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Administrative Application Details

Software > Administrative Applications > Administrative Application Details

Information current as of May 2005

System Accounts Payable/Controlled Analytical Review (AP/CAR)
Owner Office of the Treasurer and Controller
Description AP/CAR automates the University Accounts Payable process. It allows authorized users to inquire about and enter departmental invoices at their own desktops, have them approved by authorized electronic signers, store them on the mainframe, and track their status through all phases of processing. AP/CAR also provides entry and inquiry facilities on vendor information, 1099, and employee travel activities, as well as comprehensive reports.
Features Invoice processing
Invoice inquiry
Vendor maintenance
Vendor inquiry
Work flow review (pending invoice states)
Approval routing (payment, local, vendor, restricted funds)
System control rules
Audit rules
Access control
Check distribution management
Management reporting
Manual check generation
Account number alias
Image document viewing and indexing
Void reversal
Technology Windows: Smalltalk client/server application
Model 204 database (mainframe)
Sirius Software's JANUS middleware (mainframe)
Sybase database (UNIX)
Reporting: Data Warehouse (UNIX)
Minolta Document Management System with CU customizations
Primary Users Accounts Payable Office
Internal Audit
Restricted Funds Office
Departmental business offices
Primary Interfaces Financial Accounting System (FAS): account validation, encumbrance liquidation, account balances
Financial Front-End: account and department validation
Tape Feeds; Bursar; Fisher Scientific
Accounts Payable Document Management System (Minolta)
Data Warehouse
Age The original mainframe Accounts Payable system (APS) was implemented in 1987. AP/CAR was implemented in 1997.


System Advance at Columbia University
Owner University Development and Alumni Relations (UDAR)
Description SunGard BSR Advance replaced CUADS as the Columbia University alumni and development system of record. Advance provides the flexibility and functionality required to enable the University alumni and development community to coordinate the process of identifying and managing relationships with prospects and donors, and provide the infrastructure necessary to sustain the accelerating evolution of the fund-raising presence in the University environment.
Features Demographic data maintenance
Gift and pledge recording, and accounting
Prospect management
Telemarketing
Alumni relations
Events management
Stewardship
Management reporting
Technology Windows: PowerBuilder client/server application
Runs on Oracle database platform (UNIX servers)
Two web components using .net technology
Primary Users University Development and Alumni Relations
Development and alumni relations professionals in schools, centers, and departments throughout the University
Primary Interfaces Financial Accounting System (FAS)
Student Information System (SIS)
Age Prospect Management module in production since March 2003
Biographic and Gift Data Maintenance modules in production since October 2004


System Computer Augmented Purchasing System (CAPS)
Owner Purchasing Office
Description CAPS automates the principal functions of the University's purchasing process. Provides online entry, control, distribution, and retrieval of purchase order information, as well as monthly, quarterly, and yearly reports.
Features Requisition entry -- central office and electronic feeds from FFE
Purchase-order production
Change-order production
Vendor maintenance
Buyer and data entry personnel processing statistics
Table maintenance
Access control and internal security management
Archiving and retrieval of closed orders
Encumbrances
Management reporting
End-user query via the web
Management overrides
PO printing and distribution to the vendors
Departmental inquiry
Departmental approval
Technology Model 204 database (mainframe)
Sybase database (UNIX) (for WebPur inquiry, requisitioning and Change Order modules
Primary Users Purchasing Office (Morningside and Health Sciences)
Office of Projects and Grants (Morningside)
Office of Grants and Contracts (Health Sciences)
Controller's Office Accounts Payable department
Controller's Office Equipment Inventory Manager
Departmental business officers
Primary Interfaces Financial Accounting System: account validation, encumbrance creation/liquidation/confirmation
Financial Front-End: electronic requisitions, electronic change Orders
Departmental Authorization File - signer validation
Data Warehouse
WebPur
Age Implemented in 1986


