FAQs

EPAFs

  1. Can an approver add another approver to an EPAF routing, or can only an originator do so?
  2. Is it possible for a user to approve an EPAF if an approver at a lower level still needs to approve it?
  3. An approver discovers an error on an EPAF document that has a status of Pending or Approved. Should the EPAF be disapproved or returned for correction?
  4. Can an EPAF be disapproved after it has been approved?
  5. If the last, or only, approver of an EPAF realizes that there was a mistake in the EPAF what should be done?
  6. How does one know if there are EPAFs awaiting approval?
  7. Do I need to set up a proxy for entering/approving EPAFS?
  8. How does a user know who to assign as an EPAF proxy?
  9. If a proxy approves an EPAF, will the proxy be notified if the EPAF is Returned for Correction?
  10. Does a default approval routing with NTRROUT need to be set up? What happens if it isn't?
  11. In NOAAPSM, the Electronic Approval Summary Form for EPAFs, what is the difference between an EPAF's Transaction Status and its Queue Status?
  12. How do I code I-9's on my EPAFs?
  13. While entering an EPAF to hire an employee(*HWKSY, etc.) an error message appears stating that another transaction already exists. What does that mean?
  14. How should a user hire an employee into a job which uses the same position as an existing job.
  15. How should a user hire an employee into a job which uses the same position as an existing job?
  16. When are the Contract Number and Transaction Comments fields used?
  17. What should an EPAF originator do when they realize a submitted EPAF transaction has errors?
  18. What is the difference between the UHAPSS and UHAPSU EPAFs for Faculty?
  19. What EPAF should be used to hire an employee into an adjunct faculty position when the person has recently retired and is receiving retirement benefits?
  20. What EPAF should be used to hire an employee at Keene when the employee has a status UNH job?
  21. An EPAF was entered with the wrong distribution code. Can it be changed?
  22. How can a user identify their voided EPAFs?
  23. An EPAF to change an employee's rate of pay has been entered. Where can a user find this information to confirm it has been changed correctly?
  24. Which EPAF should be used to hire a new OS employee?
  25. If an employee with a status job accepts a complementary job totally unrelated to their status job, what EPAF should be used to hire them into the complementary job?
  26. How can the pay information be changed for a complementary exempt (salary) job?
  27. Can the query date on an EPAF be changed?
  28. How is a reclassification processed?
  29. Who is supposed to be designated as an “FYI” in the routing queue for leave EPAFs and who is designated for status termination EPAFs?
  30. Where is the hire date for a PAT or OS member stored in Banner?
  31. What happens to an EPAF that has been Disapproved?
  32. What should the effective date be on a termination EPAF for status employees?
  33. What should the effective date be on a termination EPAF FOR complementary Hourly or Salary
  34. How should a money award be processed?
  35. What must be done when a complementary employee accepts a status job?
  36. What EPAF should I use to terminate a complementary employee?
  37. An EPAF entered has the error “Contract date must not be later than the job end date”. Why is this happening?

 

EPAF Approvals

1. Can an approver add another approver to an EPAF routing , or can only an originator do so?

Approvers can add other approvers to EPAF Routing information as long as the approver being added has an approval level greater than or equal to the last approved level on the transaction.

 

2. Is it possible for a user to approve an EPAF if an approver at a lower level still needs to approve it?

No. Banner sends transactions sequentially through the approval queue, so the first approver must take action before the second approver can, and so on.

 

3. An approver discovers an error on an EPAF document that has a status of Pending or Approved. Should the EPAF be disapproved or returned for correction?

Returning the EPAF for correction is the preferred method. Disapproving the EPAF will require entry of a new document. A Transaction Comment with information about why the EPAF is being returned should be added.

 

4. Can an EPAF be disapproved after it has been approved?

Not by an approver who has already approved the EPAF. The next approver or a superuser should be contacted and asked to return the EPAF for correction. The originator can then take the appropriate action.

 

5. If the last, or only, approver of an EPAF realizes that there was a mistake in the EPAF what should be done?

The approver should contact their Campus HR office to have them intervene in the system.

 

6. How does one know if there are EPAFs awaiting approval?

Upon logging into a Banner HR session, a message box will appear stating that there are transactions pending action. Clicking “Yes” to this box will bring up a list of documents needing approval. Click here

 

7. Do I need to set up a proxy for entering/approving EPAFS?

It is a very good idea to setup at least one proxy in the event that you are not available to complete or approve EPAFS. See also "Defining EPAF and Time Entry Proxies"

 

8. How does a user know who to assign as an EPAF proxy?

The BSC/Dept managers and other department heads should be providing guidance to their employees with regards to this information.

