Frequently Asked Questions

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For assistance with RF Report Center, email customerservices@rfsuny.org or call (518) 434-7222. 

RF Report Center Principal Investigator (PI) and RF Activity Interface Reporting (RFAIR) Dashboard Quick Reference

The table below identifies the most frequently requested information from the RF Report Center PI and RFAIR dashboards. Identify the question you want answered in the first column, and follow the application navigation in the second column to retrieve your answer. The third column provides you additional information, tips, and guidance.

 

If you want to find…

Then go to…

Additional Information

How much money is left on the award xxx?

or

What is the balance on the award xxx?

Principal Investigator > My Grants Tab > Award portlet.  Select either View Direct (default), or Indirect, or Direct and Indirect.  Scroll to the right to see the view’s available balance column. 

RF Activity Interface Reporting (RF AIR) > APT Inquiry Tab > Award Inquiry.  Enter the award number and click the apply button.  Scroll to the right to see the available balance column. 

The result set for the Principal Investigator displays by default all the active and at-risk awards.  If interested in a specific award, enter the award number in the Award Number drop-down list and click the apply button.

The RF AIR Dashboard defaults to all award status types.  Like the Principal Investigator, the results can be displayed by the same view options.

How much money is left in a specific budget category?

Principal Investigator > My Grants Tab > Award folder.  Select either View Direct (default), or Indirect, or Direct and Indirect.  Based upon the view selected, scroll to the right to display the available balance column.  The blue hyperlink allows you to drill from the available balance dollars to the detail expenditures.

RF Activity Interface Reporting (RF AIR) > APTInquiry Tab > Award Inquiry> enter award number select apply button.  Scroll to last column on the right to see the available balance. Then drill-down on the available balance dollars to see the details per specific budget categories.

Your entire list of active and at-risk awards will be returned.  If you are interested in a specific award, enter the award number in the parameter and click the apply button.

What is the project number associated with my award number?

Principal Investigator > My Grants Tab > Award Administrative Inquiry, Enter award number, click OK.  Drill on award number to display all the award information, including the project number(s), financial data, and award reports.

RF Activity Interface Reporting (RF AIR) > Administrative Inquiry Tab > Award Administrative Inquiry. Enter the award number, click OK.  Drill-down on award number to display all the award information as identified above under Project/Task Funded Information. 

Once the Award Information window displays, scroll down to the Project/Task Funded Information to find the project number. 

When does my award terminate?

Principal Investigator > My Grants Tab > Award Administrative Inquiry.  Enter award number, click OK. 

RF Activity Interface Reporting (RF AIR) > Administrative Inquiry Tab > Award Administrative Inquiry. Enter award number, click OK.   

  

Look to the right and the Award End Date column appears. 

Drill-down from the award number to view more detail and the award end date, under the Award Administrative Information heading, appears in the right-hand column. 

 

If you want to find…

Then go to…

Additional Information

How much has been spent on award xxx?

Principal Investigator > My Grants > Award. Enter award and click apply button, Select one of 3 views:  Direct, Indirect, Direct and Indirect. Based on the view selected, scroll to the column that shows total expenditures.  The view also displays % spent.

RF Activity Interface Reporting (RF AIR) >APT Inquiry > Award Inquiry.  Enter the award number and click OK.  Based on the view selected, the total expense appears on the right hand side. You can also review the % spent.

 

How much money is left on a purchase order?

Principal Investigator > Tracking Purchase > Open Purchase Orders.  Enter a PO number, click Apply.   The return set details the remaining balance.

RF Activity Interface Reporting (RF AIR) > Purchase Order Inquiry > Open Purchase Orders with Active Encumbrance.  Enter the PO number and click OK.  The remaining PO balance displays.

On both dashboards, more than one search option exists to limit your return data set.  For example, you can enter the PO number, or an award number, as well as many other parameters.

Do I have any open purchase orders on an award with balance funding that can be disencumbered to use?

Principal Investigator > Tracking Purchases > Open Purchase Orders.  Enter PO number, click Apply.  The remaining balance is returned.

RF Activity Interface Reporting (RF AIR) > Purchase Order Inquiry > Open Purchase Orders with Active Encumbrance.  Enter the PO number and click Apply. The active encumbrance amount is displayed.

On both dashboards, multiple search options exist to better target your results. For example, purchase order numbers, award numbers, as well as many other criteria exist. 

What is the status of my purchase requisition?

Principal Investigator > Tracking Purchases > Open Requisitions by Award/Project/Tasks. Enter either Award, or Project, or Task. Requisition number is not an input parameter. Click Apply and the query results, identifying the Requisition Number and Description, will display the encumbered as well as the requisition amount. 

RF Activity Interface Reporting (RF AIR) > Requisition Inquiry> Requisition Inquiry.  Enter the Requisition number and click OK.  The requisition number, its status, amount, and encumbered amount are displayed. 

Caution The dashboard will only display purchase requisitions from those campuses using the Oracle Purchasing Requisition functionality. 

