ctcLink Learning Opportunities & Support Roundup: July 31, 2024
A weekly round-up of ctcLink learning opportunities, ctcLink support updates, and news for Washington state community and technical college ctcLink users.
If you have questions or suggestions for future editions, contact ctcLink News or slnelson@sbctc.edu.
What ctcLink learning opportunities are available?
ctcLink Support eLists
ctcLink Customer Support teams send notifications of learning opportunities (including trainings, work sessions, user acceptance testing, and more), as well as global and cross-pillar system communications to the applicable ctcLink Support eLists (aka listservs) on a regular basis.
If you are a ctcLink end-user, and not already hearing about learning opportunities firsthand, join one or more support lists today: ctcLink Support eLists
Training calendar
Find the latest learning opportunities, including notices of cancellation or schedule changes, on the ctcLink Training & Learning Opportunities Registration page or on the SBCTC meetings and events calendar (apply filters).
Take a training tour
View the ctcLink Training Overview video for a quick online tour of resources. To view it in full screen, select box icon in the upper right corner.
Learning Opportunities & Work Sessions Ahead
To plan further ahead or find the latest learning opportunities, as well as notices of cancellation or schedule changes, see the complete calendar at the ctcLink Training & Learning Opportunities Registration page or on the SBCTC meetings and events calendar (apply filters).
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| ctcLink Training Quick Reference Guides | The ctcLink Training Quick Reference Guides (QRGs) in the ctcLink Reference Center lists and links to recordings of sessions delivered by the Training Team. |
| Work Sessions in Canvas | The Work Session Canvas Course lists and links to recordings of sessions, including CS Core-offered Work Sessions. Register for the course(s) at ctcLink Training & Learning Opportunities Registration. |
| ctcLink Security Documentation & Training | Find ctcLink Security-related training materials, documentation, Quick Reference Guides (QRGs), useful queries, and more on the ctcLink Security Documentation & Training page. |
| Accessibility and ctcLink Open Forums | SBCTC hosts monthly Accessibility and ctcLink Open Forums to engage Washington's community and technical college system in discussions around ctcLink accessibility and technology. Find materials and recordings from past ctcLink Accessibility Forums on the website. |
ctcLink News
New Employee Onboarding Training Manuals
We are pleased to announce the ctcLink Customer Support Training team has now completed two additional tools to assist colleges with employee onboarding. Campus Solutions Core and Student Financials Employee Onboarding Training Manuals were launched on July 30, 2024.
These new tools respond to multiple recommendations and requests:
- Aligns with recommendations set forth in WACTC’s 2023 ctcLink Improvement Plan to help employees better understand which learning opportunities and training they need to do their work in ctcLink.
- Addresses a recent State Auditor's Office (SAO) finding that employees need to participate in more training and learning opportunities to better understand the ctcLink system.
- Provides training onboarding and tracking management tools which ctcLink College Leaders (Points of Contact), subject matter experts, and supervisors have expressed a need for since go-live.
Watch the ctcLink Support lists for open Q&A sessions on the Onboarding Manuals and Staff Training Participation Application later this summer.
About the Onboarding Training Manuals
With today’s launch of Campus Solutions Core and Student Financials, onboarding training manuals are now available for users in all PeopleSoft pillars, as well as for general staff:
Onboarding Training Manuals can be found in the ctcLink Reference Center “Welcome to ctcLink – Start Here” section.
Onboarding Training Manuals assist new college staff in their training journey through ctcLink (PeopleSoft). Although learning a new software system can be challenging, we expect these documents will provide new staff with the information needed to locate, understand, and participate in the various training and learning opportunities available from the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC).
Each manual is divided into sections highlighting specific topics and information necessary to become more comfortable with our ctcLink system. Section topics may include:
- Onboarding checklist
- Welcome to ctcLink Training
- Each pillar’s place in ctcLink
- Prerequisite ctcLink courses
- Role-based training content and requirements (i.e., required and recommended ctcLink self-paced training courses)
- Additional onboarding resources
How to use the onboarding manuals
The intent is for supervisors to work with staff to provide clarity around staff roles and functions of their job based on the onboarding manual.
To enhance understanding of the ctcLink system, each ctcLink module lists required and recommended self-paced ctcLink Canvas training courses which directly align to roles and functions performed at the colleges. For example, each staff member is required to complete general prerequisite courses to introduce them to the ctcLink system.
