Cal Answers
Why is Cal Answers important?
The tool ...
- Helps us make better decisions as we assess new opportunities, set priorities, and deal with resource constraints.
- Allows us to communicate more clearly as we have one set of facts and definitions. We have worked extensively with data providers to ensure that these are the best answers to use in the topics addressed.
- Provides metrics that are critical to managing and monitoring progress towards meeting our goals.
- Helps fulfill the goal of the Institutional Data Management and Governance initiative (IDMG) to make campus data easily accessible, reliable, consistent, and secure to support informed planning, decision-making, and communication.
What are key features of Cal Answers?
Cal Answers provides interactive dashboards and reports, allowing you to see information about the entire campus and drill down to specific departments or other subsets of data. You can rearrange or delete data columns, sort by different parameters, and filter the data in different ways so the tool meets your needs. If you want to go further, you can develop your own reports and dashboards within the Student Demographics and Outcomes subject area.
What does the motto "One Question, One Answer" mean?
Currently campus administrators maintain isolated caches of data relating to their own areas, so when questions about campus operations arise, analysts spend most of their time searching for accurate data and they often find metrics are reported differently in different places.
In contrast, the newly developed Cal Answers tool reports data directly from the University’s enterprise data warehouse, a single repository for integrated information relating to cross-campus topics like admissions, enrollment, financial aid, human resources, and faculty research. Now, when the campus needs to answer critical business questions, they can trust Cal Answers provides one accessible, consistent, reliable answer to their question.
Getting Started With Cal Answers
Who has access to Cal Answers?
Faculty and staff members with one of the following appointment types as recorded in the HR system have automatic access to Cal Answers:
How do I log in to Cal Answers?
From the Cal Answers Home page navigate to the Quick Start section in the top left corner and click on Log In To Cal Answers.
Sign in using your CalNet ID and Passphrase. Click on the Cal Answers Sign In button to be logged into Cal Answers. If you are unable to sign in, please review the Cal Answers Getting Started page for more access information.
You can also sign into Cal Answers using Citrix. To sign in using Citrix, log into Citrix at citrix.berkeley.edu(link is external) by clicking on the link, entering your CalNet ID and choosing "Cal Answers." From there, sign in to Cal Answers using your CalNet ID.
Access the Quick Start Guide for more information on gettting started with Cal Answers at calanswers.berkeley.edu
Which internet browsers are compatible with Cal Answers?
Visit the browser compatibility web page for thorough information and instructions.
What are Cal Answers hours of operation?
Cal Answers availability
- Monday - Friday: 8am to 5pm (with Help Desk support)
- Monday - Friday: 5pm to midnight (without support and subject to maintenance)
- Saturday - Sunday: 8am to midnight (without support and subject to maintenance)
When is new data uploaded to Cal Answers from the source systems?
Cal Answers provides point-in-time historical data for use of analyzing trends and informing business decisions. It is not an operational/transactional system which you would typically use on a daily basis to perform basic job functions. Each data topic's metrics are refreshed on a separate schedule; details are included within the subject area's web pages. Keep in mind, the purpose of Cal Answers is to provide the campus with the ability to conduct analyses for informed planning, decision-making, and communication.
The Cal Answers Planned Data Refresh Schedule provides an overview of the planned timing for when new data is to be added to each subject area within Cal Answers on a recurring basis.
Which student data dashboards and reports include Graduate student data?
All of the student dashboards, excluding those within the Student Applicants subject area, SD&O Census Graphs, Time to Degree and Multiple Majors reports include Graduate and Undergraduate student data.
Check out the Cal Answers Student Data Subject Areas, Dashboards & Filters Map job aid. Reports with an * include undergraduate data only. All other reports include both Graduate or Undergraduate student data.
Where do I now find data that used to appear in Cal Profiles and Cal Profiles Plus?
We've created a web page with a mapping diagram of the old Cal Profiles/Profiles Plus sections and their new Cal Answers locations. Click here to view the page.
Where can I find report documentation and data dictionaries for each of the student data subject areas?
Report documentation and data dictionaries for each of the student subject areas can be found in our Wikis:
Who can I contact for questions or feedback about Cal Answers?
Yes, there is a Cal Answers Help Desk that is available Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm, except university holidays.
You can also make an Office Hours appointment to meet with an Institutional Research Analyst from the Office of Planning and Analysis (OPA) to get your specific data questions answered. Check out the Office Hours section on the Cal Answers website for more information.
How do I install the Cal Answers app on my smartphone or tablet?
