ctcLink Learning Opportunities & Support Roundup: Aug. 20, 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

 

Nominees Wanted for “Employee Onboarding & Offboarding” PAW Task Force

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

“Employee Onboarding & Offboarding” was announced Aug. 14 as the next topic for systemwide ctcLink process alignment during last week’s ctcLink College Collaboration Group meeting.

The next step is to identify nominees for the systemwide task force dedicated to this process.

Watch your eLists (listservs) tomorrow for a message from Jason Hetterle via SBCTC-IT Mail with the task force nomination details.

Task Force Composition

The task force will be comprised of a small group of 8 to 12 members working on behalf of all 34 colleges. PAW aims to ensure the following characteristics are represented: 

• HR staff involved in general employee onboarding 
• Non-HR staff involved in employee and faculty onboarding 
• ctcLink Local Security Administrators (LSAs) 
• Colleges of varying sizes and types (technical, community)
• Colleges incorporating ctcLink training as an expectation of onboarding

Task force lead

Sindie Howland, Associate Director for Change Management & Process Improvement at Everett Community College, will lead the Employee Onboarding & Offboarding Process Alignment task force.

Howland brings extensive experience within our college system, having acted as EvCC's project manager during the ctcLink implementation and holding key enrollment services positions at Skagit Valley College and Spokane Falls Community College.

What’s expected? 

• Task force kickoff meeting and orientations will be held in October 2025, allowing colleges to ease into fall quarter. The task force members will agree on a weekly meeting schedule. 
• During the discovery phase, the task force will conduct a process review to define the scope of the work, then proceed through an analysis phase before offering their "best practice" recommendations. 
• Task force members can expect a time commitment of one to three hours per week over approximately two quarters to fully participate in the review activity.  

Interested?

If you would like to be formally nominated:

• Discuss with your supervisor and seek their support.
• Reach out to your designated ctcLink College Leader, so they can submit your name.
  • The ctcLink College Leaders will receive a link to the nomination form and more details.

All nominations are due from the ctcLink College Leader by Monday, Sept. 15, 2025.

Task force membership will be announced the first week of October with an initial orientation/kickoff meeting set for mid-October. 

Get involved!

Even if you are not part of the official taskforce, PAW will engage with all subject matter experts in a variety of activities in the months ahead including gathering your bright ideas, user feedback, proof of concept, and more.

Everyone is encouraged to get involved however they can.

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 in ctcLink! How could we ALL do it better?”

Learn more about the Process Alignment Shared Vision and Project Overview at the ctcLink Reference Center.

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

PAW Travel & Expenses Proof of Concept Testing is Winding Down

The Process Alignment Workgroup’s inaugural effort — Travel & Expense Process Task Force — is in the final stretch.

Proof-of-concept is similar to “user acceptance testing.” These best practices were reviewed and agreed-upon by the colleges’ systemwide Travel & Expense (T&E) Process Alignment Workgroup (PAW) Taskforce.

All college and SBCTC Travel & Expense staff have been invited to “kick the tires” and try out the best practices for requesting travel authorizations, cash advances, and expense reimbursements for travel during the Proof-of-Concept phase, July 14 through August 29.

PAW Travel & Expense Proof-of-Concept Testing Open Q & A Office Hours

PAW and SBCTC are there to help! The ctcLink Support team has set up weekly drop-in office hours through August to help college subject matter experts as they go through the tire-kicking.

• The Proof-of-Concept Overview for Travel & Expensesquick reference guide has all the tools they need to succeed.
• Kickoff presentations were recorded and uploaded to the Proof of Concept Overview for Travel & Expenses QRG for users to review. If you missed a session, watch the recording before diving in.

Stop by for help every Tuesday, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., through Aug. 26, 2025.

Proof of Concept Materials

The Proof of Concept Overview for Travel & Expenses QRG includes everything you need:

• Background on Travel & Expenses Task Force Efforts
• T&E Proof-of-Concept Testing Kick-Off - Meeting Information
• Proof-of-Concept Test Details
• Access to the PCP Environment
• START TESTING: How to Execute Travel & Expense Test Scenarios
• Links to T&E Reference Center Resources

Questions About Recommendations or Process?

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

Questions About Proof-of-Concept Online Materials?

