CruzPay Frequently Asked Questions

System Access

I am a new employee, how do I access CruzPay?

Information about CruzPay is sent to users via UCSC Google Email (@ucsc.edu email addresses) as they become eligible to use CruzPay to enter their hours. Users access CruzPay with their CruzID Gold credentials to access their CruzPay accounts. If you do not know your CruzID Gold password, the ITS Help Desk can assist you at help@ucsc.edu or 459-4357.
If you are a new or rehired employee and attempt to login to CruzPay before your account is active, you will receive the following message:
It usually only takes a few days for a user’s account to be ready once their job has been entered in the UCSC payroll system. If you have any questions about how to record your hours in the meantime, your Timekeeper will be able to assist you.

What will my CruzPay User ID be?

Your CruzPay User ID is your CruzID. It is the first part of your UCSC Google Email address before the “@ucsc.edu”. You can find more information about CruzIDs at http://its.ucsc.edu/accounts/cruzid.html. If you do not know your CruzID, the ITS Help Desk at help@ucsc.edu or 459-4357 will be able to assist you.

What will my CruzPay password be?

Users access CruzPay with their CruzID Gold credentials to access their CruzPay accounts. If you do not know your CruzID Gold password, the ITS Help Desk can assist you at help@ucsc.edu or 459-4357. More helpful CruzID Gold information is available here.

I don't have an @ucsc.edu address or CruzID. How do I access CruzPay?

All UCSC employees are assigned a CruzID within their first month of hire. Even if you receive email through a departmental mail server (e.g. sammy.slug@garden.ucsc.edu) you are still assigned a CruzID.
For example, Sammy Slug's official UCSC email address is sslug@ucsc.edu, so his CruzPay User ID is sslug. Sammy can continue to use his sammy.slug@garden.ucsc.edu account for email, but he should set up an automatic forward from his sslug@ucsc.edu account to his garden account. More information can be found here: https://ucsc.service-now.com/kb_view.do?sysparm_article=KB0015672
If you do not know your CruzID, the ITS Help Desk at help@ucsc.edu or 459-4357, will be able to assist you.

I am told I should be using CruzPay, but I haven’t received my account information at my UCSC Google Email account. How do I access CruzPay?

The following criteria must be met before you are eligible for a CruzPay account:
1. Your position is eligible for CruzPay (for confirmation contact your Timekeeper).
2. The UCSC payroll system (PPS) has been updated with your current information (for confirmation contact your Timekeeper).
3. You have been issued a CruzID and have claimed your CruzID Gold credentials. If you do not know your CruzID, you may search for it using the Campus Directory or by contacting the ITS Help Desk at help@ucsc.edu or 459-4357. If you do not know your CruzID Gold password, the ITS Help Desk can assist you at help@ucsc.edu or 459-4357.
If you would like to check on the status of your CruzPay account, please contact cruzpay_help@ucsc.edu.

CruzPay-related emails go to my Spam/Junk/Bulk Mail folder, how can I prevent this?

Email clients and user settings vary from workstation to workstation, and sometimes CruzPay emails (and other campus communications) get marked as "Spam," "Bulk Mail" or "Junk." If you are concerned about missing emails from our office (including automated reminders), there are a few measures you can take.
1. Routinely review your spam folder and mark emails as "not spam/junk/etc" if they are incorrectly directed there.
2. Add the email addresses etas_office@ucsc.edu, cruzpay_system@ucsc.edu and cruzpay_help@ucsc.edu to your address book.
3. Visit the UCSC ITS webpage for tips and best practices for using UCSC Google Email: https://its.ucsc.edu/google/gmail.html.

What browsers are supported?

Please refer to the System Requirements page for more information on supported operating systems and web browsers.

What is my password and how can I change it?

If you do not know your CruzID Gold password, the ITS Help Desk can assist you at help@ucsc.edu or 459-4357. More helpful CruzID Gold information is available here.

I’ve lost my password. How do I reset it?

If you do not know your CruzID Gold password, the ITS Help Desk can assist you at help@ucsc.edu or 459-4357.

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Roles and Responsibilities

What is a timekeeper and how do I find out who mine is?

Your timekeeper is the person responsible for approving and processing your timesheets. You can locate your timekeeper by visiting: Find Your Timekeeper.

