A Project Glossary
Click on the letters below to navigate to Glossary sections.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
Above-the-line: Services best provided to students face-to-face, in person by a person, on a campus. (Student Services term)
Academic Advisement: One of eight segments comprising Campus Solutions (Student Administration Services) module. (Student Services term)
Academic Career: Groups academic work taken by a student at an institution into one record. A career can be considered a studen'ts primary path or purpose for attending an institution (undergraduate studnet, graduate student, non-degree student). Depending on the Academic Career, applicants are eligible for specific Academic Programs, Plans, and Sub-Plans that fall underneath the career. (Student Services term)
Academic Group: Colleges and schools that make up an Academic Institution as a whole. (Student Services term)
Academic Institution: Units that operate as completely separate universities and colleges. (Student Services term)
Academic Plan: Identifies the field of study or curriculum a student has chosen to pursue within his/her Academic Program. Can be defined as Majors, Concentrations, Minors, Programs, Honors. Plans are associated with either an Academic Career or an Academic Program. (Student Services term)
Academic Program: Generally equates to "college" in ISIS. Students are admitted to and graduate from Academic Programs. Students can be active in multiple Academic Programs across multiple Cqareers. Students establish a Primary Academic Program for each Academic Career in which they are active. Academic Programs at one institution may be defined entirely differently than at another institution. (Student Services term)
Academic Structure: One of eight segments comprising Campus Solutions (Student Administration Services) module; basic framework established before other segments can run. (Student Services term)
Academic Sub-Plan: Is directly associated with an Academic Plan and can be used to represent further specialization in a specific area of study or curriculum (i.e. concentration). (Student Services term)
Account: A required five-digit ChartField. Compare to "Object Code" in FAST system. (Financial term)
Account Activation Key: String of characters used with the MaineStreet ID or the EMPLID to activate the UMS Account.
Accounts Payable Module: Financials module implemented in July 2005. (Financial term)
Accounts Receivable Module (Non-student): Financials module implemented in August 2006. (Financial term)
Admissions and Recruitment: One of eight segments comprising Campus Solutions (Student Administration Services) module, implemented in July 2006. (Student Services term)
Alternate User ID: User ID that can be entered in an Approver's System Profile to whom Work Items will be forwarded for a specified period of time. (Financial term)
Approval Chain: Levels of approval that may be required for a requisition. (Financial term)
Approver Role: A person assigned this role has the authority to approve requisitions, travel authorizations, cash advances, etc. (Financial term)
B
Below-the-line: Services considered "back office" that do not need to be done at a student's campus (e.g. billing, loan collection, data entry). (Student services term)
Billing Module: Financial module implemented in August 2006. (Financial term)
Bio-demographic (bio-demo) data: Basic information about an individual, including name, address, telephone number(s), email address(es), gender, ethnicity, etc. (General term)
Budget Check: Automatic process applied to approved requisitions and to purchase orders. Budget check of a requisition creates a pre-encumbrance against the ChartField Combination(s) used in the requisition. Budget check of a purchase order changes the pre-encumbrance into an encumbrance. (Financial term)
Business Process: Written descriptions of steps to be followed to accomplish a specific business-related task; e.g. "How to Enter a Requisition," "How to Create a Request for a Quote," "How to Add Phone Numbers to a Person's Record." (General term)
Business Unit: A required five-digit ChartField. Each university is a Business Unit. (Financial term)
Campus: Individual administrative unit and location that is part of an Academic Institution. In general, a Campus is a separate physical entity that operates as an administrative unit or provides a dedicated function for an Institution. (Student Services term)
Campus Community: One of eight segments comprising Campus Solutions (Student Administration Services) module, implemented in July 2006. (Student Services term)
Campus Solutions: Oracle/PeopleSoft's term for its Student Administration Services software module. (Student Services term)
Career: Equates to "level" (undergraduate/graduate) in ISIS: undergraduate, graduate, law, and non-credit. (Student Services term)
Cash Advance: Travel and Expense document that requests funds to cover costs incurred during travel. (Financial term)
Chart of Accounts: Foundation of an accounting system. The Chart of Accounts is composed of informational fields (see "ChartFields") that provide the basic structure for financial transactions. (Financial term)
ChartField: Component within Chart of Accounts. Each ChartField provides key information related to a financial transaction. Eight primary ChartFields are used by the Financials system: Business Unit, Department, Account, Class, Fund, Program, Project, Operating Unit. (Financial term)
ChartField Combination (or String): ChartFields joined together in various combinations to tell the system specifically what to record about each financial transaction. Replace what were FAST accounts in legacy system. (Financial term)
Class: An optional two-digit ChartField. It is user-defined and enables the user to further qualify the account on the transaction (e.g. advertising costs by newspaper: Kennebec Journal, Bangor Daily News, Portland Press Herald). (Financial term)
Component: A group of related pages.