Please reach out to the PMO Team at SBCTC, or submit a service request using the Service Desk ticketing system using the Request Type: ctcLink Support > Special Project Activities > T&E Proof of Concept.

ctcLink Alert: Aug. 23 ctcLink Production Environment Server Maintenance

On Saturday, August 23, 2025, 7 to 9 a.m., SBCTC will install important Oracle patches.

The following will remain offline during the maintenance window:

• Entire ctcLink production environment (all pillars: CS, SF, FA, HCM, FIN)
• HighPoint Campus Experience (HCX) mobile site and app
• Online Admissions Application Portal (OAAP)
• CampusCE-to-ctcLink integration

Canvas will not be impacted.

Users logging into ctcLink will be directed to an offline notice with links to college Canvas sites.

After maintenance activities are complete, colleges will need to resubmit any unprocessed orders received during the downtime.

For information about upcoming planned outages and maintenance schedules for ctcLink, refer to the "Planned Service Outages" section on the SBCTC ctcLink Support web page.

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.

New to ctcLink or Ready to Upskill? Make a ctcLink Training Plan

The ctcLink Customer Support Training team developed tools to assist colleges with employee onboarding in response to recommendations and requests.

Although learning a new software system can be challenging, these documents 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). 

• The Staff Training Participation (STP) application helps supervisors track ctcLink Canvas course training progress for staff and assign ctcLink Canvas courses for staff enrollment. Learn more about the Staff Training Participation Application
• Onboarding Training Manuals assist new college staff in their training journey through ctcLink (PeopleSoft). Learn more about the ctcLink Onboarding Training Manuals

About the Onboarding Training Manuals 

Onboarding Training Manuals can be found in the ctcLink Reference Center “Welcome to ctcLink – Start Here” section. Manuals are available for users in all PeopleSoft pillars, as well as for general staff:

• General Staff Onboarding Training Manual
• Campus Solutions Core Onboarding Training Manual
• Finance Onboarding Training Manual
• Financial Aid Onboarding Training Manual
• Human Capital Management Onboarding Training Manual
• Student Financials Onboarding Training Manual

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. 

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 checklist included 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. 

Stressed? Stuck? Replenish Your Resiliency Toolkit

Take a moment to take care of yourself! Professional and Personal Development Suite workshops are open to all Washington state community and technical college employees, whether faculty, staff, or exempt.

This series of soft-skill workshops was initially developed to support SBCTC IT staff. Once the workshops were discovered on the agency calendar by other SBCTC and college employees, they asked if they, too, might participate on a case-by-case basis. 

Learn more about how to register, badging opportunities, college requests for group training, and more at the Professional & Personal Development Workshops page.

The workshops are cross-linked from the SBCTC Professional Development page and the ctcLink Training & Learning Opportunities page.

Questions? Reach out to Corinne Taylor, Professional/Personal Development Trainer.

Upcoming offerings

 

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.

ctcLink Alert: Aug. 23 ctcLink Production Environment Server Maintenance

On Saturday, August 23, 2025, 7 to 9 a.m., SBCTC will install important Oracle patches.

The following will remain offline during the maintenance window:

• Entire ctcLink production environment (all pillars: CS, SF, FA, HCM, FIN)
• HighPoint Campus Experience (HCX) mobile site and app
• Online Admissions Application Portal (OAAP)
• CampusCE-to-ctcLink integration

Canvas will not be impacted.

Users logging into ctcLink will be directed to an offline notice with links to college Canvas sites.

After maintenance activities are complete, colleges will need to resubmit any unprocessed orders received during the downtime.

For information about upcoming planned outages and maintenance schedules for ctcLink, refer to the "Planned Service Outages" section on the SBCTC ctcLink Support web page.

CS Core Updates

New CS and HCM Process for Identifying External Instructors

A new, standardized process for entering external instructors in ctcLink, applicable to programs such as Registered Apprenticeships and College in the High School (CiHS) has been introduced.

This update impacts both HCM and CS staff, as it ensures consistency across instructor entry workflows in both areas.