If my supervisor changes, how will CruzPay get updated?

Your timekeeper can update CruzPay with the correct supervisor information and should be made aware of changes within your unit. If you, or your supervisor, are not able to view your employee’s timesheets you should contact your timekeeper right away so they can make the necessary changes. Find Your Timekeeper.

Some of my employees do not appear in my approval screen and/or some of the listed employees do not report to me, how can I fix this?

Your timekeeper will be able to update CruzPay with the correct information and should be made aware of changes within your unit. Find Your Timekeeper.

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Time Entry

Timesheet Submittal and Approval

To ensure accurate and timely pay, it is important for employees to submit their timesheets and for supervisors to approve their employees’ timesheets - on time.
As a reminder, the regular Employee Submittal and Supervisor Approval deadlines are:
Employees

Monthly timesheet submittals are due on the last calendar day of the month.
Biweekly timesheet submittals are due on the last Saturday of the pay period.

Supervisors

Monthly timesheet approvals are due no later than the second calendar day of the month.
Biweekly timesheet approvals are due no later than 10:30am on Monday following the pay period.

Email Reminders

Employees and supervisors will continue to receive email reminders when it is time to submit and/or approve timesheets.
Email Reminder Schedule
Biweekly employees Submittal
Timesheet submittals are due on your last workday each pay period; Friday or Saturday, depending on your schedule. If your timesheet is unsubmitted, you can expect to receive up to three submit reminders on the following schedule:
- WEDNESDAY (3 days prior to the end of the biweekly period)
- FRIDAY (1 day prior to the end of the biweekly period)
- SATURDAY (last day of the biweekly period)
Monthly employees Submittal
Timesheet submittals are due on your last calendar day of the month. If your timesheet is unsubmitted, you can expect to receive up to two submit reminders on the following schedule:
- 2 days prior to the end of the calendar month
- Last day of the calendar month
Supervisors of Biweekly employees Approval
Timesheet approvals are due on Monday (following the biweekly pay period), at 10:30am, at the latest. Supervisors with unapproved timesheets can expect to receive up to two approval reminders on the following schedule:
- SUNDAY (1 day after the end of a biweekly period)
- MONDAY (2 days after the end of the biweekly period)
Supervisors of Monthly employees Approval
Timesheet approvals are due 2 days after the end of the month. Supervisors with unapproved timesheets can expect to receive up to two approval reminders on the following schedule:
- 1 day after the end of the calendar month
- 2 days after the end of the calendar month
How do I record my hours?
- Non-Exempt staff and student employees need to record actual hours worked and/or leave taken to the nearest ¼ hour (15 minutes) for each day worked. Exempt employees only record leave taken in whole-day increments based on their scheduled hours for the day.
Why does CruzPay need my schedule?
- Schedule information is a system requirement for employees and gives CruzPay the ability to perform accurate calculations and provide informational messages to employees and timekeepers that assist in time reporting. For example, if your schedule is 10hrs/day, Mon-Thurs, and you inadvertently enter sick time for Friday, the system will display a message asking you to correct your entry. If your schedule has changed you should contact your timekeeper to have it updated.
I am a student employee, why don’t I have a schedule listed?
- CruzPay schedules are not currently required for student employees and are not used to verify hours in the system. Your timekeeper can assist you if you have questions regarding scheduled hours.
  Find Your Timekeeper
I am a staff employee and I work a variable schedule. Will CruzPay require me to change to a more standard schedule?
- No. The schedule set for you in CruzPay should be as close as possible to your regular schedule. If you enter time worked or leave taken for a day/time which doesn't match your CruzPay schedule, the system will present you with an informational message and in no way stops you from entering time on that day. If the entry is correct, no action is necessary. CruzPay will not impose any changes in the way you and your supervisor manage your schedule.
How do I change my schedule?
- You and your supervisor should work with your timekeeper to ensure your schedule is entered in CruzPay as close to your regular schedule as possible.
  Find Your Timekeeper

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Accruals

Bank Balances and Accruals

UCPath is the system of record for bank balances, like Vacation, Sick, and PTO. Also, UCPath calculates accruals, like Vacation, Sick, and PTO accruals.

When do I see accruals in CP?

