Access PI Portfolio

PI Portfolio works with the most common browsers. Read more about using the correct browsers.

If you have tried logging into Cal Answers with your CalNet ID but you cannot access it, contact the Cal Answers Help Desk at calanswers-help@berkeley.edu or by calling 664-9000 (option 1, then option 2).

Principal Investigator (PI) Access

Who needs this access: PIs, faculty, post-docs and researchers with funding that is allocated and tracked with ChartField2s linked to your Employee ID.

What you get access to: 

  • View your entire portfolio. This includes funds that you share with other PI(s).
  • View HR data by Employee ID for employees allocated to your CF2(s)
  • Ability to write projections on your own portfolio

What you do NOT get access to: View access and ability to write projections to other PIs' portfolios

What reports you see: 

  • PI Portfolio dashboard: All report tabs
  • Award Processing Time dashboard: Award Process Time Comparison report tab

How to request access: There is no need to request access. You have automatic access to your own portfolio.

If you are able to go into PI Portfolio but do not see data, check with your support staff that your funding has been allocated to a ChartField2 that is linked to your Employee ID. If it has just been allocated very recently, run the Total Award - Actuals view.

If you are not able to go into PI Portfolio and you expect to receive funds, check with your support staff to create a ChartField 2 that is linked to your Employee ID. You should be granted access automatically overnight once it is created.

View-Only Global Access

Who needs this access: Supervisors, Managers, and PI support staff who need to view finances for many PIs or PI funds but don't need to write projections on the PI's behalf. You need to track their overall finances or chartstring balances to charge purchases.

What you get access to: View-only access to entire portfolios for all PIs, pulled one by one

What you do NOT get access to: Ability to write projections, view HR data by Employee ID

What reports you see:

  • PI Portfolio dashboard: All report tabs except the HR Lookup tab
  • (If you request it) PI Oversight dashboard: All report tabs. This is typically more useful for Supervisors and Managers than PI support staff.
  • Award Processing Time dashboard: Award Process Time Comparison report tab if you request PI Portfolio only. All tabs if you request PI Portfolio and Oversight.

How to request access:

Request access via the Add or Delete Finance and PI Portfolio Global Reporting form. "Add access" to "PI Portfolio", then "View Only" access for "PI Portfolio Only". If you also need PI Oversight, select "PI Portfolio and Oversight".

This form also allows you to request access to Finance by "Add access" to "Both".

Access is granted once both your manager as recorded in the HR system and the Divisional Finance Leader of your unit approve.

How to approve access:

You can approve access for someone if you are their manager as recorded in the HR system or if you are a Divisional Finance Leader. You would receive an email from Service at UC Berkeley asking you to approve access after the requester has submitted their request.

Review the instructions for Add or Delete Finance and PI Portfolio Global Reporting to understand the type of communication of you would receive and what you need to do.

View-Only Individual PI or Fund Access

Who needs this access: PI support staff who need to view finances for one or a handful of PIs or PI funds but don't need to write projections on the PI's behalf. You need to track their overall finances or chartstring balances to charge purchases.

What you get access to: View-only access to a specific PI's entire portfolio or a PI's specific fund

What you do NOT get access to: Ability to write projections, view HR data by Employee ID

What reports you see:

  • PI Portfolio dashboard: All report tabs except the HR Lookup tab
  • Award Processing Time dashboard: Award Process Time Comparison report tab

How to request access:

Request access via CalAccess. "Initiate New Request" for "PI Collaborator", then for the role called “Collaborator.” Select either “By Fund” or “By Lead PI.”

  • By Fund: Type the fund code or name. Only sponsored funds can be requested since the request needs to be able to go to the lead PI for approval. Non-sponsored funds do not have lead PIs.
  • By Lead PI: Type the PI name. This is a request to see the PI's entire portfolio of sponsored and non-sponsored funds.

Access is granted once the lead PI of the fund you indicated or the lead PI you indicated approves.

How to approve access:

You can approve access if you are a PI. You will receive an email from CalAccess with a link. Click on the link, log in with your CalNet ID, and approve or deny the request.

Edit Global Access

Who needs this access: Research Administrators and PI support staff who actively track PI funds and need to write projections on the PI's behalf

What you get access to:

  • View entire portfolios for all PIs, pulled one by one
  • View HR data by Employee ID
  • Ability to write projections

What you do NOT get access to: N/A

What reports you see:

  • PI Portfolio dashboard: All report tabs
  • (If you request it) PI Oversight dashboard: All report tabs. This is view-only access; there is no edit access in PI Oversight. This is typically more useful for Supervisors and Managers than research administrators and PI support staff.
  • Award Processing Time dashboard: Award Process Time Comparison report tab if you request PI Portfolio only. All tabs if you request PI Portfolio and Oversight.

How to request access:

Request access via the Add or Delete Finance and PI Portfolio Global Reporting form. "Add access" to "PI Portfolio", then "Create Projections" access for "PI Portfolio Only". If you also need PI Oversight, select "PI Portfolio and Oversight". 

This form also allows you to request access to Finance by "Add access" to "Both".

Access is granted once both your manager as recorded in the HR system and the Divisional Finance Leader of your unit approve.

How to approve access:

You can approve access for someone if you are their manager as recorded in the HR system or if you are a Divisional Finance Leader. You would receive an email from Service at UC Berkeley asking you to approve access after the requester has submitted their request.

Review the instructions for Add or Delete Finance and PI Portfolio Global Reporting to understand the type of communication of you would receive and what you need to do.

Access Removal

 Automatic: Employees who leave the University

The login to Cal Answers is authenticated using CalNet. CalNet accounts are automatically locked when someone is separated from the University in the HR system.  It is the responsibility of the manager/supervisor to ensure that all of the HR paperwork is completed so that systems are updated when an employee leaves the University.

Manual: Employees who transition into non-financial roles

It is the responsibility of the manager/supervisor to ensure that access is removed for employees who continue to be employed by Berkeley but no longer have a need to see financial data.

Please request removal via the Add or Delete Finance and PI Portfolio Global Reporting form. "Delete access" to "PI Portfolio", or "Both" if you want to request removal of Finance as well.

Access is removed once both the manager as recorded in the HR system and the Divisional Finance Leader of your unit approve.

How to approve the removal of access:

You can approve the removal of access for someone if you are their manager as recorded in the HR system or if you are a Divisional Finance Leader. You would receive an email from Service at UC Berkeley asking you to approve access after the requester has submitted their request.

Review the instructions for Add or Delete Finance and PI Portfolio Global Reporting to understand the type of communication of you would receive and what you need to do.