Chart of Accounts FAQs

1. What do I need to do if I have a reorganization that will be happening in my tub?
2. Where can I find the latest copy of the unabridged object code list?
3. My CSMA disable request failed the month-end process. The notification lists the error, but I don't understand what the message means. How do I correct the error so I can resubmit my request?
4. Is there a balance forward designations list that I could get hold of?
5. Is there a way to see the gift and treasurer's distribution overrides on my funds?
6. I can't launch my CSMA request from my notification. What do I do now?
7. I just loaded a value into the CoA. How soon before I can use it in a PeopleSoft job costing string?
8. I created a value in the wrong range and have submitted a request to disable it. How can I prevent people from charging to it between now and the next month-end close?
9. How can I find out what default segment values we provided for the various internal interest allocations?
10. How do I go about transferring a fund from/to my tub to/from another?
11. When can I reuse a value? What is a change in purpose?
12. What is the disable value process?
13. How do I request a new object code or tub?
14. How can I tell if a 33-digit account code I want to use is valid?
15. Can I transfer child org values between parents?

1. What do I need to do if I have a reorganization that will be happening in my tub?

   If you are not an Authorized Requestor, contact the Authorized Requestor for your tub and review your proposed changes with them. They will advise you on any potential set-up changes to the PeopleSoft and Oracle that may be necessary to implement your re-org.

   If you are an Authorized Requestor, please contact Applications Administration as soon as you know changes will be required in either the Oracle or PeopleSoft systems and before you begin submitting requests. Re-organizations can be complex, requiring analysis and numerous interdependent steps to be successfully implemented. Calling Apps Admin first helps to ensure that the structural changes are completed in a smooth and timely manner with minimal disruption to transacting and reporting.
   
   Back to Top ^

2. Where can I find the latest copy of the complete object code list?

   The CSMA ABLE site at http://able.harvard.edu/coa/csma/csma_index.shtml.

   Select the unabridged object code list link under Other Resources on the shaded, left-hand navigation bar.
   
   Back to Top ^

3. My CSMA disable request failed the month-end process. The notification lists the error, but I don't understand what the message means. How do I correct the error so I can resubmit my request?

   Refer to the document Handling CSMA Failed Disable Messages under Disabling Segment Values on the CSMA ABLE site (http://able.harvard.edu/coa/csma/csma_index.shtml).
   
   Back to Top ^

4. Is there a balance forward designations list that I could get hold of?

   Refer to the document Balance Forward Defaults by Fund Type under Definitions & Lists on the CSMA ABLE site (http://able.harvard.edu/coa/csma/csma_index.shtml).
   
   Back to Top ^

5. Is there a way to see the gift and treasurer's distribution overrides on my funds?

   Yes. You can get a list of all your funds and their associated attributes including the treasurer's distribution and gift or interest overrides by running the COA - Fund Values report under the Listings menu in HUDINI. The report, like most Listings reports, is available to all HDW reporting responsibilities.

   For details on running this report, select the report from the Reports Catalog section on ABLE (http://able.harvard.edu/repcat/rc004c/index.shtml).
   
   Back to Top ^

6. I can't launch my CSMA request from my notification. What do I do now?

   CSMA may not have enough memory available to launch the request form. Try logging out of Oracle, closing all your open browser windows, and start over. If that doesn't do it, try rebooting your PC. If neither step works, call the UIS Helpdesk at 496-2001 for assistance.
   
   Back to Top ^

7. I just loaded a value into the CoA. How soon before I can use it in a PeopleSoft job costing string?

   Values loaded to Oracle during the day are uploaded to the PeopleSoft system on a nightly feed. The value should be available for use in the PeopleSoft system the following morning.
   
   Back to Top ^

8. I created a value in the wrong range and have submitted a request to disable it. How can I prevent people from charging to it between now and the next month-end close?

   Other than removing an org value from an end-user's web voucher approval group or Oracle security responsibility, there's currently no way to systematically prevent them from posting transactions to a CoA value that you've requested be disabled.