Every pay period your CruzPay bank balance and accrual information will be updated to reflect your most up-to-date UCPath bank and accrual information. If you see the message ‘Accruals have not yet been posted’ on your CruzPay timesheet, you know that bank and accrual updates from UCPath are still underway.

Can I access my vacation and sick leave accrual information in CruzPay?

Yes. CruzPay receives routine feeds of leave accruals from UCPath, the system of record. Leave accrual information can be accessed through the Time-Off Balances screen on your timesheet. Should you have a question about your accruals, please contact your timekeeper.
Find Your Timekeeper
The Time-Off Balances tab displays the accrual bank information. The totals consider any accruals used or earned time during the current period; showing the initial and ending balances for the period.

The accrued row will contain accrual info. In the screeenshot example, 4.6160 hours of vacation leave that was accrued in the previous 10/12 pay period, and which can be used in the current pay period ending 10/26.

Are holidays calculated by CruzPay?

Yes. CruzPay includes policy and bargaining agreement holiday parameters (pay rules) behind the scenes to ensure holiday hours are calculated correctly. To determine eligibility, the system will look at hours reported during the appropriate look-back period, apply policy and contract pay rules to calculate applicable holiday hours.

What happens during campus curtailments? Can I borrow against my vacation bank?

It depends on your job specifications. As is the current practice, any vacation eligible position may borrow up to three (3) days of vacation during a UCSC curtailment period. We have designed a special pay code (Vacation Curtail) to report vacation hours during curtailments, which will allow your vacation balance to go negative. As always, once you go negative you are unable to use further vacation time until you have accrued a positive balance.

When will my accruals show up for future periods so I can plan ahead?

CruzPay no longer calculates accruals and therefore no longer projects accruals into future periods. UCPath is the system of record for accruals.

Why does my converted beginning balance not seem to match my ending balance in CruzPay Archive?

In December 2019, balances and accrual information were converted from CruzPay Archive to UCPath, and CruzPay, as follows:
Monthly Employees

The last date for which CruzPay Archive was system of record for accruals was 11/30/2019, which includes November accruals.
The final balance from 11/30/2019 (including accruals) was loaded into UCPath, and CruzPay, on 12/01/2019 as the beginning balance for Monthly employees.

Biweekly Employees

The last date for which CruzPay Archive was system of record for accruals was 12/14/2019, which includes the accruals for the pay period ending 12/14/2019.
The final balance from 12/14/2019 (including accruals) was loaded into UCPath, and CruzPay, on 12/15/2019 as the beginning balance for Biweekly employees.

My December 2019 accruals got lost. Why don't I don't see them on 12/31/2019?

Accruals are sent to CruzPay from UCPath once per period and appear on the first day they can be used. For monthly employees, December 2019 accruals (earned in December) appear and are usable on January 1, 2020. For biweekly employees, quadriweekly accruals (earned in the quadriweekly accrual period) appear and are usable on the first day after the quadriweekly period ends.

My accruals from a year ago in CruzPay Archive don't match my accruals for the same month this year.

In 2019 CruzPay was the office of record for accruals and could make instant accrual calculations. As such, accruals appeared on the last day of the period in which they were earned, but could not be used until the first day of the next period.
Example Monthly Employees

CruzPay Archive: February 2019 accruals appeared on 2/28/2019 and were usable on March 1, 2019.
CruzPay: Accruals appear on the first day after the period in which they were earned, and are usable the same day they appear. For example, February 2020 accruals appear on March 1, 2020, and are usable as of March 1, 2020.

Example Biweekly Employees

CruzPay: Quadriweekly accrual period 1/11/2020 accruals appear on the first day after the quadriweekly period ends, i.e. 1/12/2020 and are usable as of January 12, 2020.

CruzPay vs. UCPath – what is the system of record for my accruals?

UCPath is the system of record for leave accruals. CruzPay is used to report time and takes that are then fed to UCPath. CruzPay displays bank balances as reconciled with UCPath once per pay period for the purpose of recording takes. If UCPath performs a mid-period recalculation of bank balances, it will not show up in CruzPay until the next period. If you need help reporting takes on your current timesheet due to the timing difference between CruzPay’s reconciliation of the UCPath official balances, please contact your timekeeper for assistance.