An External Instructor is defined as:

External Instructors are not employees of a Washington state community and technical college and are engaged to perform instruction for programs such as “College in the High School” where the instruction occurs at a high school or, “Registered Apprenticeship” related supplemental instruction” where instruction is provided by the apprenticeship program. For Faculty coding information see SBCTC Student & Course Coding Manual under Apprenticeships or College in the High School. (SCTC Policy Manual Chapter 2.35 Classification of Employees)

It is a requirement that an instructor be formally identified for Registered Apprenticeship and CiHS classes, including those taught by external instructors who are not college faculty.

We have found that the current approach is inconsistent; some colleges assign an advisor or coordinator, others use volunteer employees, and some do not assign any instructor at all.

To address this and meet our systemwide reporting needs, we have determined that the most efficient solution is to use the PeopleSoft Person of Interest (POI) functionality, which will be available in production on Friday, Aug. 15. This approach requires only minimal information to be configured in ctcLink, as the external instructors are not on the college payroll or on campus. You can find additional background information in ER 322 - (FYI) Use of Person of Interest (PoI) for External Instructors.

Workflow

Beginning with Fall 2025 quarter, follow the below steps to add an external instructor to a class. 

1. Establish the external instructor as a Person of Interest (POI) in Human Capital Management (HCM).
2. Add the instructor to the Instructor/Advisor Table in Campus Solutions (CS).
3. Assign the instructor to the relevant class in CS.

This new process will ensure consistency and accuracy in our reporting. We appreciate your cooperation in adopting this workflow.

Helpful Resources

• Adding an External Instructor/Person of Interest (POI) in HCM
• Adding an External Instructor/Person of Interest (POI) in Campus Solutions
• SBCTC Policy Manual – Chapter 2: Faculty and Staff Personnel
• SBCTC Student and Course Coding Manual

Questions?

Please reach out to Dani Rider. Assistant CIO - ctcLink 

Campus Solutions (CS) Core Pillar Support Web Page

Visit the 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

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.

NEW! CS Core Training: Ready, Set, Merge: Update Your Communication Templates

Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, 8:30 – 10 a.m., Learn more and join the session

Join us for a walk-through of how to update and manage letter templates using BI Publisher and PeopleSoft Communication Data Sources. In this session, we'll review:

• What a Communication Data Source is and how it works in PeopleSoft
• How BI Publisher connects templates with your data to generate letters or emails

Module: Campus Community

Primary Audience: Staff responsible for Communications

Related QRG: Communications - Updating a Letter Template with and without Merge Fields

NEW! CS Core Training: Preventing NSC Errors: Using Queries to Validate Student Data

Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, 8:30 – 10 a.m., Learn more and join the session

Avoid mistakes before they occur! Join us for a targeted training session on how to use critical PeopleSoft queries to identify and fix data issues that can affect National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) reporting. These proactive measures are vital to ensure accurate and timely reporting.

In this session, we'll review the following topics:

• Run and interpret NSC error-prevention queries
• Fix student record errors that could cause reporting issues
• Incorporate query checks into your standard NSC reporting process

Module(s): Student Records

Primary Audience: Staff responsible for Student Records and NSC Reporting

Related QRGs: Reducing Errors Before Generating the NSC Report

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: CTRL+You: Manual Conversion Tips and Tricks on Thursday, Sept. 11.

This session REPLACES the Sept. 4 session and is a modification of topic and a change in date. Please adjust your calendar accordingly!

Rebuilding a student's record from Legacy into ctcLink can feel like a daunting task-especially when the process is manual and some records include a dozen terms of enrollment history or multiple repeats! In this session, we will guide you through the steps outlined in the Manual Conversion QRG, including key pages like Quick Admit, Search/Match, Student Program/Plan, Term Activate a Student, External Education, and Course Credits-Automated. Whether you're building a record completely from scratch or just adding a few courses to an existing record, we'll offer some practical tips and examples to make the process more manageable. 

We’ll share tips and tricks as well as explore some common questions that often come up about Manual Conversion, such as:

• Should the student apply for admission before I convert their Legacy records?
• I sent the Legacy transcript to ctcLink, why are the courses not showing on the External Education page?
• What effective dates should I use on the Student Program/Plan page?
• Why does the course name appear differently on the transcript after posting?
• What do I do when I get an error message? 

Questions? Contact CS Core Support.

 

ctcLink Alert: Aug. 23 ctcLink Production Environment Server Maintenance

On Saturday, August 23, 2025, 7 to 9 a.m., SBCTC will install important Oracle patches.

