Getting Started at Chicago

These are suggested action items for you to complete during the first several weeks as a new employee with business and financial responsibilities. Completing these tasks will help you gain the basic understanding and knowledge you will need in your new role.

Learn the Basics

• Familiarize yourself with the organizational structure of University Administration, your Campus Administration, and the Office of Business and Financial Services (OBFS). Review the following information:
  • University Administration (UA)
  • Chicago Campus Administration
  • About OBFS
  • Organizational Charts for UA and the Campuses
• The fiscal responsibilities stated on your job description may be reflected in one or more of the roles and responsibilities listed on the Roles and Responsibilities page of the OBFS website. Find the roles and responsibilities applicable to you and review the information, which includes resources to help you fulfill them.  
• Gain a basic understanding of the University's main finance system (Banner) by taking the online, self-paced course FN100: Finance Systems Overview. Of special interest is the introduction (in Lesson 5) to the University’s Chart of Accounts used by Banner to capture transaction data, facilitate retrieval of information, and manage financial reporting.  
• The University uses several other systems and applications to process transactions and retrieve information. For a high level description of applications related to business and financial responsibilities, review the list of applications on the Web Sites and Applications page of the OBFS website.

Find Networking Opportunities

• Become a member of the UIC Business Managers Group. The purposes of the UIC Business Managers Group are to:
  • facilitate communication and understanding of various changes to policies and procedures impacting UIC units and departments,
  • provide access to valuable training, tips and tools,
  • address and understand issues of concern to Business Managers about UIC campus and OBFS policies, procedures and other matters.

To become a member of the UIC Business Managers Group, send a request to your respective Academic Fiscal Officer (AFO). Additional questions and concerns can be sent to Nicole Williams at 312-996-5082 or nicole2@uillinois.edu.

• The office of the Executive Assistant Vice President for Business and Finance is an important point of contact to help you in your new role and offers opportunities to participate in various advisory committees. Their phone number is 312-996-2860.

Make sure you…

• Contact your Department Unit Security Contact (USC) to get access to the systems you will use to perform the tasks you have been assigned. To learn more about application access and identify your USC, go to Get Access to Enterprise Applications. You will need to set up your Enterprise login ID and password to access the page to identify your USC or request access.
• Review the OBFS Curriculum Guide to select the appropriate training courses for your role, and register for training as appropriate.
• Sign up for announcements at the OBFS News Center.

Bookmark These References

• The Office of Business and Financial Services (OBFS) website
  This site is an important resource that supports the business and financial operations of the University and assists units in their daily operations. The OBFS website includes access to:
  • The OBFS Training Center
    Information on types and availability of courses, webinars, materials, and other training resources to meet needs for training, knowledge and understanding of the OBFS systems, policies, and processes.
  • The OBFS Policies & Procedures Manual
    Policies and procedures to follow when conducting University business and financial activities.
  • OBFS Business Forms
    OBFS forms organized by subject area and Banner-related forms.
  • University Accounting and Financial Reporting Frequently-Asked Questions
    Contains several categories of questions and answers related to general ledger, property accounting, and financial reporting issues.
  • The Banner Alerts & Resources Page
    Contains resources for users of Banner Finance/Payroll and other OBFS systems including system notices, calendars of events, information toolkits and lists of reports.

• The Guide to Banner Finance Forms and the Guide to Banner and Other Human Resources and Payroll Forms
  Information to help you identify the appropriate forms to use according to the tasks you need to accomplish in the Banner system.
• The Decision Support (DS) website
  DS supports the University by managing the data warehouse, providing data access, supporting staff report development, and providing data education and training.
• Academic Computing & Communications Center (ACCC)
  ACCC offers computing and communications resources and support for the instructional and research needs of the UIC campus and community.

We are here to help you

If you are unable to find the answers to your questions, please call or email Nicole Williams in the Office of the Executive Assistant Vice President for Business and Finance:
809 S. Marshfield Ave., Room 611 (MC-078) - Chicago, IL 60612
Phone: 312-996-5082 / Fax: 312-996-6005 / Email: nicole2@uillinois.edu

Last Updated: February 6, 2012