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UCM Plan

 

UCM Plan is UC Merced’s integrated financial planning and budgeting module, designed to streamline campus-wide budget development, forecasting, and reporting. It supports strategic decision-making by offering enhanced data transparency, improved reporting capabilities, and greater efficiency. Key features include drill-through access to actuals, encumbrance tracking, a workforce planning module with detailed personnel data, and a suite of customizable reports—such as Budget vs. Actuals by organization, fund, or project. UCM Plan enables more accurate and accessible financial insights to support informed resource management across the university.

Quick Links

SmartView Installation Information

Windows & Mac Users

Submit a ServiceNow ticket request for consultation and support

UCM Plan Shared Resources Folder

Access shared resources any time via our new Shared Resources Folder:  UCM Plan Shared Box Folder (SSO Required)

Inside, you’ll find:

  • Frequently Asked Questions curated by the technical team

  • User-submitted tips, tools, ad-hoc reports, and helpful documentation

Want to contribute?  Upload your resources, tips, or best practices here:  Submit a Resource (SSO Required)

This is a community-driven effort to support each other in using UCM Plan effectively. (Note: Uploading a resource does not imply responsibility to provide follow-up support.)

Teams Channel: UCM Plan/EPM Resource Hub

All UCM Plan users are added to the UCM Plan/EPM Resource Hub Teams Channel. It’s your go-to space for key updates and announcements, peer collaboration, and ongoing support during hypercare and beyond.
 
Note: 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.

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.

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.

 

Additional Resources & Tools

Videos: General Navigation, CoA Entry Basics

Video & Guides: UCPLAN Basics

Video: Workaround for Warning on Data Downloads

Feedback

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