CS LINK

For HR & Financial System Users

User Guide

Table of Contents

What is CS Link?......

Financial System Reports Distributed Through CS Link

HR Reports Distributed Through CS Link

HR 1 Users receive

HR 2 Users receive

FS Report Distribution Schedule

HR Report Distribution Schedule

How to get access to CS Link......

Accessing the CS Link Web Page

Changing your (temporary) password.

CS LinkMain Page

Using CS Link......

Viewing Budget vs Actuals Spreadsheets using Online Query......

In Netscape Navigator

Viewing Budget vs Actuals Spreadsheets using Online Query

In Internet Explorer

Viewing the PO, AP, GL, and HR text reports using View Reports

Report Log Information

Searchingthe Report Archive using Online Query

Deleting a Report

Netscape Navigator Unknown File Type Fix (for Excel)

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California State University, Long Beach


What is CS Link?

  • CS Link allows you to access reports using a standard web browser—Netscape or Internet Explorer.
  • CS Link has automatic Report Delivery and Bursting.
  • Reports are available in a variety of formats: Excel, Word (RTF), PDF.
  • Reports burst by Department, Fund, Program, and Project.

Advantages of Electronic Report Distribution

  • Reports are automatically delivered to all recipients (no wait for manual process to complete or inter-office mail).
  • Electronic documents can be searched, cut-and-pasted into other documents, etc.—flexibility, avoid re-typing information.
  • Report snapshots stored in central managed archive can be accessed from any web browser anywhere/anytime.
  • Reports run only once and one copy stored vs. several people running the same report at the same time.
  • Reports can be viewed online or printed to a local or network printer.

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California State University, Long Beach


Financial System Reports Distributed Through CS Link

As Excel Worksheets:(XLS)

  • Division/Sub Division/Department Budget to Actual Summaries and Detail.
  • Fund/Project/Program Budget to Actual Summaries and Detail.

As text/Word document:(RTF)

  • PO Detail Activity by Department
  • REQ Detail Activity by Department
  • GL Detail Activity by Department
  • AP Detail Activity by Department
  • GL External Interface by Department
  • Budget Detail Activity by Department
  • General Ledger Consolidated Detail Activity Report
  • Open Purchase Order Report
  • Open Requisition Report
  • Other reports may be distributed as they become available

HR Reports Distributed Through CS Link

HR 1 Users receive

  • Salary Data for Regular Positions (on request)
  • HR Expenditure Detail Activity
  • HR Expenditure Projection by Department By EE (on request).
  • Incumbent Position History.
  • Leave Balance Report.

HR 2 Users receive

  • HR Expenditure Detail Activity
  • HR Expenditure Projection by Department By EE (on request)
  • Vacant Position Report
  • Payroll Detail Report
  • Incumbent Position History Report
  • Active Position History
  • Leave Balance Report
  • HR Salary data for regular general fund positions
  • Internal Budget document (on request)

(Other reports may be distributed as they become available)

The HR Reports are available in PDF format except HR Expenditure Projection by Department by EE

which is also available in TXT format.

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California State University, Long Beach


FS Report Distribution Schedule

  • Preliminary reports distributed weekly on Friday.
  • Final Reports distributed after GL period close (around the 8th of each month).
  • Detail Activity Reports are distributed daily.

HR Report Distribution Schedule

  • Reports distributed at GL period close (8th working day of each month).

HR Expenditure Detail Activity, HR Expenditure Projection by Dept by EE, Payroll Detail, Vacant Position Report, Incumbent Position History Report, Active Position History

  • Leave Balance distributed after leave accrual process complete (around the16th of each month).

How to get access to CS Link

Access to CS Link is granted to an employee based on job related reporting needs.

  • To get access to HR Reports submit a PeopleSoft HR System Access Form and Human Resource Confidentiality Form. Check the appropriate boxes and include information about the department(s) you need reports for. Obtain signatures and route to Brotman Hall, Room 358, Attn Budget & HRIS Coordinator. Call 5-2480 if you have questions.
  • To get CS Link access to Finance Reports, submit a Finance System Authority Application to FIS Coordinator, FND-280.

These forms can be found on CMS website

or on the CSULB website

under Procedures and Forms.


Accessing the CS Link Web Page

  • Once your access has been enabled, you will be sent an email with your password.
  • Using a standard web browser, Internet Explorer or the Netscape Navigator , go to the following internet address:
  • The CS Link main page will display, as shown below:

  • HR & Finance system users can currently utilize three functions from the CS Link main page:

Menu Buttons

Change your CS Link Password and viewing Budget Amount vs Actual Reports

View report status, and to retrieve report images in different formats, such as Excel,

Word- RTF, and PDF TXT

Help for system usage

Run reports immediately (not currently available for HR & Finance)


  • Click one of the menu buttons and the log-in box will display.
  • Log in with your user ID (Empl ID) and password (you will receive your temporary password via e-mail)

You must change your temporary password within 2 business days.