System Departmental Advanced Tracking and Reporting System (DARTS)
Owner Medical Center IT Group
Description DARTS (Departmental Advanced Tracking and Reporting System) is a web-based reporting application for financial data created by Health Sciences application developers. Reports are generated from a special data warehouse system of enterprise financial data, called data mart.
Features 24 X 7 availability
FFE & Distribution code security data access
Remote secured (128-bit encryption) application access
Daily updates
User-friendly interface
Data integration among enterprise systems
Ability to provide convenient links between various reports and data elements
Dynamically provide supporting detail to a variety of summary reports
Ability to prove data in various format, eg, summary rollup, drill down, drill through by year or month
Ability to export data to HTML or MS Excel formats
Technology Windows: Internet Explorer
Windows server: WebSphere/Windows web and application server
Windows server: Sybase/Windows database server
Primary Users Office of the Controller
Office of Management and Budget
Deans
Departmental administrators
Business managers
Project investigators
Auditors
Financial consultants
Primary Interfaces Financial Accounting System (FAS)
Data Warehouse
Financial Front End (FFE)
Labor Distribution System (LDS)
Sponsored Projects Online Tracking System (SPOTS)
Computer Augmented Purchasing System (CAPS)
Age Implemented in 2002


System Data Warehouse
Owner CUIT
Description Provides administrators with access to data extracted from the central University systems for analysis, decision support, and operational reporting. These central systems are: Accounts Payable(AP/CAR), Financial Accounting System (FAS), Labor Distribution System (LDS), PeopleSoft Human Resources Management System (People@Columbia), Projects and Grants (SPOTS), Purchasing (CAPS) and Student Information Systems (SIS).
Features Production systems to store and integrate data from above host systems
Backup, restore and replication of six databases
Web-based reporting application (DWR):
  • Integrated into myColumbia Enterprise portal
  • Parameter-driven reports based upon host system authorization
  • Scheduled reports
  • Optional report output formats: HTML, Excel, PDF
Monthly data downloads and extracts
Support and training of desktop query tool for ad hoc reporting
Technology Sybase database (UNIX)
COBOL, REXX, Perl, C (mainframe to UNIX data transformation)
FOCUS, WEB FOCUS, web reporting tools (Java, Javascipt, SQL, Perl)
Primary Users Central administrators
Departmental administrators
Business managers
Deans
Auditors
Financial consultants
Students and Faculty (via SSOL)
Primary Interfaces Student Information Systems (SIS)
PeopleSoft Human Resources System (PAC)
Financial Accounting System (FAS)
Labor Distribution System (LDS)
Sponsored Projects Online Tracking System (SPOTS)
Accounts Payable (AP/CAR), Purchasing System (CAPS)
Institutional Real Estate Tenant Management System (TMS)
Age Implemented in 1993 - 1994


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System Financial Accounting System (FAS)
Owner Office of the Treasurer and Controller
Description FAS is the University's central record-keeping and management information system on income and expenditures for University funds of all types. Accounting information may be downloaded to business officers' PCs to provide departments with monthly extracts (including general ledger, subsidiary ledger, and monthly transactions) for ad-hoc reporting.
Features General Ledger
Subsidiary Ledger
Data Dictionary
Encumbrances
Online inquiry
Transaction history
Federally mandated reporting on multi-year projects (DFAFS)
Production reporting, including monthly statements, and monthly, quarterly and annual reports.
Departmental data extracts
Technology Batch system: COBOL/VSAM (mainframe)
Online Inquiry: CICS/DMS mainframe CRT screens
Reporting: IA Report Generator, COBOL, FOCUS, SQL tools (mainframe), Data Warehouse (UNIX)
Primary Users Office of the Treasurer and Controller
Departmental business officers
Primary Interfaces
Age Implemented in 1981


System Financial Front End (FFE)
Owner Office of the Treasurer and Controller
Description FFE provides departments with an integrated, real-time, relatively up-to-date financial picture. The system allows for the creation, editing, approval routing, and nightly transmission of financial transactions from the user's workstation into the University's financial mainframe systems.
Features Account creates
Attribute changes
IDI license administration
Purchase requisitions
EZ-PO encumbrance liquidation
Budget entry/revisions
Indirect cost rate maintenance/inquiry
Journal entries
Fund transfers Expenditure corrections
Equipment expenditure corrections
Exception journal entries
Cash entries
Bank transfers
ZT time card collection - casual staff bi-weekly
ZT time card collection - support staff bi-weekly
ZT time card collection - union weekly
Departmental Authorization File (DAF)
FAS report distribution access
Reports
Security administration
WebSAF (see full WebSAF description below)
Technology FoxPro client; Microsoft Windows
Sybase database (UNIX); Model 204 database (mainframe)
Sirius Software's JANUS middleware (mainframe)
Primary Users Office of the Treasurer and Controller
Departmental users
Auditors
Budget Office
Primary Interfaces Financial Accounting System (FAS)
Labor Distribution System (LDS)
Purchasing System (CAPS)
Payroll System (APS)
Age Implemented in 1994


