ctcLink Learning Opportunities & Support Roundup: June 18, 2025

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).  

 

 

Learn about how to register, badging opportunities, and more at the Professional & Personal Development Workshops page.

Registering for the workshops is easy!

1. Visit the SBCTC meetings and events calendar
2. Filter by "CTC Professional Development » Personal & Professional Development Suite"
3. Click "Sign up" button to enroll

 

PCD Refresh and Your Queries: Get Ready!

Due to the July 4 holiday, the PCD (Production College Development) environment will be refreshed from PRD on Monday, June 30, 2025 (instead of July 7).

Beginning Friday, June 27, 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, June 27, at noon but wait until you receive a notification from Data Services.
• Queries that do not follow these naming conventions will be lost

Remember! 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 Adam Fauth, Senior Reporting and BI Solutions Analyst for ctcLink, if you have any questions.

Data Summit 2025: Save the Date!

Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, Yakima Valley College

Planning for Data Summit 2025 is now underway

The DataLink Steering Committee, IT Commission, Research & Planning Commission, and the ctcLink College Collaboration Group are teaming up to plan another informative event discussing all things data. The agenda is under development but will include:

• Hands-on work with the data
• Deep dives on hot topics
• Breakout session by theme
• Opportunities for collaboration
• Information on what’s coming down the road

We want to hear from you

You are invited to submit your ideas on topics you want to learn more about, topics you would like to present, or information you would like to share: Data Summit 2025 Ideas form

PAW Travel & Expense (T&E) Activities Update

A number of activities are underway as PAW activities roll on into summer and fall.

T&E Lessons Learned Survey

Members of the pilot Travel & Expense Process Alignment Task Force and PAW Liaisons have been asked to complete a Travel & Expense Task Force Feedback Survey.

Their valuable insights, experiences, and lessons-learned will help PAW improve future process alignment activities.

The deadline for submission is June 20, 2025.

T&E College Adoption Readiness Survey

The ctcLink College Leaders have been asked to collaborate with their college travel administrators, business office staff, travelers, and others to complete the Travel & Expense Alignment Process: College Adoption Readiness Survey.

Data from this survey will help PAW and SBCTC ctcLink Support teams know how best to support colleges as they adopt the new Travel & Expense processes.

While it may seem a little early, it’s important to measure the current level of awareness and desire (the “A” and “D” in ADKAR) among system stakeholders, so we want to hear from each college district.

It’s a snapshot in time and there are no wrong answers!

The deadline for submission is June 30, 2025.

Travel & Expense proof-of-concept testing timeline

More details will be shared in the coming days and weeks via email and the ctcLink College Collaboration Group meetings, but here is what we know:

• Travel & Expense proof-of-concept testing will start with an all-college kickoff session during the week of July 14, 2025.
• Necessary testing materials, instructions, and test scenarios will be available in the ctcLink Reference Center. 
• The testing period will run through August 29, 2025.

Questions?

Please reach out to Lia Homeister, Travel & Expense PAW Task Force Lead, Director of Institutional Research & Effectiveness, ctcLink College Leader, Renton Technical College

Next Up for Process Alignment

Process Alignment: College-Driven | Agency-Supported | Leadership-Endorsed

Nearly 50 ctcLink pillar and cross-pillar ideas were submitted for consideration for the next Process Alignment task force in response to the survey which closed on June 9, 2025.

The Process Alignment Workgroup, PA leadership, and SBCTC ctcLink Support teams are reviewing the items, prioritize, remove duplicates, and refine choices to those that meet the criteria for process alignment.

The ctcLink College Collaboration Group — comprised of systemwide ctcLink College Leaders, subject matter experts, and business analysts — will then consider the recommendations and decide which process colleges will align next, in consultation with any related commissions/councils.

What Is Process Alignment?

Process alignment involves creating common, agreed-upon business processes that align with our system's goals and strategies. It ensures that ctcLink system processes are consistent and efficient. 

Simply put: Is there something you do on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis that makes you think, “There HAS to be a better way to do this! How could we ALL do it better?”