Check out the Oracle Business Intelligence Mobile App User Guide for step-by-step instruction for installing and accessing the Cal Answers mobile app.
What do I do if I unsuccessfully try to log in too many times?
Five consecutive invalid login attempts will lock the account. Your account will be released/reset after 30 minutes, so try again then.
Will my Cal Answers session end after a certain time?
You can log in and use Cal Answers reliably during the advertised hours of operation. You will likely be able to log in but not be able to access a dashboard outside of these hours.
Once you are in a dashboard, you will be asked to re-log in if you leave your dashboard unattended to over a couple hours or overnight, but your session will pick up where it left off. It is not like Citrix where your session ends and closes after two hours and you need to re-login and re-do your query.
Navigating Cal Answers
How can I quickly reset or clear dashboard filters without selecting each one individually?
Cal Answers has three options for quickly editing the filter selections within a dashboard.
Select the drop down arrow on the Reset button to display:
- Reset to last applied values. All dashboard filter values will be reverted back to the selections made prior to the last time the Apply button was clicked.
- Reset to default values. All dashboard filters will be reset to their default values for that particular dashboard as set by the campus or by the user if they have set a saved customization as the default view.
- Clear All. All dashboard filter selections are cleared and set to --Select Value--.
Where did my Page Options icon go?
Depending on which dashboard report you are working in, if you drill into a column value or label in blue font the resulting page with the lower level table may no longer display the Page Options icon. But hyperlinks are available in the bottom left corner of the page that will allow you to complete many of the page options.
If you do not see this icon, it is because you have Accessibility Mode turned on. To turn it off so that you do see, go to "Signed in As [your name]" at the top right, click on your name, and go to My Account. In the Preferences tab, switch Accessibility Mode to Off. Click OK, and then refresh your browser tab. If that doesn't work, log out and log back in. You will now see the icon.
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How do I run a concurrent analysis without leaving my current one?
In Chrome or Firefox browsers, you can open a new instance of Cal Answers to access your current view or an additional dashboard. Navigate to the current Cal Answers tab above the browser URL field, right-clicking the tab and select Duplicate or Duplicate Tab to open the exact analysis in the second tab. This is helpful when you need to compare two different sets of results within the same dashboard.
You can also click Control + Home from the blue Cal Answers bookmark links bar to open another instance of Cal Answers on the Home page.
You can open a new tab and go to calanswers.berkeley.edu to go to another dashboard.
What is the difference between Return and the breadcrumb trail?
The Return link in a drilldown takes you back to the main page of the dashboard. The Breadcrumb path takes you back to one of the previous pages or the main page depending on the breadcrumb you click on.
There is no difference if the dashboard has only one layer of drilldown. There is a difference if the dashboard has more than one layer of drilldown.
Can I share a filtered and formatted dashboard with a colleague?
Yes, there are two ways you can share a filtered and formatted dashboard report with a colleague.
You can create a custom URL or Bookmark Link in Cal Answers. Check out our Creating Dashboard Bookmark Links Job Aid for step-by-step instructions for creating, sharing and accessing a dashboard bookmark link.
Another option is to create a Cal Answers’ Briefing Book which allows you to save a static snapshot of your dashboard page(s) that includes the applied filters and any data table formatting in one or more PDF files. Once created, you can add to, reorder and /or delete dashboard content to update your Briefing Book. You can download your Briefing Book to share with others for review offline.
Check out the Cal Answers Briefing Books job aid for step-by-step instructions on:
- Creating a Cal Answers Briefing Book
- Locating a Cal Answers Briefing Book
- Adding Content to a Cal Answers Briefing Book
- Downloading and Printing a Cal Answers Briefing Book
- Editing a Cal Answers Briefing Book
Watch the How to Create a Briefing Book and How to Edit a Briefing Book videos for more information.
Drilling, Moving & Sorting Data
How do I sort data in dashboard tables?
Navigate to the data table, move your cursor over the column header of the column you would like to sort in the table. Click on the small arrowheads that pop up to re-sort. the column of data in ascending or descending order.
Keep in mind that the sort is first by the attribute columns that show up before the amount column and then the amount column that is sorted on. If you want a pure sort on just the actual amount column, you can export to Excel or CSV and sort within Excel.
Check out the Cal Answers Getting Started Guide job aid for more details on sorting data in tables.
How do I delete a column from a data table? How would I add it back?
Right-click the column header you would like to delete and select Exclude Column.
To display an excluded column, right-click any column header and select Include Column and then the name of the column you would like to display.
