Overview

UCSF IT implemented an electronic system in October 2009 that automates the campus data network recharge. 

• This Data Recharge System calculates and applies the appropriate recharge amount based on the monthly payroll earn file from UCPath. 

Purpose

The Data Network Recharge is consistent with UCSF’s Strategic Plan to urge:

• Optimal deployment of information technology
• Development of new funding mechanisms

And to ensure:

• Ongoing investment in infrastructure of equipment replacement and maintenance 

The Data Network Recharge of eligible faculty, staff, learners and affiliates for usage of the UCSF data network generates revenue for supporting ongoing improvements and network stabilization by replacing all network equipment every five to seven years.

Process

• Data for the Recharge System is fed from the UCPath monthly pay earn file.
  • The UCPath monthly pay earn file produces the payroll computation for the month, which includes the:
    • Computed payroll amount 
    • Full chart of accounts (COA)
    • Accounting information (business unit, fund, department, project, function, flexfield)
    • Derived percentage of time 
  • Other data elements include control point, department, record type, title code and DOS code, which will indicate recharge eligibility status (yes or no).
     
• The UCPath monthly pay earn file is imported into the Data Recharge System.
  • The system applies logic regarding recharge eligibility and then calculates the recharge amount based on the:
    • Fixed monthly FTE cost
    • Derived FTE percentage (for those who are recharge eligible)
       
• The data network recharge fee is then applied to the corresponding COA according to the percentage of time that an employee is paid by a particular funding source.  
  • For example, campus employee May Smith is paid on three different funds.
  • The $44 data network fee is allocated each month according to the percentage of time she is on each source:

• The FTE equivalency for hourly employees is based on the data and calculations applied to hourly employees in PPS.
• The account for the Data Recharge is 55056.
• Each month, finance managers have an opportunity to review the recharge designations and request adjustments as needed.
• There are circumstances that may require additional steps for the recharge to be appropriately processed:
  • Change in COA to be charged
  • Payroll expense transfer
  • Cost transfers
  • Change in recharge eligibility

COA change

• After reviewing the data recharge results in the system and determining that no changes are required (verification of data), the recharge proceeds based on current system data and logic.
  • On the other hand, if review of the data reveals a need to correct any chart field data, the system must be manually updated to reflect this new information.
    • This may be the case with instances such as expiration of current funding or disallowing of the recharge by a particular fund.
       
• For example, according to payroll data, campus employee June Smith is paid from four different funds:

• However, COA 2 stipulates that certain expenses (e.g., data network expenses) are not allowed to be charged against this type of fund. 
  • Therefore, project funding COA 2 must be overridden and an alternate project entered to indicate the redirection of the recharge.
  • Project changes may only be updated one-for-one.
    • They cannot be further split to additional projects.

Now, June Smith’s recharge redirect could look like this:

As a result, the following project codes would be recharged the amounts shown:

• What the finance manager needs to identify are:
  • The COA to be changed or overridden
  • The alternate COA to be charged
     
• The IT Billing Services unit administers the override function for the Data Recharge System.
  • The override function’s only purpose is to redirect funds to an alternate COA.
    • It allows an override of any chart fields originally imported from the UCPath monthly pay earn file.
    • It then designates an alternate COA to be charged (redirect).
  • The system is set up so charges can only be redirected by COA combination, thus disallowing the ability to redirect based on an individual employee level.
     
• When a redirect need is determined, the financial manager can submit a COA override request to the IT Billing Services unit.
  • This change request should list:
    • The COA to be overridden
    • The COA that will receive the redirected charge(s)
    • The rationale for the requested change
       
• ITS Billing Services:
  • Receives the override request
  • Reviews the COA information (employees affected, validity of COA)
  • Upon verification, updates the COA information in the Data Network Recharge System, overriding the previous COA with the new COA information
     
• After the change is made, the recharge is processed based on the new data.

To submit a request for data network COA override, go to ServiceNow or call UCSF Service/Help Desk at 415-514-4100 to submit your inquiry and assign it to "ITS_BA_RECHARGE_FUNC" group. The request ticket description must include: the COA to be overridden, the COA that will receive the redirected charge(s), and the rationale for the requested change.

Dates and deadlines for inquiry/review/request

The system displays the most up-to-date information, always reflecting the previous month’s payroll data as soon as it is available from the payroll system.

• Inquiries and overrides can be done at any time during the month.
• In order for the override change to take effect for the payroll period intended to reflect the change:
  • The request for the override should be communicated to IT Billing Services as soon as payroll data for the previous month is available.
    • This should occur no later than two business days before (1) the month-end close for that payroll period or (2) the scheduled monthly data recharge production day, whichever comes first. 

Payroll expense transfers

Payroll Expense Transfers (PETs) must be initiated by departments and processed (in UCPath) as they usually are.

• A PET will not be a transaction (or functionality) that is initiated within the Data Recharge System. 
  • Since the Data Recharge System is fed by the UCPath data, PETs will be automatically accounted for within the system.
  • No additional processes will be required.
     
• The system will generate a financial journal to credit the old COA and debit the new COA.

Cost transfer via suspense journals process

When charges cannot be processed as originally reported, the following process will be implemented:

• IT Billing Services will, on a monthly basis, submit an electronic journal load of data network recharges, which will include any error journal entry lines resulting from invalid PeopleSoft COA combinations.
  • At the time the journal is loaded, all these invalid entries will automatically be posted to a data recharge Suspense Account (Source Code 5B2).
  • On the day immediately following the journal load, IT Finance Services will download from PeopleSoft a detailed list of rejected journal lines with the corresponding types of chart field errors (e.g., invalid COA combination).
  • IT Finance Services will contact those departments whose COAs generate chart field errors, requesting the correct COA combination.
  • If departments do not respond to inquiries from IT Finance Services within a specific period of time, IT Finance Services will initially use “default” COA, previously collected from those departments, to which IT Billing Services will charge any unresolved suspense journal entries.

Edit of factors for recharge eligibility

Recharge eligibility status for different UCSF staff groups may change over time.

• Affected groups (and the factors that determine their recharge exception status: e.g., control point, department, fund, record type, title code or DOS code) will be communicated to IT Billing Services. 
  • When a new exception has been communicated, IT Billing Services will change the factor that controls whether a payroll earn file row will be selected for data recharge calculation.
  • If a previously included group changes to being excluded from the recharge, the factor will be changed to “0” (exclude).
  • If a group changes from exclusion to inclusion in the recharge process, the factor will be changed from “0” to “1” (include).
     
• The exception list needs to be reported to the Campus Budget Office so that it can be accurately inserted in the Federal Indirect Cost (i.e., F&A rate) computation.

High-level processes for ongoing data recharge

Roles in and access to the data recharge system

Affected units

The following business units and departments will be affected by the recharge process:

• IT Business Applications
• Finance managers in each UCSF department with recharge-eligible employees

Available functionality and roles

Inquiry/review/request

The departmental finance manager reviews the accuracy/eligibility of COAs being charged.

• The following reports are available:
  • Department
  • Inquiry 
  • Monthly recharge
     
• Report functionality will include:
  • Sort
  • Ability to export to Excel