ctcLink Learning Opportunities & Support Roundup: April 15, 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).  

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

Employee Onboarding & Offboarding (EO&O) Task Force Presents First Set of Recommendations

The ctcLink Process Alignment Workgroup (PAW) Employee Onboarding & Offboarding (EO&O) Task Force has been working hard on behalf of all 34 colleges to review on- and offboarding-related ctcLink business practices to streamline processes and improve our use of ctcLink as a system.

On Wednesday, April 8, systemwide HR staff, HCM subject matter experts, and Local Security Administrators attended the ctclink College Collaboration Group (cCCG) meeting for a preview of EO&O Task Force’s first set of recommendations for best practices.

Recommendations

• HR 1.1: Salaried Employee Start Date
• HR 1.2: Perform Search/Match
• HR 1.3: Enforce New Hire Paperwork Due Date
• Security 1.1: Security Role Review setup

See PAW EO&O Recommendations slides 12-15 for descriptions.

This was an early preview and will not be voted on until the task force wraps up. There will be at least 14 more recommendations ahead, but the team wanted to present them in easier-to-digest, bite-sized portions rather than wait.

Learn more about the PAW Project

• PAW Project Information
• Employee Onboarding/Offboarding PAW

Questions?

Please reach out to Sindie Howland, Employee Onboarding & Offboarding Process Alignment Task Force Lead & Everett Community College Associate Director for Change Management and Process Improvement, if you have any questions or concerns about EO&O Process Alignment activities.

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.

Cross-Pillar Training Session: FA/SF/FIN End-to-End Reconciliation

Monday, May 4, 2026, 1 to 3 p.m., Learn more and join the session

This Cross-Pillar Training Session is a high-level overview of the end-to-end reconciliation process as it begins in Financial Aid, passes through Student Financials, and ends in Finance. The Functional Trainers will share tips and tricks needed for successful reconciliation for the 2026 Academic Year.

Objectives

• FA/SF/FIN - Understand the high-level flow of the cross-pillar (FA/SF/FIN) end-to-end reconciliation process
• FA – Understand the need to have reconciliation worksheets(s) to track expenses, revenue, and variances
• FA - Understand the available reports and queries in the Fund Management Guide that should be run on weekly, semi-monthly, and monthly basis
• FA - Understand the high-level process in FA concerning what queries and reports to run for varying funding sources
• FA - Understand the timing in which SAS files are available to use for FA/COD reconciliation
• SF - Understand how the GL is sent to FIN via SF/Cashier journals
• SF - Understand the available SF queries and how to reconcile them
• FIN - Review of GL Account Guidance / Resources
• FIN - Understand How SF Data Processes into Finance
• FIN - Review SF/GL Reconciliation Queries
• FIN - Reimbursement/Drawdown Best Practices

Presenters/Facilitators: Kelly Forsberg, Financial Aid Functional Trainer; Pauline Smith, Student Financials Functional Trainer; Alec Risk, Finance Functional Trainer

Audience: Newer FA, SF, and FIN staff responsible for reconciliation and staff needing a refresher

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. 

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.

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

In-Progress Classes & Unofficial Transcripts

If your college wants in-progress classes to display on your Unofficial Transcripts,  submit a ticket requesting a configuration change. 

Your request will need to be submitted by your Registrar or include documented approval from your Registrar.  Refer to the  Monitoring In-Progress Classes for ctcLink Electronic Transcripts QRG

Sending Electronic Transcripts

On occasion, electronic transcript requests are not processed as expected. Instead of entering additional electronic transcript requests, stop and review for common issues:

Does the student have transcriptable data in ctcLink? 

If not, the electronic transcript request will not be processed.  Pull a copy of the student's transcript and review. If you are reviewing an Unofficial transcript, which might display in-progress classes depending on your configuration, remember that in-progress classes will not be available on the Official transcript until after the Fully Graded Date. Hot Tip?  If the student has a Legacy record and is not planning additional activity with your college, you can just send a transcript using the Legacy Transcript Tool rather than  manually converting the student's entire record just so that it can be sent from ctcLink. 

