Peoplesoft Financials 9.1 Practices And Techniques June PeopleSoft End User Training

Transcription

1 Peoplesoft Financials 9.1 Practices And Techniques June 2011 PeopleSoft End User Training

2 Created by Gayle M Bays

3 C ONTENTS Chapter 1 PeopleSoft Concepts Business Units and SetIDs Using ChartFields Effective Dating Action Modes Chapter 2 Getting Started Signing In and Out of PeopleSoft Basic Navigation Personalizing Your PeopleSoft Account Navigating in PeopleSoft Pure Internet Architecture Returning to Pages Using My Favorites Chapter 3 Locating Data in PeopleSoft To Add or Not to Add Find an Existing Value Add a New Value Chapter 4 Using Data Pages to View and Edit Data Pages and Components Buttons Deferred Processing Inserting and Deleting Data within a Record Working With Data in Grids and Scroll Areas Saving Pages Using Links in PeopleSoft Opening a New Window Automatic Time Out \\ \\ \\ \\ T ABLE OF C ONTENTS CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

4 C ONTENTS Chapter 5 Standard Reporting and Processing PeopleSoft Standard Reports Using Run Controls Process Monitor Report Manager Chapter 6 Problem Solving Deleting the Internet Cache Opening a New Session Using PeopleBooks Dealing with Errors and Warnings Getting Outside Help Appendix A Personalizing PeopleSoft...A-1 Customizing Grids...A-2 Saving Search Criteria...A-6 Appendix B Troubleshooting Reference Sheet... B-1 Appendix C Where to Sign In to PeopleSoft at Clarkson...C-1 \\ \\ \\ \\ \\ T ABLE OF C ONTENTS CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

5 C H A P T E R 1 PEOPLESOFT CONCEPTS Overview PeopleSoft uses some unique concepts in its applications. Four important concepts are Business Units, SetIDs, ChartFields, and Effective Dating. These notions allow data to be shared and stored more effectively. Objectives By the end of this chapter, you will be able to: Identify how PeopleSoft uses Business Units and SetIDs Define ChartFields Describe what a combo edit is Define Effective Dating Use appropriate Action Modes to view future, current and historical data C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL PEOPLES OFT C ONCEPTS 1-1

6 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Business Units and SetIDs All data in PeopleSoft is controlled by either Business Units or SetIDs. Business Units All PeopleSoft transaction data includes Business Units for accounting purposes. Business Units are used within PeopleSoft modules to separate business rules and associated transactions such as journal entries. Important items to keep in mind when using Business Units (BUs): Business Units are required for most day-to-day business activities (transactional data). Such transactions are updated frequently. Journal entries and Requisitions are some of the most common transactions. Transaction tables house transaction data and use Business Unit as a key field. Clarkson University uses one main Business Unit: CLKSN. Travel authorizations will now use a separate Business Unit for their Purchase Orders only: CTRVL. Vouchers and Payments will still use CLKSN. Associated Colleges data (journals only) will be stored using ACSLV. SetIDs SetIDs separate control values that may be shared by more than one module. Clarkson University uses only one SetID: SHARE. Important items to keep in mind when using SetIDs: Set IDs maintain all control values. Control values are generally static. Department IDs and Account Numbers are examples of control data that the Set ID rules. What is the Difference? Set IDs and Business Units differ in the fact that Set IDs are used as keys primarily in control tables where data stays static, whereas Business Units serve as keys primarily in transaction tables where new rows are constantly added. 1-2 P EOPLES OFT C ONCEPTS CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

7 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Using ChartFields ChartFields are data elements that comprise the fundamental building blocks of the PeopleSoft financial systems for control and reporting. Transaction level data is recorded and summarized at a ChartField level. The General Ledger uses ChartFields as the accounting elements for creating journal entries and looking at account balances. ChartFields are the components that make up the chart of accounts. Combination Editing ChartField Combination Edit, also known as Combo Edit, consists of the process of editing transaction lines for valid ChartField combinations based on user-defined rules. ChartField combination editing expands the ChartField editing process to include ChartField values that are dependent on each other. PeopleSoft edits and stores ChartField value combinations according to the combination editing rules defined by Clarkson University. Using Clarkson s rules, PeopleSoft edits for valid ChartField combinations and stores data for each rule. You can also query the data edited and stored for applied combination rules. For instance, if there are certain ChartFields that need to go together, the system can recognize this. If any other value is used, the system will generate an error message. Using incorrect or incomplete ChartField combinations can also cause processing errors. For example, leaving the Fund and/or Program field(s) blank on a spreadsheet upload may prevent those journals from being processed into PeopleSoft transaction tables. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL PEOPLES OFT C ONCEPTS 1-3

8 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Effective Dating What is an Effective Date? Very simply, it is the date upon which a piece of information becomes valid, or effective. PeopleSoft allows you to attach dates to information so you can show a progression through time of valid data, including changes, and thus keep an accurate audit trail. Effective dating is only used on control data commonly keyed by SetID, not transactional or other data keyed by Business Unit. Effective dating provides significant benefits: You can make future dated changes to tables at any time prior to the date they become effective if you have changes taking effect on the first of January, you can make changes anytime prior to January 1 st and the system will automatically begin using the data on January 1 st. The most current information will appear first on the page. It is what the system will use for processing current transactions. You never delete or overwrite existing data you have a running history of the values that were in effect at every point in time. Whenever you enter new information that is related to existing data, you do not want to lose or overwrite the data already stored in the database. To retain history, insert a data row identified by the date when the information goes into effect: the Effective Date. You may also inactivate Effective dated rows, which is equivalent to deleting an entry for further processing, yet allowing it to remain in existence for historical reporting. Effective Dated Row Types PeopleSoft categorizes Effective Dated rows into the following three types. Type Future Current History Definition All rows whose Effective Date > today s date The single row having the most recent Effective Date <= today s date All rows whose Effective Date < Current row s Effective Date 1-4 P EOPLES OFT C ONCEPTS CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

9 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES For example, a Vendor has moved their accounting offices several times in the past 10 years. The table below lists each address with its Effective Date (first day it was/will be valid) as well as noting which rows are Future, Current and History. For the purposes of this example, imagine today s date is July 5, Effective Date Address Type 09/01/ /15/ /14/ /01/ North Paint Street Cave Creek, AZ West Quarter Horse Drive Dallas, TX East Palomino Lane Manlius, NY NE Appaloosa Trail Ocala, FL Future Current History History Note: The last row, dated 01/01/1901, indicates that this address was part of the original load into PeopleSoft (when Clarkson University first began using PeopleSoft 7.5 with respect to the given data). All of the single-row data that was originally loaded into PeopleSoft from outside systems WITHOUT historical data was loaded with Effective Dates of 01/01/1901. Going forward, you should enter all data changes with accurate Effective Dates to reflect changes over time and leave appropriate audit trails. You should NEVER use 01/01/1901 as an Effective Date when entering/inserting new rows! Doing so can corrupt existing data and make it impossible to reproduce historical information accurately. It can also affect data validity with regard to future upgrades. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL PEOPLES OFT C ONCEPTS 1-5

