.

Q: How do I perform a salary & benefits cost transfer when the UCPath funding is correct but the transactions posted to my financial unit default Project/Task in Oracle?

A: Please reference, KB0032893: How to Perform a Full or Split Cost Transfer Transaction in Oracle

Q. Why are there are combo codes that are on “MCOP/Salary Cap Worksheet” that are NOT on the “Funding Distribution Preview” and vice versa? Looks like the ones that are different are those with capped rates. 

A: The Funding Distribution Preview has rows with chartstrings that include the OTC indicator for capped funds and those combo codes differ from the chart segment combinations (chartstrings) that don’t have the OTC indicator. The system adds the OTC indicator segment value to the original chartstring which makes it a different combination and thus is assigned a different combo code. A combo code that has an OTC indicator cannot be used anywhere else because it is specific to one chartstring and its place in a particular MCOP worksheet (notice that the N-OTC001 row goes with the Y-OTC001 row/s).

Q: Why was Vacation Leave Assessment (VLA) not charged on some eligible earnings or an incorrect amount was charged? 

A: The defects that caused the missed or incorrect assessments were identified and resolved in Jan. and Apr. 2021. The correct assessments for April 2020-April 2021 will be posted in Oracle only so be aware that the Labor Ledger/DoPE report will not reflect these adjustments. The target for OFC corrections is the September 2021 accounting period. 

Q: When were historical Vacation Taken reimbursement corrections done in UCPath? 

A: Mass Leave Corrections (MLC) to January 2021-February 2022 historical data were made in UCPath in late 2022. The transactions have a Cost Transfer Code beginning with MLCSDCMP.

Mass Leave Corrections (MLC) to March 2022-January 2023 historical data were made in UCPath in March 2023. The transactions have a Cost Transfer Code beginning with MLCSDCMP.

Q: How can I enter a funding entry row that precedes the first effective-dated row?

A: Funding Entry does not allow effective-dated entries that precede the first effective-dated entry. For example, if the first funding entry on a position is effective 7/15/2020, you cannot enter an update effective 7/1/2020. This only applies to the first effective-dated entry.

  1. If needed, you can use the MCOP worksheet to insert a row with an earlier effective date. Refer to the following UCPath Job Aid How to Update Position Funding with the Salary Cap/MCOP Worksheet.

Q. Can I perform a mass cost transfer in UCPath?

A: In the past, you could search for a fund or index with the EPET tool and quickly EPET many employees' salaries in a single transaction. This is not possible in UCPath. The way to move lines of salary for multiple employees from one funding source to another is by submitting a case to the UCPath Center. The process is explained in this UCPath knowledge article - How do I request a mass cost transfer? 

  1. You will need to complete a Mass Cost Transfer Request form from the Forms Library and attach it to the case.
  2. The Mass Cost Transfer will move all expenses incurred during the specified earnings period from a single originating chartstring to a single designated chartstring. Split-funding Mass Cost Transfers cannot be processed.

NOTE: This mass cost transfer process is not to be used for sponsored projects (contracts & grants). Per OPAFS/SPF, cost transfers for sponsored projects must be done individually using Direct Retro in UCPath. UC-specific business rules (such as 90- and 120-day rules for Contracts and Grants) that are enforced in Direct Retro are not applied to Mass Cost Transfers.

  1. The requirements for a mass cost transfer are as follows:

           b. Mass Cost Transfer is NOT to be used to move expenses from: a Capped Fund to a Non-Capped Fund, a Capped Fund to another Capped Fund, or a Non-Capped Fund to a Capped Fund. Business rules that are enforced in Direct Retro are not applied to Mass Cost Transfers.

           c. Mass Cost Transfer is not to be used for Work Study funds. Work Study cost transfers must be initiated via the Direct Retro page where Work Study business rules have been implemented.

Q: Why don't I see my Direct Retro transaction on the DOPE/LL report?

