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. Click here a brief explanation for each of the 6 fields.

Quick Reference Table

(All PDF's and Excel sheets open in a new window)

ChartFields Fields Explained

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.

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. 

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. If a unique class code is not used, the class code is “00000”.

Program: A four (4) or five (5) character alpha-numeric value used to identify transactions of university-wide programs. 

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.

Fund Analysis Project

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.

Cross Reference Old and New Account Numbers

Download the PDF or Excel file for "Cross-Ref Old/New Account #'s" shown in the above table. The file contains a listing of changes to expense account numbers.

CSU Fund Definition Chart 

In order learn how certain CSU funds are intended to be used, download the PDF or Excel file listed in the table above entitled "CSU Definition Chart". 

Expense Definition Chart 

In order learn how certain operating expense accounts are intended to be used, download the PDF or Excel file listed in the table above entitled "Expense Definition Chart". 

New Chartfield Additions 

Chartfield requests are submitted to chart_change@listserv.csufresno.edu using your csufresno.edu email address. Requests submitted with your mail.fresnostate.edu email address will result in an error message.

Contact Lora Kutka, lkutka@csufresno.edu, (559) 278-4343 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.