Tufts Support Services' Glossary of Terms & Acronyms

401(a): University-Funded Retirement Plan

Benefit-Eligible employees over the age of 21 are automatically enrolled in the Tufts University-Funded Retirement plan upon hire, invested either with TIAA or Fidelity. Employees are 100% vested in the 401(a) plan once they have completed 3 years of eligible service. More information can be found on NetBenefits hosted by Fidelity and on Access Tufts.

403(b): Self-Funded Retirement Plan

Eligible employees may enroll in the Self-Funded Retirement Plan which is a 403(b) Plan.   Employees may choose TIAA and/or Fidelity to be their investment vendor and choose from a variety of mutual fund investments. (As of June 14, 2021 new employees and rehires are automatically enrolled with a 6% contribution in the 403(b) plan after 35 days of employment. This contribution may be adjusted at any time.  If an employee would prefer not to contribute, they must act within 35 days of hire, otherwise their contributions will begin.) Employees may adjust their contributions at any time through NetBenefits hosted by Fidelity and on Access Tufts.

Accounting Code

4 digits; Account indicates the spending bucket/budget, or how the money has been allocated/earmarked by the department. Some accounts are generic enough for multiple departments to use, such as "Office Supplies" or "Credit Card fees". For more information, see this site on Access Tufts. Department specific accounting codes may be unique to the department.

Affiliate

An affiliate is an individual who is affiliated with the university but is not, typically, employed by the university. Most often, Affiliates are entered into the eReg system by TTS, where their email and/or building access would be managed (ie: a contractor who needs a badge for campus access). Affiliates may be granted additional system access (ie: PeopleSoft) as required, in which case these individuals are viewed as “Person(s) of Interest”, and the request for access must be received and processed through TSS. If the Affiliate needs to be paid for irregular but recurring services in a non-contractor capacity, this is called a “Recurring Affiliate”.

Apptricity (System: Expenses; Alternative Name: e-Expense)

Site link here. Travel & Business Expense system departments use to reconcile corporate card charges or out of pocket expenses (for faculty and staff). For more information, please see the user guide here.

Calendars: Academic Year, Calendar Year, Fiscal Year, Payroll

There are 4 primary calendars for the university that display important dates, deadlines and upcoming events that can be found here.

Other dates that may be helpful:

• Academic Year: Sept – May

• Calendar Year: Jan 1 – Dec 31

• Fiscal Year: July 1 – June 30

• TSS Payroll Calendar - Add the TSS Payroll calendar to your Outlook Calendar

Change Order

An update to a Purchase Order (PO), usually to the value, but could also apply to the Dept ID, Project/Grant, or dates. 

Concierge Requests

Job impacting requests (changing a rate, changing exempt/non-exempt status, VIP handling), supplemental payments made to employees who work in one department but did a single job or project for another and needs to be paid (and dept billed) accordingly, System errors (such as multiple things being entered on the same date)

• Employee Name:

• Employee ID:

• Effective Date:

• New Title: (if applicable)

• Job Code:

• Salary:

• FLSA:

• Notes, other changes/relevant details:

Data Warehouse

Data Warehouse provides access to a centralized repository of data from major administrative systems. Please note: To access Data Warehouse from off-campus, you must be connected to Tufts VPN. Access is permission based.

Dept ID (Alternate term: FIN Dept ID)

7 digits; The Dept ID represents a cost center withing the university and is used to distinguish which department the funds are intended to come from or go to. The letter at the beginning indicates the school/organizational unit, the next three digits represent the department, and the final three digits are the cost center. For more information, see this site on Access Tufts.

Duo (System: Authentication Security Service)

Serving the Tufts Community with an added layer of security, Duo is our two-factor authentication that verifies that it’s actually you when you log into the VPN, eServe, Box, Canvas, Qualtrics, etc.

Earnings Code  

3 digits; Codes used by Payroll that contributes to taxation for supplements and determines 401a contribution eligibility, whether work is pay-eligible, salary vs hourly, overtime rates, vacation, differential amounts, sick, leave, holiday, tracks sick time usage, hours worked, etc. If you are a timekeeper, this list can serve as a helpful resource.