The included checklist allows supervisors to identify which required and recommended courses should be completed by each staff member. Additional training resources are provided to assist new staff in their onboarding activities.
The ctcLink Training and Support teams look forward to partnering with the colleges and SBCTC agency staff to provide enhanced onboarding and training experiences for new and current employees.
Please reach out to ctcLink Training Management if you have questions or concerns.
Are You Receiving ctcLinkAlerts?
SBCTC uses the ctcLinkAlerts eList to send notices about planned downtime for system updates, production alerts, urgent issues, and any unplanned downtime.
Each college maintains a local ctcLinkAlerts email distribution list (e.g., ctclinkalerts@columbiabasin.edu, ctcLinkAlerts@spscc.edu) which your ctcLink College Leader maintains as needed.
These college lists, not individuals, are subscribed to ctcLinkAlerts@lists.ctc.edu.
It’s each college’s choice who to include, but typically colleges include their local ctcLink leadership, local ctcLink committee or taskforce members, key subject matter experts, IT, Help Desk, and PIO.
System Environment Updates & Outages
Stay up to date on planned maintenance and service outages for ctcLink and related systems: ctcLink Support Page (includes Planned Service Outages)
PCD Data Refresh: Monday, August 5, 2024
PCD (Production College Development) environment will be refreshed. For more details, see the Data, Query & Reporting News section below.
Data Summit 2024: Register Now
Monday, Aug. 19, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., South Puget Sound Community College - Lacey Campus
4220 6th Ave SE, Lacey, WA 98503 Building 1, Room 186; no parking pass required.
This event is a collaborative effort sponsored by the DataLink Steering Committee working in partnership with the Information Technology Commission, Research & Planning Commission, and the ctcLink College Collaboration Group.
Sessions include
- High-Level Review of Baseline Data Replication Package (BDRP) and DataLink
- Essential data tables and resources within our systems
- Data governance essentials
- Budget reports for day-to-day budget managers
- Enhancing solution sharing with the BDRP Extractor Tool
- Data security protocols
- Information Technology (IT) and Institutional Research (IR) collaboration
- Automating student onboarding with BDRP and Okta
- Security Administration System Improvement (SASI) Project
Register
Please submit this short registration form if you plan to attend.
While we would love to see you all in person, we will also provide a remote option to attend via Zoom. Please register regardless of how you will participate.
New CS Core Employee Onboarding Training Manual
We are pleased to announce the ctcLink Customer Support Training team has now completed two additional tools to assist colleges with employee onboarding.
Campus Solutions Core and Student Financials Employee Onboarding Training Manuals were launched on July 31, 2024.
Please see the story above in the Cross-Pillar News section.
Okta is Live for OAAP!
We are excited to share that Okta authentication is now live in production for the Online Admissions Application Portal (OAAP)! Both the OAAP applicant and admin sites are back online and ready for use.
All of us at SBCTC want to extend our sincere appreciation to our college partners, who continue to advocate for students and put in significant time and care toward reading, understanding, and thoroughly testing system changes to ensure a successful launch. We couldn’t do it without you!
Troubleshooting
We have received a few reports of users logging in to OAAP and either not seeing their OAAP access changes or observing odd behavior on the OAAP Dashboard page.
Clearing browser cache/history has resolved the reported issues for these users. If you have cleared your browser's cache/history but are still experiencing an issue, please submit a support ticket and we will work with the vendor.
Enhancement Request Overview
ER 284 – (FYI) Enable Okta for OAAP: Okta is a user authentication tool for applications and also used by ctcLink. While Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is enabled for ctcLink Okta, the Okta tool for OAAP will not have MFA enabled at this time. Those logging into OAAP with an existing EMPLID will be authenticated by ctcLink Okta, while applicants logging in with an OAAP account will be authenticated by OAAP Okta.
As part of the OAAP Okta changes, two new OAAP admin pages have been created for OAAP Admin staff to (1) reset OAAP account emails and send password reset emails to applicants and (2) view audit logs of email and password reset changes. These new OAAP admin pages meet one of the requirements in ER 212 – OAAP Admin and Student Sections.
