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UCM Plan (EPM) Access

 

UCM Plan is UC Merced’s integrated financial budgeting module, designed to streamline campus-wide budget processing, forecasting and financial reporting.  It supports strategic decision-making by offering enhanced data transparency, improved reporting capabilities, and greater efficiency. 

  • Access to UCM Plan includes access to Smart View (Excel Plug in).  Smart View report creation, modification, or refresh is not available without UCM Plan access. 
  • Access is provisioned based on a user’s role and responsibilities.

 

SUBMITTING AN ACCESS REQUEST

Required training must be completed prior to submitting an Access Request (see Access Options & Training Requirements section below). 

  • Submit a UCM Plan (EPM) Access Request ticket specifying the type of access needed.  
  • Please review the access options and requirements below to ensure the appropriate options are selected and specific requirements are completed to avoid delays in processing.  
  • Users must upload supporting documentation in the EPM Access Request ticket confirming requirements have been completed.   
  • Supervisor Approval Required -  The EPM Access ticket will route the request to the requester’s supervisor for approval. If supervisor is not available, please include a note in the ticket with the alternative approver's name and email address.   
  • Submitting an incomplete request will result in the request being denied.

 

    ACCESS OPTIONS & TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

    Users wishing to obtain access to UCM Plan (EPM financial system) must complete mandatory training prior to submitting a UCM Plan (EPM) Access Request ticket.  The required training is dependent upon the type of access requested.  

     

    PRE-TRAINING SESSIONS 

    Review the following videos prior to the completing training to familiarize yourself with UCM Plan and get the most out of training:

     

      FINANCIAL REPORTING (FINR) CUBE 

      Read-only access to financial data (budget and actuals).  Access allows users to create and/or refresh SmartView reports and provides online access to UCM Plan canned reports. 

      • UCM PLAN SMARTVIEW TRAINING (3 HRS)  - All Users

      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.

       

      • ENHANCEMENT SUPPLEMENTAL TRAINING - Optional

      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.

       

      • BUSINESS & FINANCIAL SERVICES (BFS) TRAINING - Required for BFS staff within the Division of Finance and Administration only 

      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.

      • Course Access:  Access this training via the UC Learning Center (SSO required) 
      • Audience: Business & Financial Services team members within the Division of Finance and Administration
      • Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of UCM Plan SmartView Training.

       

      BUDGET REQUEST - WRITE ACCESS

      All users with FINR access can View budget requests.  Users responsible for creating/submitting budget requests (transfer of funds), must request Budget Requests Write access and specify the Financial HR Unit(s) they are requesting write access to (highest HR Unit parent level).   

       

      • Budget Request Fundamentals Training - Required

      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 CUBE 

      Workforce cube access is limited to UCM Plan data (budget and actuals).  UCPath payroll expense actuals obtained via Cognos (DOPE) reports is managed by Payroll Services and not part of UCM Plan; therefore, the EPM Access Request ticket is not to be used to request DOPE data access.

       

      • Access limitations:
        • Staff with Staffing Reconciliation Process Responsibilities
        • Only 2 UC Merced staff per Financial HR Org (primary and backup) 
        • Access not available for Affiliate accounts
      • Access Type
        • Budget - Write access to GL Only projects (No PPM Projects)
        • Actuals – Read-only access

       

      • Workforce Fundamentals Training - Required

      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.

       

       

      PPM PROJECT WORKFORCE CUBE 

      Research Administrators have fund management responsibilities for PPM projects and may choose to use data in UCM Plan for their financial reporting needs. 

      • Access needs for project actuals (expenses) may include workforce data specifically for PPM projects only.
      • Users with PPM Workforce Access will only be able to retrieve PPM project data (budget and actuals) in UCM Plan.  
        • Please note: this restricted access to PPM projects only will also apply to FINR access; therefore, Financial Reporting (FINR) cube access will not include GL Only projects.  
        • Users with dual roles (research administration and department financial support) should consult with FP&A prior to submitting an EPM Access Request.  

       

       

      ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR AFFILIATE ACCOUNTS

       

      Access Limitations for Affiliate Accounts

      • All approvals for Affiliate account access will be Read-only.
      • Access will only be provided for a specific Financial HR Unit.
      • Only FINR access can be approved.
      • Budget Request Write access will not be approved.
        • If the user has a need for Budget Request (BR) processing, the user can prepare the BR file and submit it to their sponsoring org for processing. 
      • Workforce access will not be approved.
        • Affiliate accounts should not have official Staffing Reconciliation responsibilities as this process is related to permanent budgets and staffing commitments; therefore, access will not be granted.
      • PPM Project Workforce Cube access will not be approved.

       

       Additional Approvals Required 

       

      Sponsor Approval 

      The EPM Access ticket cannot be routed to the affiliate account's sponsor, therefore, documentation of approval from the Affiliate account's sponsor must be uploaded to the ticket before it will be reviewed.  

      VC/CFO Approval  

      Approval from the Vice Chancellor for Planning & Budget and Chief Financial Officer (VC/CFO) must be obtained prior to submitting an EPM Access ticket. Requests for approval can be emailed to DoFA@ucmerced.edu.

      Documentation confirming VC/CFO approval must be uploaded to the EPM Access Request ticket.  Requests submitted without proper approval documentation will not be approved and the ticket will be closed.  A new request can be submitted once proper approval is obtained and documented.