Live Trainings & Upcoming Schedule
The Office of Financial Training is pleased to launch the Core Financial Principles training program! This program is designed to provide the building blocks for financial management best practices and establish a shared baseline of financial knowledge on campus.
These courses are open to UCSB staff with financial responsibilities.
Scroll down to view upcoming trainings, or jump to the training of your choice by clicking on the links. Register for all trainings in the UC Learning Center.
Ethics and Fraud in the Workplace
Discover the fundamental principles of ethics and fraud prevention in the workplace to maintain a culture of integrity and transparency at UCSB. This course will provide participants with an understanding of ethical challenges and fraud risks that may arise while working at the University, while equipping participants with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to navigate these challenges effectively.
Dates Offered:
- Friday, April 5, 2024 10:00 a.m. - Noon (virtual)
Fund Accounting and the Chart of Accounts
Delve into the specialized world of fund accounting tailored for higher education institutions. This course will provide an overview of fund-based accounting and UCSB's Chart of Accounts along with an understanding of the significance of accurate financial reporting for universities. Participants will also learn to differentiate between endowments, scholarships, grants, and other fund categories.
Dates Offered:
- Tuesday, April 9, 2024 10:00 a.m. - Noon (virtual)
Reporting and the Data Warehouse
This course is designed to give an overview of campus financial reporting tools and reports available to help financial staff, particularly within the Data Warehouse and PowerBI. Join us to familiarize yourself with key reports relevant to your role, as well as gain tips on analyzing report data to make strategic business decisions.
Dates Offered:
- Wednesday, April 3, 2024 10:00 a.m. - Noon
University Travel and Concur
Navigating the intricacies of the University travel policy and efficiently utilizing Concur is essential for both UCSB staff and faculty. This comprehensive course is designed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand and comply with travel policies while effectively using Concur to streamline expense reporting and reimbursement processes.
Dates Offered:
- Friday, April 26, 2024 10:00 a.m. - Noon
Cash Handling and Internal Controls
This course is designed to help staff understand internal controls, why they are important, and how to ensure adequate controls exist in their department. We will also cover steps to take when handling cash, checks, or credit cards in a department and appropriate safeguards.
Dates Offered:
- Wednesday, April 10, 2024 10:00 a.m. - Noon (virtual)
Purchasing Fundamentals
Ready to unravel the complexities of UC policy and local campus purchasing procedures? Join us for a discussion as we talk about best practices, types of purchases, and how to purchase. We will also cover various programs such as the Small and Diverse Business Program, Conflict of Interest, and when to go out to bid.
Dates Offered:
- Wednesday, April 17, 2024 10:00 a.m. - Noon (virtual)
Entertainment Policies & Procedures
Hosting guests or organizing a UCSB event encompasses far more than simply contacting a caterer. In today's dynamic landscape, staying compliant with new California laws and union agreements is imperative. This course offers a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies involved in ensuring your entertainment and catering practices align seamlessly with UC policy and best practices.
Dates Offered:
- Wednesday, April 24, 2024 10:00 a.m. - Noon
Frequently Asked Questions
Participation is highly encouraged for new employees in a financial role, as well as veteran employees who would like a “refresher” on certain topics, policies, or systems. While these courses are most beneficial for staff in financial roles, all UCSB staff are welcome to participate.
None of these courses are required, however participation is highly encouraged for employees in financial roles. For employees who wish to obtain a certificate, however, completing six of the seven courses is required.
Six (6) courses must be completed to earn the Finance 101 Certification.
The following courses may be completed in any order:
- Ethics & Fraud in the Workplace
- Fund Accounting & the Chart of Accounts
- Reporting & the Data Warehouse
- University Travel & Concur
- Purchasing Fundamentals
- Entertainment Policies & Procedures
All courses will be repeated in the future, and asynchronous learning options (e.g. recordings, e-learnings, etc.) are also in development and will be shared as soon as they’re available.
No. Each course is free of charge.
If a course becomes full, you’ll see a “Going to Waitlist” notification in the UC Learning Center. In this case, you can either register for a different offering of the course if one is available, or add yourself to the Waitlist. To add yourself to the Waitlist, click the “ADD” button to put yourself on the WaitList to be notified if space becomes available.
Subscribe to the Office of Financial Training email list! This will allow you to automatically receive notifications when new or additional trainings become available.
This can be done in two separate steps in the UC Learning Center:
- Register for the new training you want to attend.
- Cancel your registration for the training you can no longer participate in.
If you need assistance with this, please contact financialtraining@ucsb.edu.
This is a limitation of the UC Learning Center, but your UCLC administrators can help. Email financialtraining@ucsb.edu with the name, date, and time of the new training you want to participate in, and we'll get you signed up.
Unless the training has multiple sessions that require your participation, you only need to sign up for one of the offerings.
The current training catalog contains only live trainings, however there are plans to develop asynchronous learning opportunities later in 2024. Subscribe to the Office of Financial Training email list to be notified when these learning options become available.