 

9. If a proxy approves an EPAF, will the proxy be notified if the EPAF is Returned for Correction?

No. The EPAF will be returned to the person the proxy was representing. The EPAF Transaction Status will be Return/Correction.

 

10. Does a default approval routing with NTRROUT need to be set up? What happens if it isn't?

Setting up default approval routings for Approval Categories within NTRROUT is optional. However, if default routing values for approval levels are not setup for an EPAF Approval Category in NTRROUT, every time the user enters an EPAF transaction using that Approval Category they will have to manually select USER IDs for all the approval levels before submitting the EPAF. See also: "Defining Defauly EPAF Routings"

 

11. In NOAAPSM, the Electronic Approval Summary Form for EPAFs, what is the difference between an EPAF's Transaction Status and its Queue Status?

Transaction status: defines the state of the EPAF -waiting [needs to be submitted], pending [needs approvals], approved [needs to be applied/completed], etc.

Queue status: defines the EPAF's routing status in relation to the user. Pending [user action required], In the Queue [user action will be required], Approved [user previously approved the EPAF], etc. When in doubt, use All. See: "Approving and Managing EPAFs Using NOAAPSM"

 

12. How do I code I-9's on my EPAFs?

If the I-9 has been completed correctly, code the field R for received and keep the default date in the I-9 field. Otherwise, leave the field blank and be sure no date appears in the I-9 date field.

 

13. While entering an EPAF to hire an employee (*HWKSY, etc.) an error message appears stating that another transaction already exists. What does that mean?

It means that another EPAF has been started which uses the same ID, Position Number, and Suffix. Review all transactions to determine if a one up suffix is required.

 

14. How should a user hire an employee into a job which uses the same position as an existing job?

The user must process the new job using a new suffix (one-up) otherwise, the system thinks the user wants to overwrite the original job. For example, if a job against a complementary exempt (salary) job exists with a suffix of 00 and the user processes an EPAF using the same complementary exempt position for a job which is separate from the existing job, the user must use a suffix of 01 for the new job.

 

15. How should a user hire an employee into a job which uses the same position as an existing job.

The user must process the new job using a new suffix (one-up) otherwise, the system thinks the user wants to overwrite the original job. For example, if a job against a complementary exempt (salary) job exists with a suffix of 00 and the user processes an EPAF using the same complementary exempt position for a job which is separate from the existing job, the user must use a suffix of 01 for the new job.

 

16. When are the Contract Number and Transaction Comments fields used?

The Transaction Comments field should be used to provide more detailed information for the transaction especially if special calculations were required to determine the correct rates. Examples of how the Contract Number field could be used: Code Kronos contract information, GSC course description information and UNH payment totals for UNH complementary exempt (salary) jobs and graduate students.  

 

17. What should an EPAF originator do when they realize a submitted EPAF transaction has errors?

If the transaction status is Waiting, the originator can correct the error on the transaction in NOAEPAF. If the transaction status is Pending, the originator should contact the next person in the routing queue and request that they return the transaction for correction. Once it has been returned the originator can correct the error. If the transaction status is Approved or Complete the originator will have to contact their Campus HR Office for assistance.

18. What is the difference between the UHAPSS and UHAPSU EPAFs for Faculty?

The UHAPSS is used to hire Faculty outside of their AY or FY Faculty job unless the job is grant funded. If the job is grant funded the UHAPSU EPAF should be used. It includes routing to the Office of Sponsored Research.

 

19. What EPAF should be used to hire an employee into an adjunct faculty position when the person has recently retired and is receiving retirement benefits?

Either a *HAPHS – Hire Additional Pay Hourly Services or *HAPSS – Hire Additional Pay Salary Services should be used.

 

20. What EPAF should be used to hire an employee at Keene when the employee has a status UNH job?

Either KHAPHS – Hire Additional Pay Hourly Services or KHAPSS – Hire Additional Pay Salary Services should be used.

 

21. An EPAF was entered with the wrong distribution code. Can it be changed?

Yes. Contact your Campus HR Office. They can change the distribution organization code.

 

22. How can a user identify their voided EPAFs?

When querying NOAAPSM the user should change the Transaction Status to Void and the Queue Status to NONE - Originator. This will provide a list of all transactions entered by the user which have been voided.

 

23. An EPAF to change an employee's rate of pay has been entered. Where can a user find this information to confirm it has been changed correctly?

Rate information is located on NBAJOBS in the Job Detail Information section of the form.

 

24. Which EPAF should be used to hire a new OS employee?

The *HOSFT – Hire Operating Staff Full Time or *HOSPT – Hire Operating Staff Part Time EPAF should be used.