Contracts Module: Financial module implemented in August 2006. Will manage entire lifecycle of contract, including internal and external input. Integrates with Projects, Billing, and General Ledger. (Financial term)
Contributor Relations: Manages constituent data for both current supporters and prospects.
Department: A required seven-digit ChartField. Tracks information according to organizational structure within each Business Unit. (Financial term)
Discoverer: A reporting tool very similar to Microsoft Excel. Information is organized into a workbook consisting of one or more worksheets or reports created and saved together. Each worksheet within a workbook has a specific function and controls how data are displayed. (General term)
Dispatch: The process of transmitting a purchase order to a vendor. The dispatch process runs automatically several times daily. Each requisition specifies how the corresponding purchase order will be dispatched: printed and mailed, by FAX, etc. (Financial term)
Distributions: A requisition includes at least one set of ChartField data. The ChartField Combinations are called distributions.
Document Imaging/Document Management: Managing paper documents by imaging (scanning) them into an electronic system, then indexing and filing the electronic versions for future retrieval and use by approved end-users, then appropriately disposing of the paper documents. (General term)
Drill Down: Return to original source of transaction through various hyperlinks on screens.
Dynamic Group: A group of employees who are time reporters in the same department or with the same supervisor; dynamic group members may belong to different workgroups; e.g. in a facilities department a dynamic group might include an administrative associate, an engineer, and a painter. (Time and Labor term)
Effective Dating: A means of capturing data for a given field over a period of time. For example, on MaineStreet self-service screens, a record of all address changes and their effective dates is retained, unlike in DSIS, where the old address is written over when the new one is entered. (Student Services term)
EMPLID: The unique seven-digit number provided to employees; to be used with the Account Activation Key to activate the UMS Account. The EMPLID is used internally within MaineStreet to identify employees.
Employee Update Newsletter: A four-page periodical produced from 2003 through late 2006 to provide information to employees about the PeopleSoft implementations. Replaced in December 2006 by News from MaineStreet.
ERP: Enterprise Resource Project. The use of technology (hardware and software) to integrate the information from all areas of an organization. Information is entered once into a database and shared throughout the organization.
ERP Sponsors Group: See Organizational Chart.
ERP Steering Committee: See Organizational Chart.
Expense Report: Travel and Expense document that provides details regarding expenses after trip or purchase. (Financial term)
Expense Type: Within the Travel and Expenses module, the description of the expense category (e.g. Out-of-State Conference Fee, Out-of-State Lodging, Prepaid Conference Fee, Prepaid Transportation, Supplies and Materials). (Financial term)
Expenses Module: Financial module partially implemented in July 2005. When fully implemented, it will allow employees to enter travel-related and other expenses for reimbursement on-line. Also called Travel and Expenses. (Financial term)
F
FAQ: Frequently asked question.
FAST to GL Translate Tool: Provides ChartField Combination that replaces a FAST account. (Financial term)
Final Approver Role: A person assigned this role reviews a Journal Entry after it has been reviewed and approved by one or more Reviewers. If approved by Final Approver, the Journal Entry is marked for posting. (Financial term)
Financial Aid: One of eight segments comprising Campus Solutions (Student Administration Services) module, to be implemented in January 2009. (Student Services term)
Financial Management: Module implemented July 5, 2005 (Phase 1).
Fit/Gap Process: A careful look at an administrative computing system and how it works, to determine
1) what "fits" with the way we do business, and
2) where the "gaps" are between how we do business and how the new system works.
During the fit/gap process, a team of specialists determines whether the gaps can be filled by changes in how we conduct business, or whether minor software modifications are required.