10 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Action Modes Action modes use Effective Dating. The chart below indicates which types of rows you will be able to view, change, and insert in the three Action Modes. When you Search for data, the default is to Search in Update/Display mode. You will need to indicate when you set your criteria if you wish to work with historical data. After you are already in a component, you may change Action Mode by using the three buttons listed below, located in the lower right hand corner of any data Page. Action Mode Button View Change Insert New Rows Current, Future History, Current, Future History, Current, Future Future only Future only All existing rows Effective Date greater than or equal to current row. Effective Date greater than or equal to current row. No Effective Date restrictions. Note: Most PeopleSoft users will not even see this option. Since the Correct History mode does NOT leave an audit trail, use of this mode should be extremely limited within Clarkson University. If you have a legitimate need for this mode, please ask your supervisor who has the responsibility for making historical changes. The person having this responsibility will likely keep separate documentation for auditing purposes, including: who requested the changes, date requested, reason for change, date changed in PS, person making changes in PS, component/navigation where changes were made, affected field(s), old value(s), and new value(s). 1-6 P EOPLES OFT C ONCEPTS CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

11 C H A P T E R 2 GETTING STARTED Overview This chapter explains the correct way to sign in and out of PeopleSoft, as well as how to navigate through the system. Before you begin using PeopleSoft to look up data, however, you should personalize your account so that it reflects how you like to work. You can customize how you view and enter certain types of data. Objectives By the end of this chapter, you will be able to: Sign into and out of PeopleSoft Navigate in PeopleSoft Customize your PeopleSoft account for ease of processing and navigation NEVER USE THE BACK BUTTON!!! Use My Favorites to store frequently visited components C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL GETTING S TARTED 2-1

12 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Signing In and Out of PeopleSoft PeopleSoft requires that you sign on to the system by entering your User ID and Password. These two items identify you to the system so it can provide you access to all the information you need to conduct your business. Your PeopleSoft UserID and Password will be the same as you use to login to the network; your PeopleSoft password will change when you change your network password. Passwords always appear as dots or asterisks in the display as you enter them. The User ID and Password are case sensitive. Once you have successfully signed on, your Home Page will appear. You will always have the same Home Page, no matter what computer terminal you use to sign on. Please note that your role at Clarkson University will determine which PeopleSoft menu options you see. Signing Off Properly signing off the system is as important as properly signing on. Signing off when you are finished working disconnects you from the system and prevents unauthorized access. 2-2 G ETTING S TARTED CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

13 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Basic Navigation The two most frequently used navigation tools in PeopleSoft are the Universal Navigation Header and the Menu. Menu Universal Navigation Header Universal Navigation Header The Universal Navigation Header, found at the top right of every page, includes several links. Option Home Worklist Add to Favorites Sign Out Description Returns you to your Home page Shows your workflow items, if any, with summary information Also provides links to get more details about each item Allows you to bookmark the current component Logs you out of PeopleSoft Menu You can access any page within PeopleSoft by starting at the Home Page. Simply select a menu item to see the sub-menus and components available to you; your security profile defines what you see. If more than one component is associated with a menu option, then a cascading menu, also known as a submenu or child menu, displays to the side of the menu item (usually to the right, depending on screen space). C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL GETTING S TARTED 2-3

14 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Personalizing Your PeopleSoft Account You can personalize the way data displays by clicking My Personalizations, located near the bottom of the Main Menu. Your administrator determines which options you can modify. Personalizations include a mode for Pages to support assistive technologies, locale-specific changes, save options and modifications to images. The personalization categories include: General Options Regional Settings System & Application Messages Navigation Personalizations Each set of personalization options contains Explain hyperlinks. Click these links to obtain more information. Please note: For your new Personalizations to take effect, you will have to click OK on any Page where you make changes, then Sign off and Sign back on again. General Options If you require support for assistive technologies, select the desired layout mode in the General Options area. 2-4 G ETTING S TARTED CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

15 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Regional Settings From the International and Regional Settings, you can personalize your Date and Time Formats; choose settings for Morning and Afternoon designators (AM/PM, or am/pm); and choose your Local Time Zone. It is important to note that when you choose your Date and Time Formats, these will serve as not only the way PeopleSoft displays dates and times whenever you are signed on with your User ID, but also how PeopleSoft will interpret any data you enter. For instance, if you choose MM/DD/YYYY as your Date Format, PeopleSoft will display November 3, 2005, as 11/03/2005. However, if you choose DD/MM/YYYY as your Date Format, then enter 11/03/2005, PeopleSoft will interpret that as March 11, System and Application Messages Save Confirmation is a personalization option allowing you to select whether or not you would like a message to appear when a save action is in progress. Choose whether you receive messages when confirming a save action and when you attempt to leave a transaction without saving it first in System & Application Messages. Navigation Personalizations Navigation Personalizations include default values for tabs and how the menu reacts. Additionally, certain data entry personalizations can be changed here. Type ahead functionality, discussed in Chapter 3, is one example. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL GETTING S TARTED 2-5

16 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Navigating in PeopleSoft Pure Internet Architecture PeopleSoft's browser-based interface provides several ways to access data in your database. All of the menu options offer an intuitive way of updating or viewing data in your database. Each visual menu consists of a hierarchy of cascading folders and content references. You may change your menu display options by navigating to the Personalize Content page. Personalize Content Your navigation options include the following: The drop-down menu and breadcrumbs Menu or Menu Classic Top Menu Features Description My Reports Main Menu 2-6 G ETTING S TARTED CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

17 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES After selecting your preferred content, scroll down and click. Drop-Down Menu and Breadcrumbs PeopleSoft Financials version 9.1 always provides you with drop-down menus and breadcrumbs. Drop-down navigation is an intuitive way of updating or viewing data in your database. Drop-down navigation consists of a hierarchy of cascading folders and content references. When using drop-down navigation, you begin by clicking Main Menu. You can click a folder at any point to select from its subfolders and/or components. Continue through each cascading menu until you find the content reference you want. A set of breadcrumbs appears to reveal the full navigation to the content. You do not need to go back to the Main Menu or click Home to change your navigation. Instead, you can click a link in the breadcrumbs to view its sub-menus and components. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL GETTING S TARTED 2-7

18 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Menu and Menu-Classic Portal Search Menu Sizing Buttons Cascading Menu Structure Instead of using the drop-down menus, you may choose to use the traditional menu structure. The Menu and Menu-Classic options function similarly. Simply select a menu item to see the folders and components available to you; as with all menu structures, your security profile defines what you see. If more than one component is associated with a menu option, then a cascading menu, also known as a submenu or child menu, displays below the menu item. Both Menu and Menu-Classic are set up in a navigational hierarchy where you can access a series of folder drilldowns. The folder drilldown structure is the primary means of getting around your PeopleSoft application. This structure collapses and expands based on your selections. As you enter into the menu, an arrow will appear along with the topic. Once you click on the topic, a will appear indicating that there are more sub topics below the main topic. All components appear as hyperlinks; these represent your final destinations. Click on the hyperlink to reach the component s search and add pages. The main level, also known as Home, contains a general list of the areas where you will do most of your work. It also includes user-specific links, such as My Personalizations. The Menu allows you to move from task to task. Whenever it is maximized, it is located on the left hand portion of every page. You may opt to minimize it at any time using the button. Doing so will remove the menu from the screen, replacing it with. The rest of the page will then expand to cover the entire screen, with appearing above it on the left hand side. This allows you to view most pages without having to scroll right to see them. Click on to maximize the menu and return the rest of the page to the right hand portion of the screen. 2-8 G ETTING S TARTED CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

