ctcLink Learning Opportunities & Support Roundup: March 11, 2026

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

• The SBCTC meetings and events calendar (apply ctcLink Learning Opportunities filters).  

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

Process Alignment Workgroup (PAW) Update

During the last WACTC Technology Committee meeting, PAW college leaders led a discussion on process alignment, focusing on travel and expense alignment and executive engagement.

Executive Support

Jason Hetterle, Wenatchee Valley College Director of Technology & Enterprise Solutions and PAW College Team Lead, emphasized that executive support from presidents is critical and directly linked to success.

Process alignment involves change management, and without visible leadership backing, alignment efforts are likely to stall at the college level.

Travel & Expense Process Alignment

Jason shared encouraging news about the Travel & Expense alignment activties.

• Monthly T&E workshop attendance increased from an average of 18 to 51 participants following the proof-of-concept rollout: an impressive 183% increase in engagement.
• All but two colleges have begun travel process alignment; the two non-participants opted out and are not aligning to system standards.
• OCM (Organizational Change Management) Group: A college-composed group that checks in with each college, identifying needs and barriers.
  • Available OCM support: change assessment worksheets, individual work sessions, a Teams channel for travel admins, mini-training workshops, and SBCTC partnership sessions.

Employee Onboarding & Offboarding (EO&O) Task Force

Sindie Howland, Everett CC Change Management & Process Improvement Associate Director and PAW EO&O Task Force Lead, reported representatives from all colleges are participating in the task force.

• All 34 colleges have submitted SME contacts for the task force (HR, security, and training representatives).
• Bright Spots Survey (34 responses): Key themes – fostering belonging and community, automation to accelerate productivity, and early professional development planning.
• Recommendation progress: 23 initial recommendations evaluated; 4 approved via formal vote; 11 more ready for vote in the next 2 weeks. Google Forms used for documented voting records.
• Enhancement Requests: 26 total identified; approximately 9 will become ERs (including a package of 6 related to dynamic automated role assignments at onboarding); 17 will be addressed as process changes.
• A system bug causing payroll stoppages was identified during task force work; the HCM analyst is resolving it.
• Collaboration between college task force members and State Board analysts was praised as exceptional. Analysts have provided research support, testing, and issue resolution.
• Timeline: Approximately 43% complete in the Analyze phase; April 2026 completion target. Training development will be a significant next phase.

Travel & Expense (T&E) Organizational Change Management (OCM) Tools & Alignment Support Activities

The SBCTC Project Management Office (PMO) and PAW are working together in many ways to help colleges move toward alignment in T&E processes:

• Building and maintaining Change Assessment Worksheetsfor colleges to evaluate their progress toward alignment
• Offering individual work sessions for college Points of Contact and Travel & Expense administrators to "jump start" their change assessment analysis
• Partnering with SBCTC Training and Support teams to hold Mini-Training Workshopson Travel & Expense alignment topics every two weeks through May 2026
• Providing template slide decks for colleges to modify for their own local use
• Compiling/updating Travel & Expense Training Resourcesand T&E Organizational Change Management Resources

Where to Learn More

Travel and Expenses Q&A & Mini Trainings and OCM T&E sessions

Join the Process Alignment Workgroup – Organizational Change Management (OCM) Subgroup for focused discussions on completing the Change Assessment Worksheet and developing Change Action Plans to integrate the Travel & Expense Task Force recommendations into your college’s regular business practices.

Colleges who have already implemented some of these changes are encouraged to participate and share their experiences supporting travelers and travel administrators in adopting the new processes.

ctcLink College Collaboration Group (cCCG)

The PAW OCM subgroup will continue to check in on this process during the biweekly ctcLink College Collaboration Group meetings to help ctcLink College Leaders stay on goal.

Regular meetings are held on the second and fourth Wednesdays at 10 a.m. unless otherwise noted.

Questions?

If you need clarification, please reach out to the Project Management Office (PMO) team at PMOteam@sbctc.edu and they will guide your question to the right party for response.

