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Finance: Translating Budget Numbers in ctcLink, Part 2

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2021-03-09T12:28:55+00:00 March 2, 2021|ctcLink News|
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Finance: Translating Budget Numbers in ctcLink, Part 2

Delta DogGuest post by Cathy Cartwright, Interim Executive Director, Finance and Budget

For Part 1 of this topic, see Cathy Cartwright’s Feb. 23 message.

Today we are going to learn more about the elements of the chartfield string. By the time you are done reading this, you should be familiar with:

  • The difference between an appropriation and a fund; plus, understanding when you need only one and when you need both.
  • What the “class” field represents.
  • How the “account” field relates to the Legacy sub-object codes.

Appropriation and/or Fund? Say What?

Highline College receives a good portion of our funding through state appropriations (both capital and operating) that are distributed and monitored by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC). Budgets that utilize appropriated funds are required to have both an appropriation and a fund. Here are Highline’s operating appropriation/fund combinations.

Appropriation and Fund Codes

Appropriation (Approp) CodeFund CodeDescription
03124JCompensation & Central Services
07124JGuided Pathways
09124JNurse Educator Salaries
101001State General Fund
11224JHigh Demand Faculty Salaries
123001Worker Retraining
3E008AEducation Legacy Trust Acct 3E0
7Y0001GEERS
BD1001Student Achievement Initiative
BG1001College Affordability Program
BK1001M.E.S.A.
CQ1001Highline Federal Way Initiative
DA1001Behavior Health Workforce Credentials
PS0489Salaries & Expenses

Budgets that utilize local funds only need to use the fund field in the chartfield string. Here are examples of the funds that we use.

Examples of PeopleSoft Fund Codes

PeopleSoft Fund CodesDescription
145Grants & Contracts (requires project information)
146Local Contracts
148Dedicated Local
149Operating Fees Acct
522Associated Students
524Bookstore
528Parking
569Food Service
570Other Auxiliary

What Was Program in Legacy Becomes Class in ctcLink

As you learned in my Feb. 23 message, Highline has chosen to translate our org field in Legacy to a combination of the department and program fields in ctcLink. What was called “program” in Legacy is now called “class.” While many of the codes are the same, there are some that changed. In my March 2 email to campus, I shared a copy of the full crosswalk for your reference. Soon, this document will be posted on the Finance department website.

General Ledger Account Coding

ctcLink utilizes a more traditional accounting system than our Legacy system did. While this puts the accounting geek in me in my happy place, it is going to require a shift in the way that we do things in Finance. The debits and credits of transactions that happened in the background in Legacy are now more visible and require more attention. What does that mean to you as a non-finance person? Hopefully just a shift from using the two- to four-character sub-object code to a new seven-digit account number. I shared the full expense account crosswalk in my March 2 email to campus. Soon, it will be posted on the Finance department website. For now, here are a few examples.

Crosswalk Example: Expense Accounts

Legacy Sub-object CodePeopleSoft Account NumberDescription
EA5030010Supplies
EG5081100Training
ER5050030Purchased Services
EZ5030020Other Goods
GA5080010In-state Subsistence/Lodging
GB5080020In-state Airfare
GC5080030Private Auto Mileage
GD5080040Other Travel Expenses
JA5030070Non-capitalized Assets
JC5040010Furnishings Equipment

Budget Has Consequence

Our next topic is going to begin to introduce you to commitment control, the PeopleSoft budget system. One huge difference between the Legacy system and ctcLink is that the system will stop a transaction if the budget line either does not exist or does not have enough budget available for the purchase. My goal for the next lesson is to cover how our financial data was converted, what has been entered as far as budget and how to check the status of a budget.

Ask Delta Dog

Delta DogWho is this blue dog? Learn why Delta Dog has been our trusty companion on the journey to ctcLink. She will stay by our side as we fully implement the new system.

If you have questions about ctcLink, ask Delta Dog.

You can also view the Frequently Asked Questions page.

For information about the statewide ctcLink project, visit the SBCTC ctcLink page and read the blog, ctcLink Connect.