 

25. If an employee with a status job accepts a complementary job totally unrelated to their status job, what EPAF should be used to hire them into the complementary job?

The *HAPHS – Additional Pay Hourly Services or *HAPSS – Additional Pay Salary Services EPAF should be used. These EPAFs require that in the routing you add an FYI for the employee's home department (organization) if outside of the hiring organization.

 

26. How can the pay information be changed for a complementary exempt (salary) job?

An EPAF to change the daily rate may be entered. Contact your Campus HR Office for guidance. 

 

27. Can the query date on an EPAF be changed?

Once an EPAF has been saved (the transaction status = Waiting), the query date cannot be changed. If the query date is incorrect, the EPAF will have to be removed and re-entered.

 

28. How is a reclassification processed?

If a reclassification results in a change in classification but keeps the occupational type the same, (i.e., OS classification to OS classification) then the reclassification will be processed through the comp mod. Contact your Campus HR Office for guidance.

If a reclassification results in a change in classification AND a change in occupational type (i.e., OS to PAT) then the reclassification will require: A) a new position be established to accommodate the new classification; B) a "Move" EPAF be used to terminate the original job for the "old" classification and create a new job associated with the newly created position; C) adjustment to the employee's title value on PPACMNT; and D) review of EPAF transaction by HR to determine if the "Move" warrants a change in PEAEMPL ECLS and Benefits Deductions and take action as appropriate.

 

29. Who is supposed to be designated as an “FYI” in the routing queue for leave EPAFs and who is designated for status termination EPAFs?

Deb Kirkorian should be the “FYI” for Leaves, Pat Noseworthy should be the “FYI” for Terminations and Jan Rene for LTD and Retirement type actions. They will review the EPAFs and determine if further action to manage deductions or PEAEMPL values is required .

 

30. Where is the hire date for a PAT or OS member stored in Banner?

Hire dates are located on the PEAEMPL form. The current hire date represents the effective start date of their current status job. The original hire date represents the earliest date of hire – whether status or complementary.

 

31. What happens to an EPAF that has been Disapproved?

Unlike EPAFs which are voided or deleted, a disapproved EPAF will remain in the system.

 

32. What should the effective date be on a termination EPAF for status employees?

If they are non-exempt or exempt – the jobs detail effective date is the last day of the appointment if in the current or future pay period. If in a previous pay period it is the first day of the current pay period. In addition to this, payroll should be contacted immediately to determine if an overpayment situation exists. In Both cases the personnel date is always the last day of the appointment.

 

33. What should the effective date be on a termination EPAF FOR complementary Hourly or Salary?

If the termination EPAF is for a non-exempt (hourly) employee the effective date should be the employees last day of work in the job. If the termination is for an exempt (salary) employee the effective date should be the day after the employee's last day of work. If the termination is retroactive, the earliest date following the employee's last paid date in that job should be used. In addition to this payroll should be contacted immediately to determine if an overpayment situation exists.

 

34. How should a money award be processed?

The Campus HR Office will enter the appropriate EPAF using the information provided by the department. The information needed is the person's name, USID, effective date and the amount of the award. If the funding source is different than the current position a CE position and labor distribution information should be provided as well.

 

35. What must be done when a complementary employee accepts a status job?

If the employee is to continue with the complementary job, the employee is hired into the status position via EPAF (*HOSFT for example) with a Job Type = “S” for Secondary. The status job should have a Job Type = “P” for Primary. The Campus HR Office will adjust the job types associated with the complementary job that is continuing and the status job as appropriate. If the complementary job is ending as a result of the status job, it should be terminated when the employee is hired into the status job. A Move EPAF should not be used. To insure the PEAEMPL and PEALEAV data is automatically updated correctly a hire EPAF should be used i.e. *HEXFT.

 

36. What EPAF should I use to terminate a complementary employee?

If a termination record does not already exist, *CTERM is used by all institutions to terminate complementary non-exempt (hourly) jobs and by GSC, PSU, KSC and USNH to terminate complementary exempt (salary) jobs. At UNH complementary exempt (salary) jobs are terminated by using the UCTRMS EPAF.

If a termination record already exists and the employee's job is to terminate earlier than originally intended, contact your Campus HR Office. They will remove the existing termination record so you can add a new one via the *CTERM or *CTRMS EPAFs.

 

37. An EPAF entered has the error “Contract date must not be later than the job end date”. Why is this happening?

Check the data entry in the date fields. If the Contract End has been entered with the wrong year (i.e., May 21, 2004 instead of May 21, 2003) you would get an error message because the Contract End should not be after the Job End Date.

This error can also occur when the position/suffix on the EPAF has already been used to create a job. If this is the case the next suffix # needs to be used.