The following will remain offline during the maintenance window:

• Entire ctcLink production environment (all pillars: CS, SF, FA, HCM, FIN)
• HighPoint Campus Experience (HCX) mobile site and app
• Online Admissions Application Portal (OAAP)
• CampusCE-to-ctcLink integration

Canvas will not be impacted.

Users logging into ctcLink will be directed to an offline notice with links to college Canvas sites.

After maintenance activities are complete, colleges will need to resubmit any unprocessed orders received during the downtime.

For information about upcoming planned outages and maintenance schedules for ctcLink, refer to the "Planned Service Outages" section on the SBCTC ctcLink Support web page.

FIN ERP Support Year-End Support Feedback Survey Reminder

The ctcLink Finance and Accounting support teams would appreciate your feedback on year-end support.  

This is your opportunity to provide feedback or suggestions on how we can improve to better support you during year-end activities. If your feedback pertains to Accounting support, please make sure you note “accounting” in your comments.

ctcLink FIN ERP Year End Support Feedback Survey

Questions?  Contact Jennifer Smith, Finance Functional Analyst

Finance Pillar Support Web Page

Visit the 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

PAW Travel & Expenses Proof of Concept Testing is Winding Down

The Process Alignment Workgroup’s inaugural effort — Travel & Expense Process Task Force — is in the final stretch.

Proof-of-concept is similar to “user acceptance testing.” These best practices were reviewed and agreed-upon by the colleges’ systemwide Travel & Expense (T&E) Process Alignment Workgroup (PAW) Taskforce.

All college and SBCTC Travel & Expense staff have been invited to “kick the tires” and try out the best practices for requesting travel authorizations, cash advances, and expense reimbursements for travel during the Proof-of-Concept phase, July 14 through August 29.

PAW Travel & Expense Proof-of-Concept Testing Open Q & A Office Hours

PAW and SBCTC are there to help! The ctcLink Support team has set up weekly drop-in office hours through August to help college subject matter experts as they go through the tire-kicking.

• The Proof-of-Concept Overview for Travel & Expensesquick reference guide has all the tools they need to succeed.
• Kickoff presentations were recorded and uploaded to the Proof of Concept Overview for Travel & Expenses QRG for users to review. If you missed a session, watch the recording before diving in.

Stop by for help every Tuesday, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., through Aug. 26, 2025.

Proof of Concept Materials

The Proof of Concept Overview for Travel & Expenses QRG includes everything you need:

• Background on Travel & Expenses Task Force Efforts
• T&E Proof-of-Concept Testing Kick-Off - Meeting Information
• Proof-of-Concept Test Details
• Access to the PCP Environment
• START TESTING: How to Execute Travel & Expense Test Scenarios
• Links to T&E Reference Center Resources

Questions About Recommendations or Process?

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

Questions About Proof-of-Concept Online Materials?

Please reach out to the PMO Team at SBCTC, or submit a service request using the Service Desk ticketing system using the Request Type: ctcLink Support > Special Project Activities > T&E Proof of Concept.

FIN Learning Opportunities

Travel and Expenses Q&A & Mini Training

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 may be partially recorded.

• 11 – 11:30 a.m. Training: The first half of the meeting is typically a short training focused on a particular topic/process in Travel and Expenses. This portion of the meeting is usually recorded. The recording and associated QRGs are posted to the ctcLink Pillar Work Session Information Canvas Course. End-users are welcome to listen in and learn something new.
• 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m., Q&A: Second half of the meeting will not be recorded. Please come with your questions or issues and be ready to share your screen.

This open time is for college end users to collaborate with functional support and other Travel and Expense staff/supervisors to troubleshoot issues, discuss workflow or process questions, and/or even share your screen. Some examples of topics:

• Canceling EX Payments
• Initial Setup and the Importance of updating Expenses Profiles
• Applying Cash Advances to an Expense Report
• Cash Advance Reconciliation
• On & Off-boarding Employees for Expenses
• Why your Approved Expense Report Won't Stage for Payment

Module: Expenses / Travel & Expense

Primary Audience: Staff, Travelers, Travel Admins/Staff

Related QRGs: FIN - Expenses section of the ctcLink Reference Center

Prerequisite Courses: EX100, EX101 and/or EX102

Contact Alec Risk, ctcLink Functional Trainer.

