Learn the ins and outs of KFS

Included in pages listed on the right are tips and tricks to make your KFS processing as efficient and easy as possible.

If you have a tip that isn't listed, contact us and let us know!

General Navigation

Browser:

• Make sure you are using a supported Internet browser.

Appearance:

• Use a screen resolution of 1280 X 1024 if you wish to minimize horizontal scrolling of the documents.
• Text too small on the screen? Use the Ctrl and + keys on your keyboard to make the display larger.

Navigation & Selection:

• Use the buttons provided in Kuali; using Internet browser buttons can cause errors.
• Use the Tab key on your keyboard to move from one field to the next.
• Don't click on a button multiple times. This will cause the query to be run again and can result in a processing delay.

Search:

• Most lookup screens allow for the use of wildcards. The asterisk (*) wildcard represents all other characters and can be entered before and after the search text. The only lookup screen that does not allow for the use of wildcards is the Person Lookup. The fields on the Person Lookup automatically assume wildcards; simply enter a portion of the text you wish to search against.
• When using the lookup screens, do not use special characters, such as "!" or other characters. Search against other known text in order to locate the data you are searching for.
• Principal Name refers to the user ID of the person that you wish to enter/perform a search against.

Entering Data:

• When entering a date, click on the provided calendar icon to do a lookup and save data entry time.
• When an Add button is provided, you must click on it in order for the data to be validated and accepted by the system. If you receive the error message "Errors Found in this section" without any fields highlighted, it is most likely because the Add button has not been clicked.
• When entering data in free-form fields on a document, including the Description field in the Document Overview section of each document, avoid using quotation marks or other non-alphanumeric characters. In some cases, the quotation marks can be read as a “command” in Excel and cause display issues if running reports in FIS Decision Support and returning results to a spreadsheet. For example, a double quotation mark causes Excel to lump everything after the quote into ONE cell! If copying and pasting information that includes quotation marks or any other special character, we recommend removing them before submitting your KFS documents. 
• To reactivate an attribute (e.g., sub-account, sub-object, project code, etc):

1. Search for the attribute on the applicable search screen
2. Click on the Edit link of the code that you want to re-activate
3. Check the Active box on the document in order to reactivate the code

Working on/Editing Documents:

• If required to enter a document type, and you want to see all document types, enter KFS as the document type.
• Working on a document for more than 10 minutes? We recommend clicking on the Save button periodically at the bottom of the document to save your work. This will ensure that you won't "lose" your document if there is a power outage or network interruption.
• Need to add more detailed information to a document? You can add a note at any time to any document, even one that is already in routing or one created by another user. For your convenience, the Notes tab will indicate a number in parentheses next to the tab title to indicate how many notes have been added to the document.
• Need to change or cancel a document you just submitted? Some KFS documents have a RECALL button at the bottom of the document that allows a user to return the document to their Action List. Please note that you cannot use the RECALL functionality after the document has been approved by the Fiscal Officer.
• Need to reverse an incorrectly-processed financial transaction document? Click on the Error Correction button at the bottom of a fully approved financial transaction document you previously created, and a brand-new document will be created with the same data entered but with reverse financial signs.
• Create the same types of financial transactions documents frequently? Click on the Copy button at the bottom of a financial transaction document you previously created, and all of the information will appear in a brand-new document. Save data entry time and avoid typos, too!