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UCM Plan Enhancement

Improving financial systems efficiencies and data delivery

The university has partnered with Solejar, a premier consultant on Enterprise Performance Management systems, to enhance the campus financial planning and budgeting module (UCM Plan).  This project has been a collaboration between several Division of Finance and Administration teams and OIT. ​​​

This project brings significant updates to improve data management, reporting capabilities, and system efficiency. Key enhancements include:

  • Drill-through Capabilities for Actuals: Enhanced transparency with the ability to drill into detailed actuals data.
  • Improved Functionality and Reduced Touchpoints: Streamlined processes for data retrieval and reporting.
  • Improved Canned Reports: Supplementing SmartView with improved reports, such as Budget vs. Actuals by organization, fund, or project.
  • Encumbrance Tracking: Reducing reliance on shadow systems by introducing encumbrance tracking capabilities.
  • Workforce Cube Implementation: Simplifying personnel cost management, with drill-through capabilities to view detailed DOPE report data.
  • Expanded System Structure: Allowing for future optimization and increased flexibility within the system.

Project Update

April 14, 2025

We’re excited to share that the UCM Plan Enhancement is now officially live!

Thank you for your patience and partnership throughout this project. As you begin working in the enhanced system, please note the various resources available to all UCM Plan users below, an also noted in the April 14 update sent to all UCM Plan users.  

Budget Request Information

Where can I find guidance on submitting budget requests for the upcoming fiscal year?

How can I transfer funds?  

  • Department staff with access to submit Budget Requests can transfer funds.  A Budget Request can be submitted following the steps outlined in the Budget Request Guide Entry Guide.  You may also visit the FP&A website for more information on budget request guidelines.

Hypercare Support

To support a smoother transition and enable scalable, self-sufficient user support, we are moving away from one-on-one assistance. Instead, the following resources have been designed to provide you with timely guidance and support:

On-Demand Training Resources (available 24/7)

We encourage you to revisit UC Learning Center recordings (SSO required) of training sessions at anytime to refresh your understanding of SmartView and various fundamentals.

Hypercare Office Hours

Daily from 1–3 p.m., Monday, April 14 through Friday, April 25 via Zoom (invitations set to UCM Plan users). Drop in with your questions and get real-time assistance.

UCM Plan/EPM Resource Teams Channel

All provisioned UCM Plan users have been added to the UCM Plan/EPM Resource Teams Channel. This Channel serves as your central hub for:

  • Key updates and announcements
  • Peer collaboration
  • Ongoing support during hypercare and beyond
  • Note: All ServiceNow tickets remain the primary method for submitting requests. The Teams channel is intended for announcements, collaboration, and informal discussion

    Training

    Training Preparation Advisory and Resources

    The following are mandatory in order to maximize the user training experience:

    UCM Plan SmartView Training

    This 3-hour training is required for users to be provisioned access to the UCM Plan environment. The session walks through the enhanced SmartView Ad Hoc reporting capabilities and gives an overview of some of the forms designed to streamline business processes.

    Additional Trainings

    UCM Plan Enhancement Supplemental Training

    This supplemental training provides an in-depth exploration of the application's features and capabilities. Participants will gain advanced insights into data gathering, reporting, and analytics to enhance daily operations. The session will also cover key lessons learned from UAT, helping users navigate new dimensions of the solution more effectively.

    Budget Request Fundamentals Training

    The Budget Request Training will provide a comprehensive overview of the key steps involved in creating, reviewing, and navigating the budget request process. The session will also cover lessons learned from UAT to enhance user understanding and efficiency.

    Workforce Fundamentals Training

    The Workforce Fundamentals training will provide an in-depth look at labor data calculations, including the different types and their rationale. The session will feature examples to illustrate these calculations and demonstrate how to access and navigate the data across various forms. Additionally, key lessons learned from UAT will be covered to enhance user understanding.

    Business & Financial Services Training

    Specifically geared for Business & Financial Services team members within the Division of Finance and Administration, this session offers users a comprehensive understanding of the application's options, features, and capabilities. This session provides in-depth demonstrations on report building and structure, including SmartView functionalities in action, along with a review of key lessons learned from UAT to enhance user proficiency.

    Project Timeline 

    September 2024 DFA staff only (In-person) trainings
    October 2024 Campus-User SmartView (In-person) & Specialized (Remote) trainings
    Mon Mar 3 | 9am - 12pm UCM Plan Enhancement Supplemental Training (Zoom, open to all users)
    Tues Mar 4 | 9am - 12pm UCM Plan Enhancement Supplemental Training (Zoom, open to all users)
    Wed Mar 5 | 1 - 3pm Budget Request Fundamentals Training (Zoom, invitation-only based on access level)
    Thurs March 6 | 12 noon Budget Request Submission Deadline
    Thurs Mar 6 | 1 - 3pm Workforce Fundamentals Training (Zoom, invitation-only based on access level)
    Sun Mar 10 - Thur Apr 10 SYSTEM STATUS: Budget requests cannot be processed, but data remains available for reporting.
    Fri April 11 - Sun April 13 SYSTEM STATUS: System will be completely offline for go-live preparations.
    Monday, April 14 SYSTEM STATUS: System will be available with all enhancements.

      SmartView Installation Information

      Windows & Mac Users

      Submit a ServiceNow ticket request for consultation and support

      Project News

      Continued Feedback

      We’re committed to continuous improvement. Based on user feedback and ongoing review of the enhancement process, we’ll continue to review training and support materials. You can provide feedback via:

      Contact

      Please reach out to dofa@ucmerced.edu with any questions, and a member of the project team will be in touch.

      Frequently Asked Questions

      How is user provisioning determined?

      • Access is provisioned based on your role and responsibilities.

      How do I know what I have access to?

      • Access to the financial cube for viewing General Ledger (GL) data remains unchanged (e.g., access to all CCOAs).
      • Access to create budget requests is user-specific and limited to the departments you support.
      • Workforce access is limited to users with staffing reconciliation responsibilities. For RAs, workforce access is restricted to PPM projects only.

      If I copy a SmartView sheet to another SmartView sheet by right-clicking the tab, will the SmartView connection carry over?

      • No, the SmartView connection will not be maintained. The new sheet will not retain the SmartView connection, so you'll need to establish a new SmartView connection manually.

      Are there audit trails for entries made in UCM Plan?

      • Yes, cell history is available. To view it, right-click the cell, go to the SmartView menu, and select Cell History. You'll see a record of any changes made, including the date and the user who made them.

      When will the canned reports be available?

      • A dedicated Office Hours session will cover canned reports: Wednesday, April 16 at 1:00 PM (30 minutes) via Zoom

      Where can I find guidance on submitting budget requests for the upcoming fiscal year?

      How can I transfer funds?  

      • Department staff with access to submit Budget Requests can transfer funds.  A Budget Request can be submitted following the steps outlined in the Budget Request Guide Entry Guide.  You may also visit the FP&A website for more information on budget request guidelines.

      What do I do if I lose the Excel formatting?

      What do I do if I lose the Excel Formatting (Dimensions in a blue background, and Data in gray, or yellow background).

      Select SmartView on the menu ribbon, Go to the Options Icon, and choose the Formatting tab. Make sure the option for “Use Cell Styles” is selected and click “OK”.

      Go back to the SmartView worksheet and refresh your retrieve. If the SmartView cell styles still does not appear.  Got to the Options Icon again, and select the Cell Styles tab. 

      Select the Default Styles drop-down, and Select “Planning”, then click “OK”. Go back to your worksheet and refresh. If you are still not having the standard SmartView formatting on your worksheet, please submit a ticket to IT for this issue.