19 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Button Name Function Refresh Refreshes your menu. Useful after adding or editing favorites. Minimize Minimizes Menu. Replaces menu with icon above page name. Remove Removes Menu from your home page. PeopleSoft will ask you if you are sure you really want to remove it and tell you how to bring it back. Portal Search You can navigate quickly to a component using the Search field when using Menu and Menu-Classic. You use the Search field to search for a registered content reference within the system. Enter the name of the page you want to find, and press Enter or click the Search button. This action opens the Search page displaying the results. When enabled, type ahead works in Portal Search to help you find components. This functionality is not enabled at Clarkson during go-live, but may become available at a later date. Top Menu Features Description By default, this option is selected when you first login to PeopleSoft Financials version 9.1. It provides quick pointers about using menus in the new version. You may close it or deselect it at any time. My Reports Selecting My Reports will add a section on the left side of your Home page that contains a listing of any reports on your Report Manager s Explorer page. It also contains a link directly to the Report Manager. Although Clarkson is not currently using the Explorer page, its functionality may be added in the future. The link will still take you to the Report Manager, where you can view your reports on the Administration tab. Main Menu The Main Menu appears on the right hand side of your Home page, offering a more pictoral navigation option. Each folder includes all of the standard menu options available for that menu item and may also contain related tasks normally found under a separate menu item. Clicking on any (folder) will move you to that folder and display all of the component (and subfolder, if any) options available within it. Clicking on will take you directly to that page (or its Search page, as appropriate). C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL GETTING S TARTED 2-9

20 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Returning to Pages NEVER use the web browser s Back functions when using PeopleSoft! Do NOT use the Back button ( ) or Backspace on your keyboard. This functionality belongs to your browser and is not fully compatible with PeopleSoft. Use the Universal Navigation Header, Main Menu, Drop-Down Menu, Breadcrumbs and other buttons/links that PeopleSoft provides when appropriate to navigate to recently used pages. Accidentally using your browser s button may cause you to lose data and/or be kicked out of PeopleSoft altogether (without data saving) G ETTING S TARTED CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

21 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Using My Favorites Using the Universal Navigation Header, you can mark Favorites. Favorites are similar to standard browser bookmarks for frequently accessed folders and content. You may mark a favorite from either a search page or a data page, but using the link will always return you to the search page. Add Favorites After clicking on Add to Favorites, PeopleSoft prompts you to name the Favorite, providing you with the default. You may accept the default or change it to something more meaningful to you. It must be unique; PeopleSoft will not allow you to add multiple Favorites with the same Favorite name. After verifying the description, click to store it under My Favorites. Be certain you use the Add Favorites link in PeopleSoft s Universal Navigation Header, NOT the option provided by your web browser s menu. Why? By keeping it in PeopleSoft s menu system, you will be able to use it on any computer, as long as you are signed on using your User ID. Once you save a Favorite, either expand the My Favorites folder (when using the menu pagelet) or click Favorites (when using the drop-down menu with breadcrumbs) and click the component you wish to view. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL GETTING S TARTED 2-11

22 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Edit Favorites Edit Favorites allows you to maintain your Favorites. You can re-label and re-sequence your Favorites from Edit Favorites. You may change the name and/or order of your Favorites by making your changes directly into the edit boxes on the Edit Favorites page. You may also choose to delete a Favorite if you no longer use it or selected it by mistake; simply use that row s button. When you choose to delete an entry, PeopleSoft will ask you to confirm, using a warning message. Click to continue. Changes and deletions will not become permanent, as the delete warning indicates, until you save your Favorites. Click at the bottom of the page to confirm your changes. Recently Used List You can also view a list of recently accessed pages through the Recently Used list located on the Favorites menu. When you visit a page, it is automatically added to the Recently Used list. This list is limited to the five most recently accessed pages G ETTING S TARTED CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

23 C H A P T E R 3 LOCATING DATA IN PEOPLESOFT Overview Almost every task you do in PeopleSoft will require you to search for existing data. Sometimes you will be viewing and/or changing that data. Other times, you will need to look up existing codes to include in new transactions that you are adding to the system. Utilizing PeopleSoft s search capabilities to their fullest will make your job even easier. Objectives By the end of this chapter, you will be able to: Distinguish between adding a new record and updating an existing record Use appropriate search criteria to find existing rows List the operators available to you Define the wildcards used in PeopleSoft searches Use type ahead functionality Use find within grids Add a new value to the database C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL LOCATING D ATA IN P EOPLES OFT 3-1

24 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 To Add or Not to Add After navigating to a component in PeopleSoft, you must decide if you want to search the database for existing information (to view, edit or augment) or add new information. The page that displays has two tabs, Find an Existing Value and Add a New Value. If you are unsure whether you need to Add a new record to the system, try searching the database for that record first. If it exists already, you need simply to edit it. 3-2 L OCATING D ATA IN P EOPLES OFT CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

25 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Find an Existing Value Use the Find an Existing Value tab to search for information that is already in the system. There are several different ways to search. Whenever you are looking for data, PeopleSoft will provide you with options, called Search Keys, to help you search for a particular row or group of rows. Being more specific with your search criteria will help narrow the Search Results. This is important, since PeopleSoft will return a maximum of 300 rows. If your criteria are not specific enough, they may match more than 300 rows in the database. When this happens, PeopleSoft returns the first 300 rows, sorted in the order designated by the database. For instance, imagine how you would search for a specific Requisition. There are easily more than 300 Requisitions in the database. If you were to click Search without entering any specific criteria to help narrow your search, PeopleSoft would indicate that your criteria (or lack thereof, in this case) matched more than the maximum 300 returnable rows. It would indicate this by displaying a message above the Search Results grid. Your next step would then be to attempt to narrow your Search. Operators PeopleSoft provides you with 8-10 Operators for each field to help you narrow your Search. When entering Search criteria, you can enter a full or partial value for any field displayed on the Search Page. Based on what you enter, the system presents a list of possible matches or, if there is only one match, the page(s) you requested. Often, however, you will not have all of the needed information. Operator Field Use Definition begins with contains = not= < <= > >= Character fields Character fields All field types All field types All field types All field types All field types All field types Includes data matching exactly what is entered as well as data beginning with entry. Entry could be found anywhere in field. Returns only data whose characters match exactly. Returns all data except exactly the characters entered. In numeric fields and text fields containing numbers, all numbers less than the entry. In text fields, all entries alphabetically less than the entry. Does not return entry. Same as Less Than, but also returns entry. In numeric fields and text fields containing numbers, all numbers greater than the entry. In text fields, all entries alphabetically greater than the entry. Does not return entry. Same as Greater Than, but also returns entry. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL LOCATING D ATA IN P EOPLES OFT 3-3

