Understand ctcLink Key Terms

Purpose: This pages offers definitions and short explanations of some key ctcLink vocabulary.

1. ctc: Shortened version of the phrase “Community and Technical Colleges” (in the state of Washington). Also known as WCTC.
2. ctcLink: The project that links all community and technical colleges in Washington. It is “…a single, centralized system of online functions to give students, faculty and staff anytime, anywhere access to a modern, efficient way of doing their college business.” [from 9.2 PeopleSoft Fundamentals]
3. Campus Solutions (CS): The PeopleSoft pillar involving student administration, including admissions, student records, and financial aid. Replaces SMS, FAM, and Degree Audit.
4. Chartfield: Boxes to enter details within some ctcLink pages
5. Chartstring: Budget code
6. ClipperID: Login that uses SPSCC email and password (for functions not in ctcLink)
7. CS Staff Homepage: Campus Solutions tile depending on one’s role
8. Empl ID: Another name for one’s ctcLink ID number. All students, staff, and faculty has one. The ID is the same even if one is working or studying at multiple colleges within the Washington community and technical college system.
9. Employee Self-Service (ESS): This shows as page that offers options for the employee to complete activities. Depending on if the process is through HCM, CS, or FIN, such processes might include reviewing and update their personal data, entering time, requesting absences, or submitting travel authorizations.
10. Elapsed Time: A method of entering time used by classified staff who have a set schedule and are overtime eligible—and do not need to record breaks
11. Enter Time Tile: Tile used to enter hours worked (usually by Elapsed time employees). This tile does not work well with assistive devices.
12. Financial management (FIN): The PeopleSoft pillar supporting financial business processes, including accounting, purchasing, and grants. Replaces the existing FMS. Also known as FM or Financial Supply Chain Management (FSCM)
13. Financials Self-Service: This link offers places for employees to work with expenses and travel authorizations.
14. Go-Live: The first date a college begins using ctcLink as its system of record 
15. Human Capital Management (HCM): The PeopleSoft pillar involving Human Resources, including benefits, payroll, time, absence, and recruiting 
16. HCM Self-Service: This link offers places for employees to work with Time, Payroll, Immunization Attestation, Personal Details, and Benefit Details 
17. Legacy: ctcLink’s way of referring to the old HP system
18. Manager Self-Service (MSS): This shows as page that offers options for managers to approve requests and check other activities/processes as part of their managerial role. Depending on if the process is through HCM, CS, or FIN, such processes might include approving time and absences, checking and changing employee schedules or approving travel authorizations.
19. Module: A group of processes that are related to each other (e.g. Student Records is one module and Admissions is another) 
20. PeopleSoft: The name of the software the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) uses to manage all student (Campus Solutions or CS), human resources (Human Capital Management or HCM), and financial (Finance or FIN) data.
21. Pillar: PeopleSoft (ctcLink) is divided into three pillars: Financial Management (FM), Human Capital Management (HCM), and Campus Solutions (CS). Each of the three pillars contain a number of modules. 
22. Punch Time: A method of entering time used by hourly staff, student employees, and volunteers who need lunch and other breaks
23. Report Time Tile: Accessible time tile used to enter hours worked by either elapsed or punch time employees
24. Requisition: Budget request for a specific item
25. Tile: A collection of navigation links, which looks like a smart phone app