Quick Reference Guides (QRGs)
To support these changes, we have made updates to existing QRGs and created several new QRGs:
- New QRGs: Online Admissions Portal – Student
- New QRGs: Online Admissions Portal – College Admin
Additionally, other existing OAAP QRGs have been updated to reference new OAAP sign-in information.
Thank you!
Being able to successfully implement an Enhancement Request is a credit to those who worked so tirelessly and diligently to ensure that an idea can eventually become reality. Kyrsten Catlin, Campus Solutions (CS Core) Associate Director, acknowledges members for their guidance, hard work, and collaboration on this project:
- Kenn Neid, Director of Network Services and Information Security, for your leadership, guidance, support, and dedication to this project. Kenn was always available to help troubleshoot, answer questions, and coordinate changes. He was often our “Okta” translator, and we couldn’t have done this without him!
- Josh Giha, PeopleSoft Developer & Support Engineer, for outstanding advocacy and dedication to Accessibility, and your time and effort to test these changes.
- Jyothsna Ravuri, PeopleSoft Integration Engineer, for hard work in reviewing these changes and assisting with vendor discussions and triaging.
- Tanjagay Martin, CS Functional Trainer, for support, time, and hard work helping to test these changes and create/update all the related QRGs! Tanjagay is our content creator extraordinaire, and she does a remarkable job!
- Caitlin Stein, CS Testing Coordinator, for help facilitating both internal and external testing plans, keeping us on track with our testing timelines, and for help with coordinating and supporting UAT activities with the colleges.
- Joe Carl, CS Senior Functional Analyst, for continued leadership, hard work, and dedication during each phase of this project (and there were many!). Joe was instrumental to these efforts by maintaining project momentum, completing testing and creating UAT testing guidance documentation, working closely with the vendor, performing analysis and troubleshooting, and helping to support colleges along the way! His help and hard work made all the difference!
As always, please feel free to reach out to us at cssupport@sbctc.edu if you have any questions or concerns.
If you encounter any concerns or issues, please open an SBCTC Service Desk ticket.
CS Core Learning Opportunities
CS Core Training
CS Core Trainings, a valuable learning opportunity, are held on the third Wednesday of every month from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. The dates may change, and notifications will be sent in advance. The CS Core training alternates between refreshers and different process approaches. We highly value your participation and welcome all end-users to attend these trainings. You can find details about upcoming meetings on the SBCTC Calendar, CS Core Weeklyish CORErespondence, and CS Core listserv. Please visit the QRG Campus Solutions Learning OpportunitiesRecordings for a list of previous recordings.
NEW! CS Core Refresher: Enrollment Appointments
Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, 8:30 – 10 a.m., Read more and join the session.
This session will include the following topics:
- Student Program Plan Discontinuation
- Batch Term Activation
- Enrollment Appointments
- Define Student Appointment Blocks
- Create the Enrollment Appointment Table
- Assign Enrollment Appointments in Batch
The term activation batch job runs more efficiently with fewer active program/plan stacks and fewer term-activated students' tuition calculations. Additionally, it prevents accidental term activations. Develop criteria for when a student must reapply to your institution and submit a ticket to discontinue ineligible students.
Next, we will walk through Batch Term Activation. Before enrolling, students must be term-activated; the local business process will determine the number of previous terms to include. Then, we will create Student Appointment Blocks using Student Groups and Cumulative Units. Student Blocks are One-Time Setups. Once you have set up your Student Appointment Blocks, you do not need to recreate them every term. After creating Student Appointment Blocks, we will set dates and times on the Appointment Table. Finally, we will assign appointments in Batch.
CS Core Work Sessions
Campus Solutions (CS) Core Work Sessions, open to ALL end users, are held the first Thursday of each month, from 1 to 3 p.m. The CS Functional Support team facilitates, alternating between functional team delivered content and college user delivered content with functional team support. Each meeting includes time for colleges to ask questions about other topics or service tickets.
Find details on the SBCTC Calendar and in the CS Core Weeklyish COREspondence (sent on Fridays to the CSSupport listserv).
Core Sessions: College System & SBCTC Calendar
CS COREterly Open Q&A Sessions
- CS Core invites you to attend its quarterly Open Q&A sessions! While these sessions are for learning and problem-solving, we want to emphasize that these are also part of our efforts to support community building.
- Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, 1-3 p.m., Learn more and join the session
- Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, 1-3 p.m., Learn more and join the session
We want these sessions to provide an opportunity for college users to:
- Get assistance with any functionality they want to better understand or situation they are struggling to make work.
- Seek advice on anything they are trying to solve.
- Share best practices and lessons learned.
- Develop networks and build community.
To support the varied work areas of our users, each session will have a breakout room for each of the following modules:
- Records & Enrollment, which includes Student Program/Plan, Term Activation, Enrollment Appointments, Enrollment, Transfer-In Credit, Transcripts, Graduation and so on.
- Campus Community, which includes 3Cs, BioDemo, Service Indicators and so on.
- Curriculum Management, which includes class building, course catalog management, enrollment requirements and so on
Along with your colleagues who can share their real-life experiences and the solutions they have employed; CS Core team experts will be present in each room. We encourage you to submit your questions before the session (but doing so isn’t required). Enter your questions on the CS COREterly Question Submissions tab. Knowing your questions ahead of time just helps us to be prepared and allows us to help as many people as possible.
We hope you’ll join us even if you don’t have specific questions! We look forward to connecting with you and for you to connect with each other.
Questions? Contact CS Core Support.
Behind the Integration Broker (IB): Data Synchronization between HCM and CS Pillars
Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, 1-3 p.m., Read more and join the session
Seeking clarity about what data moves from HCM to Campus Solutions? And how? We hope to not only satisfy your curiosity but also make it easier for your Student Records and HR offices to stay in sync and achieve your intended outcomes.
This session will be an introduction to what Integration Broker (IB) is, how it works and what it does. We’ll discuss some of the basic consideration points and tips about managing biodemo data, particularly those nuances of being in a multi-pillar, global environment.
Questions? Contact CS Core Support.
NEW! Caring for Your Core Processes
Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, 1-3 p.m., Read more and join the session
Come learn about the best practices, common issues and frequently asked questions related to scheduling and jobsets! We’ll talk about run controls and process recurrences as we demonstrate how to use the process monitor and how to review resulting success/error files. Shelia will join us to explain the purpose of the college jobs account and related expectations and responsibilities. Note, this content will be specific to CS Core modules (admissions, advisement, enrollment, curriculum management, etc).
Module: PeopleTools
Primary Audience: Process Schedulers
Facilitator/s: Maria Sultan and Marissa Baker, SBCTC with Shelia Sloan, SBCTC
Reference materials: Process Scheduler/Process Monitor
NEW! CS Core Work Session: [Students] Got Bills; They’re Multiplying!
Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, 1-3 p.m., Read more and join the session
Does looking at the student account make you feel like you’re loooooosing control? Well, you better shape up, to help you better understand (la la la), that this session is for you. This is the-one-you-want (do-do-do). This session is for those of you who work outside of Student Financials who may need to view the student account and understand what you are seeing. Today we’ll get you a few key words and concepts that will help you better navigate, translate and make sense of Student Financials.
We’ll start with a high-level overview of different tuition groups and tuition calculation. Then, a basic understanding of how to read the student account and where to find information about payments, refunds and more. We will also review the account from the student’s perspective so you can help your students navigate what they see in Self-Service. GREASE up those minds, this session will be ELECTRIFYING.
Module: Student Financials
Primary Audience: Student Financials-Adjacent staff
Facilitator: Jill Hammitt, Highline College
Reference materials
- What I Owe (HCX) QRG
- Highline Canvas: Tuition/Fees Account Balances (Student Homepage)
- Highline Canvas: Tuition/Fees and Account Balances (Mobile)
NEW! CS Core Work Session: Get on the sCOREboard
Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, 1-3 p.m., Read more and join the session
As the year ends, it’s once again time to celebrate the progress we've made as a system in ctcLink! All that hard work deserves a break so let’s take some time for some fun and games! Your CS Core team will host this light-hearted trivia-esque experience. The winning college not only gets bragging rights but ALSO gets to work with us to ensure that one of their most desired topics is addressed in a 2025 work session. This is your opportunity for you to show off that you’ve been scouring your bulletins, attending our work sessions, and bookmarking your QRGs/Canvas courses.
We may even throw in some random college and Washington state facts just to keep everyone on their toes and even the playing field!