26 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Operator Field Use Definition between in All field types All field types Returns all data greater than first entry and less than second entry. Does not return entry. Returns rows matching each individual entry listed. Use only commas between entries no spaces. Basic Search A basic search page enables you to search by just one field at a time. To designate the search field, if more than one is available, select the desired field from the Search by drop-down list box. You can perform a partial search by entering information in the edit field. Advanced Search On the advanced search page, you can narrow your search by searching based on more than one field at a time and by using a variety of search operators. You can enter full or partial values for the key fields. Case Sensitivity Many fields in PeopleSoft are case sensitive. To open up your searches and avoid missing possible matches because of capitalization issues, leave the case sensitive checkbox unchecked when searching. Searching With Codes PeopleSoft makes it even easier for you to search by allowing you to look up any specific codes or options you might wish to use as search criteria. Whenever a code or abbreviation is used in searching, PeopleSoft provides you with a Lookup button ( ) to the right of that field on the search page. Clicking on the Lookup button will take you to a Lookup page, which is simply a search page for that specific field. Once you make a selection from the Lookup page, PeopleSoft will return you to the original search page and enter the value you selected automatically. Using Type Ahead The type ahead feature quickly narrows your search in edit fields on search pages and in prompt fields. When you type a letter into a field with type ahead enabled, the type ahead window appears and shows you a list with values that match. When using the prompt type ahead, the application provides additional columns to assist in choosing the correct value. Enable Type Ahead in your Navigation Personalizations. 3-4 L OCATING D ATA IN P EOPLES OFT CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

27 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Step Action 1. Begin by navigating to the Personalizations page, where you can change a variety of user settings, including general options, regional settings, system messages, and navigation personalizations. Point to the Scroll Down arrow, if necessary. 2. Click the My Personalizations link. 3. The Autocomplete setting appears on the Navigation Personalizations page. Click the Personalize Navigation Personalizations button. 4. Click the Autocomplete list. 5. Click the Yes list item. 6. Click the OK button. 7. Click the Return button. As you continue to type in a prompted field, the list of valid values provided by the type ahead feature will shorten. When you see the desired value, select it from the list. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL LOCATING D ATA IN P EOPLES OFT 3-5

28 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Wildcards PeopleSoft applications support three wildcard features when searching for data in character fields. These wildcards can be helpful in finding the exact information you want to process. The following are the supported standard wildcard features. Wildcard Definition _ (underscore) Match any single character. % (percent sign) Match one or more characters. \ (back slash) Escape character do not treat the next character as a wildcard. Vendor Examples: Field Operator Value Results Include Name1 contains sm_th A Smathering of Talent Agency Steve and Steve Blacksmiths John L. Smith Smithers,Tommy Smythe, Jonathan Vance Smithe Name1 contains ste%n Aster s Perfect Nails Hoi,Matthew Stephen Ivanovic,Stephan Steve and Steve Blacksmiths Steven M. Gardner Tse,Stephanie Although the results above may include a few extraneous rows, the wildcards allow you to narrow your search, even when you do not know exact spellings. Search Page Buttons The following buttons exist on all types of search pages. Button Name Function Search Clear data Processes the search once you have entered search criteria in the key fields above the search button. Clears entered text from all fields on the page (without saving) so that you can enter new criteria. 3-6 L OCATING D ATA IN P EOPLES OFT CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

29 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Search Results Once PeopleSoft has listed the returned rows in the Search Results grid, use your browser s scroll bar to view all the results on the current page. The Toolbar at the top of the Search Results grid will list how many rows your search criteria returned. If multiple pages of results exist, navigate between them using the link(s) (First, Last) and buttons ( Previous, Next) in the Search Results Toolbar. Remember that PeopleSoft sorts the Search results in the order designated by the tables holding the data. However, you may choose to reorder the Search results by any single field. To do so, simply click on the underlined name of that field in the Search Results grid header, such as Journal Date. Clicking again on the same field name will reverse the order. If you perform the same or similar search often, you may choose to use PeopleSoft s functionality. For more information, see Appendix A. Select the appropriate row from the Search results by clicking on any of the linked values in that row. Once the data page appears, notice that the key fields from the Search page appear as the uppermost display-only fields on the page, usually just below the tab(s). C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL LOCATING D ATA IN P EOPLES OFT 3-7

30 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Add a New Value The other tab on the search page is the Add a New Value tab. If you need to add a new Requisition, you may begin here by entering the appropriate Business Unit. The Requisition ID defaults to NEXT because the system will assign the next available number to the document when you save. Clicking the button will display the Maintain Requisition pages. 3-8 L OCATING D ATA IN P EOPLES OFT CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

31 C H A P T E R 4 USING DATA PAGES TO VIEW AND EDIT DATA Overview This chapter focuses on how you view and enter data, once you have found the correct page(s). Objectives By the end of this chapter, you will be able to: Differentiate between pages and components Recognize and use PeopleSoft s various buttons Define deferred processing Insert new data rows Work with data in grids and scroll bars Use links to navigate to related components Open and use multiple PeopleSoft windows C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL USING D ATA P AGES TO V IEW AND E DIT D ATA 4-1

32 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Pages and Components A successful search will take you to a Component. A component may contain more than one web Page, though all the web pages in a component contain data that relates to a certain topic or task. In PeopleSoft 7.5, a component was known as a panel group. Each page of the component is represented at the top of the component by a tab. In PeopleSoft 7.5, a page was known as a panel. After you finish working with one page, click on the folder tab of the next page to open it. Think of this as leafing through a multi-page form. If you must enter more information than is on the current page, move to the other pages to complete the process. The tab for the active page is white, while the other tab(s) is (are) gray. Instead of clicking page tabs, you may use the hyperlinks at the bottom of each page in the component to move to the other page(s). 4-2 U SING D ATA P AGES TO V IEW AND E DIT D ATA CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

33 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Buttons PeopleSoft provides buttons on all pages to help you accomplish your tasks. Most data pages include a toolbar at the bottom of the page. Some pages include processing buttons and other buttons that will take you to a related pop-up page. Toolbar Buttons At the bottom of most pages, you will find the toolbar, which changes depending on the type of page. The toolbar may include search list navigation buttons, page navigation buttons, and action mode buttons. The toolbar changes depending on the type of page that is active and the settings that exist for a particular transaction. Therefore, not all buttons shown in the following table appear on every page. Likewise, some buttons may be on a page but grayed out and unavailable for use. Button Name Function Save Return to Search Page Next In List Previous in List Refresh page Go To Page Menu Send Notification Sends the information you have entered on the page to the database. You will generally save when you come to the end of a component. The Save button always updates the data for all pages in a component. When clicked, the system displays the "Saved" message in the upper-right corner of the page. Returns you to the search page. Displays the information for the next data row in your search results grid. This button is unavailable if you didn't select the data row from a search results grid, if there was only one row in the grid, or if the data that appears is the last row in the grid. Displays the data for the previous data row in your search results grid. This button is unavailable if you didn't select the data row from the search results grid, if there was only one row in the grid, or if the data that appears is the first row in the grid. Forces a transmission to the application server to validate all data entered on the page. Displays when there are several pages that are related to the current page. Clicking this button opens a new page with a list of related page links. Allows you to send a link to the current page via . Recipient must have security access to page and data. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL USING D ATA P AGES TO V IEW AND E DIT D ATA 4-3

