Report Guide and High-Level Troubleshooting Tool
How to use this guide
Use this guide to run the report, confirm the correct prompts were used, review common anomalies, and determine where additional research may be needed. The guide assumes users have a working understanding of Graduate Fee Authorization, Period Activity Pay, Worktags, and related fiscal review processes for additional details see the full Graduate Fee Authorization section of the Administrative Resource Center (ARC).
1. Purpose and Audience
The Graduate Fee Authorization Activity - OSU report helps college and department fiscal staff review Graduate Fee Authorization activity, identify potential anomalies, and determine where additional research or corrections may be needed.
The report combines Period Activity Pay and journal line data for Graduate Fee Authorization spend categories and organizes the results by worker and position. The primary review question is whether graduate students have corresponding Period Activity Pay and Graduate Fee Authorization activity, and whether the posted amounts appear reasonable for the selected semester, worktags, and position details (FTE, etc).
Report Snapshot
| Report topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Report name | Graduate Fee Authorization Activity - OSU |
| Primary audience | College and department fiscal staff, including Cost Center Managers, Cost Center Accountants, Cost Center Directors, and similar fiscal roles. |
| Best used for | Anomaly identification and follow-up research for Graduate Fee Authorization. |
| Recommended cadence | Twice per semester: once after encumbrances have posted and once after actual Graduate Fee Authorization activity has posted. |
| Key related resources |
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2. When to Run the Report
| Review type | When to run | Use the review to |
|---|---|---|
| Encumbrance review | After Graduate Fee Authorization encumbrances have posted for the semester (Generally 3rd week of the semester). | Verify that graduate students with Period Activity Pay have expected encumbrance activity and identify potential setup, timing, split funding, or worktag issues. |
| Actuals review | After the Graduate Fee Authorization actual posting process has completed for the semester (Generally 9th week of the semester). | Verify that actual Graduate Fee Authorization amounts appear reasonable and have an appropriate relationship to Period Activity Pay and related funding. Research and correct any anomalies. |
Timing Note:
Please see the NewsLink main page to confirm the applicable posting dates before running the report.
3. How to Run the Report
- In Workday, search for Graduate Fee Authorization Activity - OSU.
- Select the report from the search results.
- Enter the required prompts and review optional prompts to narrow results when needed.
- See Prompt Guide below for more details.
- Select OK or Run the report.
After the report runs, review the output using the checklist and troubleshooting sections below.
4. Prompt Guide
Use the prompts to align the report output with the semester, worktags, and ledger you are reviewing. The notes below focus on special considerations for the report prompts.
| Prompt | Recommended use | Key note |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Center Hierarchies | Use when reviewing activity for a cost center hierarchy. | Supports all cost center hierarchies. |
| Worktags | Use to review specific worktags such as Cost Centers, Funds, Programs, or other values. | Does not support hierarchies. |
| Academic Period | Select the semester being reviewed. Include the full academic year when needed for fellowship-related activity. | Important for ensuring the Period Activity Pay and fee authorization population aligns to the intended review period. |
| Period | Select the period in which Graduate Fee Authorization journal activity posted. | Affects journal line data only; it does not filter Period Activity Pay data. |
| Time Period | Generally leave as Current Period unless you intentionally need a broader journal activity range. | Affects journal line data only. |
| Ledger | Select Encumbrances or Actuals depending on the review type. | Use after the relevant central posting process has run. |
| HR Attributes Effective as of Date | Use the semester start date for the academic period being reviewed. | Affects HR attributes derived from Period Activity Pay, such as worker/position-related details. |
5. How to Read the Report Output
| Field or output area | What it shows | Review note |
|---|---|---|
| Worker | The graduate student associated with the Period Activity Pay and/or Graduate Fee Authorization activity. | Blank worker values indicate journal lines that do not include worker information, this is generally the result of manual journals. |
| Position | The position associated with the graduate student as of the HR Attributes Effective as of Date. | Student positions are job management positions; historical data is often not retained for these positions, therefore changes may not be accurately reflected for historical data. |
| Employee/Student ID | The employee ID associated with the graduate student. | If assistance from Student Accounting is needed, they will need this. |
| Position FTE | The FTE associated with the position from Period Activity Pay. | Review when the fee authorization amount appears higher or lower than expected. |
| Position Count | The number of positions identified from Period Activity Pay as of the HR attribute date. | Use to identify additional appointments that may affect fee authorization responsibility and split. |
| Semester Pay from Period Activity Pay | The total semester pay based on Period Activity Pay for the selected semester or academic year. | A red flag may indicate split funding. Use the drill-to report to review the full Period Activity Pay details. |
| Period Activity Pay Count | The number of Period Activity Pay rows identified for the worker/position. | More than one row may indicate setup that needs additional review. |
| Graduate Fee Authorization columns (3 total) | The sum of fee authorization activity by fee type for the selected worktags and ledger. | Review instructional fees, other student fees, and non-resident fees separately. |
| Graduate School Fee Match Activity | Fees posted for the student to the Graduate School through fee match activity. | This amount represents activity charged to the Graduate School rather than the department. |
| Drill-to report links (Accessed via the “drill to” carrot) | Links to related reports with additional supporting detail for the specific row. | Use these links for deeper review of Period Activity Pay, funding, and journal details. |
6. Recommended Review Checklist
Use this section in conjunction with the common anomalies and troubleshooting matrix below.