Fund: A two-digit ChartField, used for financial reporting. Varies based on different types of Projects and Programs. (Financial term)
G
General Ledger: Central financial database with built-in accounting, budgeting, financial analysis, and reporting features. (Financial term)
General Ledger Inquiry Role: People assigned this role have access to GL Inquiry pages only. (Financial term)
GL Inquiry Pages: A web-based report of General Ledger activity.
Go-live: That moment in time when a new module is first made available online for end-users.
Grants Module: Financial module implemented in July 2006. (Financial term)
Guiding Principles: A set of guidelines adopted by the University of Maine System presidents that guide decisions made by the ERP Implementation Project. Includes Project Operating Principles.
H
HRMS: Human Resources Management System.
I
Inquiry Role: People assigned this role view requisition, purchase order, invoice, and receiving data. (Financial term)
Interactive Design Prototype (IDP): New, improved "fit/gap." Specialists and subject matter experts look for fits and gaps as well as actually designing and populating data tables and setting up programs as they proceed; a prototype of the final system is the result. (General term)
J
Journal: A PeopleSoft accounting entry entered online, or input from a feeder system (payables, receivables, asset management, and so on) to the general ledger. (Financial term)
Journal Entry: Replaces what were called "Journal Vouchers" in FAST system. Journal Entry can be done through Excel spreadsheets or on-line in Financials. (Financial term)
Journal Entry Approval Role: People assigned this role approve and mark journals for posting, and review journal/ledger data. (Financial term)
Journal Entry Header page: General information within a journal including description, ledger group, source, and common descriptor information. (Financial term)
Journal Entry Using Excel Role: People assigned this role enter journals via Excel worksheets. (Financial term.)
Journal Lines: Detailed information within a journal including ChartField Combinations, amounts, processing options. (Financial term)
Just-in-Time Training: Training on any given task that is offered as closely as possible to the actual time when a user will begin using the new system to accomplish that task.
Legacy Systems: The computer software structures that have evolved over the years in the University of Maine System; e.g. FAST, ISIS, Financier, that are being replaced by Oracle/PeopleSoft modules.
MaineStreet ID: The unique seven-digit number provided to an applicant (or new student) in the adknowledgement letter; to be used with the Account Activation Key to activate the UMS Account. In October 2009, this term was replaced by Student ID.
MaineStreet UMS: The name given to online access in the University of Maine System.
Match Exception: Created when the purchase order, invoice, and receiving information do not match when the matching process is run in Accounts Payable. (Financial term)
Match Manager: Allows the user to view and take action on any match exceptions in Accounts Payable. (Financial term)
Matching: Automatic process that compares a voucher to its associated purchase order and shipment receipts. (Financial term)
n/Vision Reports: Powerful reporting tool used to deliver reports specific to UMS needs. Functions much like Excel. (Financial term)
National ID: MaineStreet term for Social Security Number. (Student Services term)
Navigation Pages: An alternative means to access components within a menu folder. (General term)
O
One-Stop [Center]: A location on a campus where current students can access a number of services in the same place, at the same time (e.g. sign promissory notes, drop or add classes, get or request transcripts, apply for financial aid, pay bills). (Student Services term)
Operating Unit: Optional three-digit ChartField. Can be used with Department to indicate a location, such as a center or campus within a Business Unit. (Financial term)
Oracle: The software company that procured PeopleSoft in December 2004.
Originator: Enters, edits, and submits Journal Entries. Or, in Travel and Expense area, enters and submits required documents. (Financial term)
P
Page: Display and data entry screen.
Page Element: An icon, link, or button with a standard use that appears on pages. For example, the calendar button can be used on many different pages to select a date.
Pagelet: A small chunk or region of a web page that has a single topic or functionality.
Password: User-generated string of at least six characters used in conjunction with the Username to log in to electronic services such as MaineStreet, Blackboard, WebCT, computer clusters, et al.