Watch the video, Cal Answers: Changes You Can Make to Data Tables for step-by-step illustrated instructions on working with data tables.
How do I move a column in a data table?
From within the data table, move your cursor over the column header you would like to move until it displays the four-headed navigation arrow.
Click and drag to the location you would like the column to appear and release.
Filters
What is the difference between the CEN and EOT Snapshot filter options?
A snapshot refers to a particular point in time at which Cal Answers extracted data from the source system. The CEN or Census snapshot happens every Fall and Spring semester on the 25th day of instruction (10th day of instruction for Summer sessions). This is also the deadline for undergraduates to add or drop classes.
Can I save my filter settings and other formatting changes I've done to the data tables so I don't have to reenter them each time?
Yes. Navigate your cursor to the Page Options menu icon in the upper-right corner next to the question mark and choose the Save Current Customization option.
Enter a name for your current display of customizations. When you return to this dashboard page and would like to apply the customization you have previously saved, go to the same Page Options menu and select Apply Saved Customization to bring up that particular filtering criteria or data set you would like to work with.
Watch the Cal Answers: Page Options Menu Customizations video for step-by-step instructions on saving, applying, editing and removing your customized dashboard views.
Printing & Exporting
How can I print an entire report page from Cal Answers?
On any Cal Answers dashboard tab, you can print the entire page, including all filters, by using the Page Options menu. This 3 bullet points icon is located in the top right corner of the page, right next to the question mark in the blue circle.
The first option on the menu, Print then gives you two selections:
- Printable PDF
- Printable HTML
The printed page includes a list of filters applied.
Both of these print options will only print what is currently displayed on the page. If there are additional rows of data not displayed, you will need to click the Display Maximum blue double-sided arrow to expand to show all rows
The Print and Export links that appear directly below many tables are charts are a standard that we're working toward. These are more restrictive than the Page Options menu, in that they're specific to a section of each page. Where Print links don't appear, you can Export to PDF, which may actually work better than the Print link in cases with a large table.
Watch the video, Cal Answers: Features You Will Find Below Data Tables for step-by-step illustrated instructions on exporting and printing data tables.
Can I export data into another system or tool?
Yes. There is a link at the bottom of each report labeled Export.
To download the complete report with its formatting and totals, your options are:
- Excel 2003+
- PowerPoint
- Web Archive.
The raw data can be exported as:
- Comma Delimited
- Tab Delimited
- XML
Note that downloading to Excel isn’t currently supported on a Mac; you can, however, download as delimited text and open that in Excel for Mac.
Watch the video, Cal Answers: Features You Will Find Below Data Tables for step-by-step illustrated instructions on exporting and printing data tables.
Financials
Access
Who should use Financial Management Reporting?
This dashboard is intended for finance staff and managers and is meant to be used as a reporting tool, to support financial decisions.
How do I find out if a colleague or customer has access to Cal Answers Financials?
Before helping a colleague or customer request access, please check if they already have access one of two ways:
You can request access for them via the Add or Delete Finance and PI Portfolio Global Reporting form. Select Someone else and indicate their name. Add access to Financials, or Both if you want to request access to PI Portfolio as well.
Access is granted once both their manager as recorded in the HR system and the Divisional Finance Leader of their unit approve.
VERIFYING ACCESS FOR ONE OR A HANDFUL OF USERS
If you want to check if a colleague or customer has access, you can check by logging into Cal Answers and selecting the Dashboards link at the top right of the Cal Answers application home page, in the blue bar. Choose Security Reports from the dropdown list and then select Customer Access Privileges. Search for the name in the table and check if they have the role, Finance_GL_Dashboard.
Go to the Customer Access Privileges dashboard. This will likely be lower in the dropdown list for you depending on the dashboards you have access to.
Select Finance_GL_Dashboard from the Access Role drop-down. Then, click More/Search in the Display Name drop-down to look up the name OR type in the UID in the CalNet UID prompt. You can find the user's UID by searching their name in the Berkeley Directory.
If searching by Name instead of UID, it is recommended to use the search Contains option and enter a first name OR the last name. Click OK when you are done.
Click Apply to run the report. If they have access to Cal Access Financials, you will see results. look for the highlighted role in the results.
If they do not have access to Cal Access Financials, you will see No Results.
VERIFYING ACCESS FOR MULTIPLE USERS
If you want to check who in your unit has access, first come up with a list of people and their UIDs in your unit. You can find the users' UIDs by searching their names in the Berkeley Directory. Then run the report for the list all at once by using the CalNet UID dropdown. Log into Cal Answers and select the Dashboards link at the top right of the Cal Answers application home page, in the blue bar. Choose "Security Reports" from the dropdown list and then select Customer Access Privileges.
