Accounting Services
ChartFields
Chart of Accounts consists of 6 fields when combined define specific ChartField string. ChartFields are required to define the appropriate funding source for transactions and are used in procurement, budgeting, month-end reporting and labor cost distribution at Fresno State. A brief explanation for each of the 6 fields can be found under the "Chartfields Explained" tab below.
Quick Reference Table
(All PDF's and Excel sheets open in a new window)
| Name | Excel | Last Updated | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account | Download | Download | 08/29/23 |
| Fund | Download | Download | 08/29/23 |
| Department | Download | Download | 08/29/23 |
| Class | Download | Download | 08/29/23 |
| Program | Download | Download | 08/29/23 |
| Project | Download | Download | 08/29/23 |
| Cross-Ref Old/New Account #'s | Download | Download | 07/01/18 |
| Cross-Ref Old/New Fund #'s | Download | Download | 07/01/22 |
| Cross-Ref Old/New Dept #'s | Download | Download | 09/14/23 |
| Expense Definition Chart | Download | Download | 02/26/18 |
| CSU Fund Definitions | Download | Download | 08/05/22 |
A chart of accounts is stored In PeopleSoft. This information is used to categorize transactions and budget data. You can record a transaction by project, class, fund or any number of categories in a ChartField. The University uses six (6) fields called ChartFields. All six (6) fields together is called a ChartField string. Note: Zeros are now invalid chartfield values for department, program, class and project codes. Do not enter zeros on forms. Please leave those fields blank unless there is a unique value used in the chartfield string.
Account: A six (6) character alpha-numeric value which identifies the type of activity and is a required field on all transactions.
- Asset accounts – Begin with the number “1"
- Liability accounts – Begin with the number “2"
- Equity accounts – Begin with the number “3”
- Revenue accounts – Begin with the number “5”
- Expense accounts – Begin with the number “6”
- Fund: A five (5) character alpha-numeric value which identifies the source of funding and is a required field on all transactions.
Department: A five (5) character alpha-numeric value which identifies the campus department responsible for the transaction. This value is a required field on all revenue (5-xxxxx) and expense (6-xxxxxx) transactions. Note: zero is an invalid chartfield value.
Class: A five (5) character alpha-numeric value used to track specific activity. This value is a required field on all revenue (5-xxxxx) and expense (6-xxxxxx) transactions. Note: zero is an invalid chartfield value.
Program: A four (4) or five (5) character alpha-numeric value used to identify transactions of university-wide programs. Note: zero is an invalid chartfield value.
Project: A six (6) to fifteen (15) character alpha-numeric value used to capture additional information useful for project and grant accounting and tracking transactions. Projects and grants have specific beginning and ending dates. Note: zero is an invalid chartfield value.
Item Codes: Codes used in the CASHNet module to associate payments with the appropriate student account or to record deposits in the general ledger. Item codes are mapped to chartfields consisting of appropriate account, fund, department, program, class and project codes and thus determine how cash receipts and deposit information is transferred to the general ledger.
Item Types: Codes used in the Oracle PeopleSoft Student Financials module to define all of the unique actions seen in student accounts such as tuition deposits, financial aid payments, waivers, application fees, interest charges, and refunds. Item types are mapped to general ledger accounts and thus determine how student account information is transferred to the general ledger.
In fiscal year 2017-2018, a committee was formed to define the types of activities to be reported in the various fund types to provide consistent reporting between the 23 campuses and the Chancellor’s Office. As a result of this project, campuses are required to eliminate CSU 543 and 544 fund types and align activity in other funds by June 30, 2019 pursuant to direction from the Chancellor's Office.
Therefore, Accounting and Budget staff worked with key stakeholders in various departments to evaluate activity in all 485xx, 496xx, 543xx and 544xx funds. As a result, some funds were combined or closed as appropriate. However, the majority of funds analyzed were assigned new fund numbers and were set up for use in PeopleSoft.
This change required Item Codes, Item Types, Payroll and Purchase Orders using the old fund to be updated. Accounting worked with Cashiering and Student Accounts to change the chartfield on item codes and item types, respectively. Departments worked with the Budget Office to change payroll chartfields and with the Procurement Office to change chartfields on Purchase Orders, Procard and Staples.
Trust Fund Approval Forms for the new fund number also need to be submitted. Please click “Revised”, enter the new fund number and include “This fund is replacing Fund xxxxx” in the first section of the form, “Purpose of the Fund”.
The form is located at My Fresno State>Forms Portfolio> Electronic Forms>Finance>Trust Fund Approval.
Accounting worked with departments on journals to transfer account balances from the old fund to the new fund. Old funds were inactivated and the project was completed on June 30, 2019.
The Fund Crosswalk for this project is located on the Accounting Services website, Cross-Ref Old/New Fund #'s.
Please contact Lora Kutka (lkutka@csufresno.edu) in Accounting Services if you have any questions.
Chartfield requests are submitted to chart_change@mail.fresnostate.edu.
Contact Cherie Weber, cweber@csufresno.edu, (559) 278-4144 in General Accounting for questions regarding changes to or the establishment of new ChartFields for Account, Fund, Class, Program or Project. Contact Pam Lewis, paml@csufresno.edu, (559) 278-5295 in Budget for questions regarding changes to or the establishment of Departments.