Contact

Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns about the Process Alignment Workgroup activities:

• Jason Hetterle, PAW Team Lead, Director of Technology & Enterprise Solutions, Wenatchee Valley College
• Lia Homeister, Travel & Expense PAW Task Force Lead, Director of Institutional Research & Effectiveness, ctcLink College Leader, Renton Technical College

What is a Quick Win ER?

A Quick Win refers to a simple, easily achievable task or change within the ctcLink system’s basic settings and configuration that requires minimal effort and resources but delivers benefits. These low-effort, high-impact adjustments are designed to enhance system functionality, improve user experience, or streamline processes—without requiring extensive development, disrupting current priorities, or delaying ER items in-flight.

Quick Wins are supported by available resources, such as dedicated support teams, ensuring rapid implementation. They are accompanied by an informational notification to maintain transparency and keep all stakeholders informed of even minimal-impact updates. 

How to Check the Status of an Enhancement Request

The ctcLink Customer Services Teams have documented all Enhancement Request (ER) forms submitted.

The ctcLink Enhancement Request Status lists are updated the first and third Wednesday of each month to align with the ctcLink Working Group calendar.

You can see where each Enhancement Request is in the governance review process, approval status, and/or any other actions taken in a couple of different views.

High-Level Summary At-a-Glance

The Full Enhancement Request List is sorted by status.

CS Core Support Updates

User Acceptance Testing Kickoff: Adding Custom Self-Service Questions in Campus Solutions (ER 232)

Wednesday, June 25, 2025, 2 – 3:30 p.m., Join Session

Join us for an important user acceptance testing (UAT) activity June 25 to July 11, 2025.

UAT activities earlier this year gave us feedback that identified opportunities to improve the solution design to support the unique needs of all programs and areas that serve students and rely on this data, while remaining aligned with the original requirements of ER 232. We are excited to share that the updated solution is ready for colleges to test.

During UAT, users will:

• View a new Service Indicator as a student
• Submit questionnaire responses as a student
• Submit questionnaire responses as a staff member on behalf of a student
• Run queries as part of UAT (optional)

Users will review the upcoming enhancement and test functionality to confirm these changes are working as intended. ER 232 will be implemented in production pending the outcome of testing.

Note: The presentation portion of the session will be recorded and distributed so users can continue their testing post-kickoff. UAT activities will end on July 11, 2025 and any concerns or issues found need to be reported to SBCTC by submitting a service desk ticket by that date.

Enhancement Request Details

ER 232 - (FYI) Adding Custom Self-Service Questions in Campus Solutions: A custom solution to collect information from students to meet state and federal reporting requirements, as well as for institutional research and college student outreach needs.

Out of Scope

During this UAT, users will not be logging into the ctcLink PQA environment with their EMPLID except for the individual(s) designated by your college to run queries; Users will be provided with college test login instructions after the kick-off session.

Contact Sarah Whetzel, ctcLink Test Coordinator, if you have questions.

New Student Group and upcoming Student Group changes for ER 232

In preparation for the implementation of the student self-service enhancement (ER 232), a new Student Group for an additional employment status response is being added to production this week. 

This will allow us to create a mass assign job for this Student Group and also prepare to change the current mass assign jobs to use the student’s self-service employment status response in addition to the response provided at the time of admissions in OAAP. 

The student self-service response will take priority over the admissions response as self-service will be more current information.  If there is not a self-service response to the employment status question, the mass assign job will use the response the student provided at the time of admission.

Employment Status Student Groups – mass assigned; should be set as inquiry only as students will update their responses

• SWSA – Employed FT
• SWSB – Employed PT
• SWSC – Unemployed Seeking
• SWSD – Unemployed Not Seeking
• SWSE – Retired (new Student Group)

Please note we are not planning to develop Student Groups for the other self-service question responses, as we can use the new table or view being implemented with this ER for queries and for the Data Warehouse quarterly snapshots. We will continue setting the employment status Student Groups for data continuity as these student groups have been in place and populated for the past decade.

Questions about these Student Groups?

Contact Lou Sager, SBCTC Data Warehouse Associate Director.