System Financial Systems on the Web (FinSys)
Owner Office of the Treasure and Controller
Description FinSys comprises several financial applications. A transaction-based system with its foundation in FFE, FinSys on the Web is being developed to replace the client-server version of FFE. FinSys is an easy, yet robust system to operate. It has been developed with the latest front-end technologies and continues to access existing databases. The intention is to have all web financial functions under the FinSys umbrella.
Features Single sign-on to financial processes
Password aging
Ability to work with multiple modules simultaneously
Multiple database access
Modules in production
  • Inter-departmental invoicing (IDI)
  • Petty cash
  • Budget revision
  • Budgeting tool
  • Purchasing: enhanced WebPur
  • Business management unit maintenance
  • Change password
  • Accounts Payable: vendor creation
  • WebSAF
  • Cash for departmental administrators and SFS
  • Change order
  • Security Administration
    • Modules in progress:
    • FFE Security - DAF Administration
    • Fix My FFE User Profile
    • PCARD Transactions Upload
    • PCARD User Profile Maintenance
    • CEXP Account Maintenance
    • Departmental Maintenance
    • OMB Subcode Maintenance
    • Paperless Transaction Rules
    • Direct Deposit Administration
    • Find My Direct Deposit Remittance Advice
    • Agency Update Table
    • Reports
    Multiple database access
    Technology Windows: Internet Explorer client
    WebSphere web application server (UNIX)
    Java (UNIX)
    Sybase database (UNIX)
    Model 204 database (mainframe)
    Sirius Software's JANUS middleware (mainframe)
    Primary Users Office of the Treasurer and Controller
    Office of Management and Budget
    Departmental administrators
    Auditors
    Primary Interfaces Financial Accounting System (FAS)
    Computer Augmented Purchasing System (CAPS)
    Accounts Payable System (APS)
    Age Implemented in 2003


    System HyperContent (Web Content Management System)
    Owner CUIT
    Description HyperContent is a web content management system developed for University departments that enables content experts, administrators, designers, and developers to collaborate in the production of high-quality web sites with consistent navigation and design.
    Features Flexible web site structure management
    Rich set of browser based content authoring tools
    File storage, including search engine and revision history
    Content published directly to Columbia web server
    Technology Java; XML; XSLT web programming software
    Apache Tomcat web application server (UNIX, AcIS)
    Primary Users Departmental assistants
    Primary Interfaces Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
    University web server
    Unify System (for course information retrieval)
    Age Implemented in 2003


    System Labor Distribution System (LDS)
    Owner Office of the Treasurer and Controller
    Description Allocates salary expenses from the Payroll System to the appropriate accounts and reports this information to the Financial Accounting System. LDS is critical for accounts representing government grants and contracts. The system provides auditing and reporting data required by various government regulations and in compliance with work-study grant regulations.
    Features Distribution of employee salary expenses
    Calculation and distribution of employee fringe expenses
    Automatic retroactive redistribution of salary and fringe expenses
    Automatic suspense clearing when appropriate
    Sole source of Payroll related journal entries to the Financial
    Accounting System (FAS) sub-ledgers
    Calculation and provision of journal entries to FAS for all earnings encumbrances and reversals
    Support of management information needs of the schools and departments
    Reporting as required by OMB Circular A-21
    Support for all internal and external auditors
    Technology Batch: COBOL/VSAM (mainframe)
    Online: CICS/VSAM (mainframe)
    Reporting: FOCUS, COBOL, (mainframe), Data Warehouse (UNIX)
    Primary Users Office of the Treasurer and Controller
    Departmental business officers
    Primary Interfaces Payroll System
    Financial Front End (FFE)
    Financial Accounting System (FAS)
    Student Employment Earnings System (SEES)
    Data Warehouse
    Salary Accounting Forms on the Web (WebSAF)
    Departmental Advanced Tracking and Reporting System (DARTS)
    College Work Study System
    Age Implemented in 1983


