Conversion starts with taking a copy of legacy data as of a specified date, and saving that copy into a separate database that can still be accessed via a special conversion login account.  This copy is referred to as the legacy snapshot.  For a list of conversion snapshot dates for each cycle, please refer to the Data Validation Overview - Getting Started guide on this topic.  

There are a series of programs that read the legacy snapshot data and create a set of 'Extract' files.  The data in those files are loaded into PeopleSoft staging tables using conversion programs that read a set of cross-walk tables to convert the legacy distribution values to PeopleSoft Chartfield values.  The converted data is then loaded into ctcLink, and a process is run to create journals representing opening balances and monthly activity.  The journals are posted to the General Ledger, where validation occurs.

General Ledger validation will cover opening balances for the current fiscal year for all Assets, Liabilities, and Fund Balances. It will also include monthly balances for all Accounts as of the date of the legacy snapshot.

The Validation Results and Feedback are due NO LATER THAN on the last day of the Data Validation Period. It is strong recommended that issues are reported EARLY in the validation period and are not held until the end of the period. Validation Results and Feedback are for reporting closure of the college's validation activities for the conversion cycle. To view a list of the validation periods please refer to the timeline topic in the Data Validation Overview - Getting Started Guide.

Questions regarding these data validation activities can be directed to Andy Palm or Christyanna Dawson.

These General Ledger balances are converted into PeopleSoft through a four-step process:

1. Legacy GL Extract  The GL Extract Program gets data out of FMS and formats it
2. PeopleSoft GL Upload  GL Upload Program takes formatted extract data and stages it
3. PeopleSoft Journal Generation  Staged GL data is picked up by Journal Generation, producing new Journals in PeopleSoft
4. PeopleSoft Journal Processing  New Journals are posted, and balance are reflected on General Ledger reports in PeopleSoft

This work is done in two parts: one part extracts beginning balances and a second part extracts the transactional data that happened throughout the year.  Together, these two parts produce the detailed transactional data that will be converted into PeopleSoft.  It’s also important to note that no historical GL data is being converted.  

While the conversion approach for the data elements identified above, were followed, it’s possible that some provided data was not directly converted for the purpose of this conversion effort.  Additionally, it’s possible that some information will appear differently than the way it was provided.  Here is a list of these kinds of items to keep in mind while you’re doing your data validation:

• In many cases, our Legacy accounting values are being changed into different PeopleSoft equivalents. For example, our 4-digit alpha-numeric Organization Index values are being translated into 5-character alphanumeric Departments in PeopleSoft, or at colleges that utilize the Program Chartfield, the 5-character Department + the 5-character Program. You can find more information on the different PeopleSoft Chartfields and from where their values are derived, in the “GL Extract Overview” document on  DG5 Finance Conversion Information on Canvas or DG6 Finance Conversion Information on Canvas.
• There are several instances where our Legacy accounting values are put through a crosswalk to get to the correct PeopleSoft equivalent value.  Values that you see in Legacy reports, in the Legacy GL Extract File, and in PeopleSoft Journals may not be directly comparable without factoring in these crosswalks.
• In instances where the Org Index value in the extract was not found in the crosswalk, the department was defaulted to CNV19.
• You will only see one Operating Unit value in the extract files for your college.  Remember that this value is also run through a crosswalk (the ORG_INDX to OU/Dept/Program crosswalk), and the Operating Unit value that actually appears in PeopleSoft will be based on that crosswalk, not on what’s seen in the extract files.  
• Converted General Ledger balances will appear on Commitment Control reports or inquiry screens. Budget checking was set to Track with budget, which means Commitment Control budget entries were made related to the conversion journals with zero dollar amount means the operational budget lines were created from converted General Journal lines with zero dollar budget amount. This will be the case at go-live.
• Any transaction line requiring a project was converted with a Project ID beginning with 0000003xxx (six zeros, then 3), and an Activity ID that begins with ACTx.

One cornerstone of a successful implementation is a valid conversion of legacy data.  For the General Ledger conversion, this means validating:

1. the proper data was extracted from the legacy system
2. the data was cross-walked to the proper accounting distribution in PeopleSoft
3. the PeopleSoft journals match the extract cross-walked distributions

Colleges are being asked to review data that was converted from the legacy environment to PeopleSoft.  The goal of data validation is to ensure legacy data was accurately converted into PeopleSoft.  College Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) are included in data validation as a learning experience in navigating the PeopleSoft application, selecting records to review, and reporting issues discovered.

College executives are asked to support the time and effort expended by college SMEs necessary to complete the following:

• Develop a familiarity with navigating the relevant PeopleSoft menus and pages.
• Review selected records, comparing legacy data to the records as converted into PeopleSoft.
• Report issues discovered after careful review of converted data.
• Monitor resolution of reported issues for review in the next conversion testing round.
• Develop an approach for self-managing the data validation and issue reporting process in subsequent rounds of data conversion testing.

Navigation Path: Navigator  General Ledger  Journals  Journal Entry  Create/Update Journal Entries

Follow the Navigation Path to view the journals created from your extracted data.  

1. Click on the Find an Existing Value tab to search for the journals.
2. Click the Clear button to clear the defaulted values on the Search page
3. Enter your Business Unit: WAnnn (where 'nnn' is the college code, e.g., WA140)
4. Enter CNV in the Journal ID begins with box.  All the conversion journals will begin with CNV.
5. Click Search

You conversion journals will be displayed below your search criteria, and you can click on any of them to open the journal.  

Click on the Journal Date column heading to sort the journals by date. The Beginning Balance journals will have a journal date of 07/01 of the current fiscal year. The monthly journals are dated the last day of each month.

The Beginning Balance journal has been modified to be an Adjusting Journal in Period 998 to distinguish them from the monthly journals. You can see the journal type and period on the journal header page.

Click on any field in a row to open that journal.  You will see the journal header page with some tabs across the top.

Click on the Lines tab to view the journal lines.  Use the scroll at the bottom to see more fields.