I changed pay schedules (BW to MO) – when will my banks be populated?

It takes a minimum of two accrual periods for bank balances in UCPath to transition between the biweekly (BW) and monthly (MO) pay cycles (or vice versa). The banks are first moved in UCPath, and then fed to CruzPay via the once-per-period reconciliation process. CruzPay does not generate accruals as UCPath is the system of record. If you need to report leave from a bank that is in the process of transitioning between pay cycles and has not yet appeared in CruzPay, please work with your timekeeper.

What are the 0.01 and -0.01 adjustments in my bank?

UCPath is the office of record for leave accruals and balances. Once per period CruzPay is reconciled to UCPath bank balances. Since CruzPay displays balances using two decimals but UCPath calculates accruals in more than two decimals, there may be rounding adjustments of 0.01 or -0.01 as CruzPay matches the current UCPath balance as closely as it can to two decimals.

Beginning and Ending balances – what do they mean?

In CruzPay, “Initial Balance” is carried over from the last pay period and does not yet include accruals earned last period. Accruals earned in the previous period (if any) are sent from UCPath once per period, and appear as a separate entry on the first day of a pay period. They are usable in the period where they appear. “Ending Balance” indicates the remaining leave hours able to be used this pay period, which equals the beginning balance plus accruals, plus (or minus) adjustments from UCPath, and subtracting any takes reported on the timesheet.

What happens to monthly (MO) employees nearing max vacation status?

UCPath is the office of record for leave accruals, the information below outlines what you may see in CruzPay when you are nearing your maximum vacation balance in UCPath.
Monthly employees who are less than one month’s accrual from reaching their maximum vacation balance and have used vacation leave in the previous month should expect to see a temporary partial accrual in both UCPath and CruzPay. Since the vacation taken in the prior month (and visible in CruzPay) has not yet been deducted from the UCPath accrual bank and vacation leave accruals may not exceed the maximum balance, a partial accrual will occur in UCPath. This partial accrual is only temporary. There will be a recalculation the following month when the vacation leave use from CruzPay is recorded by UCPath and the remaining vacation leave can be accrued without exceeding the maximum balance.

Example: The CruzPay screenshot below shows two accruals. The first accrual of 11.42 is a partial accrual calculated by UCPath, as the vacation takes were not yet received. Once the vacation takes were recorded (one month in arrears), UCPath recalculated the accrual and sent the remaining accrual amount of 4.09 to CruzPay.

Monthly employees who are less than one month’s accrual from reaching their maximum vacation balance and have NOT used vacation leave in the previous month should expect to see a permanent partial accrual in both UCPath and CruzPay.

Vacation leave accruals may not exceed the maximum balance. Unless the monthly employee has an approved Max Vacation Exception Request , the remaining accrual will not be credited.

Use of the vacation leave extension bank is required to prevent loss of accruals for those with an approved Max Vacation Exception Request .

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Timesheets

Timesheet Submittal and Approval

To ensure accurate and timely pay, it is important for employees to submit their timesheets and for supervisors to approve their employees’ timesheets - on time.

As a reminder, the regular Employee Submittal and Supervisor Approval deadlines are:

Employees

Monthly timesheet submittals are due on the last calendar day of the month.
Biweekly timesheet submittals are due on the last Saturday of the pay period.

Supervisors

Monthly timesheet approvals are due no later than the second calendar day of the month.
Biweekly timesheet approvals are due no later than 10:30am on Monday following the pay period.

After I save my timesheet is it submitted/locked?

No, saving your timesheet simply saves the information you have entered. You will need to save your timesheet each time you make changes. To submit your timesheet you will need to select the submit timesheet icon next to the save icon.

When does my timesheet lock?

At the end of the pay period, typically your last working day, you will need to submit your timesheet. Once your supervisor or timekeeper reviews your time s/he will lock it in the system via their approval. At that point, should you wish to make further changes, you will need to work with your timekeeper.
Find Your Timekeeper

Can my timekeeper make additional adjustments after I submit my timesheet?

Yes, one of the benefits of CruzPay is that you and your timekeeper can view/discuss your timesheet simultaneously. Keep in mind if changes are made to your timesheet after initial approvals, it may need to be rerouted again. Your timekeeper can help you decide the best method for updating your time.
Find Your Timekeeper

Why should I have to wait until the last day of the pay period to submit my timesheet?

