CAPS and CPATH Automated Systems Enhancements

March 15, 2018

Some automated system enhancements are coming.

CAPS Project Approval System
A future enhancement will be the automation of CIP funding journals. This should increase the turnaround time for approvals and accuracy of journals. CAPS will be working with FAR over the next several months on developing the appropriate business requirements to automate this process.

Capital Planning in CPATH
The following enhancements have, or will be, implemented in CPATH:

  • Projected Future Depreciation (CP213) report – Useful life overrides are now allowed for non-MFE assets with depreciable lives different than the standard 20 and 35 years. Other depreciable lives can be input on the Project Finance tab. Reasons for overrides could include lease terms, lab componentization periods that differ significantly from the standard 20-year life estimate, and special situations such as modular construction. Useful lives that are overridden and utilized for the depreciation calculation are highlighted in the Report to facilitate identification.
  • Open Projects (CP207) report – Those projects are now highlighted where project-to-date capital spending exceeds non-debt funding if there is some non-debt funding included as a funding source. This is to identify projects that are being charged interest. If debt funding and resulting interest charges were not anticipated, a CAPS form should be submitted to add additional non-debt funding to the project.
  • Plan to Actuals with CIP Funding (CP979) report (delayed to June 2018) – This will reflect transfers of funds to projects for the current fiscal year and commitments for future years. Funding by source will be obtained from the CPATH CIP Funding sub-tab of the Finance tab (as this is assumed to reflect the funding that was or will be initiated through CAPS forms.) For equity funding, this will show the amount of funding, if any, that will be moved into a CIP this fiscal year. For debt funding, this will show the amount of anticipated borrowing for capital costs for this fiscal year.Contract Administration in CPATH
    CAPS will implement contract management functionality in CPATH by June 30th. CAPS will contact Schools and Units to set up a demonstration.

Cost Controls in CPATH
CAPS continues to improve the user experience for Cost Controls. For all approved CAs ≥$5 million, CAPS activates the projects for costs controls at the CA budget roll-up level (for those projects not using cost controls) to demonstrate the benefits of this functionality.

Please contact the CAPS team if you have any questions or concerns.

See also: Live, CAPS, CPATH, March 2018