Go to the Customer Access Privileges dashboard. This will likely be lower in the dropdown list for you depending on the dashboards you have access to.
Select Finance_GL_Dashboard from the Access Role drop-down. Click More/Search in the CalNet UID drop-down.
Click on the yellow pencil icon at the top right of the pop-up Select Values box.
Copy and paste your list of UIDs into the box. Click OK when you are done.
Click OK to close the Select Values box. Click Apply to run the report. The results show who out of your list has access to Cal Answers Financials.
If you see No Results, that means no one in that list has access to Cal Answers Financials.
How do I request access to the Financial Management Reporting dashboard?
You can request access to Cal Answers Financials by submitting a request in Cal Access. Instructions on how to submit a request for access are available on the Access page of the Cal Answers Financials webpage.
How do I remove access to the Financial Management Reporting dashboard?
Instructions for removing access to Cal Answers Financials (which includes the Financial Management Reporting dashboard) are available on the Access page of the Cal Answers Financials webpage.
How can I find the Financial Management Reporting dashboard in Cal Answers?
The Financial Management Reporting dashboard is listed on the Cal Answers application home page under Financial Dashboards>Finance>Financial Management Reporting. If you don’t see the Financial Management Reporting dashboard once you have signed into Cal Answers, you may not have access.
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You can check whether you already have access by selecting the Dashboards link at the top right of the Cal Answers application home page, in the blue bar. Choose Security Reports from the dropdown list and then select Customer Access Privileges. Search for your name in the table and check if you have the Finance_GL_Dashboard role.
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You can request access to Cal Answers Financials by submitting a request in Cal Access. Instructions on how to submit a request for access are available on the Access page of the Cal Answers Financials webpage.
Functionality
How do I set my prompts in Cal Answers Financial Management Reporting dashboard?
You can learn more about setting your filters by reviewing these training materials:
- Review the Overview of the Cal Answers Financial Management Reporting dashboard job aid for more information about the filters available in this dashboard.
- Watch the Page Options Menu Customizations video.
- Review the Cal Answers Quick Start Guide.
How do I select all of the options in the prompts?
If displayed in the drop down, choose (All Column Values) to select "all" or leave the prompt blank.
Someone sent me a bookmark link but when I try to open it, I get an error message.
You may not have access to the dashboard. You can request access to Cal Answers Financials by submitting a request in Cal Access. Instructions on how to submit a request for access are available on the Access page of the Cal Answers Financials webpage.
How do I save a view that I have customized in Cal Answers so I can use it again?
Visit the Training page to review training materials on how to create, save and apply customized data table views in Cal Answers, including:
How do I select multiple filter values in the dashboard prompts at the same time?
You can select multiple values for prompts with a checkbox icon. Prompts with a checkmark icon indicate single-select capability.
Instead of checking each value in the prompt dropdown you want to see, the most direct option is to type the values directly in the prompt separated by a semi-colon without a space. This works well if you have a handful of values, and those values are entirely numerical (e.g. fund, account code, dept ID). Let's say you want to select 14311 and 14326 from a dropdown. Instead of scrolling to select those two values, you type '14311;14326'. You see that this results in those two values being checked when you open the dropdown.
For scenarios where you need to look up many values or are looking for values with text, you can utilize the "More/Search..." or "Search..." functionality in the dropdown.
You are then presented with a search box, where you can select multiple values one of three ways:
Option 1: Search for the particular values. For each one, you search and add to your list. This is great for values that aren't in a range.
Option 2: Search for values that start, contain, or end with a certain character(s). This is great for a range of values that shares a common character(s).
Click the 'More' button to show all the values. The button disappears once all of them show. Click on the double-arrow to add them to your list.
Note: Currently there isn't a "between" operator. For now, you can return a range by searching and adding each subset. For example, if you want to return a range of funds 35000-46999, search the values that start with 35, 36....46 and add them to the list.
Option 3: Copy and paste a list of funds. This is great if you have many values to pick and/or you want to minimize typing errors.
Click the pencil icon at the top right of the search box. This opens an Edit box where you can paste the values.
Note: You can also directly type in this box instead of using Option 1.
For any of these options, if you decide to remove a value after you have added it, highlight it in the Selected section and click the left arrow. Click the single-left arrow to remove only the highlighted selection(s). Click the double-left arrow to remove all the selections. Press the Ctrl keyboard button while selecting individual values. Press the Shift keyboard button while selecting a range of values.