FIN Work Session: Grants/Projects Mini Training and Open Q&A

NEW! Recurring every second Monday of the month at 11 a.m. join the ctcLink Finance Customer Support team for a collaborative, interactive, training and troubleshooting drop-in session on everything Grants/Projects.

• 11 – 11:15 a.m., Training: First part of the meeting will be a Mini Training and will be recorded. End users are welcome to listen in and learn something new. 
• 11:15 a.m. – 12 p.m., Q&A- Second half of the meeting will not be recorded. This open time is for college end users to collaborate with Functional Support and other Grant/Project Staff to troubleshoot issues, discuss workflow or process questions, and/or ready to share your screen. Some examples of topics:
  • Grant Billing
  • Modify Grant Award or Capital Project Budgets
  • Amending Awards
  • Project-related Budget/Commitment Control Errors
  • Grant-related Combo Codes
  • Grant-related Item Types

You are invited to drop in with any questions related to grants and projects at the open Q&A sessions.

Need help with setting up FY25 grants? Feel free to reach out to Michele Rockwell, MSML, ctcLink Finance Functional Analyst.

Questions? See the contact information listed in the event calendar listings below.

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.

Accounts Receivable (AR) and Billing (BI) Open Q&A

Every other Thursday, these recurring Accounts Receivable and Billing work sessions aim to provide accounting support and guidance regarding, but not limited to, the various reconciliation topics and processes.

Bring your AR and BI questions and get functional support or listen-in and collaborate with your community college peers.

Module(s)         FIN [AR and BI]

Primary Audience         Accounts Receivable and Billing Staff

Related QRGs   FIN - Accounts Receivable, FIN - Billing

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.

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

ctcLink Alert: Aug. 23 ctcLink Production Environment Server Maintenance

On Saturday, August 23, 2025, 7 to 9 a.m., SBCTC will install important Oracle patches.

The following will remain offline during the maintenance window:

• Entire ctcLink production environment (all pillars: CS, SF, FA, HCM, FIN)
• HighPoint Campus Experience (HCX) mobile site and app
• Online Admissions Application Portal (OAAP)
• CampusCE-to-ctcLink integration

Canvas will not be impacted.

Users logging into ctcLink will be directed to an offline notice with links to college Canvas sites.

After maintenance activities are complete, colleges will need to resubmit any unprocessed orders received during the downtime.

For information about upcoming planned outages and maintenance schedules for ctcLink, refer to the "Planned Service Outages" section on the SBCTC ctcLink Support web page.

FA Support Updates

Action Required Thursday, Aug. 21: Cancel FA Jobs & Processes Scheduled 5-7 p.m. for PRP Implementation

The FA PeopleSoft Release Patchset (PRP) 3.1 will be implemented in ctcLink Production the evening of Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025.

Those colleges with FA JobSets or processes scheduled to run between 5 and 7 p.m., are asked to cancel those recurring FA JobSets or processes prior to 5 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 21. FA JobSets left running during this timeframe delay installation.

Detailed steps can be found in the Process Take-Down Instructions QRG.

Once the migration is validated, SBCTC will notify colleges that FA JobSets and processes can be rescheduled.

What is a PRP?

A PeopleSoft Release Patchset (PRP) is a collection of fixes and features delivered outside of a major PeopleSoft Update Image (PUM) release. PRPs address critical issues and are applied to PeopleSoft environments to keep them current and stable between PUM Image updates. They are crucial for maintaining the health and functionality of PeopleSoft systems

Financial Aid (FA) Pillar Support Web Page

Visit the 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

Once we have validated the migration, we will notify colleges that FA JobSets and processes can be rescheduled.

FA Weeklyish Bulletin

Trying to recall that important thing you read in the 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 – NEW!

Gear up for a fresh batch of financial aiding training and work sessions this summer and fall. Contact Kelly Forsberg, ctcLink Functional Trainer (Financial Aid), if you have any questions.

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

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

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.

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.