Was the electronic transcript request entered correctly?

Look for entry errors such as an incorrect recipient (you can't send an electronic ctcLink transcript to Evergreen State College) or missing information (like a blank location number field).

Is there a hold? 

If the Override Service Indicator box was not checked, take a look for service indicators with TRAN impacts.

Existing unprocessed electronic transcript requests will be processed when the student has transcriptable ctcLink transcript data and any issues blocking the request (e.g. data entry errors, service indicators) have been resolved.

If you've reviewed a student's record and still have questions about why an electronic transcript request isn't being processed, please submit a ticket!

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.

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

Cross-Pillar Training Session: FA/SF/FIN End-to-End Reconciliation

Monday, May 4, 2026, 1 to 3 p.m., Learn more and join the session

This Cross-Pillar Training Session is a high-level overview of the end-to-end reconciliation process as it begins in Financial Aid, passes through Student Financials, and ends in Finance. The Functional Trainers will share tips and tricks needed for successful reconciliation for the 2026 Academic Year.

Objectives

• FA/SF/FIN - Understand the high-level flow of the cross-pillar (FA/SF/FIN) end-to-end reconciliation process
• FA – Understand the need to have reconciliation worksheets(s) to track expenses, revenue, and variances
• FA - Understand the available reports and queries in the Fund Management Guide that should be run on weekly, semi-monthly, and monthly basis
• FA - Understand the high-level process in FA concerning what queries and reports to run for varying funding sources
• FA - Understand the timing in which SAS files are available to use for FA/COD reconciliation
• SF - Understand how the GL is sent to FIN via SF/Cashier journals
• SF - Understand the available SF queries and how to reconcile them
• FIN - Review of GL Account Guidance / Resources
• FIN - Understand How SF Data Processes into Finance
• FIN - Review SF/GL Reconciliation Queries
• FIN - Reimbursement/Drawdown Best Practices

Presenters/Facilitators: Kelly Forsberg, Financial Aid Functional Trainer; Pauline Smith, Student Financials Functional Trainer; Alec Risk, Finance Functional Trainer

Audience: Newer FA, SF, and FIN staff responsible for reconciliation and staff needing a refresher

FIN Training: FY27 Capital Projects Creation to Finalization and Maintenance

Wednesday, June 3, 2026, 1 – 3 p.m., Learn more and join the session

July is the beginning of a new fiscal year, which may include adding new Capital Projects to ctcLink PeopleSoft.  

Finance/Grants staff and capital project budget managers are encouraged to join Alec Risk, ctcLink Functional Trainer, and Michele Rockwell, MSML, ctcLink Finance Functional Analyst, and Susan Locke, SBCTC Capital Budget Analyst, to walk through the creation to activation process for a Capital Project.

They will also review the basics on maintaining a Capital Project plus tips and tricks throughout the setup process.

• Create a Capital Project
• Create and Finalize a Capital Project Budget
• Maintaining Capital Projects
• Time for Q&A

Module: Project Costing

Related QRGs:

• Capital Projects section of the ctcLink Reference Center
• Grants and Projects Checklist & Process Steps Guide
• Create and Finalize a Capital Project

Prerequisite Course: PC100 - Project Costing

FIN Training: FY27 Grant Awards Creation to Activation [CRC & FPC]

Thursday, June 4, 2026, 1 – 3 p.m., Learn more and join the session

July is the beginning of a new fiscal year [FY27]. Finance/Grants staff and supervisors responsible for creating, maintaining, and/or monitoring grants are encouraged to join Alec Risk, ctcLink Functional Trainer, and Michele Rockwell, MSML, ctcLink Finance Functional Analyst, for this information-packed session.