Campus Solutions (CS) Core Pillar Support Web Page

Visit the revised Campus Solutions (CS) Core pillar support web page at ctcLink Support for all things CS Core-related:

• ctcLink Reference Center Quick Links
• ctcLink Onboarding Training Manual
• Learning Opportunities & Training
• Lists and groups
• Pillar newsletter
• Oracle and PeopleSoft resources

2026 CS Core Work Sessions Need You!

CS Core has begun planning for 2026. We want to offer more sessions like the one Bates Technical College did recently on Student Alert. To do that, we need you!

We want colleges to have opportunities to learn not only from us but also from each other. We think it’s important for colleges to showcase significant projects and to be acknowledged and recognized for their hard work.

Consider what projects and initiatives your campus is currently working on that could be a good presentation in the coming year. What’s also fair game? Nominate anything you hear your colleagues are working on that you want to know about!

Send information about what you’d like to contribute (or voluntold) to Michelle Kuwasaki, Campus Solutions Functional Analyst. If you have a preferred presentation month in mind, let her know!

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 training courses. You can find details about upcoming meetings on the SBCTC Calendar, CS Core Weeklyish COREspondence, and CS Core listserv. Please visit the QRG Campus Solutions Learning Opportunities Recordings for a list of previous recordings.

CS Core Training: Veterans Reporting

Wednesday, July 16, 2025, 8:30 - 10 a.m., Learn more and join the session

This session provides an overview of the Veterans Reporting functionality in PeopleSoft. It covers how to track, report, and manage data related to veterans. Using the provided tools, you will learn how institutions can maintain accurate records that help meet federal reporting obligations. We also invite current users of this functionality to join the session and share their best practices with the group.

• Module(s): Student Records
• Primary Audience: Staff Responsible for Veterans Reporting
• Related QRG: Veteran Benefit Reporting Chapter

Enrollment Cancellation

Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 8:30 - 10 a.m., Learn more and join the session

If students fail to pay their tuition and fees in full or make appropriate payment arrangements by the established final deadline, their classes may be subject to cancellation. Through the Enrollment Cancellation process, the system identifies past-due students, removes their enrolled courses, and simultaneously eliminates any associated waitlist positions.

This session will provide a comprehensive overview of the ctcLink Enrollment Cancellation functionality, detailing class-by-class and term-level cancellation procedures. The discussion will address critical timeline considerations, re-enrollment eligibility procedures, and the calculation methods employed after an enrollment cancellation takes effect. We will also cover strategies for effective communication with students affected by this process.

• Module(s): Student Records and Student Financials
• Primary Audience: Staff Responsible for Enrollment Cancellation
• Related QRG: Enrollment Chapter

Key topics include:

• Important dates to remember
• Adjustment calendars, billing and due calendars, academic calendar
• Class-by-class cancellation within a term
• Re-establishing student enrollment eligibility after cancellation
• Post-cancellation calculation methods
• Effective communication protocols

CS Core Work Sessions

Campus Solutions (CS) Core Work Sessions, open to ALL end users, are generally held the first Thursday of each month, from 1 to 3 p.m., but may be offered on an alternative schedule (e.g., to accommodate holidays).

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.

CS Core Work Sessions features

• Include community engagement within each session (rather than having a formal, predetermined college panel). When possible, we will post the anticipated questions ahead of time so that you can be prepared.
• Dedicate at least the last half hour (2:30 to p.m.) to Open Q&A.
• If the scheduled session ends early and all related questions have been answered, Open Q&A will begin (i.e., it may begin earlier than 2:30 but will begin no later than 2:30 p.m.)

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

Coming up next!

Join us for CS Core Work Session: Tracking Student Populations on Thursday, July 17.

Questions? Contact CS Core Support.

Accounts Receivable and Billing (AR/BI) Q&A Session Planning Underway

ctcLink Finance functional support team members, Mackenzie Gardner and Sabit Gottipatti, are making plans to host open AR/BI Q&A sessions starting the week of July 23.

They need your help to determine when college staff is most available to meet! Please complete the AR/BI Q&A Sessions availability survey.

Reach out to Mackenzie Gardner, SBCTC Finance Functional Analyst, with any questions or concerns.