FIN Learning Opportunities
ctcLink Accounting Team presents: FIN Daily Fiscal Year-end (FYE) Work Sessions
Join the SBCTC Business Operations ctcLink Accounting team for Fiscal Year-end 2023-2024 accounting support and guidance. Topics include FYE preparation, reconciliation, and processes.
These focused work sessions will run daily, Monday through Friday (except holidays), 10 to 11 a.m., July 1 through August 2, 2024.
Questions? See the contact information listed in the event calendar listings below.
| DATE/TIME | EVENT/TOPIC |
|---|---|
| Thursday, Aug. 1, 10 a.m. | ctcLink Accounting Team: FYE Work Session Open Q&A |
| Friday, Aug. 2, 10 a.m. | ctcLink Accounting Team: FYE Work Session Open Q&A |
FIN Work Session: Grants/Projects Q&A Drop-In Sessions
Every second Monday of the month at 11 a.m. join the ctcLink Finance Customer Support team for a collaborative, interactive and troubleshooting drop-in session on everything Grants/Projects.
Questions? See the contact information listed in the event calendar listings below.
Need help with setting up FY25 grants? Feel free to reach out to Michele Rockwell, MSML, ctcLink Finance Functional Analyst.
You are invited to drop in with any questions related to grants and projects at the open Q&A sessions.
| DATE/TIME | EVENT/TOPIC |
|---|---|
| Monday, Aug. 12, 11 a.m. | FIN Work Session: Grants/Projects Q&A Drop-In |
| Monday, Sept. 9, 11 a.m. | FIN Work Session: Grants/Projects Q&A Drop-In |
| Monday, Oct. 14, 11 a.m. | FIN Work Session: Grants/Projects Q&A Drop-In |
Finance (FSCM) College Users Production Support Meetings
Meetings are held every Tuesday, from 2 to 3 p.m.
These sessions are open to ALL Finance (FSCM) end users. The ctcLink Finance Customer Support team provides updates on Service Tickets, PeopleSoft enhancements, and open forum time to ask questions or request future topics.
| DATE/TIME | EVENT/TOPIC |
|---|---|
| Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2 p.m. | FIN Work Session: FSCM Prod Support Meeting (DYK on GL) |
| Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2 p.m. | FIN Work Session: FSCM Prod Support Meeting |
| Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2 p.m. | FIN Work Session: FSCM Prod Support Meeting |
| Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2 p.m. | FIN Work Session: FSCM Prod Support Meeting |
Monthly Student Finance/General Ledger SF/GL Open Forum
Every second Wednesday, 2 to 3 p.m., the SBCTC Business Operations Accounting team invites you to bring your questions (and solutions) to share during this open forum meeting space for all things Student Finance/General Ledger (SF/GL) related.
There is no formal agenda as we welcome all questions about everything from item types and second journal sets to waivers, queries, or internal cash reconciliation.
See the SBCTC meetings and events calendar and look for ctcLink Accounting Team: SF/GL Open Forum Meeting.
| DATE/TIME | EVENT/TOPIC |
|---|---|
| Wednesday, Aug 14, 2 p.m. | ctcLink Accounting Team: SF/GL Open Forum Meeting |
| Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2 p.m. | ctcLink Accounting Team: SF/GL Open Forum Meeting |
| Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2 p.m. | ctcLink Accounting Team: SF/GL Open Forum Meeting |
Financial Aid Award Processing Update
Overall Numbers as of Monday, July 29, 2024
It’s not easy, but college financial aid teams are doing stellar work in the face of this year’s difficult FAFSA challenges.
As of Monday, 11,845 students have been awarded for the summer term, and 13,093 students have been awarded for the fall term of the 2024-2025 academic year.
In comparison, as of this date last year, 10,040 students were awarded for the summer term (up by 1,805), and 14,203 students were awarded for the fall term of the 2023-2024 academic year (down by 1,110).
The largest gap in summer awards for an individual college is 147 fewer awards this year compared to the same time last year.
Additionally, colleges have loaded a total of 4,194 WASFA applications into the system to date.
SBCTC FAFSA Resources Webpage
Visit the 2024-25 FAFSA Resources web page for regularly updated information for college employees and includes updated FAQ templates including a Q&A center.