Travel & Expense Process Alignment: Tools and Training Ready for Use

The systemwide Process Alignment Workgroup (PAW) has concluded its inaugural travel and expense process alignment task force and passed the baton to the ctcLink Support and Training teams.

Recommendations and best practices for alignment are regularly updated and incorporated into ctcLink reference and training materials.

Colleges and SBCTC staff are encouraged to dive in to explore and take advantage of Travel and Expenses Training Resources, including:

• Self-Paced Travel & Expense Training Courses
• Travel & Expense Learning Opportunities - Instructor-led sessions designed for staff who have successfully completed the self-paced Travel & Expense Canvas course trainings. Sessions are delivered on a cyclical basis — monthly, quarterly, or yearly — with the goal of strengthening participant skillsets.
• Recurring FIN Work Session: Travel and Expenses Mini Training & Workshop
• Fluid vs Classic: The Travel & Expense Task Force has recommended using the Fluid interface going forward, as Oracle is no longer providing updates to “Classic” pages. Training materials are being updated to reflect Fluid pages, while maintaining the instructions for “Classic” to allow colleges time to make the transition. Also, Fluid better meets accessibility requirements and is responsive to device size.
• Reference Center Resources: detailed user guides and step-by-step instructions for creating, submitting, approval, and managing travel authorizations, cash advances, and expense reports, as well as delegation workflows, troubleshooting errors, budget exceptions, and administrative maintenance tasks.

Get Connected: Join ctcLink Support eLists

ctcLink Customer Support sends updates, outage notices, changes to configuration, training and workshop opportunities, global and cross-pillar communications to colleges via Mailman eLists (often referred to as listservs, which is a registered trademark).

College subject matter experts (SMEs), PeopleSoft users/stakeholders can use the lists to ask their college peers questions about how they do things in ctcLink, best practices, local training plans, and more. 

When you join, do NOT select the Digest option or you might miss out on time-sensitive messages.

Find your lists

• ctcLink Support eLists – Lists geared toward ctcLink end-users, including reporting, queries, and dataLink.
• In addition, each ctcLink pillar area suggests related lists to join under their “Get Connected to” menus.
  • Campus Solutions (CS) Core
  • Financial Aid (FA)
  • Finance (FIN)
  • Human Capital Management (HCM)
  • Student Financials (SF)
• Mailman eLists – See the complete list of Mailman lists available to the community and technical colleges.

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.

Each college chooses who to include, but typically colleges include their local ctcLink leadership, local ctcLink committee or task force members, key subject matter experts, IT, Help Desk, and PIO.

ctcLink Environment & Pillar Updates 2026

Colleges are regularly notified of planned downtimes, as well as unexpected outages, via the ctcLink Alerts eList.

You can also keep track of 2026 planned service outages for Campus Solutions, HCX, Human Capital Management, and Financials at the ctcLink Support Environment/Pillar Updates tracker.

Restock Your Resiliency Toolkit

Take some time 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.

Since piloting outside participation and receiving positive feedback and requests, we sought agency leadership and support to work across SBCTC departments to present to a systemwide audience. 

2026 Offerings

Professional Development Suite

• Effective Communication Strategies 
• Generational & Learning Preferences - NEW 
• Leadership 
• Presentation Tips & Tricks - NEW 
• Teams/Team Bonding 
• Time Management 
• Top Tier Customer Experience 

Personal Development Suite 

• Emotional Quotient (EQ)
• Managing Stress Part 1
• Managing Stress Part 2
• Mental Health: Awareness & Support
• Mind Frame: Turn Negative Thoughts into Positive Actions
• Psychological Safety in the Workplace
• Vicarious Trauma
• Work/Life Balance 

Teaming Suite 

• Effective Communication Strategies
• Psychological Safety in the Workplace
• Teams/Team Bonding

Learn More and Sign up

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.

How to Check the Status of an Enhancement Request

The ctcLink Customer Services Teams document 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 Updates

New Test ID in ctcLink for Directed Self Placement (DSP)

The SBCTC Education Division has been partnering with a select group of pilot colleges to advance more equitable placement practices that support Guided Pathways.