34 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Button Name Function Update/ Display Include History Correction Accesses existing rows of data in the database. If data is effective-dated, only current and future rows appear. Displays all rows of data: current, future, and history. Accesses existing rows of data in the database and displays all effective-dated rows. Enables you to update all rows, including history rows. Processing Buttons The following table depicts buttons used for processing transactions. Button Name Function Apply Okay Cancel Cancel Usually found on a page that you opened by clicking a prompt button. Enables you to apply the data input without returning you to the main page, in case you want to perform additional searches. Accepts the data input made on an auxiliary page and returns you to the main page. Clears the page and any data that you may have entered or changed without saving. When you click Cancel, the system does not warn you to save changes. Click Cancel if you entered data incorrectly and want to begin again. Cancels the current Transaction if positioned in the header or one of its lines if positioned on a line (ex. Requisition). Other Buttons Occasionally, PeopleSoft will store more information about a topic on a separate page and offer you access to it via an icon. Icon Name Function Details Related Links Budget Check Direct link to more details about the selected topic. No search page in most cases. May use same window. More than one related page may exist. Select from a list of topics. May or may not involve a search page. Usually opens in a new window. When actively processing, allows you to budget check the current document. 4-4 U SING D ATA P AGES TO V IEW AND E DIT D ATA CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

35 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Deferred Processing PeopleSoft verifies what you enter into the system, based on rules designated by the project team. However, if PeopleSoft were to check all of these rules each time you fill in a field, it would slow down processing time. To reduce trips to the server and decrease processing time, PeopleSoft makes use of something called Deferred Processing. This simply means that it validates chunks of data entry at one time, instead of individually, as you enter each field. To force PeopleSoft to apply formats, validate data and perform calculations at a given point in time, click. PeopleSoft will then process all of the formatting, checks and balances, and calculations for ALL pages of the current component. For example: When you enter a phone number, the system will not enter the slash and dash format until after you have left the page, saved the data, or otherwise forced a trip to the server. To see the formatting applied, click. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL USING D ATA P AGES TO V IEW AND E DIT D ATA 4-5

36 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Inserting and Deleting Data within a Record PeopleSoft allows multiple values to be used on pages like Requisitions and Journals. Inserting and deleting lines of information in PeopleSoft is made simple by the use of the and symbols. Once you click on the sign, a confirmation message will appear. Enter the number of lines you wish to insert (default is 1). For example, if you had already entered one Requisition Item or one Journal Line, you could click the at the end of line 1. PeopleSoft would insert a blank line below it and assign it the appropriate line number (2, in this case). In some instances when inserting a line, default values may appear in some of the fields. To delete a line, click the button. PeopleSoft will prompt you to verify the deletion and remind you that the row will not be deleted from the database until you click. 4-6 U SING D ATA P AGES TO V IEW AND E DIT D ATA CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

37 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Working With Data in Grids and Scroll Areas Grids and scroll areas contain similar navigation structures. Instead of having a scroll bar to scroll through the rows of data, grids offer navigation buttons and links. The following table describes the action options that might appear on your grid or scroll area. You will find these buttons or links in the navigation header, within the row itself, or to the right of the tabs in a tabbed grid, as appropriate. Certain options, such as Customize and the download to spreadsheet icon, appear only on grids. Button or Link View All Find First Last Function Displays all rows of data on a Page. When this feature is enabled, the link morphs to read View 1 so that you can return to the original setting. Enables you to find a specific row of data. Takes you to the first row of data. Takes you to the last row of data. Inserts a new row. Inserts multiple rows. Specify the number of rows (1 to 99 rows). Deletes the active row of data. Displays the next row of data. Displays the previous row. In a tabbed grid only, expands grid columns to the right, eliminating the need for tabs. In a tabbed grid only, returns the expanded grid to its tabbed state. Customize In a grid only, allows you to select which fields display, where, and sort order. In a grid only, downloads visible rows to Excel. In some cases, you may need to use View All link prior to downloading to include all rows. More information on how to customize grids is given in Appendix A. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL USING D ATA P AGES TO V IEW AND E DIT D ATA 4-7

38 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Saving Pages PeopleSoft treats pages in a component as a single entity when you save data. When you click, the data on the pages is committed to the database. If you have not completed all required fields on all the pages, the system prompts you to enter additional data. Required fields are indicated on data pages with an asterisk (*). After entering all your data or making any changes to a page, you must click in order for the system to commit your changes to the database. In most cases, PeopleSoft is able to warn you when you attempt to leave a page without saving your changes by displaying the message below. If you wish to save your data before continuing, click. PeopleSoft will return you to your input page, where you can continue entering and/or save your data. If you wish to cancel your input, rather than save it, click. PeopleSoft will then proceed with the action you requested that prompted the save warning. Remember, PeopleSoft cannot remind you to save if you leave the page by closing the browser window or signing out of the database. If you do so, any unsaved data will be lost. Similarly, if PeopleSoft logs you off due to inactivity, it will not save your data before signing you out of the database. 4-8 U SING D ATA P AGES TO V IEW AND E DIT D ATA CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

39 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Using Links in PeopleSoft PeopleSoft gives you the option of navigating to related pages in other components to see additional data concerning the current page. If you were to navigate to the other component using the main menu, you might have to search again. In most instances, PeopleSoft would remember what you were looking at and enter that information into the Search Page for you, but you still have to click. When PeopleSoft provides a link to a separate component from within the original component, however, it usually skips the Search Page altogether. Most Links to related pages appear above the toolbar buttons at the bottom of the page or as underlined hyperlinks on other portions of the page. Click any one of the links to access that component. This convenience enables you to move easily to related transactions to enter data. When you click a component link, you will notice that the new data page contains the same component links, enabling you to return to the original data page if desired. The component in which you are working appears in black text and is not underlined. Some applications may identify these related links in another way. For example, you might see the phrase Go to: along with the related links at the bottom of a Page. You may also see a drop-down list box with...more, which contains several more related transaction links. When you use a link to go to another component, you will usually lose any unsaved data from the original component, so remember to save before you navigate from one component to another! C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL USING D ATA P AGES TO V IEW AND E DIT D ATA 4-9

40 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Opening a New Window PeopleSoft allows you to have one or more windows open at a time, allowing you to perform a task and inquire on information without having to leave the page on which you are working. You may use the New Window link anywhere and a second window of the same component s search page will appear. New Window link on original (data) page New Window link on new (search) page The new window shows the current component page as well as the breadcrumbs containing the navigation to your current position. From this window, you can view or enter data. You can open as many windows as needed using the New Window link. Do not use your browser s File > New > Window feature. Doing so copies the current HTML from the parent window instead of opening a new PeopleSoft-maintained window session. You may choose to use this feature when working on any given record. If you receive a request to look up a different record or need information about the same record that resides in a different component, you could use New Window and keep both records open. Remember: If you have multiple PeopleSoft windows open on the task bar, but not active, clicking on Sign out in the Universal Navigation Header will automatically sign you out from all of them. The other windows appear active, but are not U SING D ATA P AGES TO V IEW AND E DIT D ATA CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

41 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Automatic Time Out PeopleSoft will automatically close any window that remains inactive for 4 hours, though it will warn you and allow you the option of keeping it active. If you do not respond to PeopleSoft s pop-up prompt, it will log you out of that window and you will lose any unsaved information! Example shows a 20 minute timeout warning. Clarkson will use a 4 hour warning. However, since PeopleSoft windows are independent of each other, if PeopleSoft closes one window because of inactivity, any other PeopleSoft windows will remain open until they have each been inactive for 4 hours, at which point, PeopleSoft will warn you about each of them in turn. If you have multiple PeopleSoft windows open, you can sign out of all windows at once by clicking the Sign out link in the Universal Navigation Header in any window, then closing any remaining windows. To close one window and continue working with the other window(s), use the Close button in the upper right corner of that window instead. If your browser security is set to block pop-ups, you may not see this prompt. Please check with Information Technology if you are unsure of your browser s settings. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL USING D ATA P AGES TO V IEW AND E DIT D ATA 4-11