Pay Cycle: How frequently you are paid, e.g. bi-weekly (every two weeks) or monthly. (HR term)
Payable Time: Term used once the time administration process has been run against the reported time. (Time and Labor term)
Payables Module: Financial module implemented in April 2005. Centralizes all purchasing processes in an on-line system. (Financial term)
Payables Role: People assigned this role will manage voucher entries with control groups, voucher entries for purchase orders, recurring vouchers, voucher maintenance, void checks/stop payments, and manual payments. (Financial term)
PDF Format: A file format created by Adobe (www.adobe.com) to facilitate electronic transfer of formatted files. For example, reports may be generated in PDF format by the financial management system. (General term)
PeopleSoft: The name of the administrative computing software product (and company) chosen for use in the University of Maine System. The company is now called Oracle. (General term)
PeopleSoft Reports: Built-in reports customized to meet UMS financial reporting needs. (Financial term)
Plan: Generally equates to terms "major" and "minor" in ISIS. See "Academic Plan." (Student Services term)
PO Voucher: A transaction created to pay an invoice related to a purchase order. (Financial term)
Portal: A pass-through into an administrative computing system that allows a user access to multiple databases with only one sign-on.
Position Management: Tool used to maintain information on every authorized employment position in UMS and funds committed for that position, regardless of whether the position is filled or vacant. Implemented in October 2004.
Pre-Pay Auditor: In the Travel and Expenses workflow process, the Pre-Pay Auditor provides final approval of Cash Advances and Expense Reports before processing by Accounts Payable. (Financial term)
Program: A sometimes-required five-digit ChartField, used to track expenses and revenues pertaining to gifts, endowments, loans, and other sources of funds that need to be tracked across multiple departments or programs. (Financial term)
Project: A seven-digit ChartField, required for all capital projects, grants and contracts, and any other projects with specific begin/end dates or that cross fiscal years. (Financial term)
Projects Module: Financial module implemented in July 2006. Provides online management of the various inputs to a project (time and labor, procured material, subcontracts, et al.) (Financial term)
Purchase Order: End result of an approved Requisition. Purchase Orders are automatically created from approved Requisitions.
Purchasing Module: Financial module implemented in July 2005. Centralizes all purchasing processes in an online system. (Financial term)
Q
Query: A limited-access reporting tool that allows a user to create simple, ad hoc reports.
R
Reassign: Approvers may reassign Work Items to another User ID. (Financial term)
Receipt: A record of a shipment received from a vendor. Entered into the Financial system by someone in the Receiver role. (Financial term)
Receiver Role: People assigned this role will enter information into the system when goods or services are received. (Financial term)
Reference: Allows each line of a Journal Entry to refer back to a document, person, invoice or other piece of information helpful in tracking the source of the Journal Entry line. Consists of up to ten alpha/numeric characters. (Financial term)
Reference Number: Located on Journal Entry header. Enables Originator to refer the Journal Entry back to a document, person, invoice, or other piece of information helpful in tracking the source of the Journal Entry. Consists of up to eight alpha/numeric characters. (Financial term)
Reported Time: Time entered by time reporters and managers. No rules have been applied and no processing done on the time data as yet. (Time and Labor term)
Requester: Same as Requisitioner. (Financial term)
Requisition: A request for a purchase. (Financial term)
Requisitioner Role: People assigned this role enter requisition information, and have access to Match Manager. (Financial term)
Reviewer: (Usually a supervisor) Reviews Journal Entries and determines whether to approve or deny. (Financial term)
Role: A job title that assumes certain job responsibilities and processes. (General term)
S
Sandbox (database): A practice system available to end-users who have undergone training in specific areas. Allows supervised practice of real-life functions. (General term)
Search Match: Powerful tool used to determine whether a person is in the database. (Student Services term)
Self-Service (Employee): Tasks employees can now do for themselves online in MaineStreet (reporting time, maintaining personal information, viewing checks and history, maintaining payroll information).
Self-Service (Student): Tasks current students and applicants can do for themselves online in MaineStreet (e.g. checking status of application, changing bio-demo data. (Student Services term)
Service Indicator (negative or positive): Appears on Student Services Center page and on prospect and application pages as star icon (positive) or slashed circle (negative). Negative service indicators equate to "holds" in ISIS. Positive service indicators can be used to indicate other information about a student, e.g. "student athlete" or "Dean's List." (Student Services term)
Shared Processing Center: A UMS office where back-office functions will be centralized over time, including (but not limited to) receiving and processing of admission applications (data entry, imaging, indexing, document disposition), handling loan collections and receivables, verifying immunization, processing student billing. (Student Services term)
SME: Subject matter expert.