As part of this work, a Universal Math Directed Self Placement (DSP) tool was developed to provide a consistent, student‑centered placement experience across Washington’s community and technical colleges.

To support this initiative,  Enhancement Request 329 – (FYI) New Global Test ID for Math Directed Self Placement was created to configure a new Test ID and Test Component in ctcLink Campus Solutions. This is a necessary operational step that allows pilot colleges to use DSP data within their existing business processes to better support student success.

While the initial configuration is intended for the pilot colleges, the long-term goal is for all colleges using any form of Math DSP to adopt the global Test ID. Because Test Results are global in ctcLink, we wanted to notify all colleges, as you may begin seeing this data depending on your access and Test ID SACR security.

In addition, colleges can refer to a scoring rubric when entering DSP results into the system. This rubric is intended for all colleges using DSP, not only those using the universal tool, to ensure consistent interpretation and data entry across the system.

On March 11, 2026, the rubric was distributed to the ctcLink Campus Solutions Support List, ctcLink Security, and ctcLink College Leaders lists and will soon be uploaded to the SBCTC Math Placement website under Resources.

A Note to Local Security Administrators (LSAs)

Applicable staff may request additional Test ID SACR security to support this work.

If you have questions about the Universal DSP tool, please contact SBCTC Education Division Policy Associates. Stephanie Wahl and Dawn Draus,

HEUG (Higher Education User Group) Conversations

Keep in mind that HEUG is a collection of PeopleSoft users from around the globe who work in similar but different systems. While it can be interesting or inspiring to see what others are doing and thinking we ask that you keep in mind that what works in one system may not work in or apply to another.

• April 17, 2026, 11 a.m. Pacific: Round 3: Ghost & Fraudulent Applications Community Discussion, This discussion will focus on what to do after the application, and what happens if there's enrollment or aid awarded. If you were unable to join the first discussion, there is a recording.

Join HEUG

Washington community and technical college system employees using ctcLink PeopleSoft products are welcome to join.

Learn more about signing up for HEUG Membership.

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

Running Start Series

SBCTC Dual Credit presents monthly virtual sessions for college Running Start staff. Each session includes SBCTC/OSPI updates and time for Running Start college staff to come together and connect. Participants cover a wide range of topics, including Campus Solutions - Student Financials.

The presentation portion is recorded and posted to the SBCTC Dual Credit YouTube playlist.

Feel free to contact Stephanie Wahl, SBCTC Student Services & K12 Alignment Policy Associate, with any questions.

CS Core Learning Opportunities

You can find details about upcoming CS Training and Work Sessions on the SBCTC Calendar, CS Core Weeklyish COREspondence, and CS Core eLlist.

Please visit the QRG Campus Solutions Learning Opportunities Recordings for a list of previous recordings.

Work Sessions LINK UP for 2026

Based on survey feedback and attendance patterns, the CS Core team is pleased to announce a new delivery approach to align and “link up” the training and work sessions:

• Training sessions: first Wednesday of each month, 8:30-9:30 am.
• Work sessions: third Wednesday of each month, 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Linking the Why (Theory) to the How (Practice)

CS Core ctclinkUps are planned with purpose, and each session is designed to stand alone. While content is related, sessions are independent and each has a distinct scope and different purpose. Training Sessions review functionality. These are intentionally followed by Work Sessions that explore usage. You may choose to attend either session alone or both as a set.

Content provided by the training team will be coordinated with support offered by the functional team. Tanjagay will begin the month with a foundational review, covering the “how-to” of that month’s Training topic.

Later in the month, the support team will host a Work Session that will focus on that same topic, providing a forum to apply knowledge and manage the real-world situations users encounter. 

In this way, CS Core aspires to address both “theory” and “practice.”

Added bonus? With the intentional focus on those "what do I do when" cases, the support “Work Sessions” will better live up to their moniker!

This approach creates options and opportunities that better reflect the spectrum of user experience levels and needs.