• 1-2 p.m.: Cost Reimbursable Contract (CRC) Award creation to activation process
• 2-3 p.m.: Fixed Price Contract (FPC) Award creation and activation. We will follow the basic steps for each Grant Type:
  • Award Prep: Gather your info.
  • Create and Submit a Proposal.
  • Generate an Award.
  • Manage the Award: Adding Terms, Project Type, and Finalize the Budget.
  • Finalize and Activate the Award.
  • Communicate valid ChartStrings for Payroll Combo Codes & Tuition-related Item Types.

Modules: Grants and Contracts Module; Project Costing

Related QRGs:

• Grants and Projects Checklist & Process Steps Guide
• Reimbursable Grant - Creation to Activation
• Fixed Price Grant - Creation to Activation

Prerequisite Courses:          

• GR100 Grants and Contracts
• GR200 Intermediate Grants
• PC100 Project Costing
• BI100 Billing

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

 

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

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

Thursday, April 30, 2026, 1 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 SBCTC 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

Cross-Pillar Training Session: FA/SF/FIN End-to-End Reconciliation

Monday, May 4, 2026, 1 to 3 p.m., Learn more and join the session

This Cross-Pillar Training Session is a high-level overview of the end-to-end reconciliation process as it begins in Financial Aid, passes through Student Financials, and ends in Finance. The Functional Trainers will share tips and tricks needed for successful reconciliation for the 2026 Academic Year.

Objectives

• FA/SF/FIN - Understand the high-level flow of the cross-pillar (FA/SF/FIN) end-to-end reconciliation process
• FA – Understand the need to have reconciliation worksheets(s) to track expenses, revenue, and variances
• FA - Understand the available reports and queries in the Fund Management Guide that should be run on weekly, semi-monthly, and monthly basis
• FA - Understand the high-level process in FA concerning what queries and reports to run for varying funding sources
• FA - Understand the timing in which SAS files are available to use for FA/COD reconciliation
• SF - Understand how the GL is sent to FIN via SF/Cashier journals
• SF - Understand the available SF queries and how to reconcile them
• FIN - Review of GL Account Guidance / Resources
• FIN - Understand How SF Data Processes into Finance
• FIN - Review SF/GL Reconciliation Queries
• FIN - Reimbursement/Drawdown Best Practices

Presenters/Facilitators: Kelly Forsberg, Financial Aid Functional Trainer; Pauline Smith, Student Financials Functional Trainer; Alec Risk, Finance Functional Trainer

Audience: Newer FA, SF, and FIN staff responsible for reconciliation and staff needing a refresher

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)

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

ESD Employer Newsletter

If you haven’t already done so, your friends at SBCTC Central Payroll recommend you subscribe to the Employer Newsletter from the Employment Security Department (ESD). The April 2026, Issue 74 edition includes:

• Q1 2026 reports are due by April 30
• WA Cares annual reports now available to workers
• Paid Leave statements to be mailed in May.
• Three state and three county employment reports out this month
• BizFair coming to Spokane in May; Puyallup in September

Share and Subscribe

The monthly “Employer Newsletter” contains information important to Washington employers.

• Subscribe to the ESD Employer Newsletter to receive the newsletters as soon as they are available
• Find past issues in the archive on the Employment Security website

HCM Users Group Spring 2026 Quarter Meeting

Thursday, May 7, and Friday, May 8 (half day), 2026 at Walla Walla Community College.

Watch for details at the HCM Users Group web page and on the HCM Subject Matter Expert eList (ctcLinkSME-HCM).

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

New QARS Employee Job Reports Announcement & Webinars

We’re excited to announce the release of our new QARS (Quality Assurance Reporting System) Employee Job Reports designed to increase the quality and accuracy of employee job data.

QARS is used to provide reports to help colleges correct missing or inaccurate data. Many of you may already access existing reports for IPEDS reporting.

Action Requested

• Please register for one of the webinar sessions. Colleges should select one session for their college team.
• Be prepared to identify your school’s Designated Point of Contact for these reports.