FAFSA Simplification Q&A center (for colleges)
Submit questions and ideas about FAFSA simplification efforts to the SBCTC FAFSA Response Team
Federal Student Aid (FSA) Training Spotlight
Have you missed a recent FSA training webinar? You can find links to all recent webinars at the top of FSA’s Webinars and Training Videos page. The most recent webinars are linked there so you can find them easily:
- July 24: FAFSA Data Use in 2024‒25
- July 10: How to Report FVT/GE Data to NSLDS
- June 28: Demo of FAFSA Partner Portal Corrections
Visit the new FAFSA Partner Portal training page to watch a demo on an overview of using the system. Stay tuned soon for additional in-depth training on FAFSA Partner Portal functionality including Applicant View and Corrections.
And finally, a reminder that FSA will be launching 2024–25 award year training on August 5. If you are in the middle of the 2023–24 version of FSA Basic Training for New Staff or any one of the Learning Tracks, please finish your work by August 2 or wait for the release of the 2024–25 training.
If you are required to complete FSA Fundamentals, you must wait for the 2024–25 training to be released on August 5. There are no more Fundamentals workshops for the 2023–24 cycle. Dates for instructor-led workshops for the 2024–25 award year will be announced after August 5.
If you have any questions about your own training situation and completion of courses, please send an email to helpdesk.fsatraining@ed.gov.
FAFSA in the News
- Keep up with the latest news from the NASFAA FAFSA Simplification Web Center
New Global Checklist
At the request of the Financial Aid System Technology (FAST) group, we have developed a global query and checklist for comment codes 283 & 284. This query is now available in Production.
| 24-25 COMMENT CODE | QUERY NAME | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|
| 283, 284 | QCS_FA_SB_AD_236 | Parent Non-Filer Tax Conflict |
Comment Code Descriptions
We have also updated the Comment Code Descriptions based on FAST’s request. However, please note this is not a delivered description but is taken from the 24-25 FAFSA Specifications Guide (December 2023).
Use the resources below to build the new global checklist & Event ID for your college.
New global checklist & Event ID and naming conventions to aid in configuration
| ITEM | DETAIL |
|---|---|
| Query | QCS_FA_SB_AD_236 |
| Checklist Code | Exx236 |
| Checklist Description | Parent Non Filer Tax Conflict |
| Checklist Short Description | ParNFTax |
| Administrative Function | FINA |
| Checklist Item Comment | The parent’s or parent spouse's answer indicates that they did not file a U.S. tax return for a reason other than low income. This may indicate that the parent was required to file a U.S. tax return but did not. The FAA should treat this as conflicting information and follow up with the parent to ask if this is correct. For additional information on resolving conflicting information, please see the Federal Student Aid Handbook, Application and Verification Guide. |
| Event ID | FISExx236I |
| Event ID Long Description | Parent Non-Filer Tax Conflict |
| Event ID Short Description | I-ParNFTax |
| Administrative Function | FINA |
Resources & Reminders
QRGs for creating a new Checklist and Event ID
Disbursement Rules
If the checklist(s) should prevent a student from receiving a disbursement, the checklist(s) will need to be added to the disbursement rules on the applicable item type(s).
Note that when adding a new effective dated row to the item type disbursement rules, be sure to back date the effective date to the start of the calendar year before Saving your changes. For 2024-2025, this would be 01/01/2024. By using a date at the start of the year, this ensures that the checklist rule will be applied to students already awarded for the aid year.
Questions? Reach out to FASupport.
FA Learning Opportunities
Loan Set Up for Schema 5.0b and 2024/2025 Loan Processing: Trailer Colleges
Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Read more and join the session
Audience: Trailer college Financial Aid staff responsible for Direct Loan Origination and Outbounding
By request, some colleges have expressed interest in a session to walk through setting up the new AY loan run controls for when you begin processing loans in the 2024-2025 Aid Year (AY).
This Financial Aid Session is a hands-on workshop to set up/adjust your Run Controls for the 2024-2025 AY in preparation for sending out your Direct Loan files for the Fall Term.
Agenda
- Updating/checking Loan Fee Set Up
- Updating/checking Loan Fee in Item Types Set Up
- Updating/checking the Loan Fee in Create Loan Types page
- Updating the Process Loans Run Control ID parameters to 2025 AY
- Break: 10:30 – 10:45 a.m.