Newer users might choose to attend just the training, while seasoned users might opt to attend just the Work Session. Some users, perhaps those to whom the content most directly applies, may find value in attending both!

March CS Core LinkUp: Rooted in Good Configuration: Healthy Courses Grow Healthy Classes

• Work Session: Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 8:30-9:30 a.m., Learn more and join the session

In the March 4 Training Session, we addressed how to add amendments to your course catalog and ensure that your classes have the best possible start.

During the March 18 Work Session, we'll get hands-on with best practices, important considerations, and practical strategies for managing any unwanted weeds. Bring your questions and, if time allows, we'll answer what we can.

Please note: We will not cover and cannot address areas outside our scope, including Faculty Workload (HCM) and Course/Class Fees (SF).

April CS Core ctcLinkUp: Now THAT’s What I Call Music: Fine-Tuning Transfer Credit Evaluation

We have allocated an EXTRA HOUR to the Work Session to make up for the time you lost to the Spring Forward. Just kidding. During this extra hour, colleges will have an opportunity to build real rules with real-time support.

WHY are you still evaluating transfer credits manually? Tune in to these sessions and swap your one-person band of transfer evaluations for a more harmonized performance. The Training Session will cover the instruments we use - incoming transcripts, external education - and how to play them (evaluate credit) in harmony.

During the Work Session, we’ll get hands-on with best practices, important considerations, and practical strategies for scoring your treble of Transfer Credit Rules to be pitch perfect.

FIN Updates

Travel & Expense Process Alignment: Tools and Training Ready for Use

The systemwide Process Alignment Workgroup (PAW) has concluded its inaugural travel and expense process alignment task force and passed the baton to the ctcLink Support and Training teams.

Recommendations and best practices for alignment are regularly updated and incorporated into ctcLink reference and training materials.

Colleges and SBCTC staff are encouraged to dive in to explore and take advantage of Travel and Expenses Training Resources, including:

• Self-Paced Travel & Expense Training Courses
• Travel & Expense Learning Opportunities - Instructor-led sessions designed for staff who have successfully completed the self-paced Travel & Expense Canvas course trainings. Sessions are delivered on a cyclical basis — monthly, quarterly, or yearly — with the goal of strengthening participant skillsets.
  • Travel and Expenses Q&A & Mini Trainings - Every last Monday of the month, 11 a.m. See schedule below. The PAW Organizational Change Management (OCM) subgroup will attend these standing meetings. Collaboration and future topic schedules will be discussed, so travel subject matter experts and ctcLink College Leaders are encouraged to attend. 
• Recurring FIN Work Session: Travel and Expenses Mini Training & Workshop
• Fluid vs Classic: The Travel & Expense Task Force has recommended using the Fluid interface going forward, as Oracle is no longer providing updates to “Classic” pages. Training materials are being updated to reflect Fluid pages, while maintaining the instructions for “Classic” to allow colleges time to make the transition. Also, Fluid better meets accessibility requirements and is responsive to device size.
• Reference Center Resources: detailed user guides and step-by-step instructions for creating, submitting, approval, and managing travel authorizations, cash advances, and expense reports, as well as delegation workflows, troubleshooting errors, budget exceptions, and administrative maintenance tasks.

Feel free to reach out to Gretchen Fulmer, Associate Director of Training, if you have any questions.

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

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.

Mark your calendar for the upcoming Travel and Expenses Q&A & Mini Trainings and OCM T&E sessions! The PAW OCM subgroup will attend the FIN standing meetings (as well as the extra OCM sessions) to help guide the colleges. Travel subject matter experts and ctcLink College Leaders are encouraged to attend.  

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

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.

Michele Rockwell, MSML, ctcLink Finance Functional Analyst, facilitates.