   If you (or your local chart administrator) have followed all the Pre-Disable steps outlined in the Pre-Disable Checklist for Tubs found on the CSMA ABLE site prior to submitting the request to disable the value, you should not see any new transactions posting to the value during the interim period. However, if you feel that there is a risk of them occurring, you may periodically review the balances and transfer any inappropriate charges up to the manual journal deadline immediately prior to the month-end in which your value is scheduled to be disabled.
   
   Back to Top ^

9. How can I find out what default segment values we provided for the various internal interest allocations?

   Contact Karen O'Rourke in General Accounting.
   
   Back to Top ^

10. How do I go about transferring a fund from/to my tub to/from another?

    See Re-Ranging Values on page 6 of the Disable Segment Values Guidelines document available under Disabling Segment Values on the CSMA ABLE site at http://able.harvard.edu/coa/csma/csma_index.shtml.
    
    Back to Top ^

11. When can I reuse a value? What is a change in purpose?

    Refer to the document Description Change Rules under Validations & Rules on the CSMA ABLE site (http://able.harvard.edu/coa/csma/csma_index.shtml).
    
    Back to Top ^

12. What is the disable value process?

    Refer to the document Disable Segment Value Guidelines under Disabling Segment Values on the CSMA ABLE site (http://able.harvard.edu/coa/csma/csma_index.shtml).
    
    Back to Top ^

13. How do I request a new object code or tub?

    Refer to the document Make Changes to My CoA (Overview) under How Do I? on the CSMA ABLE site (http://able.harvard.edu/coa/csma/csma_index.shtml).
    
    Back to Top ^

14. How can I tell if a 33-digit account code I want to use is valid?

    Use Harvard's web-based CoA Validator (to pre-validate a 33-digit combination. The Validator can tell you:

    • if your values are valid
    • If the combination of values will pass CVRs
    • If the combination of values is not yet created, is active (enabled) or is inactive (disabled)
    • If your security will allow you to transact to the string.

    Back to Top ^

15. Can I transfer child org values between parents?

    Transferring org values between parents, while seemingly simple, actually brings with it a great deal of complexity, so much so that many tubs have opted to close out an org and transfer charges to a new org under the new parent rather than do it. Following are just a few of the issues you need to consider when considering this action:

• Most cross-validation rules are written for contiguous ranges of values, usually represented by a single parent value. For example, cross validation rule TUB S1234 2-4 might represent a range of values 12340-12359. If you were to try to move value 12345 from parent S1234 to another parent, you would need to split the CVR into 2 new CVRs: one rule for values 12340-12344 and one for 12346-12359. You would need to do that for each CVR (org-fund, org-activity, and org-root) that was affected by the change. Depending on your structure, you might also need 2 new CVRs to cover the range of values associated with the parent your org was moving to, since the range of values indicated by the parent value in the CVR name would no longer represent the values covered by the CVR. So, in the above example, if you moved value 12345 to S1245 (representing range 12450-12459), you would need to disable any CVR that referenced S1245 and add a new one called 12450+ and create a separate CVR for 12345. Going forward, you would need to open up all the new CVRs you had created each time you wanted a fund value to be accessed by all the orgs.
  
• You would also have to consider how such a move would impact your Oracle GL, Budget, HDW and Web Voucher responsibilities. For example, a GL responsibility that restricts a user to S1234 (values 12340-12359) would now have to be rewritten so that the responsibility only allows values 12340-12344 and 12346-12359 and excludes value 12345. Likewise, any responsibility that represents the parent value that 12345 was moved to, would need to be rewritten to allow this value to be included.
  
• The way parents are named indicates a contiguous range. Breaking ranges underneath parents can lead to confusion for end-users who use "sight-logic" to identify which child values will belong with a particular parent. Value S1234 implies that all values in the range 12340-12349 (at least) belong to it. If they do not, there's no way that a user can tell that from the parent value.

Back to Top ^