Training and Tutorials

Finance and Business Services provides training opportunities to university administrative staff and MPPs pertaining to financial, procurement and payment policies and processes. Training is offered through formal class sessions, via online tutorials or manuals, and in Finance Open Lab.

New Employees - Getting Started

• Step 1: Enroll in a Finance Training Course

  • In order to get access to our financial systems, you will need to complete a finance overview course:

    • Staff must complete FIN101 Introduction to Finance to request Level 1 Create or Level 2 Create+ access.
      
      
    • Managers and Department Chairs must complete FIN201 Finance Overview for Managers to request Level 3 Approval access.

    
    Please submit a request for Finance and Business Services Training.

    You may also be interested in attending our recommended finance training courses.

• Step 2: Request Access to the Finance Systems

  • After your required training is completed, you must submit a Finance Systems Access Request Form .

    You will be prompted to select your desired type of access in FTS. There are four options:

    • Level 1 Create: Allows department staff to create transactions.
    • Level 2 Create+: Allows department staff to create transactions and approve specific types of transactions per the DAAFE guidelines [pdf].
    • Level 3 Approval: Allows managers and department chairs to create and approve transactions.
    • Super User: Allows college or division staff to modify the travel approval routing structure.

    
    Once your approving official has approved the request, it will go to CMS Security and they will grant your access to SJSU's finance applications.

• Step 3: Request a ProCard and/or GoCard

  • If you are responsible for purchasing goods and services for your department, you can submit a ProCard/GoCard Application Form [DocuSign] to request a university-issued procurement card.

    1. ProCard is a credit card that can be used to procure a wide variety of low dollar items, office supplies, and limited services.
    2. GoCard is a credit card that can be used to prepay travel-related expenses related to authorized university travel.

    
    The ProCard and GoCard Program Coordinators will provide a program overview before issuing your card(s).

• Step 4: Subscribe to the FinanceConnect Blog

  • All employees with financial responsibilities should subscribe to the FinanceConnect Blog to get updates regarding Finance policy and process changes.

    1. Go to the FinanceConnect Blog.
    2. Look for the Subscribe button on the bottom right of the page.
       
    3. Enter your SJSU email address.
    4. Click on “Subscribe me!”
• Step 5: Become Familiar with our Policies and Guidelines

  • Finance and Business Services maintains university policies and guidelines related to financial activities. Employees should refer to the Finance and Business Services' Policies and Guidelines when making financial or purchasing decisions for their department.

• Step 6: Browse Resources and Ask Questions

  • Additional resources are available to employees:

    1. Review our Finance Tutorials for step-by-step instructions on finance tasks.
    2. Attend our Finance Training Courses to gain in depth knowledge about our systems.
    3. Attend a Finance Open Lab session for 1-1 assistance with Finance guidelines and processes.
    4. Contact FinanceConnect at financeconnect@sjsu.edu or 408-924-1558 for questions about Finance policies/guidelines, processes, or finance applications.

Learn about our Finance Systems

San José State University has four applications for financial activities. You can access them via the university's app portal at one.SJSU.edu.

• FTS (Financial Transaction Services)

  • FTS is used for:

    • Communicating a purchase request to Contracts and Procurement Services for goods and services.
    • Sending a Direct Payment, Employee/Student Reimbursement, or Travel Reimbursement voucher request to Payment Services.
    • Submitting an authorization to travel for business.
      Transferring budget and expense between chartfields.
      Paying another campus department for services received.
    • Approving purchase/payment requests and transfers.
    • Adjusting a processed payroll expense.
    • Requesting a Change Order for an open purchase order or requisition.
    • Submitting your signed ProCard and GoCard reconciliation statement to Payment Services.
• CFS (Common Finance System)

  • CFS is used for:

    • Checking the status of purchasing or payment request.
    • Reviewing and downloading your monthly statement reconciliation for purchases made with the university's ProCard or GoCard.
• CFS Data Warehouse

  • CFS Data Warehouse is used for:

    • Managing purchase order encumbrances.
    • Projecting budget needs with year-by-year expenditure reports.
    • Monitoring and reconciling your department’s financial activity.
• CSUBUY

  • CSUBUY is used for:

    • Ordering a variety of tangible items from online storefronts (including Staples and Amazon) using the university ProCard.
    • Getting California State University (CSU) negotiated contract pricing on a wide-range of products.
• PaymentWorks

  • PaymentWorks is used for:

    • Onboarding new suppliers by collecting tax and banking information.
    • Verifying business details against third party sources.
    • Providing invoice and payment information to our suppliers.

Finance Training Courses

In order to access our financial systems, employees must complete the required finance introduction course. You can also take our recommended courses, which provide step-by-step instructions for specific financial activities.