• 11 – 11:30 a.m., Training: First half of the meeting will typically be a short training focused on a particular topic/process in Grants and Projects. This portion of the meeting is usually recorded. The recording will be posted to the ctcLink Learning Opportunities Information Canvas Course.
• 11:30 a.m. – 12 p.m., Q&A: Second half of the meeting will not be recorded. You are invited to drop in with any questions related to grants and projects at the open Q&A sessions. This open time is for college end-users to collaborate with functional support and other Grants and Projects staff/supervisors to troubleshoot issues, discuss workflow or process questions, and/or even 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

Related QRG: FIN - Grants/Contracts section of the ctcLink Reference Center

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

Finance College Users Production Support Meetings

Meetings are held every other Tuesday, from 2 to 3 p.m. These sessions are open to ALL Finance (FIN) 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.

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.

The recorded sessions will be posted to the ctcLink Learning Opportunities Information Canvas Course located under Modules > Finance Learning Opportunities > Accounts Receivable and Billing Work Sessions.

Module(s): FIN [AR and BI]

Primary Audience: Accounts Receivable and Billing Staff

Related QRG: FIN - Accounts Receivable, FIN - Billing

ctcLink Accounting Team Presents

Every 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

FA Support Updates

A Note about Pell from FA Training/Support

When resolving Loan or Pell Validation Errors, please remember to update the Manage Pell Payment page and/or the Manage Direct Loan page with those additional steps telling the system the hold has been resolved, or changes to origination need to be updated.

Many of these records are being missed and are not going out to COD as a result.

For more details, check the March 5, 2026 FA Weeklyish Bulletin sent to the ctcLink Financial Aid Support list.

Not a member of that list? Join today at ctcLinkFinAidSupport.

Updated Quick Reference Guides (QRGs)

• FA Business Flow Process Guide | 9.2 FA - Managing 3Cs | ctcLink Reference Center
  • What changed? Updated to 2027 AY.
• Direct Loan Troubleshooting Guide | 9.2 FA - Loans | ctcLink Reference Center
  • What changed? Added anchors to the Validation Error table section of the document to the Next Steps Header in the document. Also added an anchor at the end of each Validation Error section to the Next Steps document Header.

Work Study Program Business Process & Resource Guide

The Work Study Program Business Process & Resource Guide is now available at the ctcLink Reference Center.

Two new guides added to FA Packaging Hub

• FA Exx990 Process Guide | 9.2 FA - Packaging and Awards
• FA File Review Queries Guide | 9.2 FA - Packaging and Awards

For all the Packaging and Awards guides, visit the Financial Aid Packaging Hub at the ctcLink Reference Center.

FA Weeklyish Bulletin

Trying to recall that important thing you read in the ctcLink Financial Aid eList, FA Weeklyish Bulletin? Don’t miss a thing! Revisit past editions in the FA Weeklyish Bulletin Archive at the ctcLink Reference Center.

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

FA Learning Opportunities

FA Training: FA Term Fundamentals

Tuesday, March 24, 9 to 10:30 a.m., Learn more and join the session

Understand the steps on how to manually build FA Term and review the features and functions on the FA Term page:

• Activate an Aid Year
• FA Term Tab
• Acad Level Tab
• Statistics Tab
• Financial Aid Tab
• Records/Term Info Tab
• Withdrawal Info Tab

Primary Audience: Staff responsible for FA File Review and Awarding

Prerequisite Course(s): FA101 Managing 3Cs & FA Application Processing

Presenter/Facilitator: Kelly Forsberg, ctcLink Functional Trainer (Financial Aid)

Advanced FA Work Session: Search Party! A Key Words FA Query Review

Thursday, April 30, 2026, 1 to 2 p.m., Learn more and join the session

This FA Work Session is an advanced walk through on Item Type Key Words. The purpose of this search party/work session involves running a Financial Aid query (QCS_FA_IPEDS_KEYWORD_REV) to:

• Find Item Types at your institution that may be missing important Key Words related to IPEDs for annual reporting, and
• What to do if Key Word information is missing/blank

More information on IPEDs Reporting can be found on the State Board website: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Reporting

Audience:  FA staff responsible for submitting and approving Item Types

Related QRGs: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Reporting

Session Presenter:  Kelly Forsberg, ctcLink FA Functional Trainer

Advanced FA Training: The Rules-olution to Item Type Awarding Rules

Tuesday, May 5, 2026, 9 to 10:30 a.m., Learn more and join the session

Join us for an advanced review on the awarding rules we all know and love: Financial Aid Item Types > FA Item Type 2 Tab in ctcLink.