- Updating the Odd Year (OY) Summer Include & Summer Exclude Run Control ID parameters to 2024/2025 dates and AY
- Updating the OY Process Loan Dates Run Control ID to 2025 AY
- Updating the Schema to 5.0b on the OY Generate Direct Loan Data page
- Updating and/or creating OY Run Control IDs for your Direct Loan Reports
This session will be recorded. There will be no presentation slide deck, as we will work hands-on in the production environment.
Financial Aid (FA) Work Sessions
Financial Aid (FA) Work Session meetings are on the fourth Thursdays, from 1 to 3 p.m.
The FA Functional Support team facilitates alternating between functional team delivered content and college user delivered content with the support of the FA functional team. The end of each meeting is open for colleges to ask questions about the topic presented. These sessions are open to ALL end users.
Find the latest information, including notices of cancellation or schedule changes, on the ctcLink Training page or on the SBCTC meetings and events calendar (apply filters).
HCM Learning Opportunities
HCM Work Session Meetings
Human Capital Management (HCM) meetings are held every other Wednesday, from 1 to 3 p.m. The HCM Functional team along with the training team offers Work Sessions and Training Sessions around the different functionality in HCM.
For calendar details, search the ctcLink Learning Opportunities calendar at SBCTC meetings and events and apply Human Capital Management filter.
- Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024, 1 to 3 p.m. Search Match
- Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, 1 to 3 p.m., Pay Calendars
- Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, 1 to 3 p.m., Payroll Processing Overview
- Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, 1 to 3 p.m., Payroll Processing Steps 1-5
- Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, 1 to 3 p.m., Data Prep for Year-End Reporting W-2 Forms - Part 2
Behind the Integration Broker (IB): Data Synchronization between HCM and CS Pillars
Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, 1-3 p.m., Read more and join the session
Seeking clarity about what data moves from HCM to Campus Solutions? And how? We hope to not only satisfy your curiosity but also make it easier for your Student Records and HR offices to stay in sync and achieve your intended outcomes.
This session will be an introduction to what Integration Broker (IB) is, how it works and what it does. We’ll discuss some of the basic consideration points and tips about managing biodemo data, particularly those nuances of being in a multi-pillar, global environment.
Questions? Contact CS Core Support.
New SF Employee Onboarding Training Manual
We are pleased to announce the ctcLink Customer Support Training team has now completed two additional tools to assist colleges with employee onboarding.
Campus Solutions Core and Student Financials Employee Onboarding Training Manuals were launched on July 31, 2024. See the story above in Cross-Pillar News section.
SF Learning Opportunities
Please feel free to reach out to SFSupport@sbctc.edu if you have any questions or need further clarification.
SF Training: 2024 Fall Welcome Back to Basics
Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Learn more and join the session
This session is intended for new employees and those seeking to refresh their skills with processing basics including:
- Cashiering
- Refunds
- Payment Plans
Related QRGs
Prerequisite Courses
- SF100 (Tuition Calculation)
- SF101 (Cashiering)
- SF102 (Refunds)
- SF103 (Payment Plans)
Contact Alec Risk, SBCTC Student Financials Functional Trainer, with any questions.
Monthly Student Finance/General Ledger SF/GL Open Forum
Every second Wednesday, 2 to 3 p.m., the SBCTC Business Operations Accounting team invites you to bring your questions (and solutions) to share during this open forum meeting space for all things Student Finance/General Ledger (SF/GL) related.
There is no formal agenda as we welcome all questions about everything from item types and second journal sets to waivers, queries, or internal cash reconciliation.
See the SBCTC meetings and events calendar and look for ctcLink Accounting Team: SF/GL Open Forum Meeting.
| DATE/TIME | EVENT/TOPIC |
|---|---|
| Wednesday, Aug 14, 2 p.m. | ctcLink Accounting Team: SF/GL Open Forum Meeting |
| Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2 p.m. | ctcLink Accounting Team: SF/GL Open Forum Meeting |
| Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2 p.m. | ctcLink Accounting Team: SF/GL Open Forum Meeting |
PCD Refresh and Your Queries: Get Ready!
The PCD (Production College Development) environment will be refreshed from PRD on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. Beginning Friday, Aug. 2, at noon, PCD will not be available for query development until after the PCD is refreshed.