SSTP: Student Services Transformation Project. An ongoing process redesign effort by the SSTP Core Team to examine current processes and technology used by UMS institutions in all areas of Student Services Administration, and to recommend improvements thereto.
Speedchart: A template used to automatically distribute an expense to a set of ChartField Combinations in Purchasing and Accounts Payable. (Financial term)
SpeedType: A template used to automatically enter ChartField values on a Journal Entry line. (Financial term)
Student Financials: One of eight segments comprising Campus Solutions (Student Administration Services) module. (Student Services term)
Student ID: In Campus Solutions, the EMPLID is referred to as the Student ID. (Student Services term)
Student Records: One of eight segments comprising Campus Solutions (Student Administration Services) module. (Student Services term)
Sub-plan: Equates to the term "concentration" in ISIS. See "Academic Sub-Plan." (Student Services term)
T
Template: Several pre-built templates are available when setting up a Travel and Expenses document; they help to narrow options to specific categories while completing the document. (Financial term)
THESIS (Transforming Higher Education Student Integrated Services): UMS project to redesign student services processes and organization, in support of Strategic Direction 7. (Student Services term)
Three-Way Match: The invoice, purchase order, and receiving information all match in Accounts Payable. (Financial term)
Time Administrator: A person who reviews, clears up exceptions, and enrolls employees in Time and Labor. (Time and Labor term)
Time and Labor: HRMS module in which time worked and leave data for all employees are recorded and processed.
Time Approver: A person who reviews and approves payable time on a weekly basis. The Time Approver may request that time reporters make corrections. (Time and Labor term)
Time Manager: A person who enters time for a group of employees. (Time and Labor term)
Time Period: The period of time shown on a Timesheet. Time Period runs from Sunday to Saturday, and does not equate to Pay Period. (Time and Labor term)
Timesheet: The PeopleSoft page on which hourly or punch-time employees enter hours worked. Also the page on which employees paid monthly enter their annual leave or disability hours taken. (Time and Labor term)
Translate Tool (FAST to GL): Web-based tool used to look up FAST and ChartField Combination information: enter FAST account to obtain associated ChartField Combinations, or enter ChartField Combinations to obtain associated FAST account. (Financial term)
Travel Authorization: Travel and Expenses document that provides details about proposed travel and anticipated costs. (Financial term)
Tree: The name of a hierarchy or reporting structure. Trees are used to organize ChartField data, to set up security, and to create summary reports. (Financial term)
Tree Node: An individual item on a tree that summarizes a group of ChartField values or other nodes that logically belong together for reporting purposes. (Financial term)
Tree Leaf: A leaf defines a detail value attached to a Tree Node. It can be an individual ChartField value or a range of ChartField values. (Financial term)
UMS Account: The combination of a UMS Username and password for the purpose of connecting to and using electronic services provided by UMS and its institutions, such as modem pools, MaineStreet, and email access.
UMS Email Address: Takes the form of username@maine.edu. Official University System-related messages are sent to this address.
UMS User ID: Term is slowly being phased out, replaced by UMS Username. Generally takes the form of john.doe. Is always paired with a password. (General term)
UMS Username: A string of text that is part of the UMS Account and that identifies the user. It is used with a password to connect to and use electronic services. The UMS Username is usually name-based, often firstsname.lastname.
V
Vendor: A company or person from whom we order goods or services. There is one list of vendors in the Financial system; each vendor is assigned a vendor ID. (Financial term)
Voucher: An invoice that has been entered into the system is then considered a voucher. (Financial term)
Webapp: Online application used by prospective students to apply to any institution of the University of Maine System. (Student Services term)
Work Item: A requisition as it appears on an Approver's Worklist. (Financial term)
Workflow: The automation of the approval/denial/recycle process in Financials (e.g. Journal approval) that passes work from one participant in the process to the next. Rules are set up that determine workflow paths. (Financial term)
Workgroup: A set of time reporters who share compensation requirements such as pay frequency, union, work location; e.g. police, federal work-study students, salary- exempt employees. (Time and Labor term)
Worklist: Automated to-do list created by Workflow that enables you to view tasks requiring your attention. You receive automatic email when a new task has been added to your Worklist. (Financial term)
May 2010