Webinars

We will walk through the new reports and answer questions.  The content for each webinar is the same, so your college team only needs to attend one of the webinars.

During the webinar, we will also discuss the role of a Designated Point of Contact for these QARS Employee Job reports. Each college team will be asked to identify one individual who will serve as the primary contact if we need to reach out regarding a QARS report.

• Thursday, April 16, 11 a.m., Join the session
• Tuesday, April 21, 2 p.m., Join the session

If you have questions in advance, feel free to reach out to SBCTC Data Services. We look forward to working with you and helping your team get the most value from the new QARS reports.

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

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.

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 systemwide SF colleagues.

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 Work Session: Understanding Item Type Queries

Thursday, April 16, 2026 2-3 p.m., Learn more and join the session

Don’t miss this one-hour work session as we explore helpful Item Type Queries and how to use them.

Primary Audience: Student Financials Staff

Presenter: Charles Sapien, ctcLink SF Functional Analyst, and Pauline Smith, ctcLink SF Functional Trainer

SF Work Session: SFRA Year-in-Review and Updates

Monday, April 20, 2026 1-2:30 p.m., Learn more and join the session

Join us as we reflect on the past year’s Student Financial Responsibility Agreement (SFRA) process and explore the latest updates and improvements.

Primary Audience: Any staff that work with SFRA

Related QRGs: Student Financial Responsibility Agreement

Presenter/Facilitator: SBCTC SF Support Team

Cross-Pillar Training Session: FA/SF/FIN End-to-End Reconciliation

Monday, May 4, 2026, 1 to 3 p.m., Learn more and join the session

This Cross-Pillar Training Session is a high-level overview of the end-to-end reconciliation process as it begins in Financial Aid, passes through Student Financials, and ends in Finance. The Functional Trainers will share tips and tricks needed for successful reconciliation for the 2026 Academic Year.

Objectives

• FA/SF/FIN - Understand the high-level flow of the cross-pillar (FA/SF/FIN) end-to-end reconciliation process
• FA – Understand the need to have reconciliation worksheets(s) to track expenses, revenue, and variances
• FA - Understand the available reports and queries in the Fund Management Guide that should be run on weekly, semi-monthly, and monthly basis
• FA - Understand the high-level process in FA concerning what queries and reports to run for varying funding sources
• FA - Understand the timing in which SAS files are available to use for FA/COD reconciliation
• SF - Understand how the GL is sent to FIN via SF/Cashier journals
• SF - Understand the available SF queries and how to reconcile them
• FIN - Review of GL Account Guidance / Resources
• FIN - Understand How SF Data Processes into Finance
• FIN - Review SF/GL Reconciliation Queries
• FIN - Reimbursement/Drawdown Best Practices

Presenters/Facilitators: Kelly Forsberg, Financial Aid Functional Trainer; Pauline Smith, Student Financials Functional Trainer; Alec Risk, Finance Functional Trainer

Audience: Newer FA, SF, and FIN staff responsible for reconciliation and staff needing a refresher

SF Work Session: WWSFD (What Would Student Financials Do?) AR Series

Join  our three-part series and jump into Accounts Receivable with a fresh twist. Please come prepared with questions—we look forward to interactive discussions!

Primary Audience: Student Financials Staff

Related QRGs: SF - Collections

Presenter/Facilitator: Pauline Smith, ctcLink SF Functional Trainer and SF Team

Monthly Student Finance/General Ledger SF/GL Open Forum

Every second Wednesday, 2 to 3 p.m., the SBCTC Business Operations Accounting team invites you to bring your questions (and solutions) to share during this open forum meeting space for all things Student Financials/General Ledger (SF/GL) related.

There is no formal agenda as we welcome all questions about everything from item types and second journal sets to waivers, queries, or internal cash reconciliation.

See the SBCTC meetings and events calendar and look for ctcLink Accounting Team: SF/GL Open Forum Meeting.

Query Developer Learning Opportunities

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, May 12, 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.