    System myColumbia Enterprise Portal
    Owner CUIT
    Description myColumbia is a portal for personalized applications, services, and web content for the Columbia community. Users are presented with a customized view of the University's web applications. Expert users have the option to subscribe to channels of interest. Departments have the ability to create their own content channels and to limit access to a defined interest group.
    Features People @ Columbia
    Data Warehouse Reporting
    Access to Getting Things Done at Columbia web site
    Columbia Directory lookup
    Customized bookmarks
    WebPur (Purchasing inquiry system in Fall, 2004)
    FinSys
    Announcements
    Groups and permissions
    Columbia News
    Technology Java, XML, JSP web programming software
    Apache/Tomcat web application server (UNIX, AcIS)
    Sybase database (UNIX, AcIS)
    Primary Users Faculty, staff, and students
    Primary Interfaces Data Warehouse
    Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
    Age Initial implementation 2003


    System PeopleSoft Human Resources Management System (People@Columbia)
    Owner Human Resources
    Office of the Treasurer and Controller
    Description The PeopleSoft HR system replaces the legacy personnel, benefits, and payroll systems with an integrated Web-based package from PeopleSoft. The new system expands staff and managers' access to data, improves the University's hiring process, and ensures that we achieve up-to-date compliancy with government rules and regulations. Employees have the ability to update and/or view Human Resources, Payroll and Benefits data via the web.
    Features Job classifications and position management
    Workforce hiring, workforce maintenance (centralized data entry)
    Labor relations management
    Regulatory requirements
    Self-service for managers and employees
    Salary plan administration
    Faculty tenure tracking
    Benefit program/plan (base benefits) maintenance
    Manual enrollment administration
    Retroactive benefit administration
    Employee garnishment management
    Employee payroll data maintenance
    Retroactive payroll administration
    Payroll calculation and confirmation
    Post-confirm process administration
    Adjustment processing management
    Quarterly and annual payroll reporting
    ePay self-service (View/Print Pay Stub, W-4 Changes, Direct Deposit)
    Technology Web Browsers: Internet Explorer, Netscape
    PeopleSoft 8.8 (People Tools 8.44 Development toolset), BEA Weblogic, Web Server, BEA Tuxedo Application server.
    AIX Operating System, Crystal Reports
    DB2 database (UNIX)
    AIX Operating System, Crystal Reports (Windows)
    Primary Users All University employees
    Primary Interfaces Labor Distribution System (LDS)
    Financial Front End (FFE)
    Student Information System (SIS)
    Tuition Exemption TESS
    Sponsored Projects Online Tracking System (SPOTS)
    Data Warehouse
    Interface to Health Sciences FAHRIS application
    Multiple external vendors' systems for Benefits and Payroll related tasks.
    Age Phase I implemented October 2004


    System Research and Compliance System (Rascal)
    Owner Executive Vice President for Research
    Description Rascal is a web-based application managing research administration and research compliance for the Columbia research community.
    Features Funding Opportunities
    Proposal Tracking
    University-wide Conflict of Interest Disclosure Filing
    Protocol-Specific Conflict of Interest Disclosure Filing
    CV Builder
    Animal Care Research Compliance
    Compliance Testing/Certification/Tracking
    Human Subject Research Compliance
    Agenda/Minute Builder
    Hazardous Materials Registration
    Consent Form Builder
    HIPAA Assurance
    Technology Windows and Mac browsers: Internet Explorer, Netscape, Safari, Firefox, Mozilla
    IBM VisualAge for Java development environment
    IBM WebSphere Application server (UNIX)
    University Web Server (UNIX)
    Sybase database (UNIX)
    Primary Users Researchers
    Departmental Administrators
    Central administrators:
    • Office of Projects and Grants
    • IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
    • IRB (Institutional Review Board) - for Human Subjects
    • HIPPA (Health Insurance Portablility and Privacy Act
    • Environmental Health and Safety
    • Radiation Safety
    • Privacy Board
    Primary Interfaces Health Sciences Institute of Comparative Medicine (ICM) GRANITE application; WebCIS
    Age Implemented in 1999