How can I determine if my purchase order has been paid?

Principal Investigator > Tracking Purchases> Open Purchase Orders.  Enter PO number, click apply.  The amount billed column to the right shows the remaining balance.

RF Activity Interface Reporting (RF AIR) > Purchase Order Inquiry > Open Purchase Orders with Active Encumbrance.  Enter the PO number click OK.  Information regarding the encumbered amount as well as the remaining active encumbrance will appear. 

On both dashboards, multiple search parameters exist to further refine your results. 

How can I determine how much has been paid on a Purchase Order?

Principal Investigator > Tracking Purchases > Open Purchase Orders > Enter PO number.  Click Apply.  The Purchase Order, tied to the award, identifies the detail purchase line items and the remaining active encumbrance.

RF Activity Interface Reporting (RF AIR) > Purchase Order Inquiry > Open Purchase Orders with Active Encumbrance.   Enter a PO number, click OK.  The data include PO related information, including encumbered amount, amount billed, and remaining active encumbrance.

On these dashboards, multiple search options exist to restrict your return set, including PO number, award, and project.

How can I determine if a check has been issued to vendor?

Principal Investigator > Tracking Purchases > Vendor Invoices by Award/Project/Task.  Enter the vendor name and the date range, which is required.  In the answer set, drill-down on the invoice number to see the payment number and payment status detail.

RF Activity Interface Reporting (RF AIR) > Accounts Payable Inquiry > Accounts Payable Payment Inquiry.  Multiple search parameters can be entered, none is required.  Enter the vendor name and click OK. The query will retrieve the payment detail.

If your search returns no data, ensure that the award number has not defaulted to a specific value. 

The default sort for the RF Activity Interface is check number, then vendor name.  If you want to see the checks by vendor, move the column to the left to change the sort order. 

How can I determine when a vendor payment was made?

Principal Investigator >Tracking Purchases > Vendor Invoices by Award/Project/Task. Input the vendor name and date range.  When the result set appears, drill on the invoice number in the Accounts Payable Invoice Payment Method column to see the payment details.

RF Activity Interface Reporting (RF AIR) > Accounts Payable Inquiry> Accounts Payable Payment Inquiry.  Enter the vendor name and the dates (optional), all the payment information will display. 

 

Where can I see if a vendor cashed a check payment?

Principal Investigator > Tracking Purchases > Vendor Invoices by Award/Project/Task.  In this example, enter the vendor name and date range (required).  Click Apply.  From the data returned, drill on invoice number in the Accounts Payable Invoice Number column to see the payment number and payment status.  Click return to return to the previous page. 

RF Activity Interface Reporting (RF AIR) > Accounts Payable Inquiry Tab > Accounts Payable Payment Inquiry.  Enter vendor name and date range, click OK.  From the data returned, surf through the table to obtain your payment details.  From the lengthy return set in RF Active Interface Reporting, be as specific as possible on your input parameters. Review payment Status Column for payment status.

The payment status of reconciled indicates that the vendor cashed the check. 

Where can I access the monthly award summary information?

Principal Investigator > Monthly Summary> Monthly Award Summary Reports.  Enter award number and a month end.  Click Apply.  The monthly summary report will be returned.  Click the PDF icon on the far right hand column and the report will open.

RF Activity Interface Reporting (RF AIR) > Monthly Summary Inquiry> Month Award Summary Reports.  Enter the award number and month end date. The monthly summary report displays the following data:  month end date input, award number, PI, Award Name, etc.  Click on the PDF icon on the right to view the report.

Be aware of other defaults in the search parameters.  00000, for example, in the Award Number is a valid search parameter, but will likely return an empty result set. 

Where can I see payroll charges to balance accounts for a portfolio?

Principal Investigator > Tracking People > Tracking People Search. Input parameters and the required full month dates, for example 01/01 to 01/31. From the returned data set, identify the relevant award information, the expenditure type, and dates. 

RF Activity Interface Reporting (RF AIR) > People Inquiry > People Payroll Distribution.  Enter the search criteria for the information you require. Click OK.  With the result set, use the drill-down capability to view labor distribution detail, payroll encumbrance shortage detail, and others. 

 

Where can I go to see if a person was paid for the summer?

Principal Investigator > Tracking People > Tracking People Search. Input parameters and the required full month dates.  From the returned data set, you identify the award information as well as the expenditure type and dates. 

RF Activity Interface Reporting (RF AIR) > People Inquiry > People Payroll Distribution.  Enter the search criteria for the information you require. Click OK.  With this result set, you have drill-down capability to view labor distribution detail, payroll encumbrance shortage detail, as well as other financial details.

You can search on employee number and many other criteria.  In this example, search on expenditure category:  Salaries and Wages Summer

 

Didn't find the information you were looking for?

Contact

  • Your campus sponsored programs office for award specifics

RFReportcenter@rfsuny.org for suggestions to improve this document