Objectives:

• Understand how the available Meet Need/Cost Awarding Rules function against Financial Need and COA:
  • Conditional
  • Cost Only
  • Need Only
  • No Effect
  • Special Need/Cost
  • Straight Need/Cost
• Understand how adjusting Meet Need/Cost Awarding Rules impact awarding selection criteria

Audience: FA staff responsible for awarding financial aid

Prerequisite Course(s): Canvas Course FA103 Awarding Financial Aid & SAP

Presenter/Facilitator: Kelly Forsberg, ctcLink Functional Trainer (Financial Aid)

Advanced FA Training: New AY Pre-Processing Review of FA Eligible Plans

Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 9-10 a.m., Learn more and join the session

Join us for an advanced review of FA-eligible Academic Plans as they relate to the COD Credential Cross Reference Table and the Academic Plan Table in ctcLink.

The purpose of the session is to show FA users how to review any Academic Plans that may need to be removed or added to the COD Credential Cross Reference Table before new year Federal Financial Aid processing begins.

Objectives

• Understand how to review the Academic Plan Table > Taxonomy for varying Academic Plans
  • Understand which plans are FA-eligible and which are not FA-eligible
  • Understand which plans are Active vs Inactive
• Understand how the Academic Plan Table and COD Credential Cross Reference Table impacts Federal Financial Aid processing
• Understand how to work with the data from the QCS_FA_ACADEMIC_PLAN_TABLE query Excel results, reviewing for FA eligible plans
• Understand how to extract the COD Credential Cross Reference Table plans into Excel
• Understand how to compare the data in the QCS_FA_ACADEMIC_PLAN_TABLE query to the COD Credential Cross Reference Table data
• Understand how to identify new FA eligible plans to update on the COD Credential Cross Reference Table before Federal Aid processing begins in the New Year (2027)

Audience: FA staff responsible for managing Federal Financial Aid programs, FA staff Direct Loan and Pell processors

Related QRGs: Direct Loan Troubleshooting Guide, Pell Troubleshooting Guide

Prerequisite Course(s): Canvas Course: FA104 Processing Pell Payments and Direct Loans

Presenter/Facilitator: Kelly Forsberg, ctcLink Functional Trainer (Financial Aid)

2026 FA Drop-in Support Sessions

Need help troubleshooting or want to learn something new? Join these casual drop-in sessions to connect with colleagues, share insights, and solve challenges together.

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

HCM Support Updates

Transition to Targeted Payroll Support Model – Effective April 1

It has been our pleasure to host the recurring Payroll Webex sessions to facilitate the transition and stability of our payroll processes.

Given the high level of proficiency and independence now demonstrated by the colleges in confirming payroll, we have determined that maintaining the current format of a standing, all-day open meeting is no longer an effective or sustainable use of time and resources.

Effective April 1, 2026, following the 03B payroll confirmation on April 6, the all-day Payroll Webex sessions will be formally discontinued

This transition reflects our full confidence in the colleges' capacity to manage the confirmation process independently. Please be assured that our team remains dedicated to providing comprehensive support; we are simply moving from a passive, continuous monitoring model to a more agile, targeted assistance framework.

Support Guidelines Moving Forward

• Standard Confirmations: Colleges are expected to conduct routine payroll validations and confirmations independently.
• Special Sessions: For payroll cycles that historically require additional coordination or complexity (e.g., 07A, 12A), our team will schedule and host specific Webex sessions to provide heightened support.
• Functional Assistance: Should a specific technical issue or anomaly arise during any cycle, please initiate a request for assistance immediately via a Service Desk Ticket and follow-up email.
• Ad-hoc Consultations:In instances requiring live troubleshooting or a screen-sharing session, our team is available to join a scheduled Webex to address the matter directly.