    System Sponsored Project Online Tracking System (SPOTS)
    Owner Office of Research Administration<
    Description SPOTS is the primary system that serves research grants management at Columbia University. It is a mainframe-based on-line data entry system.
    Features Tracking projects from proposal to award stages.
    Storage of information on proposals and awards since 1979.
    Tracking all subcontracts since 1979.
    Tracking all patents from inception to application, patent, and license.
    Technology Batch: COBOL.VSAM (mainframe)
    Online: CICS/DMS/VSAM (mainframe)
    Reporting: FOCUS, COBOL (mainframe). Data Warehouse (UNIX)
    Primary Users Office of Research Administration
    Primary Interfaces Financial Accounting System (FAS)
    Personnel Information System (PIS)
    Data Warehouse
    Age Implemented in 1979


    System Student Information System (SIS) Student Services Online (SSOL)
    Owner Student Services / Student Information Systems
    Description SIS is the integrated mainframe system for student data. The system includes admissions, financial aid, registration, transcripts, billing and housing functions for all schools and offices at the University.

    Interactive web access to SIS data via Student Services Online (SSOL) is provided to students, faculty, and administrators for registration, grades, holds, course/class schedule, account balance, and check availability, as well as for maintaining student academic profiles. Prospective Columbia Students use the related Admissions Online application to access and track their application.

    SIS also includes SIS Desktop Reports (SDR), which provides a variety of reports for admissions, accounts, financial aid, registration, and other student information.

    Features Student bio/demographic data and common code tables (for schools, departments, foreign countries, etc.)
    Admissions processing and tracking
    Financial aid processing and tracking
    Student records: course and class data, registration, grading, rosters, transcripts, certifications, degree audit
    Student accounts: cashiering, tuition assessment, billing, third-party billing
    Housing: applications process, room assignment/selection, housing charges, address updating
    Technology Informs "core" middleware (mainframe)
    Batch: COBOL/CICS (mainframe)
    Online: CICS/VSAM (mainframe)
    Web registration: Crossplex (mainframe)
    Web applications: CGI. C, Sybase Open Client, Apache, Java, Tomcat (UNIX)
    Sybase database (UNIX)
    Reporting: Data Warehouse (UNIX)
    Primary Users All Students and alumni. Also admissions offices (except Business and Law who interface accepted applicants to SIS)
    All school financial aid offices (except Business who interfaces awards to SIS)
    Deans' offices
    Registrar's office
    Student Financial Services
    Departments and Arts and Science construct
    Residence Halls and Institutional Real Estate
    Other administrative offices: Health Services, International Students and Scholars, Dining, and Facilities
    Primary Interfaces Barnard and Teachers College (courses/classes & enrollment)
    Financial Accounting System (FAS) (billing accounting)
    CUIT (enrolled student data for email accounts)
    Controlled access (enrolled students)
    Alumni system (graduated students)
    Accounts Payable (stipend checks and refunds)
    Payroll (taxable stipend checks)
    Tuition Exemption SubSystem (TESS) (taxable tuition exemption)
    Loan data (AFSA)>br /> InfiNet (paper and electronic billing vendor)
    Age Pilot implementation 1991 (course and class processing)
    Student billing, housing, registration in 1992
    Phone applications in 1993
    Transcripts implemented 1994
    Report server, 1995
    Web (SSOL) applications, 1996


    System WebSAF - Salary Accounting Forms on the Web
    Owner Office of the Treasurer and Controller
    Description WebSAF, Salary Accounting Forms on the Web, is a web-based application that allows for the creation, editing, approval routing, and nightly transmission of information for the account distribution on an employee's salary, Fellowship, Scholarship or Traineeship to the Labor Distribution System. WebSAF is an integral part of the enterprise FFE application. Activity on the FFE database for WebSAF is transaction-based. All transactions are retained in history for future reference, as necessary. Additional compensation is routed monthly to PS and LDS.
    Features Effort Reporting
    Account Distribution
    Special Fringe Rate Handling
    Additional Compensation
    For non-Mac users, access via FinSys
    Technology Windows: Internet Explorer
    Windows server: WebSphere/Windows web and application server
    Windows server: Sybase/Windows database server
    Primary Users Office of the Treasurer and Controller
    Departmental business offices
    Auditors
    Primary Interfaces Financial Accounting System (FAS)
    Labor Distribution System (LDS)
    Peoplesoft (PS)
    Age Implemented in 1995
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