Once you are done with your selections, click OK to close the search box. Choose any remaining prompts and click Apply to run the report.
Data
Where is the data in Cal Answers Financials coming from?
The actual data is coming from the general ledger. The general ledger is not changing. This is still the same actual data we see in BAIRS and CalPlanning.
PI Portfolio
How do I get access to PI Portfolio?
March 14, 2016
Faculty have automatic access to data for the funds they manage and can log in using their CalNet login ID. If you are not a faculty member, you can get access through Cal Access. Read more about the different access levels at calanswers.berkeley.edu/piportfolioaccess.
What kind of PI Portfolio access role do I need?
March 14, 2016
There are six different types of access to PI Portfolio.
- Principal Investigator (PI) Access
- Collaborator Access
- Shared Services Research Administrator (RA) Access
- Research Administrator (RA) Access
- Reporting Access
- Oversight Access
Don't forget that if you are a PI, you'll have automatic access to PI Portfolio.
You can read more about what the different access levels include at: calanswers.berkeley.edu/piportfolioaccess.
How do I log in to PI Portfolio?
March 14, 2016
Click on the access link and sign in using your CalNet ID.
If you are not immediately taken to the PI Portfolio dashboard, navigate to the "dashboards" option at the top right of the landing page and choose "PI Portfolio" from the drop down menu.
You can also sign into PI Portfolio using Citrix. To sign in using Citrix, log into Citrix at citrix.berkeley.edu by clicking on the link, entering your CalNet ID and choosing "Cal Answers." From there, sign in to Cal Answers using your CalNet ID and if you are not immediately taken to the PI Portfolio dashboard, navigate to the "dashboards" option at the top right of the landing page and choose "PI Portfolio" from the drop down menu.
Access the job aid on logging in to Cal Answers PI Portfolio at calanswers.berkeley.edu/pi-portfolio/training.
Can you have two windows open at the same time in PI Portfolio?
March 14, 2016
Yes – you can open them in a new tab but it works more consistently if you open it in a separate browser window. You may open Cal Answers in two different sessions using the same browser.
Who can I ask about the new functionality in PI Portfolio?
March 14, 2016
If you are a Principal Investigator (PI), your Research Administrator (RA) is your primary resource about PI Portfolio. You can also contact the Help Desk or the Project Team.
- Help Desk: calanswers-help@berkeley.edu or 664-9000 (ext. - option 1, then option 2)
- Project Team: piportfolio@berkeley.edu
If you are a Research Administrator (RA), your point of contact is the Help Desk.
- Help Desk: calanswers-help@berkeley.edu or 664-9000 (ext. - option 1, then option 2)
If you are a Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) or MSO, your point of contact is the Help Desk.
- Help Desk: calanswers-help@berkeley.edu or 664-9000 (ext. - option 1, then option 2)
All PI Portfolio users are welcome to send feedback or suggestions to the PI Portfolio Project Team at piportfolio@berkeley.edu.
What kind of projections can I input in PI Portfolio?
March 14, 2016
You can input projections for Anticipated Funding, Compensation and Non-compensation expenses using the CF2 of the selected faculty member.
Is there an easy way to filter for non sponsored awards when working in the different tabs?
March 14, 2016
Use the Portfolio tab to identify the funds as Sponsored or Non-Sponsored. There is no indication in the other tabs.
How do I customize a search and save a customization?
March 14, 2016
You can customize by filtering or by right clicking on a column header to view menu options. To save your customized view so you can access it again, you click the page menu options icon in the upper right corner (looks like three stacked bars) and choose "save customized view."
How can I select all funds to view?
March 14, 2016
You can either deselect the fund you’ve chosen so that none are selected, or select all, then Apply. Either will make all the funds show up.
How do I export to Excel?
March 14, 2016
You can export a table or a whole page. Export from the page options menu in the upper-right corner (looks like three stacked bars) to export the whole page with formatting.
Use the "Export" link under the table to get only the results table.
In the Personnel tab, do wage lines show gross or net pay?
March 14, 2016
They show gross pay only. Net pay is not available in PI Portfolio.
Can I see the name of the BearBuy cart owner who made the purchase in the transaction detail?
March 14, 2016
Not at this time. It shows the person being paid. If it’s a reimbursement, you would see the person’s name. We’ve logged this as a future phase request.
What is the last closed period?