Fin Aid Work Session: Exploring ctcLink Onboarding Resources for New Financial Aid Staff

Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025, 1-3 p.m., Learn more and join the session

Audience: New Financial Aid staff and staff supervisors

Welcome aboard! Ready to level up your new staff onboarding resource toolkit? In this session, your tour guide Kelly Forsberg, SBCTC’s ctcLink Financial Aid Functional Trainer, will take you through the recently re-vamped Financial Aid section of the ctcLink Reference Center, your new best friend for all things ctcLink.

Whether you’re trying to find out where the guides are, find a quick process video tutorial, or troubleshoot a mystery task, this session will get you there.

We’ll review the ctcLink Onboarding Manual for Financial Aid staff and cover how to:

• Quickly find what you need in the ctclink Reference Center (without a search spiral)
• Use the Reference Center to become a go-to resource for your team
• Register for the available online Financial Aid Canvas Training Courses
• Track your Canvas training course progress using the Staff Participation Application platform
• Stay in the know by signing up for the FA-related listservs

Fin Aid Training: FLF Enrollment Hold & Authorization Processes Refresher

Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, 9-10:30 a.m., Learn more and join the session

Primary Audience: New FA Staff and staff needing a refresher on the Financial Aid Less Than Full-Time (FLF) Enrollment Hold and Authorization process in ctcLink

This session will help you understand how to

• Populate packaging variables
• Assign the FLF service indicator with the FAEI reason code
• Run the service indicator list query to track where FLF service indicators have been assigned
• Review/adjust aid and update packaging variables
• And when to run authorization
• Know which query to run to track FLF students in authorization failure

Prerequisite Canvas Course: FA103 Authorizing and Disbursing Financial Aid

Fin Aid Training:  Loan Processing Fundamentals

Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, 9-10:30 a.m., Learn more and join the session

Audience: New FA Staff and staff needing a refresher on Loan Processing in ctcLink

This session will help participants understand:

• Steps in the loan origination process
• How to read the manage direct loan application page in ctclink
• Steps to outbound loan records to Common Origination and Disbursement (COD)
• Steps in inbound loan records to COD
• Available queries used to track inbound/outbound files that may be missing from ctclink
• Reports used to track loan originations and disbursements
• The general timeline of when to inbound and outbound loan records to COD

Prerequisite Canvas Course: FA104 Processing Pell Payments and Direct Loans

Fin Aid Training: Pell MRR Processing Refresher

Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, 9-10:30 a.m., Learn more and join the session

Audience: New FA Staff and staff needing a refresher on Pell MRR processing in ctcLink

This session will help participants understand:

• The steps in the Pell Multiple Record Reporting (MRR) process
• How to read the MRR report
• How to find students from the MRR report

Prerequisite Canvas Course: FA104 Processing Pell Payments and Direct Loans

Fin Aid Training: Pell Reconciliation Refresher

Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, 9-10:30 a.m., Learn more and join the session

Audience: New FA staff and staff needing a refresher on reconciling Pell in ctcLink

This session will cover the steps to:

• Run the Pell Reconciliation report
• Process the Pell Statement of Accounts File (PGAS)
• Process the Pell School Account Statement (SAS) Files (PGSM)

Prerequisite Canvas Course: FA104 Processing Pell Payments and Direct Loans

Fin Aid Training:  Loan Reconciliation Refresher

Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025 , 9-10:30 a.m., Learn more and join the session

Primary Audience: New FA Staff and staff needing a refresher on reconciling loans in ctcLink

This session will cover:

• Understand the steps to produce the Direct Loan Reconciliation report in ctcLink
• Upload/Download File Process
• Import Federal Data Files
• Running SBCTC DL Recon Reports
• Understand how to view and work the DL Recon reports

Prerequisite Canvas Course: FA104 Processing Pell Payments and Direct Loans

ctcLink Alert: Aug. 23 ctcLink Production Environment Server Maintenance

On Saturday, August 23, 2025, 7 to 9 a.m., SBCTC will install important Oracle patches.

The following will remain offline during the maintenance window:

• Entire ctcLink production environment (all pillars: CS, SF, FA, HCM, FIN)
• HighPoint Campus Experience (HCX) mobile site and app
• Online Admissions Application Portal (OAAP)
• CampusCE-to-ctcLink integration

Canvas will not be impacted.

Users logging into ctcLink will be directed to an offline notice with links to college Canvas sites.