And, of course, they are always available for a one-on-one if you would like to meet outside of the times we set for these Q&As.

Finance Pillar Support Web Page

Visit the revised Finance (FIN) pillar support web page at ctcLink Support for all things FIN-related:

• ctcLink Reference Center Quick Links
• ctcLink Onboarding Training Manual
• Learning Opportunities & Training
• Lists and groups
• Oracle and PeopleSoft resources

Planning Budgeting Cloud Services (PBCS) Update

SBCTC anticipated changes to our system’s PBCS licensing due to a substantial cost increase, and that has now been confirmed.

SBCTC leadership has successfully negotiated with Oracle to replace PBCS with Oracle Cloud Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) to offset the higher subscription costs.

Understanding EPM Enterprise and PBCS

Oracle EPM Enterprise and PBCS are both enterprise performance management solutions offered by Oracle. While PBCS is designed as a more streamlined and cost-effective option suited for smaller organizations, EPM Enterprise provides a broader set of advanced features and capabilities tailored for larger and more complex institutions.

What This Means for Colleges

Oracle has assured us that transferring to the EPM Enterprise platform will not impact existing configurations, business processes, or the user interface/experience.

• Colleges that currently use PBCS will continue to do so without disruption.
• The look and experience that colleges know with PBCS will continue to be the same, just on a different platform.
• Colleges in the process of configuration are not expected to experience any impact. Our estimated deployment timeframe remains January 2026.

Next Steps

We are in the process of transitioning existing PBCS functionality to the EPM Enterprise platform. While EPM offers additional features, our primary focus is on re-platforming the current toolset without disrupting the user experience. When feasible, we will assess and document relevant enhancements; however, our top priority remains completing this transition while staying on schedule with the next deployment group. The transition is expected to be finalized by August, and we will provide updates on our progress and any timeline adjustments as needed.

If you have any questions or concerns, contact Christyanna Dawson, ctcLink Project Manager.

FIN Year-End Support

So many opportunities to get one-on-one support as you put a bow on yet another fiscal year.

All FIN Modules ctcLink Customer Support Year-End Open Q&A

FYE25 GL Journal Drop-In Support

FYE25 Purchasing Support Open Webex

FIN Learning Opportunities

ctcLink Accounting Team Presents

Every first and third Thursday, these recurring work sessions aim to provide accounting support and guidance regarding, but not limited to, the various reconciliation topics and processes. Each session covers a specific topic(s) and then moves to open Q&A.

Travel and Expenses Q&A Drop-In

Recurring every last Monday of the month, 11 a.m. to noon, join us for a collaborative, interactive and troubleshooting drop-in support session on everything Travel and Expenses. This session is not recorded, unless otherwise noted.

• 11 – 11:30 a.m., Training: Come learn or share something new.
• 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m., Q&A: Please come with your questions or issues and be ready to share your screen.

FIN Work Session: Grants/Projects Q&A Drop-In Sessions

Recurring 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.

FIN Work Session: Asset Management Q&A

Every second Thursday from 11 a.m. to noon (except where noted) join the ctcLink Finance Customer Support team for a collaborative, interactive and troubleshooting drop-in session on all things Asset Management.

• 11 – 11:30 a.m., Training: Come learn or share something new.
• 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m., Q&A: Please come with your questions or issues and be ready to share your screen.

Some examples of topics:

• Tagging Active Assets
• Excel to CI Asset Upload
• Processing issues
• General questions

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.

The ctcLink Finance Subject Matter Experts list received a calendar invitation to Upcoming Finance Users Production Support meetings.

Didn’t get the invitation? Reach out to Shon Dicks-Schlesinger, Associate Director of Finance Functional Support.

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 Financials/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.