• Requesting Finance Systems Training
  • Please review the course descriptions below before requesting Finance and Business Services Training.
• Required Courses for Finance Systems Access

  • FIN101 Introduction to Finance

    Required for Level 1 Create and Level 2 Create+ system access

    This course provides an overview of SJSU policies regarding the departmental acquisition of goods and services and finance management, as well as information about support and services provided by Finance and Business Services.

    FIN201 Finance Overview for Managers

    Required for Level 3 Approval system access
    

    Request Finance and Business Services Training

    This course provides an overview of the Approving Official's fiscal role and responsibilities, the financial systems used to request and approve transactions, and finance policies and guidelines.

• Recommended Courses

  • FIN102 ProCard Program Overview

    [Restricted to ProCard applicants]

    This course provides an overview of the ProCard program for new cardholders. The course will cover SJSU's ProCard Manual and explain the responsibility of the cardholder to ensure purchasing transactions are in compliance with state and federal laws. This course does not cover any auxiliary ProCard programs.

    FIN103 GoCard Program Overview

    [Restricted to GoCard applicants]

    This course provides an overview of the GoCard program for new cardholders. The course will cover SJSU's GoCard Manual and explain the responsibility of the cardholder to ensure travel transactions are in compliance with state and federal laws. This course does not cover any auxiliary GoCard programs.

    FIN104 Requisition and Vouchers

    This course provides instruction on how to navigate the Financial Transaction Services website to create and edit Requisitions, Direct Payments, and Employee/Student Reimbursements.

    FIN106 Finance Data Warehouse

    This course provides an introduction to the Finance Data Warehouse, which is used by departments to run financial reports. This course provides instruction and hands-on practice in navigation, creating reports, types of reports, and understanding the information displayed in reports.

    FIN107 Budget and Expense Transfers

    This course explains when to use expense and budget transfers and demonstrates how to enter transfer journals in Financial Transaction Services (FTS). This course is recommended for users who requested Level 2 system access.

    FIN108 HR Expense Adjustments

    This course instructs users on how to correct the chartfields for a prior month paycheck that has been posted within this fiscal year. This access is usually limited to one user within a division/college.

    FIN202 ProCard/GoCard Overview for Approving Officials

    This course is intended to give Approving Officials an overview of the ProCard and GoCard programs and explain how to review monthly statements and check for fraudulent activity.

    FIN301 ProCard/GoCard Reconciliation Workshop

    View ProCard/GoCard Workshop Schedule

    This is an informal drop-in workshop for anything related to ProCard/GoCard. New and current cardholders are encouraged to attend a workshop when they need assistance or have questions about the ProCard/GoCard.
    
    The first 30 minutes of the workshop will provide an overview of the reconciliation process. Afterwards, the workshop is open for cardholders to ask questions or seek assistance in completing their reconciliation.

    ProCard/GoCard Overview for Approving Officials

    This is a video presentation and is intended to give Approving Officials an overview of the ProCard and GoCard programs and explain how to review monthly statements and check for fraudulent activity. The ProCard Coordinator will contact the Approving Official on when course needs to be completed. 

    Defensive Driving

    This workshop reviews safe driving techniques through video, lecture, test, and personal experience. It fulfills the California State University driver training requirements. All state employees who frequently drive state vehicles should attend and successfully complete the Defensive Drivers Training Program at least once every four years.

Finance Tutorials

Finance and Business Services Open Labs

FABS Open Labs are informal sessions where personnel from Finance and Business Services are available to answer questions from department users who have access to SJSU's finance systems. We can help with a number of topics, including:

1. Understanding procurement and finance policies and guidelines
2. Entering Requisitions or Travel Authorizations/Reimbursements in FTS
3. Ordering from CSUBUY
4. Running or reviewing CFS Data Warehouse reports
5. Managing PO encumbrances
6. Completing a PO Change Order Request
7. Recording Receipts and Inspections
8. Uploading PO Invoices in e-Invoice
9. Reviewing PO/Requisition information in CFS
10. Checking payment status for a PO Invoice, Direct Payment voucher or Reimbursement voucher
11. Navigating the Finance website

Please note that Opens Labs do not substitute the required training for getting access to our Finance systems (CFS, FTS, and CFS Data Warehouse) or to the ProCard/GoCard.

Open Lab Schedule July - December 2024

Unless noted, sessions will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the following dates:

• Friday, July 26, 2-4pm
• Friday, August 9, 2-4pm 
• Friday, August 23, 2-4pm
• Friday, September 6, 2-4pm
• Friday, September 20, 2-4pm
• Friday, October 4, 2-4pm
• Friday, October 18, 2-4pm
• Friday, November 1, 2-4pm
• Friday, November 15, 2-4pm
• Friday, December 13, 2-4pm

No reservation is needed, just login and join us via Zoom with your questions.

In addition, we have posted all Open Lab sessions in our FABS Fiscal Year Calendar for your reference and to add to your calendar as a reminder!