March 14, 2016
The last closed period is the last month that has been officially closed on the ledger in BFS. A closed month may be considered completed for reporting purposes. A month that is not closed may still have unposted activity, often including payroll. Payroll typically posts 7-10 days after the pay period end date, so a typical fiscal month will close about ten days to two weeks after the end of the month on the calendar. Projections are replaced by Actuals after the month closes.
What is a CF2?
March 14, 2016
The CF2 is part of the chartstring that identifies the Principal Investigator (PI) or faculty lead for the fund. The chartstring is the who/what/where/when/why – it includes Fund, DeptID, Account, CF1, CF2, Program. Total award actuals will show the whole fund. The lead PI sees all the transactions, an individual PI only sees transactions related to their CF2. See the chartstring page on the PI Portfolio website for more information.
Why are projections based on my CF2?
March 14, 2016
The CF2 is used to uniquely identify activities that "belong" to you. A CF2 is unique to a PI, and is issued as a control point for PIs in approving expenditures, and as a "handle" for effort reporting. You can find out more about what a CF2 is, chartstrings, and Chart of Accounts (COA) on the PI Portfolio website.
What is a projection in PI Portfolio?
March 14, 2016
A projection is a single row in the Input Form, which is given an ID# once you Apply Changes. The same ID# will be used for corresponding auto-projections such as Overhead, CBR and GAEL.
How do I look up a chartstring in PI Portfolio for a specific account?
March 14, 2016
You can view all the past actuals in the transactions tab, which shows you the full chartstring if you select "full chartstring" as an option in the view selector. In the projections input form, predictive type can help you choose the appropriate value for each chartfield. If you choose an expense type first, it will limit the accounts in the dropdown list to those that roll up to that expense type.
How do I look up a chartstring in PI Portfolio?
March 14, 2016
You can view all the past actuals in the transactions tab, which shows you the full chartstring if you select "full chartstring" as an option in the view selector.
Can I see an entire chartstring?
March 14, 2016
For actuals you can view the full chartstring in the Transactions tab. You can view all chartfields except the Project Costing (PC) fields for projections. This includes data from across Berkeley -- multiple departments and schools as well as multiple CF2's if the Principal Investigator (PI) has them.
How frequently will projections be updated in PI Portfolio?
March 14, 2016
CSS RA's will review and update projections as necessary as part of the monthly reporting and reconciliation process.
Who fills out the projected expenses in PI Portfolio?
March 14, 2016
Projected expenses should be filled out by a faculty member's Research Administrator (RA) or designated support staff.
Can I use PI Portfolio if I don't use Contracts and Grants funds?
March 14, 2016
Yes, you can make projections for Non-Sponsored Funds if they use a faculty-attributed CF2.
Could I use an interactive form of Excel to scenario plan?
March 14, 2016
You can use Excel to scenario plan by downloading the data and manipulating it in Excel on your own.
Is there a way to go back in time and see portfolio balances at a previous date?
March 14, 2016
You can look by fund since the inception to date but you cannot see a whole portfolio back in time; such as “Where was I five years ago”. This is logged as a future request.
Can I save an incomplete projection in PI Portfolio and go back and finish it later?
March 14, 2016
The system only saves complete projections, so each line must be completed in order to "Apply Changes." You can then leave and return later to add additional projections. If you add blank rows, they will be automatically deleted when you apply changes as long as you have not started to fill in the fields. Once you start to complete a row, you must finish and Apply Changes or cancel. You can always delete a projection after you have Applied Changes.
Can I revert back to an earlier projection scenario in PI Portfolio?
March 14, 2016
No, this is considered scenario planning and is not included in this phase of the project. Actuals will replace projections over time. You can archive a set of projections to be viewed at a later date, but you cannot revert back to using these saved sets of projections in the dashboard reports. You can download the data to Excel or PDF but you cannot "reapply" an old set of projections. Only the active projections are used to calculate fund balances.
Can the Burn Rate report be used to project supply costs?
March 14, 2016
Yes. The burn rate report was created for this purpose. You can view the average monthly rate, see how much of that is made up of supply costs and use that to project future supply costs.
What does "Burn Rate" mean?
March 14, 2016
Burn rate means the average monthly expense rate. For the purposes of PI Portfolio, it means the average monthly actuals amount for each chartstring used by the faculty member.
Is there an easy way to filter out certain Dept IDs when running reports in PI Portfolio?
March 14, 2016
You can right click the Department column header and select "Move" then "To Prompts" which will move the column above the table as a drop down filter. Use this drop down to filter the results by Dept ID. This feature only allows you to look at one department at a time. We have logged a flexible department filter as a future enhancement request.
Can I sort by transaction in PI Portfolio?