Refresh your HCMemory

HCM Work Sessions are recorded and stored in the ctcLink Learning Opportunities Information Canvas course (formerly Pillar Work Session Info) for future reference.

More about how to access the Training Recordings Archive.

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

HCM Learning Opportunities

HCM Work Sessions

Recurring every Wednesday, 1 to 3 p.m., HCM Work Sessions offer deeper dives into PeopleSoft functionality, focusing on skills enhancement in specific HCM functions (e.g., payroll, benefits, manager self-service).

SF Updates

Student Financials (SF) Pillar Support Web Page

Visit the Student Financials (SF) 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

SF eList subscriptions

Please note the ctcLink Support eList and SBCTC e-list sign up pages, especially these three:

• Main Student Financials eList: ctcLinkSME_StuFin
• 1098-T Statements eList: ctcLink-1098T
• BAR (Budget, Accounting, and Reporting Council) eList: BAR

Remember, besides receiving notes from our team, these resources are an easy way to ask questions of your college system SF colleagues.

SF DL Blast Newsletter

See previous editions of the Student Financials Distribution List Blast: SF DL Blasts.

Subscribe to the ctcLinkSME_StuFin list to receive the latest editions of the SF DL (Student Financials Distribution List) Blast featuring SF hot topics, training tips, and tricks.

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.

2025 1098-T Processing Updates

Sign Up for the ctcLink 1098-T eList

You are invited to join the eList focused on student 1098-T Tax Statements. Colleges have come a long way with 1098-T processing, and this dedicated community space for conversation and shared learning can further support that progress.

The “ctcLink 1098T” eList is used to:

• Share important 1098-T updates from the State Board SF Team
• Provide a topic-specific space for peer-to-peer questions and discussion. Topics may include ctcLink functionality as well as policy-related news, considerations, and questions

Please note this eList is not a platform for exchanging sensitive information and, like all agency eLists, is subject to public records requests.

The SBCTC SF Team will continue to use both the ctcLinkSME_StuFin and BAR eLists for outgoing State Board communications in addition to this new list.

Sign up

We encourage any college staff directly involved in annual 1098-T statement generation, communications, corrections, or policy work to sign up using the link below.

ctcLink1098T eList sign-up link

1098-T Security Lockout

Colleges may now generate 2025 1098-Ts in Production.

1098-T Resources

Below is a list of training, resource links, and special considerations for this year's 1098-T processing. As in previous years, SBCTC will offer both in-depth training and drop-in sessions, and will continue to update and use the Business Processing Guide.

You can also find 1098-t sessions and links in the 2025 1098-T Business Processing Guide QRG.

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.

DEV_ Query Spring Cleaning

The SBCTC Reporting Team will clean up DEV_ queries in PCD beginning Monday, March 16, 2026.

Any DEV_ query that has not been modified in three years or more will be deleted.  This applies to all three ctcLink pillars.

If you would like to keep your query, please save a private copy.  

Query Developer Learning Opportunities

Query Fundamentals Lab

Every Monday, 10-11 a.m., Join the Webex session

Query fundamentals labs are held weekly giving all Query Developers the chance to practice their query development skills. Different topics/skills are covered each week. Past lab exercises and recordings are available in Canvas.

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

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, April 14, 2026, at 11 a.m. All are welcome to attend via Zoom.

• Participants are encouraged to submit ideas for future meetings via an online form.
• Zoom meeting link: ctcLink Accessibility Open Forum 2025 and beyond

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

Accessibility Support “Office Hours” – All College Faculty Invited

Every Friday, 1 –2 p.m., Office Hours Zoom link

The Washington eLearning Council (eLC) Accessible IT Workgroup has launched a weekly drop-in "Accessibility Question" office hours for all college faculty and staff.  

Instructional Designers from across Washington will be on hand to answer questions and help faculty at all SBCTC colleges make their courses more accessible in a low-pressure environment. This project is supported by SBCTC staff.

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.