Changing your (temporary) password.

  • To change your password select “On Line Query” and “Change User Password” (under CS Link Server)

  • Type in your current password
  • Tab down to the next field, type in your “new” password, tab down and retype the “new” password in the Confirm New Password field
  • Click to save your changes

It is a good practice to change your system password every ninety-(90) days.


CS Link Main Page

After you log in the CS Link Main Page will display, as shown below:


Using CS Link

Viewing Budget vs Actuals Spreadsheets using Online Query

  • These reports show PreEncumbrance, Encumbrance and Expended amounts for the current accounting period and year-to-date. Budget and Budget Balance Available are also included. These reports are available in Excel.

Note: The Division Summary Report and Sub Division Summary Report are available only for users with division or subdivision level access. The users with departmental level access will just see the Departmental Summary Report.


  • Select Department Reports.
  • Select fiscal year and period and click submit.


  • Click on the desired report link to view it in Excel or download it for editing.

Report is subtotaled by Fund and provides Account Rollup reference with balances by account.

Report is subtotaled by Fund with balances by Account Rollup (Node).

Report is subtotaled by Fund and provides Account Rollup reference with

Program balance breakdown by Account.

Report is subtotaled by Fund and provides Program balance breakdown by

Account rollup (Node).

Report is subtotaled by Program and provides Account Rollup reference with

balances by Account.


In Netscape Navigator

Viewing Budget vs Actuals Spreadsheets using Online Query

  • Click on the desired report link to view it in Excel or download it to save on your local or network drive.
  • Click on the desired report link to view it in Excel or download it for editing.


If you receive this message

when trying to open an excel file through Netscape Navigator, follow the instructions on pages 23-24.

This is a one-time procedure that will fix the problem.

In Internet Explorer

When using Internet Explorer you will receive the following message after you click on the desired report:

Click “Yes”.

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California State University, Long Beach


Viewing the PO, AP, GL, and HR text reports using View Reports

  • Click on “View Reports” if you have new reports you may get a pop up message.


  • All reports that are in process or completed will display. The most current report will be listed first.

Note the Status column. Status values include: R = running, P = pending, F = finished,

E = error.


  • The “View Reports” inbox will appear.
  • Click on the desired format from the links displayed in the Formatcolumn. The available formats are:

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language): This format will display your report as a web-page in an

Internet Browser. This format is recommended for viewing only. If you print from here the one page document will print on two pages.

RTF (Rich Text Format): This format will display your report using a word processing

program such as a MS Word. This format is recommended when you want to print the report.

No formatting is necessary.

TXT (Text): This format will display your report as a text file using programs

such as Notepad or TextPad, or if opened in Excel, can be formatted as and Excel spreadsheet.

ZRTF (Zipped Rich Text Format): Once created, your RTF report will be ‘zipped’

and will require an ‘unzipping’ software such as WinZip to access the file.


  • The report can be saved or printed from Word or Internet Explorer’s file menu.


  • Clicking “PDF” will download the report to Adobe Acrobat.
  • The report can then be printed using Acrobat’s file menu.


Report Log Information

  • You may view a specific report log to gain information about when the report was created, by whom, the

parameters selected, and the file size.

  • Click the link from the Action column

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California State University, Long Beach


Searching the Report Archive using Online Query

  • In “On Line Query” click on “Retrieve Archived Reports”


  • The reports matching the query will be displayed for download
  • All security filters are in effect when the archived report is downloaded
Archive report links work exactly like view reports links

These dates are the dates when the report was run, not the report parameters. If you would like to see

the report ending May 31st you should enter June 15th in the “To Date” box to receive the desired report.

You can let the dates default and then select the report for the period you are looking for.


Deleting a Report

If you no longer need to maintain a list of reports that have been run, they can be deleted from your View Reports box. Follow the steps to delete a report:

  • Select the report(s) you want to delete by checking the check box
  • Click button. This will delete the report from your inbox, but not from archive. The is currently holding all reports since inception of CS Link.

Who to contact if you do not receive your reports, or have questions

about using CS Link?

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California State University, Long Beach

  • Financial Reports – FIS Coordinator at 5-4959, email:
  • HR Reports – Budget & HRIS Coordinator at 5-2480, email:

Netscape Navigator Unknown File Type Fix (for Excel)

Select /
Select /
Locate your file.
If you don’t know where it is, click each time to move up until you see :
/
Double-click /
Double–click /
Select /
You should then do this
Select /
You can now either or
This should be the only dialog box you will see the next time you want to open an Excel file from Netscape Navigator. /

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California State University, Long Beach