What you need to do
Make sure any PCD queries you want to keep begin with the prefix DEV_ unless you have submitted a ticket requesting backup of queries that will be used for BI Publisher, Pivot Grid, or nVision reports.
Standard Queries
Any queries in PCD that do not begin with DEV_ will be deleted.
- This applies to all standard Public and Private queries. SBCTC will perform a query backup for in-progress queries (private and public) that meet the DEV_ naming convention.
- This backup will NOT be done by folder. This means if a query is in the DEVELOPMENT folder but doesn’t begin with DEV_ it will be overwritten and lost.
BI Publisher, Pivot Grid, and nVision Queries
Any query used in a BI Publisher, Pivot Grid, or nVision report DOES NOT have to follow the DEV_ protocol as it is very time-consuming to change them back when they are ready to migrate.
Instead, please submit a Service Desk ticket under Data Services – Reporting – Other with the title “PCD Refresh Backup Request.” Provide the name of the query being developed for use in one of the advanced reporting tools in the request. These queries will be individually backed up on an as-needed basis.
What to expect
- The queries in the backup will be imported back to PCD after the refresh is complete and a notice is received from Application Services.
- Data Services will send a message to you once our work is complete.
- Please do not log back into PCD after Friday, March 1, at noon but wait until you receive a notification from Data Services.
- Queries that do not follow these naming conventions will be lost
Naming convention for queries
- Being developed in PCD: MUST begin with the prefix DEV_
- Used for training in PCD: MUST begin with QXX_TRAIN
- Being developed for use in BI Publisher, Pivot Grid, or nVision reports in PCD: MUST begin with the appropriate convention based on the reporting tool being used. Do not follow the DEV_ convention. Request must be sent to Data Services via Service Desk ticket.
Why you need to do it
Queries that do not follow this convention will not be backed up and will be lost.
Contact Emily Mullins, Reporting and BI Solutions Analyst for ctcLink, if you have any questions.
Query Developer Learning Opportunities
Instructor-Led Query Development Training
The ctcLink Training Calendar has been updated with next quarter’s instructor led query development training schedule. Have a look at their fresh offerings.
Step Up your Query Game
Learn more about the Designated Query Developer Training series and start your journey to becoming your college’s very own query guru! Or query wizard, if you prefer. Or maestro. Maybe a goddess, crackerjack, wizard, or maven. It’s up to you!
Upcoming courses include:
- Aug 21, 8:45 a.m., PS Query Training 102 - Query Security
- Sep 10, 9 a.m., PS Query Training 301 Advanced - Part 1
- Sep 11, 9 a.m., PS Query Training 301 Advanced - Part 2
- Sep 24, 9 a.m., PS Query Training 401 Expert- Part 1
- Sep 25, 9 a.m., PS Query Training 401 Expert- Part 2
Plan ahead for 2024
The ctcLink Training Calendar has been updated with 2024 instructor-led query-related training. To clear filter settings, select None. Then select ctcLink Learning Opportunities > Reporting Training.
How to for Query Developer Courses
The process to enroll in Query Developer Canvas courses has been streamlined. Now, instead of emailing Data Services, simply:
- Visit the ctcLink Training Registrationpage,
- Select the class(es) from the Designated Query Developer Training section,
- Follow the sign-up process.
More for PeopleSoft Query Developers
Find more ctcLink PeopleSoft Query Development resources including forms, documentation, and tools at the ctcLink PeopleSoft Reporting web page.
Security Team Highlights
- The ctcLink Security team presented an update on the SASI Project efforts during the recent IT Commission meeting.
- Recertifications of Local Security Administrator have been completed for audit purposes.
- Old security role cleanup for Finance and HCM pillars is complete. And the CS pillar has only four users to go!
ctcLink Accessibility Monthly Open Forum
Join us! The ctcLink Accessibility monthly forums engage Washington's community and technical college system in discussions around ctcLink accessibility and technology. We aim to improve communication and transparency while providing space for productive and solution-focused dialog. Our main objective is to deliver accessible technology for all our students, staff, and the larger community.
Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month, 11 a.m. to noon.
The next ctcLink Accessibility Open Forum will be Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, at 11 a.m. All are welcome to attend via Zoom.
In case you missed a meeting, please see materials from past Open Forums.