After maintenance activities are complete, colleges will need to resubmit any unprocessed orders received during the downtime.

For information about upcoming planned outages and maintenance schedules for ctcLink, refer to the "Planned Service Outages" section on the SBCTC ctcLink Support web page.

HCM Support Updates

New CS and HCM Process for Identifying External Instructors

A new, standardized process for entering external instructors in ctcLink, applicable to programs such as Registered Apprenticeships and College in the High School (CiHS) has been introduced.

This update impacts both HCM and CS staff, as it ensures consistency across instructor entry workflows in both areas.

An External Instructor is defined as:

External Instructors are not employees of a Washington state community and technical college and are engaged to perform instruction for programs such as “College in the High School” where the instruction occurs at a high school or, “Registered Apprenticeship” related supplemental instruction” where instruction is provided by the apprenticeship program. For Faculty coding information see SBCTC Student & Course Coding Manual under Apprenticeships or College in the High School. (SCTC Policy Manual Chapter 2.35 Classification of Employees)

It is a requirement that an instructor be formally identified for Registered Apprenticeship and CiHS classes, including those taught by external instructors who are not college faculty.

We have found that the current approach is inconsistent; some colleges assign an advisor or coordinator, others use volunteer employees, and some do not assign any instructor at all.

To address this and meet our systemwide reporting needs, we have determined that the most efficient solution is to use the PeopleSoft Person of Interest (POI) functionality, which will be available in production on Friday, Aug. 15. This approach requires only minimal information to be configured in ctcLink, as the external instructors are not on the college payroll or on campus. You can find additional background information in ER 322 - (FYI) Use of Person of Interest (PoI) for External Instructors.

Workflow

Beginning with Fall 2025 quarter, follow the below steps to add an external instructor to a class. 

1. Establish the external instructor as a Person of Interest (POI) in Human Capital Management (HCM).
2. Add the instructor to the Instructor/Advisor Table in Campus Solutions (CS).
3. Assign the instructor to the relevant class in CS.

This new process will ensure consistency and accuracy in our reporting. We appreciate your cooperation in adopting this workflow.

Helpful Resources

• Adding an External Instructor/Person of Interest (POI) in HCM
• Adding an External Instructor/Person of Interest (POI) in Campus Solutions
• SBCTC Policy Manual – Chapter 2: Faculty and Staff Personnel
• SBCTC Student and Course Coding Manual

Questions?

Please reach out to Dani Rider. Assistant CIO - ctcLink 

Wanted: Your HCM Work Session Ideas

The HCM Support Team wants to hear from you! Which topics and information do you want featured in the  Work Sessions?

The team is scheduling the HCM Work Sessions through Summer 2025 and beyond. Please, let us know your ideas and suggestions!

Keep in mind, this is YOUR forum for the exchange of ideas, processes and transactions related to the HCM Module of ctcLink. So, if you have found a way of solving or improving a process or transaction, others would be very interested also.

Sessions can also be presented by anyone in the HCM Community, just let us know and let’s work out the details!!

Contact HCM Customer Support.

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 – Human Capital Management (HCM) and follow the screen prompts.
• Contact: HCM Customer Support

Human Capital Management (HCM) Pillar Support Web Page

Visit the 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

THIS JUST IN! 1098-T Prior Year Processing Q&A Drop-In Session

Thursday, Aug. 21, 2-4 p.m. Learn more and join the session

Stop by to get answers to your questions regarding 1098-T prior year processing.

Remember: SBCTC Production environment activities for prior year 1098-T records will take place beginning Sept. 5, 2025, when a college processing freeze on 1098-T statements and modifications begins.

ctcLink Alert: Aug. 23 ctcLink Production Environment Server Maintenance

On Saturday, August 23, 2025, 7 to 9 a.m., SBCTC will install important Oracle patches.

The following will remain offline during the maintenance window:

• Entire ctcLink production environment (all pillars: CS, SF, FA, HCM, FIN)
• HighPoint Campus Experience (HCX) mobile site and app
• Online Admissions Application Portal (OAAP)
• CampusCE-to-ctcLink integration

Canvas will not be impacted.

Users logging into ctcLink will be directed to an offline notice with links to college Canvas sites.

After maintenance activities are complete, colleges will need to resubmit any unprocessed orders received during the downtime.