- Confirm the report was run for the correct academic period, worktags, ledger, period, and HR attributes effective date.
- Review rows with Period Activity Pay but no Graduate Fee Authorization activity.
- Review rows with Graduate Fee Authorization activity but no corresponding Period Activity Pay row.
- Review Graduate Fee Authorization amounts and fee types for reasonableness.
- Review rows where worker or position is blank, since these likely represent manual journal activity.
- Use drill-to report links for additional research before requesting correction or escalation.
- Document unresolved items and work with the appropriate support area and your college fiscal and HR teams to resolve.
7. Common Anomalies and Troubleshooting
Use this section as a high-level troubleshooting tool. Start with the issue you see in the report, then review the common causes, recommended actions, and likely support area. Additional review may be needed depending on the student, appointment, funding, or journal activity.
See the support path information in section 8. Where to Get Additional Help below for additional help.
Scenario 1: Graduate student has Period Activity Pay but no Graduate Fee Authorization posted
Common causes or items to check
- Graduate Fee Authorization posting has not yet run for the semester.
- Period Activity Pay dates do not align with the semester start and end dates.
- Period Activity Pay was not entered before the Graduate Fee Authorization posting deadline.
- The student has multiple appointments, and tuition responsibility may be based on FTE thresholds or fellowship status.
- The student has split funding, and tuition percentage follows the split on Period Activity Pay.
- Worktag restrictions, inactive funding, expired funding, or grant restrictions may have affected posting.
Recommended actions
- Confirm whether Graduate Fee Authorization posting has completed for the semester.
- Confirm that Period Activity Pay spans the full semester.
- Check whether Period Activity Pay was entered before the posting deadline.
- Review additional appointments, FTE, fellowship status, and Period Activity Pay details.
- Compare Period Activity Pay funding to the Graduate Fee Authorization activity using drill-to reports.
- If grant funded, confirm that tuition is allowable on the grant.
- Check whether activity posted to alternate funding, default costing, or FD100.
Scenario 2: Graduate student has Period Activity Pay and Graduate Fee Authorization, but the amount is higher or lower than expected
Common causes or items to check
- The student has multiple appointments.
- Tuition responsibility may be determined by FTE thresholds or fellowship status.
- The student has split funding across multiple funding sources.
- Student enrollment hours were higher or lower than expected.
Recommended actions
- Review all appointments and FTE values for the student.
- Compare Period Activity Pay, FTE, fellowship status, and Graduate Fee Authorization amounts.
- Confirm that the Period Activity Pay split appears appropriate.
- Use drill-to reports to review supporting detail.
- Confirm the student’s enrolled credit hours for the academic period.
Scenario 3: Graduate student has Graduate Fee Authorization, but no Period Activity Pay where the fees posted
Common causes or items to check
- Worktag restrictions, inactive funding, expired funding, or grant restrictions affected posting.
- Activity posted to alternate funding, default costing, or FD100.
- Journal activity does not include worker or position data.
- The transaction may not belong in the selected review population.
Recommended actions
- Review Period Activity Pay funding and journal detail.
- Check whether activity posted to a different worktag combination.
- Confirm whether the transaction belongs in the selected academic period, ledger, and worktag population.
- Use drill-to reports to research the related funding and journal activity.
Scenario 4: The report is missing a graduate student who was expected to appear
Common causes or items to check
- Report prompts may not match the expected academic period, worktags, ledger, period, or HR attributes effective date.
- Period Activity Pay may not have been entered before the Graduate Fee Authorization posting deadline.
- The student may not have enrolled in time.
- The student may not have enrolled in the required number of credit hours.
- The student may not meet credit hour eligibility for the selected academic period.
Recommended actions
- Confirm the report prompts first.
- Confirm whether Period Activity Pay was entered before Graduate Fee Authorization posting.
- Confirm enrollment timing and credit hour eligibility.
- If prompts and source setup appear correct, escalate for review.
8. Where to Get Additional Help
If an issue cannot be resolved through report review and drill-to research, route the question based on the likely cause. Replace the placeholders below with the final support contacts before publication.
| Question type | Suggested support path |
|---|---|
| Graduate Fee Authorization posting, or fee authorization amount questions | Rachel Ford in Student Accounting, ford.469@osu.edu |
| Graduate Fee Authorization eligibility, posting questions related to eligibility, exceptions, and overrides | Graduate School |
| Period Activity Pay setup, appointment timing, or HR attribute questions | HR Connection, or College HR Consultant. |
| Funding, costing, or other payroll accounting questions | College Fiscal Support Team or Payroll Accounting |
| Grant specific questions such as allowable expenses | Office of Sponsored Programs |
| Report access or security questions | Review whether the user has HR Finance Analyst and an appropriate finance role such as Cost Center Manager, Cost Center Director, Cost Center Accounting, Department Leader, or Company Financial Analyst. |