FA Support Updates

Financial Aid (FA) Pillar Support Web Page

Visit the revised Financial Aid (FA) pillar support web page at ctcLink Support for all things FA-related:

• ctcLink Reference Center Quick Links
• ctcLink Onboarding Training Manual
• Learning Opportunities & Training
• Lists and groups
• Pillar newsletter
• Oracle and PeopleSoft resources

New FA Resources: Packaging Hub and F02 Service Indicator Business Process Guide

In the ctcLink Reference Center, a new Packaging Hub section has been added in 9.2 FA - Packaging and Awards, 

The Packaging Hub section contains:

• Packaging Plans 101: Just In Time Training recording and slide deck
• Mass Packaging Solutions Currently Implemented: Explanation of solutions for Mass Packaging Top Issues #1, #2, #4 and #5
• Updating Packaging Plan: Setup guides for Enrollment-based WCG/CBS packaging, Global Equation Engines, etc. This page will be updated as equation engines are updated.
• COMING SOON! Exx990 Process: This new process is currently being piloted by a college.
• FA Self Service Guide: NEW

In addition, an F02 Service Indicator Guide has been added to the Precursory Awarding Processes section.

Updated Business Process Guide - Pell Processing

The Pell Processing Business Process Guide has been updated. Please bookmark this link and/or print out the latest guide which now reflects:

• 0c Schema update for 25/26 processing
• Pell SAS Import 24/25 (used for 2025 AY and beyond, including 25/26)
• Updated tips and tricks on some sections, i.e., Pell MRR processing

Some older screenshots in the guide remain but will be replaced as the 25/26 AY progresses.

Query for Processing Multi-Year Entrance Counseling:

CTC_FA_EC_LOAN_CNSL_ISSUES – Run this query to find students whose Entrance Counseling acknowledgments are not matching up to the Initiated checklist, leaving the checklist in an Initiated status when it should be set to Completed when the Process Loan Counseling Data step and Run 3C Engine steps are run.

ACTION REQUIRED: Follow the steps in the Loan Processing Business Processing Guide on or around pg. 120 to get these records loaded to complete the Entrance Counseling Checklist

FA Weeklyish Bulletin

Trying to recall that important thing you read in the last ctcLink Financial Aid listserv FA Weeklyish Bulletin?

Don’t miss a thing! Revisit past editions in the FA Weeklyish Bulletin Archive at the ctcLink Reference Center.

FA Learning Opportunities

Financial Aid Training

Fin Aid Training for Trailer Colleges Only: Loan Set Up for Schema 5.0c and 25/26 Loan Processing

Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Learn more and join the session

Join this hands-on workshop to set up/adjust your Run Controls for the 2025-2026 AY in preparation for sending out your Direct Loan files for the Fall Term.

Audience: Trailer College Financial Aid Staff responsible for Direct Loan Origination and Outbounding

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 pg.
• Updating the Process Loans Run Control ID parameters to 2026 AY
• 10:30 to 10:45 a.m.: Break
• Updating the EY Summer Include & Summer Exclude Run Control ID parameters to 2025/2026 dates and AY.
• Updating the EY Process Loan Dates Run Control ID to 2026 AY.
• Updating the Schema to 5.0b on the EY Generate Direct Loan Data pg.
• Updating and/or creating EY Run Control IDs for your Direct Loan Reports

This session will be recorded.  There will be no slide deck, as we will be working hands-on in the PRD environment.

Contact Kelly Forsberg, ctcLink Functional Trainer (Financial Aid).

HCM Support Updates

Position Management Approval Notifications (ER 176) Q&A Session

Wednesday, June 25, 2025, 3 p.m., Learn more and join the session 

The HCM team will implement a new change request to enable approval notifications during the Position Management Approval process on Thursday, June 26,.

To learn more about this change, attend the Q&A session to demonstrate the change and answer any questions users might have

The Q&A session is optional; however, we encourage users who are affected by this change to attend. The session will be recorded and distributed after the session.

Please reach out to Venkat Thati or Satyanarayana Gudapati if you have any questions or concerns about the changes. 

Human Capital Management (HCM) Pillar Support Web Page

Visit the revised Human Capital Management (HCM) pillar support web page at ctcLink Support for all things HCM-related:

• ctcLink Reference Center Quick Links
• ctcLink Onboarding Training Manual
• Learning Opportunities & Training
• Lists and groups
• Pillar newsletter
• Oracle and PeopleSoft resources

HCM Monthly Newsletter

Subscribe to the ctcLinkSME-HCM list to receive the latest edition of the HCM Monthly Roundup, featuring HCM hot topics, training, and how-to tips.