A: Make sure that the Direct Retro has completed the approval workflow. If the DR is high risk, it may be pending final approval from OPAFS/SPF. Approved DR’s are processed in UCPath according to the pay processing calendar but will not be visible on the DOPE/LL report until the pay run labor ledger detail is sent to UCSD (generally 3 business days after pay confirm). Direct Retro approval deadlines by pay cycle can be found here.

Q. Why does the project fund I use in UCPath generate a “CoA Failed Validation” error message when I use it for non-UCPath expenses?

A: UCPath has specific funds that allow for required functionality in UCPath related to Federal flow-thru-funds, Work-Study funds and Sponsored Research Capped funds. This functionality is not handled in this manner in OFC, instead these UCPath funds are translated per the table below, prior to OFC posting.  Non-UCPath expenditures (procurement, travel, supplies, etc.) must use the associated OFC designated funds, rather than the UCPath Specific funds.

UCPath Specific Fund
(only usable in UCPath)		Translates
To		Sponsored Project OFC Fund
(for non-UCPath expenses)

20001
20003
20004

→20000

20401
20402
20403

→20400

20701
20702
20703

→20700

Q: Why do I have Funding Reallocation Logs in my worklist?

A: UCPath generates a funding reallocation log when there are changes to either the Total UC Salary or Compensation Rate Components for an employee and the position associated to the job record has funding distributions that were set up on the Funding Entry page using the Salary Cap/MCOP Funding Worksheet. The guidance given by UCPC is that the department should check the funding distribution to make sure that it is correct. Once the review has been completed, the record can be marked as "worked."

Q: Why was the link to the worksheet removed for BW & hourly positions on capped funds?

A: The salary cap worksheet is not working correctly for BW/hourly positions that are less than 1.0 FTE, where a capped Fund is used, and the employee's hourly rate exceeds the cap rate.

  1. Because of this issue, starting 2/7/2022, the link to the salary cap worksheet has been disabled for hourly/BW positions where a capped Fund is used. This means that you will have to calculate the under-the-cap & OTC percentages and enter them into the main Funding Entry page. When the person’s hourly rate changes or the cap rate changes, you will have to change the percentages in Funding Entry accordingly. Note: this is only necessary when the person’s hourly rate exceeds the annual cap rate/2088 hrs.
  2. The removal of the link and the need to calculate the under-the-cap and over-the-cap also applies to direct retros. Again, this is only necessary for employees whose hourly rate exceeds the annual cap rate/2088 hrs.
  3. We’ll be working on a job aid for this but, in the meantime, if you have any questions please submit a case at support.ucsd.edu/path.

Q: Is it possible to do split fund transactions in a Direct Retro?

A: As long the total split percent for each earn code adds up to 100%, you can do as many split fund transactions as you need to in a Direct Retro transaction.

Q. Can I do a Direct Retro for employee payroll transactions in the month of May and June of Fiscal year 2020?

A: Any cost transfers needed for fiscal year 2020 must be done in Oracle only due to the conversion from IFIS. Please refer to KB0032893: How to Perform a Full or Split Cost Transfer Transaction in Oracle.

Q: How do I match up the UCPath salary and fringe detail from the Labor Ledger (DOPE) report to an Oracle journal and vice versa?

A: 

  1. In the Oracle Financial Cloud Project Cost Data report, use the value in the column titled "Original Transaction Reference."
  2. In PPM Manage Project, use the value in the column titled "Comment."
  3. In the GL reports, use REFCOL1, REFCOL2, and REF1.

Example: OFC PPM Original Transaction Reference: 200731M0X.PJ00000959.912

OFC Original Transaction Reference = UCPath DOPE/LL
200731M0X = Pay Run Code
PJ00000959 = Salary Journal ID
912 = Salary GL Journal Line Number

OFC GL column = UCPath DOPE/LL column
REFCOL1 = JOURNAL_ID
REFCOL2 = JOURNAL_LINE
REF1 = RUN_ID

Questions?

If you need any additional assistance, please submit a ticket here.