March 14, 2016
Yes, you can do this by right clicking the column header and choosing sort. This is the case for most columns in Cal Answers.
What will the PIs and RAs see in the enhanced dashboard?
March 14, 2016
In the enhanced dashboard, Principal Investigators (PIs) and Research Administrators (RAs) will see projections added to the existing Portfolio, Personnel, and Fund Summary tabs. There are also three new tabs; Projections, HR Lookup, and Burn Rate. You can find out more about the enhanced dashboard on the PI Portfolio website at: calanswers.berkeley.edu/pi-portfolio/about-pi-portfolio.
Can I upload PI Portfolio projections to CalPlanning?
March 14, 2016
No but you can export projections to Excel.
When do new awards appear in PI Portfolio?
March 14, 2016
As soon as a fund number has been assigned and budget is uploaded and approved by Contracts and Grants Accounting (CGA) in BFS.
Can you group or rename the funds on the Portfolio tab?
March 14, 2016
Not at this point. We’ve added this as a suggestion for the next phase.
Can the current funds in PI Portfolio be renamed?
March 14, 2016
Funds are shared across faculty and departments so only the BFS official fund name is shown. It is not possible to change the name in PI Portfolio but this can be done through BFS. You can find more information on how to change a fund on the BAI website: bai.berkeley.edu/BFS/BudgetGL/fund.htm.
How can the closed funds still in PI Portfolio be addressed?
March 14, 2016
PI Portfolio is a reflection of BFS. When the funds are fully closed in BFS, they will no longer appear in PI Portfolio. Please ensure all transactions have posted and all Purchase Orders have been closed, and then work with your RA and Contracts and Grants Accounting (CGA) to close these funds. You can find more information on how to close an inactive fund on the BAI website: bai.berkeley.edu/BFS/BudgetGL/fund.htm.
How are encumbrances calculated in PI Portfolio?
March 14, 2016
Encumbrances represents the remaining balance of a Purchase Order (PO). When a PO is created, the full amount is "encumbered" meaning it is subtracted from the current fund balance to show that this amount has been earmarked for this specific purpose. Once the actual posts, the encumbrance amount is reduced to zero (if the purchase is complete) or to the remaining amount on the PO for outstanding purchases not yet posted to actuals but still expected to occur.
How are encumbrances shown in PI Portfolio?
March 14, 2016
They are displayed in all views and are subtracted from the fund balance.
What is an encumbrance?
March 14, 2016
An encumbrance is a lien on the fund for an open purchase order or subaward. It has not posted to actuals, but is considered "committed" to the expected expense until the actual has occurred or the purchase order has been closed.
The data shown in PI Portfolio is different than the data shown in BAIRS. Why?
March 14, 2016
The criteria for your report must be different. Check all your Chart of Account (COA) values and filters and adjust them to match in both applications. For example, your viewing privileges in BAIRS may be limited by department, whereas in PI Portfolio the default view is global.
Is the data in PI Portfolio accurate?
March 14, 2016
Yes, the data in PI Portfolio comes from the EDW (Enterprise Data Warehouse), just like the data for BAIRS. The EDW is updated nightly with data from BFS. If you see an error, it needs to be fixed in BFS to reflect correctly in PI Portfolio.
Student Data
Does the Summer term lead or trail in the academic calendar?
The Summer term leads in the UC Berkeley academic calendar.
Summer-Fall-Spring
Student Curriculum
Where can I see what Majors are taking my courses?
You can use the Student Curriculum -> Students & Courses dashboard -> Majors in Courses report to see Course Enrollment counts grouped my major for the filtered College/School, Division, Department, Course Subject, Course and/or Course Section.
Curriculum Long Term Planning
Can I find Summer Session (A, B,C, D) course enrollments counts over the past several years in Cal Answers?
Summer Sessions session data is currently not available in Cal Answers by session. But you can pull the total Summer enrollment counts by course.
From the Student Curriculum subject area, Curriculum Long Term Planning dashboard click on the Course View report tab. Filter on :
Weekly Enrollment Manangement
Can I find concurrent enrollment data in the Cal Answers Student Data dashboards?
Currently, there is no concurrent enrollment data in the Cal Answers Student Data dashboards. This information is available in Campus Solutions reporting.
How do I work with the Snapshot weeks (- and +) in the filter section of the Weekly Enrollment Dashboard ?
Weekly snapshots range from Week -30 to Week +18. These refer to the weeks leading up to the start of the semester and through to the end of the semester. Week 0 contains the official start day of the semester, and Week +01 contains the first day of instruction. Weekly snapshots are taken on Saturday morning of every week during the year.