42 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE U SING D ATA P AGES TO V IEW AND E DIT D ATA CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

43 C H A P T E R 5 STANDARD REPORTING AND PROCESSING Overview This chapter explains how to select the appropriate parameters to run standard reports and processes in PeopleSoft. Both reporting and processing use Run Control IDs to simplify your work. Objectives By the end of this chapter, you will be able to: Create a new Run Control ID Enter parameters for your report/process Indicate when and where your report/process will run Select appropriate formatting and distribution options Use Process Monitor to check the progress of your report/process Use Report Manager to view your output C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL STANDARD R EPORTING AND P ROCESSING 5-1

44 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 PeopleSoft Standard Reports PeopleSoft contains a wealth of data that you have carefully entered, maintained and secured for the ultimate purpose of generating timely, meaningful reports. PeopleSoft s reporting capabilities enable you to access the data you need and to present it in the form that is most useful for those who depend on you for financial and management information. Toward this end, the system delivers a variety of standard reports via your menu. To print a report in PeopleSoft: Select the report you wish to print. Specify when and where you want the report to run. Choose the report output type. (optional) Specify distribution options. Selecting a Report To run a report, select it from the appropriate menu in your PeopleSoft application. Most business functions have a Reports menu the lists the available reports. When you select a report menu item, you frequently have the choice of two tabs: Find an Existing Value or Add a New Value. Both options enable you to print a predefined report; what you re finding or adding is not the reports themselves, but Run Controls. 5-2 S TANDARD R EPORTING AND P ROCESSING CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

45 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Each Run Control you create receives a unique Run Control ID. When you select a report from a menu, the search page enables you to either select from existing Run Controls or add a new one. Your User ID can only view Run Controls you create (add). Run Controls cannot be deleted and are not shared between individuals. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL STANDARD R EPORTING AND P ROCESSING 5-3

46 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Using Run Controls When you want to run a report, you need to tell the system when and where you want it to print. For example, you might want to run it overnight to your printer or perhaps you need to see it right away, but do not need hard copy. For most reports, you will also need to set parameters that determine the content of the report, such as the Business Unit or Time Period on which to report. A Run Control is a database record that provides values for these settings, similar to saving search criteria (see Appendix A). Instead of entering the same values each time you run a report, you create (and save) a Run Control with those settings. The next time you run the report, you select the Run Control, and PeopleSoft fills in the settings. Like saved search criteria, you may choose to use exactly the same settings or modify them slightly before running the report. Tips It is important to think about the Run Controls you create. You may want to consider the following tips for creating Run Control IDs: Create a Run Control ID called Adhoc to handle any reports/processes that you do not run frequently. Choose a naming convention for your Run Control IDs. This will make your Run Control IDs easy to identify when you are searching for an existing Run Control. It is important to make sure you consider that Run Controls are case SenSItive when developing your naming convention. Limit the number of Run Controls you create to important reports and processes you run frequently. This will make your searches for a particular Run Control ID easier. 5-4 S TANDARD R EPORTING AND P ROCESSING CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

47 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Batch Processing Run Control IDs are also used for running off-line batch processes from within the PeopleSoft application. As with a report, you enter/select your Run Control ID on the search page for the process. You then have the option of entering/changing the parameters for that process. Keep in mind that any changes you make will save to the Run Control when you save or run the process. For this reason, it is a good idea to use your Adhoc Run Control for less used reports and processes. After completing your parameters, click Run to bring up the Process Scheduler Request page in your browser. Specifying When and Where This page shows you which reports/processes are available for you to submit, along with available options for each. Exactly which reports/processes appear in your list depends partly on your security profile. At the top of the page, the header lists your UserID and the Run Control ID. Just below that, you may have the option of scheduling a date, time, and/or server on which to run your report/process, depending on the exact report/process and your security. Choosing Your Output The Process List section of the Process Scheduler Request page allows you to select the checkbox for each report/process you wish to run. It also provides you with a place to choose the options for each selected report/process. Field Type Format Options File, Printer, , Web or Window PDF, XLS, TST, HTM, XMLP, XML C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL STANDARD R EPORTING AND P ROCESSING 5-5

48 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Not all Options will be available for all processes/reports. Setting Report Distribution The Distribution Detail page enables you to choose the recipients of any output produced by the process/report. This page is accessed by clicking the Distribution link at the right side of each appropriate report/process. Distribution is only available when the Output Type is either Web or . If the report/process that you are going to run allows output that can be ed (i.e. PDF files), you can enter an subject and message and send the output to one or more addresses. 5-6 S TANDARD R EPORTING AND P ROCESSING CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

49 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES You may add User IDs or Roles (security roles) to the distribution by adding a row and filling in the pertinent information. Warning - You can also use this page to add someone who would not normally have the proper security to create the output themselves. To distribute reports to a Role or UserID using , all recipients must have their own address entered in their security User Profile. Click OK to return to the Process Scheduler Request page. Click OK to run the report/process to return to your parameters. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL STANDARD R EPORTING AND P ROCESSING 5-7

50 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 PeopleSoft displays the Process Instance under the Run button. 5-8 S TANDARD R EPORTING AND P ROCESSING CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

51 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Process Monitor As in PeopleSoft Financials version 7.5, the Process Monitor keeps track of which processes are running, what their status is, who ran them, and other important information. Click the Process Monitor link from your report parameters or use the following menu navigation: PeopleTools > Process Scheduler > Process Monitor In the screen shot above, the breadcrumbs reflect the fact that we used the link from the Print Requisition page to get to the Process Monitor, as opposed to navigating via the menu. Your report/process will only be complete once its Run Status is Success and Distribution Status is Posted. To view your output from the Process Monitor, click the Details link at the right hand side of the appropriate line. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL STANDARD R EPORTING AND P ROCESSING 5-9

52 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Click the View Log/Trace link. If you selected PDF as the Format in your Process Scheduler Request, there should be a PDF file listed here. All files will have similar names, which include the report/process name and the Process Instance. Click the PDF link to view your report S TANDARD R EPORTING AND P ROCESSING CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

53 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES You may now view, save and/or print your report, just as you would any other PDF file on your computer (assuming you have Adobe Acrobat Reader). C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL STANDARD R EPORTING AND P ROCESSING 5-11

54 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Report Manager Instead of using the Process Monitor to view your report, you may choose to use the Report Manager. Like Process Monitor, there is a link to the Report Manager from the page containing your parameters. You may also navigate using the menu: Reporting Tools > Report Manager Click the Administration tab. Click on the report name to view your report S TANDARD R EPORTING AND P ROCESSING CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

55 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL STANDARD R EPORTING AND P ROCESSING 5-13

56 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE S TANDARD R EPORTING AND P ROCESSING CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