Policy states that you should not project your hours. By waiting for your last working day of the pay period your timesheet will accurately reflect your time for the pay period and minimize the mistakes that can happen by submitting your timesheet too early.

What do I do if circumstances prevent me from submitting my timesheet?

If you are planning to be away your last working day of the pay period (scheduled vacation), please submit your timesheet on your last day in the office. If you are out ill, you should submit your timesheet as soon as you return to the office. If you will be out past the timesheet due date, please contact your timekeeper to assist you.
Find Your Timekeeper

I am a student employee and one of my jobs does not show in CruzPay. How do I enter my hours for this job?

One of the features of CruzPay is its ability to manage multiple jobs, or assignments, for a student employee. If an assignment is not listed in your queue, contact your timekeeper for temporary, alternate methods of reporting your hours.
Find Your Timekeeper

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Electronic Workflow

Do I need to print my timesheet?

CruzPay’s Electronic Workflow Functionality (EWF) eliminates the need to print a timesheet. After entering your hours worked and/or leave usage and saving the data, select the "Submit Timesheet" button to electronically submit your hours for approval. For more information, please visit the Employee Toolbox.

How does a supervisor know when an employee has electronically submitted their timesheet?

Email Reminders

Employees and supervisors will continue to receive email reminders when it is time to submit and/or approve timesheets.

Email Reminder Schedule

Biweekly employees Submittal

Timesheet submittals are due on your last workday each pay period; Friday or Saturday, depending on your schedule. If your timesheet is unsubmitted, you can expect to receive up to three submit reminders on the following schedule:

WEDNESDAY (3 days prior to the end of the biweekly period)

FRIDAY (1 day prior to the end of the biweekly period)

SATURDAY (last day of the biweekly period)

Monthly employees Submittal

Timesheet submittals are due on your last calendar day of the month. If your timesheet is unsubmitted, you can expect to receive up to two submit reminders on the following schedule:

2 days prior to the end of the calendar month

Last day of the calendar month

Supervisors of Biweekly employees Approval

Timesheet approvals are due on Monday (following the biweekly pay period), at 10:30am, at the latest. Supervisors with unapproved timesheets can expect to receive up to two approval reminders on the following schedule:

SUNDAY (1 day after the end of a biweekly period)

MONDAY (2 days after the end of the biweekly period)

Supervisors of Monthly employees Approval

Timesheet approvals are due 2 days after the end of the month. Supervisors with unapproved timesheets can expect to receive up to two approval reminders on the following schedule:

1 day after the end of the calendar month

2 days after the end of the calendar month

A supervisor’s approval list shows if an employee has submitted their timesheet. Supervisors of employees who submit their time electronically will review their on-line timesheets for accuracy and approve or reject the timesheet accordingly. Automatic emails will be sent to supervisors via the system, with reminders to review and approve employee timesheets.

My timesheet was rejected by my supervisor, what do I do now?

Supervisors are encouraged to reject any timesheets with errors or changes that need to be made, making sure to contact employees regarding in the process. Once your timesheet has been rejected you will have the opportunity to log in, make corrections, save, and then electronically submit again by clicking the "Submit Timesheet" button. This process allows the system to recapture all the necessary approvals after corrections have been made. For detailed instructions, please visit the Employee Toolbox.

Can I print a timesheet for my records even though I submitted it electronically?

Yes, you have the ability to print a timesheet for your own records by using the function on the timesheet. You will not need to get this paper timesheet signed or forwarded to your timekeeper. For detailed instructions on printing your timesheet, please visit the Employee Toolbox.

Why did I receive an email reminder to submit my timesheet?

System-generated messages are sent to all employees with unsubmitted timesheets in CruzPay. If you have been advised to submit a paper timesheet by your timekeeper, then please do so. The system may send you a second “gentle reminder” because your timesheet will continue to show as unsubmitted.

I thought I submitted my timesheet, but I received an email stating my timesheet was unsubmitted. How do I make sure I have submitted?

For assistance with submitting your timesheet please check out End of Period Process in the Employee Toolbox.

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Financial Affairs

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CruzPay Frequently Asked Questions