For information about upcoming planned outages and maintenance schedules for ctcLink, refer to the "Planned Service Outages" section on the SBCTC ctcLink Support web page.

Student Financials (SF) Pillar Support Web Page

Visit the 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
• SF DL Blast Pillar newsletter
• Oracle and PeopleSoft resources
• Student Financials (SF) Resources QRGincluding:
  • Resources that fall outside of other SF QRG main categories 
  • ctcLink Training Recordings Archives

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.

SF Training: 2025 Fall Welcome Back to Basics: Cashiering, Refunds, and Payment Plans

Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, 1–3 p.m., Learn more and join the session

Join us as we kick off the season with a refresher on the essentials! Whether you’re brand new or just brushing up, this session is your chance to recharge your skills and dive into fall with confidence. It’s all about getting back to basics—together. We’re excited to see you there!

Primary Audience: New Student Financials employees or those seeking to refresh their SF skills.

Related QRGs: SF Cashiering, SF Refunds, SF Payment Plans

Contact: Pauline Smith, SBCTC Student Financials Functional Trainer; Alec Risk, SBCTC Finance Functional Trainer

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.

 

New SBCTC Ticket Option for Reporting Slow Query Performance

A dedicated ticket option for reporting slow query performance has been created.

To submit a ticket, please go to: SBCTC Data Services > ctcLink Reporting > Query Performance Issue

Important: This option is intended only for use by query developers or reporting leads. College staff who wish to report query performance issues should work through their local query developers or reporting lead.

Within the ticket Instructions section, you’ll find a link to the Report Query Performance Issue form. Please complete the form as thoroughly as possible, attach it to the ticket, and then submit.

Questions? Reach out to Ivy Brent, SBCTC Associate Director of ctcLink Business Intelligence

ctcLink Alert: Aug. 23 ctcLink Production Environment Server Maintenance

On Saturday, August 23, 2025, 7 to 9 a.m., SBCTC will install important Oracle patches.

The following will remain offline during the maintenance window:

• Entire ctcLink production environment (all pillars: CS, SF, FA, HCM, FIN)
• HighPoint Campus Experience (HCX) mobile site and app
• Online Admissions Application Portal (OAAP)
• CampusCE-to-ctcLink integration

Canvas will not be impacted.

Users logging into ctcLink will be directed to an offline notice with links to college Canvas sites.

After maintenance activities are complete, colleges will need to resubmit any unprocessed orders received during the downtime.

For information about upcoming planned outages and maintenance schedules for ctcLink, refer to the "Planned Service Outages" section on the SBCTC ctcLink Support web page.

Query Developer Learning Opportunities

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.

ADA Title II Web & Mobile App Accessibility Update

The ADA Title II Work Group has been up and running since fall 2024 and is getting our college system ready for the work ahead.

Canvas administrators at Cascadia College and Spokane Colleges tested the persistence of Alt Text (entered through the Ally tool) during the course export/import process. Only under certain circumstances will the alt text transfer with the course. A series of support sessions have been scheduled with Anthology for all colleges to address ongoing concerns with Ally functionality.

Monica Olsson and Vicki Walton are working with Big Bend Community College and Renton Technical College to test an automated tool developed by Arizona State University that uses AI to remediate PDF files. The AI-powered tool can quickly identify incorrect header formatting and missing Alt Text for images. Pilot testing underway.

Up Next

The Ally contract expires June 2028. This fall, SBCTC will be conducting a Request for Information (RFI) for identifying a more effective system-wide accessibility tool for Canvas. In the meantime, some colleges are actively exploring alternatives to the Ally tool; Whatcom College is currently piloting a product called Panorama. Other colleges (Everett and Tacoma) have already switched to a tool called UDOIT.

Questions?

Reach out to one of the SBCTC ADA Title II Work Group Work Group members:

• Monica Olsson, Policy Associate - IT Accessibility Coordinator
• Andy Duckworth, Technology Innovation Officer
• Carrie Powell, PMO Team Project Manager
• Kevin Bouwman, PMO Team Project Manager

ctcLink Accessibility Monthly Open Forum

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.

Join us! Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month, 11 a.m. to noon.

Please join us for the next ctcLink Accessibility Open Forum on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 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

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.