57 C H A P T E R 6 PROBLEM SOLVING Overview If you experience difficulty when using the system, there are several techniques that may help you resolve the issue. Clearing your cache is always a good first step. If that doesn t work, PeopleSoft has an entire library of PeopleBooks for you to reference when you need help. Knowing how to use them will enable you to find answers quickly when you need them. If all else fails and you need outside assistance, it is important that you be able to share the relevant details of your problem in order to receive the right aid. Objectives By the end of this chapter, you will be able to: Delete your internet cache Begin a New Session in Internet Explorer Access PeopleBooks Locate the portion of PeopleBooks intended for users Describe the difference between errors and warnings Locate the information necessary to relate your specific problem to those who can help C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL PROBLEM S OLVING 6-1

58 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Deleting the Internet Cache The internet cache contains information that is used to communicate with the PeopleSoft applications. When the production system is modified or refreshed the necessary internet cache information changes. Therefore, you must delete the existing internet cache information for the PeopleSoft applications to work properly. To delete the internet cache, click the Tools menu on your internet browser then select Internet Options, as shown below. Depending on your browser version, you may have more items in the Tools menu, but Internet Options will still be at the bottom. The Internet Options dialog opens. 6-2 P ROBLEM S OLVING CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

59 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Delete Browser History On the General tab, click the Delete button in the Browser History section shown above. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL PROBLEM S OLVING 6-3

60 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Delete Files Delete Cookies Delete History Use the check boxes marked Temporary Internet Files, Cookies and History, then click Delete to delete your cache. Each function may ask you to confirm the action before returning you to the Delete Browsing History dialog box, depending on your browser settings. You may also see a progress bar similar to the one below: After the progress bar disappears, it will return you to the Internet Options dialog box. Click OK to exit Options. 6-4 P ROBLEM S OLVING CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

61 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Opening a New Session PeopleTools 8.51 allows PeopleSoft to run on various internet browsers. This flexibility sometimes causes unexpected communications issues between PeopleSoft and Internet Explorer. If you experience unwarranted difficulties, try opening a new session. First, you should close out of all existing PeopleSoft windows, remembering to Save any work in progress before you Sign Out of any windows. To open a New Session in Internet Explorer, click the File menu on your internet browser then select New Session, as shown below. New Session A new Internet Explorer window opens. From here, close the original window and then sign back in to PeopleSoft and continue working. It may sometimes take two consecutive New Session attempts to re-open proper communication. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL PROBLEM S OLVING 6-5

62 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Using PeopleBooks On every page in PeopleSoft, you will see a Help link. This link opens PeopleBooks. PeopleBooks provides you with online access to all documentation related to PeopleSoft 9.1 applications. Using the link on Search pages provides help with searching, whereas using it from a data page will give more information on the input/display of data in that component. Help Link After clicking Help, you may receive a listing of relevant topics, depending on your location in PeopleSoft when you clicked Help. Select the appropriate topic to get more detailed information. 6-6 P ROBLEM S OLVING CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

63 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES To view other information in PeopleBooks, you may use the breadcrumbs at the top of the screen. Select PeopleBooks to reach the table of contents. A listing of all available PeopleBooks displays. Another search method is to type in a key word in the Search field. Then click the Search button. A list of relevant topics (and associated PeopleBooks) will display. It is important to remember that PeopleBooks have two (2) distinct audiences: functional users and technical support staff. If the information you see on the right hand side of the window is full of code or looks too technical, scroll down until you get to the end of that section. All topics include information for both audiences. Technical information is usually in table format, with object names such as PROCESS_JOURNALS in all caps. It is typical for a bulleted introduction to the topic and a technical table to precede information written in verbose English for functional end users. Cross reference items usually appear as hyperlinks at the conclusion of each topic. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL PROBLEM S OLVING 6-7

64 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Dealing with Errors and Warnings PeopleSoft provides detailed error and warning messages to help alert you when something is not or may not quite be right. One of the most common errors occurs when a required field is left blank while attempting to save. Warnings appear when PeopleSoft would like you to verify what you entered/selected. For example, PeopleSoft will always ask you to verify deletions and will oftentimes ask that you verify dates >30 days outside of the current date when entering them. What is the Difference? Errors must be resolved before processing can continue. Warnings, however, are simply guidelines and safety nets that you may choose to ignore/override. Regardless of whether the message is an error or a warning, please remember to read its text carefully. Some messages require you to select while others use the same button as a negative response. as an affirmative response, What do the Numbers Mean? At the end of the text in most error and warning messages are two numbers in parentheses. The error pictured above includes (15,30) and the warning includes (10200,233). These numbers describe where PeopleSoft stores the message (so it can be used in many places without the technical team having to rewrite the text). The numbers are then used in the appropriate technical code behind the program. Because of this (and PeopleSoft s extensive search capabilities on the technical side), any technical staff attempting to help you with an error or warning will usually ask for this information. Even if they do not ask, providing it to them as part of the description of your issue may reduce the amount of time it takes them to help you. 6-8 P ROBLEM S OLVING CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

65 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Getting Outside Help If you have already cleared your internet cache, tried a new session and read through PeopleBooks covering the topic, but you are still encountering problems, you will need to get outside help. Having all of the information ready before you contact anyone else will save you time and likely result in a quicker response, especially if it eliminates an exchange of phone calls and/or s as your contact tries to get the situation exactly right. Before you start gathering information, it is helpful to understand that the person who helps you will likely attempt to duplicate your results in order to solve your issue. Be prepared to recount as many of your actions as possible. The following information should enable your contact to reproduce your issue and begin to search for a solution. Each item is discussed in more detail below. Navigation Component/Page High Level Key(s) Error Message Numbers Action that elicited error Screen shot Navigation Be prepared to reiterate your navigation. If you do not remember, use either the Breadcrumbs or the Menu on the left side of the page. You may have to restore the menu pagelet if you minimized it while working on a data page. The menu pagelet will always highlight the current component s navigation, even if you used My Favorites. Component/Page Use Ctrl-J to list the Component and Page name, along with Menu and other information, including your User ID. High Level Keys List the high level keys. Usually, these will include one or more of the following: SetID/Business Unit Document number (Journal ID, Run Control ID, etc.) Effective Date or document date Others C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL PROBLEM S OLVING 6-9

66 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Error Message Numbers Refer to What do the Numbers Mean? on page 5-8. Action Which Elicited Error When did the error appear? After you hit? After you changed the value in a field? When you clicked on another button? When you tried to use a link? Did you use an option from the PeopleSoft Menu or one from your browser s menu/toolbar? Screen Shot As soon as you encounter a new or unexpected error, take a moment to create a screen capture. To do so, either use SnipIt or follow the steps below: 1) Alt-Print Scrn Hold down the ALT key and press Print Scrn to load a copy of the screen into memory. 2) Open a new Word Document. 3) Use Paste to insert the screen shot into the Word document. 4) Save the Word document. To help you report errors and other problems you encounter, a form is included in Appendix B. It is simple enough that you can reproduce it yourself. It is suggested that you keep either the form or at least a brief listing of the trouble-shooting questions outlined above on your hard/shared drive for quick reference P ROBLEM S OLVING CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