To subscribe, visit ctcLinkSME-HCM and follow the screen prompts.

Fiscal Year Comp Time Payoff: Self-Paced Asynchronous Training Using Pre-Recorded Session

This refresher is to be used as a reference for how to enter the Comp Time hours to be paid out at the end of the fiscal year in ctcLink. This process is typically done on the 06B payroll processing period.

In the Asynchronous Work Session Approach, the HCM Support Team is using resources already captured to provide refresher style reminders for you when time-sensitive processes/procedures are approaching their deadline for processing in ctcLink.

We believe these will work well for those annual processes where the procedure has not changed from last year, but a refresher is needed to bring to your attention that now is time to refamiliarize yourself with the steps and timing.

The self-paced topics to review include:

• Viewing the employee’s compensatory plan and balances
• Reviewing the process to pay off compensatory time balances at the end of the Fiscal Year

ctcLink Pillar Work Session Information Canvas Course Module now available

Navigate to the ctcLink Pillar Work Session Asynchronous Training Material Canvas course

• Module(s): Payroll, Time & Labor
• Primary Audience: Payroll Administrators, Time Administrators
• Related QRG: Compensatory Time Payoff - End of Fiscal Year

Contact: HCM Customer Support

HR Core

Workforce Administration (WFA) has been following up on the Data Governance Committee’s DemoCom review and recommendation(s) and is in the process of implementing updates to the language used within ctcLink related to SOGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity).

These updates are being delivered in coordination with the Campus Solutions systems pillar.

With support of the Application Services team, we are in the process of updating missing combo code values for history rows in ctcLink. Watch for communication and request for approvals coming soon.

The team is assessing the possibility of expanding Person Profile system functionality within ctcLink.

Benefits & Faculty Workload (FWL)

Faculty Workload

• REMINDER: HR Department changes made in part-time and/or moonlight job data records used in calculations of faculty contracts in Faculty Workload should be made during quarter breaks and applied to contract data processing for a new quarter. Doing so during any other timeframe will lead to payroll processing errors.
• FW100 Canvas Course Updates continue and are expected to be completed this month!

Benefits

• Auto Enrollment - Auto enrollment process update results are accessible to colleges via QHC_BA_E188_AUTOENR_ERROR_LOG
• New Query - QHC_BA_EMPL_SB1_MULT_INST has been developed to help colleges identify employees who are concurrently enrolled in SB1 benefit program at multiple institutions. Please run this query twice a month at payroll processing time. For additional timing details, please refer to Payroll Processing Timeline.
  • An employee can be enrolled in SB1 benefit program only one institution. If you come across employees enrolled in SB1 benefit program at multiple ctcLink institutions, please review your college’s data setup for that employee. If the employee has been enrolled in SB1 benefit program at your institution in error, be sure to correct SB1 benefit program to SB0 or SB2 and terminate HCA Average Cost deduction. If no results populate for your institution when running this query, that’s a happy result!

Payroll

Payroll Confirmation Timeline Review

The HCM Support Team asks that the colleges get into the practice of reviewing the Payroll Processing Timeline document each and every payroll period for updates and additions.

Paycheck Modeler

This function in ESS remains disabled for the time being. A solution is actively being planned with results possible in late June.

HCM Learning Opportunities

HCM Work Sessions

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.

Questions? Contact HCM Customer Support.

SF Support Team Updates

Update on Enhancement Request 253 “Make a Payment Page Classic to Fluid”

ER 253 will be implemented the evening of Tuesday, June 24. As of Wednesday, June 25, 2025 all students visiting ctcLink Self-Service to make a payment will notice a change in response.  

This change is nominal, and testing has yielded no concerns.

Why the change?

The current "Make a Payment" page uses the Classic layout and cannot be resized, which creates an accessibility issue—especially on mobile devices. Users must scroll horizontally to view all elements, which does not meet WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards:

• Success Criterion 1.4.10 (Reflow) requires content to reflow to fit the screen without horizontal scrolling.
• Success Criterion 1.4.4 (Resize Text) ensures that text, including controls, can be resized for users with visual impairments without assistive tools.