We have additional resources available if you would like to learn more:
Student Demographics & Outcomes
Can I find out the demographics (gender, ethnicity, residency status, etc.) of the students taking my courses?
Cal Answers does not have student demographics information by course. You can pull demographic details by registered students within a Major from the Student Demographics & Outcomes -> Census -> Census by Multiple Fields report.
Where can I find international student counts within the Student Data dashboards?
Within the Undergraduate Applicants and Student Demographic & Outcomes subject areas, you can find International Student counts are found by filtering for Level 1 Ethnic Rollup, not Residency Status.
Multiple Majors
Can I find the count of students with multiple majors on campus and what are their majors?
Yes, the Multiple Majors dashboard includes tabs that report on the count and percentage of registered undergraduates students with multiple majors for the UC Berkeley campus as a whole as well as for each undergraduate major program.
You can learn more on the Cal Answers Student Demographics and Outcomes Multiple Majors section on our website and also from our Multiple Majors Dashboard Wiki report documentation.
UG Grad Rates
Can I find graduation rates for the College of Chemistry for both Freshman and Transfer students?
Yes, from the Student Demographics & Outcomes subject area, open the Graduation, Retention & Time to Degree dashboard and click on the UG Grad Rates report tab.
Filtering selection includes prompts for :
- Entry Year & Semester
- Entry Status - New Freshman or Transfer
- Gender - Decline to State, Female, Male
- Residency -Nonresident or Resident
- 4-, 9-, or 16-Value Ethnicity - includes International
- Entry College - 5 UG Colleges and Haas
This Cal Answers bookmark link will take you directly to the UG Grad Rates report showing data on freshman students who entered in the College of Chemistry. To see this for transfer students, change the Entry Status prompt. To see this data for your college filter on the Entry College prompt.
Graduation Rate Data Consideration
The graduation data in this dashboards is based on entry college (as of the end of students‘ first regular semester--i.e., not summer if the student took part in a summer program prior to matriculating) and NOT based on exit college.
What this means then is that the College of Chemistry receives graduation rate "credit" for any student who enters the college of chemistry and graduated from UC Berkeley, even if that student switched colleges. However, this goes both ways. That is, students who leave the College of Chemistry and then drop out or stop-out will be factored into the College of Chemistry graduation rates. Finally, students who flow into the College of Chemistry after the end of their first term at Berkeley are also not captured in your graduation rates.
UG Retention
Can I find retention rates for the College of Chemistry in Cal Answers for both Freshman and Transfer students?
Yes, from the Student Demographics and Outcomes subject area navigate to the Graduation, Retention & Time to Degree dashboard and choose either the UG Retention or UG Retention by Multiple Fields tab to pull the latest retention rates (1-yr, 2-yr, 3-yr, etc.) for freshmen and transfers who entered in the College of Chemistry.
Graduation, Retention & Time to Degree Dashboard, UG Retention Report filtering section
Filtering selection includes prompts for:
- Entry Year & Semester
- Entry Status - New Freshman or Transfer
- Gender - Decline to State, Female or male
- Residency -Nonresident or Resident
- 4-, 9-, or 16-Value Ethnicity - includes International
- Entry College - 5 UG Colleges and Haas
This Cal Answers bookmark link will take you directly to the UG Retention report showing data on freshman students who entered in the College of Chemistry. To see this for transfer students, change the Entry Status prompt. To see this data for your college filter on the Entry College prompt.
Retention Data Considerations
Note that the retention rate data in this dashboard is NOT based on exit college and is instead based on entry college (as of the end of students' first regular semester--i.e., not summer if the student took part in a summer program prior to matriculating).
What this means then is that the College of Chemistry receives graduation rate "credit" for any student who enters the college of chemistry and graduated from UC Berkeley, even if that student switched colleges. However, this can cut the other way also. That is, students who leave the College of Chemistry and then drop out or stop-out will be factored into the College of Chemistry graduation and retention rates. Finally, students who flow into the College of Chemistry after the end of their first term at Berkeley are also not captured in your graduation rates.
If you are interested in both the inflow and outflow of students by college, please see this graphic that is outside of Cal Answers. There is a narrative that accompanies it as well, which can be found here.
Note that the undergraduate time to degree data, which is shown on the last tab of the Graduation, Retention & Time to Degree dashboard represents a set of metrics that are based on degree recipients (i.e., an "exit cohort" of students). Thus, that data is only for College of Chemistry degree recipients.