67 A P P E N D I X A PERSONALIZING PEOPLESOFT Overview In addition to the flexibility PeopleSoft provides the institution as a whole, it also allows each user to create a unique setting for using the software. The following pages describe how you can use each of these options to customize the way PeopleSoft works for you. Remember, PeopleSoft associates each of these personalizations with your UserID, so your experience will be the same each time you log in with your UserID, no matter what physical computer terminal you use. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL PERSONALIZING P EOPLES OFT A-1

68 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Customizing Grids For most grids, you may customize the order of the columns, the sort order, which columns are frozen, and which columns are hidden. You may also choose to share your grid customizations with other users or copy another user s settings. You control these settings on the Personalize Column and Sort Order page, accessed by clicking the Customize link in the header or footer bar of the grid. Personalizations, once saved, apply only to the current grid and remain until you change them. After clicking the Customize link, the Personalize Column and Sort Order page for that particular grid appears. The following pages define the steps for changing the column order, hiding a column, freezing a column, and changing the sort order. A-2 P ERSONALIZING P EOPLES OFT CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

69 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Changing the Column Order Permanently You may change the column order and, in the case of tabbed grids, which columns are on which tabs as well as the order of the tabs. 1. In the Column Order listing, select the column(s) you wish to move. As with most lists, you may use the Shift or Ctrl key to select multiple columns at one time. 2. Click the up or down arrow buttons to move the column(s) up or down in the list. If your changes result in a frozen column being placed below an unfrozen column, PeopleSoft disables the frozen setting. 3. Repeat steps one and two to move any additional columns. 4. Click to save your changes and return to the data page. Hiding a Column 1. In the Column Order listing, select the column(s) you wish to hide. Again, you may use the Shift or Ctrl key to select multiple columns at one time. 2. Select the Hidden check box. (To unhide a column, simply deselect the check box.) When you use the grid s Find feature.on the data page, PeopleSoft will not search any hidden columns. 3. Click to save your changes and return to the data page. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL PERSONALIZING P EOPLES OFT A-3

70 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Freezing a Column Frozen columns remain immobile when you use the grid s horizontal scroll bar. In the case of a tabbed grid, frozen columns appear at the left hand side on every tab, with that tab s specific columns listed to the right. 1. In the Column Order listing, select the column(s) you wish to freeze. Again, you may use the Shift or Ctrl key to select multiple columns at one time. 2. Select the Frozen check box. (To unfreeze a column, simply deselect the check box.) PeopleSoft automatically freezes all columns above the column you freeze. 3. Click to save your changes and return to the data page. Changing the Sort Order Permanently 1. In the Sort Order listing, select the column(s) you wish to use for sorting. Use Shift or Ctrl, if appropriate. Although you may sort by hidden columns, PeopleSoft will not allow you to sort by tab separators, images, buttons, links, or HTML areas. 2. Click the right arrow button to display the selected column(s) in the Sort Order listing. 3. Click the up and/or down arrow buttons to alter the sort hierarchy on the right. When you select multiple columns, PeopleSoft uses the top column as the primary sort column, with the next column as the secondry sort, and so on. By default, columns will sort in ascending order. To sort a column in descending order, highlight that column in the Sort Order listing and select the Descending check box. PeopleSoft indicates columns which will be sorted in descending order by placing (desc) next to the column name. 4. Click to save your changes and return to the data page. PeopleSoft will now use your defined sort order when displaying data in this grid. You may change your personalized sort order at any time as described above, or return to PeopleSoft s defined sort order by clicking the Restore Defaults button. A-4 P ERSONALIZING P EOPLES OFT CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

71 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Changing the Sort Order Temporarily If you wish to temporarily change the sort order within a grid (including Search Results), you may click the column heading for the column you wish to sort. Clicking once will sort in ascending order. To reverse the order, simply click on the column heading again. Remember that this type of sorting is temporary. When you exit the page, your sort order is not stored. To permanently change the sort order, follow steps 1-4 above. If you wish to sort a grid (including Search Results) by two columns, first select your desired secondary sort column heading. After your secondary sort column is in the proper order (ascending/descending), select the column heading for your desired primary sort column (ascending/descending). The same logic applies when you wish to incorporate more than two columns in your sort hierarchy. Begin at the bottom and work your way up, setting the primary column last. Changing the Column Order Temporarily You may temporarily change the column order within a grid by dragging and dropping column headings to the desired location. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL PERSONALIZING P EOPLES OFT A-5

72 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Saving Search Criteria There may be some common searches that you repeat on a regular basis. To reduce input time, you may opt to save the basic information that is always the same for the repeated search. Enter search criteria on the appropriate search page, then click. Enter a name for your saved search. In this example, we will name it Pending Requisitions. Click. A-6 P ERSONALIZING P EOPLES OFT CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

73 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES Using a Saved Search When saved searches exist on a given Search Page, a drop-down list box appears above the search criteria. Select the saved search you wish to choose. You may then either enter additional criteria to it or just click. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL PERSONALIZING P EOPLES OFT A-7

74 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 A-8 P ERSONALIZING P EOPLES OFT CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

75 A P P E N D I X B TROUBLESHOOTING REFERENCE SHEET Overview Before calling the Help Desk or asking for other outside help, gather all of the pertinent information in one place. The sample form on the next page should serve as an example. Create a copy of it in Word and keep it handy on your hard drive or shared drive, then use it to gather your information before making that phone call. This should save you time in the long run, since the person helping you will have all of the information up front. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL TROUBLESHOOTING R EFERENCE S HEET B-1

76 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Navigation: Ctrl-J Information: Component: Page: Menu: High Level Keys: Business Unit/SetID: Type of Document/Transaction/Process: Document #/Run Control ID: Effective Date or Document Date: Others: Error Message Numbers: (, ) Action Eliciting Error: Screen Shot(s): B-2 T ROUBLESHOOTING R EFERENCE S HEET CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

77 A P P E N D I X C WHERE TO SIGN IN TO PEOPLESOFT AT CLARKSON Overview Before you can actually sign in to the system, you need to navigate to the login page for the correct PeopleSoft instance. The following pages will take you through this process at Clarkson University. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL WHERE TO S IGN I N TO P EOPLES OFT AT C LARKSON C-1

78 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 What is an Instance? The technical team maintains several copies of PeopleSoft at any given point in time. Each instance has a separate purpose. Real data used for recording and reporting actual, live data is kept in Production or PRD. Other instances (copies) exist for development, basic testing, etc. Where do I go to Sign in to Production? Begin by opening up Internet Explorer and navigating to the Clarkson home page. Click the Quick Links in the upper right hand portion of the page. From the Quick Links menu, select PeopleSoft. C-2 W HERE TO S IGN I N TO P EOPLES OFT AT C LARKSON CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL

79 J UNE 2011 PEOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES If a security alert appears at this point, click OK. Select the link for PeopleSoft Financials 9.1. The PeopleSoft sign in page appears. C LARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL WHERE TO S IGN I N TO P EOPLES OFT AT C LARKSON C-3

80 P EOPLES OFT F INANCIALS 9.1 P RACTICES AND T ECHNIQUES JUNE 2011 Verify that the correct instance name (FINPRD91) appears in the browser s web address (usually visible at the top of the page, although it may be hidden, as in the example above). Continue the login process described in Chapter 2. C-4 W HERE TO S IGN I N TO P EOPLES OFT AT C LARKSON CLARKSON U NIVERSITY P ROPRIETARY AND C ONFIDENTIAL