The Classic layout is a particular problem in HCX and the ctcLink mobile app, where the page is hard to use on smaller screens. Switching to the Fluid version of the page will fix this issue, as it is responsive and works well on all screen sizes, including mobile.

What do I need to do?

No action is required by the colleges.

What is the difference?

When selecting Make a Payment in ctcLink Self-Service, users will now see an updated layout for the payment process. Previously, the process followed four horizontal steps: Billing, Payment, Review, and Finish.

The new design presents a six-step sequence displayed vertically, offering a more modern and streamlined experience.

Resources

• Student Self-Service QRG: Make a Payment (Fluid)
• Enhancement Request #253 Document

Please reach out to SFSupport if you have any questions or concerns.

1098T 2025 Hot Topics!

Monday, July 14, 1 p.m., Join the session

This year, the SF Support Team would appreciate your collaboration in yet more improvements to our 1098T processing cycle. We would love your insights and recommendations!

The following issues have been identified as Hot Topics for discussion:

• 1098T Prior Year adjustment issues select - When activity to a prior calendar year takes place, and a prior year 1098T has not already been generated, it causes an inaccurate current year 1098T. 
• Citizenship Status and ER-999 - Questions related to citizenship have been removed from the Admissions Application. The 1098T Cobol Sql looks for a “USA” Country row and at least one valid (not blank) citizenship status you have listed on your 1098T TIN Table Citizenship tab. We anticipate a lower volume of 1098Ts generated since students do not have an opportunity to report on their USA Citizenship status. 

Join us to explore these topics in-depth, the approach to ongoing cleanup, as well as discuss the tentative time frames for related processing.

Student Financials (SF) Pillar Support Web Page

Visit the revised Student Financials (SF) pillar support web page at ctcLink Support for all things SF-related:

• ctcLink Reference Center Quick Links
• ctcLink Onboarding Training Manual
• Learning Opportunities & Training
• Lists and groups
• Pillar newsletter
• Oracle and PeopleSoft resources

Ticket Punch Down Meetings

The SF Team invites colleges to work with us on stubborn tickets and processes in ctcLink. Please send a message to SFSupport@sbctc.edu and we’ll find time to give you undivided attention to venture through any stubborn problems in ctcLink.

College Contacts

Please take a moment to review whether recent staff turnover has affected your college’s contacts for the following key responsibilities. If there have been any changes, kindly send updated contact information to SFSupport@sbctc.edu: 

• Item type approvers (Finance and Financial Aid) 
• Duplicate ID resolution 
• Cybersource payment platform 
• Nelnet payment plan coordination 

SF Learning Opportunities

Please feel free to reach out to SFSupport@sbctc.edu if you have any questions or need further clarification.

• The Student Financials Learning Opportunities Recordings QRG is a comprehensive list of all previous SF-related recordings.
• Previous SF DL Blasts can be found within Student Financials Resources.

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 Financials/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.

 

Query Developer Learning Opportunities

Instructor-Led Query Development Training

The ctcLink Training Calendar has been updated with instructor-led query-related training through summer. To clear filter settings, select None. Then select ctcLink Learning Opportunities > Reporting Training.

How to Enroll in Self-Paced Query Developer Courses

It’s easy to enroll in Query Developer Courses.

• 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.

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.                             

Please join us for the next ctcLink Accessibility Open Forum on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at 11 a.m. All are welcome to attend via Zoom.

Zoom meeting link: ctcLink Accessibility Open Forum 2025 and beyond

In case you missed a meeting, please see materials from past Open Forums.

Keeping the Lights On For You

In a ctcLink world populated with acronyms and mysterious jargon, the Application Services teams are the “pillar behind the pillars” for Washington’s community and technical colleges 24/7 by supporting ctcLink pillars, systemwide IT applications, environments, accessibility improvements, testing, and managing the network data load behind-the-scenes.

While you may never meet them directly or understand what they do, they support you every single day.