EBPA: Benefits, FSAs & Commuter

Benefits service that hosts Health & Dependent FSA accounts as well as Commuter benefit accounts for parking and transit expenses. Commuter Benefits can be modified directly with EBPA through their website. EBPA also manages billing & enrollment for COBRA, under age 65 retiree health, and all retiree dental. For more information, visit EBPA online.

e-Expense (Alternative name for Apptricity)

Site link here. Travel & Business Expense system departments use to reconcile corporate card charges or out of pocket expenses. For more information, please see the user guide here.

Effective Date (Usage: found in PeopleSoft, Job Data, Benefits)

Typically, the date that a personal, job, or benefit change goes into effect. IE: a new hire’s first day of employment, the date of a life event (child is born, date a spouse’s benefit coverage lapses at a previous employer), the first day of coverage, the first day an employee’s separation is effective is the day after their last day, etc. (The first day the change is in effect) It is intended to serve as the “start” date of something: start of hire, start of retirement, etc. Weird wording, yes, but helps with understanding! See Termination Date for further clarification, regarding separations.

ePAF: Electronic Personnel Action Form

Workforce transactions completed in eServe:

• Temps & Students: Pay rate changes, terminations, and hires

• Faculty & Staff: Hiring

eReg (System: Electronic Registration)

When an individual joins Tufts as an Affiliate and is not on the Tufts University Payroll, their access is created by a TTS-owned system – eReg. The Affiliation creates the email address and allows the affiliate to get an ID for their time spent on campus. Affiliate records processed through eReg expire each year. Users with an eReg affiliation do not have an EMPL ID, which is required when accessing certain systems such as PeopleSoft.

eReq (System: Electronic Requisition)

Tufts’ online system for creating & approving requisitions in order to generate a purchase order. (Note: in order to access eREQ from off-campus, you must be connected to Tufts VPN)

eServe (System: Employee Self Service)

Employee Self Service (eServe) provides Tufts employees with access to payroll and benefits information. Link: https://hrss.uit.tufts.edu  eServe is an end user access interface of PeopleSoft, the HRMS & Payroll System.

FLSA: Fair Labor Standards Act

Exempt vs Non-Exempt status; Salaried employees who are exempt are not eligible to be paid overtime. Hourly employees who are non-exempt are eligible to be paid overtime.

FMLA: Family & Medical Leave Act

A Federal Leave program. For information on eligibility, visit the Access Tufts site. For more information on your FMLA leave options please contact Leaves@Tufts.edu, and when you’re ready to take leave, contact UNUM at www.unum.com or call 866-779-1054 using Policy #: 955633.

FSA: Flexible Spending Account

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) allow you to set aside pre-tax money to pay for health care or dependent care costs. You may want to consider an FSA to help with eligible expenses for health care or childcare/elder care. Dependent Care FSA funds must be spent by the end of the calendar year. There is a special provision for Health Care FSA funds that allow active employees to carryover unused funds from $100 up to a maximum of $570 into the next calendar year.  If you leave the university or your benefits eligibility changes, you will have a 120-day run-out period following your benefits termination date to submit eligible FSA expenses incurred during the year of your participation in the plan. Employee FSAs are administered by EBPA & governed by the IRS. For more information & eligibility, see the Access Tufts site. You may enroll in an FSA during your New Hire benefits enrollment, annual open enrollment or with a qualifying life events (had a baby, etc.). If you have an HSA you cannot also contribute to a Health FSA (and vice versa)

Gross-Up

To Gross-Up a supplemental payment means that the employee will be paid a net amount equalling the the supplement value, and the gross amount will be adjusted higher in order to account for taxes. Example: A $500 supplement that is grossed up would result in a net payment of $500, and a gross payment of $500 plus taxes. If it is not grossed up, taxes would be pulled from the $500 gross payment, and the employee would see a net issuance of under $500.

GSS: Guided Self Service

Workforce transactions – any other transaction that isn’t hiring.  (ie: Pay rate changes, terminations, timekeep changes, supervisor changes, leaves)

https://access.tufts.edu/workforce-portal-paf-troubleshooting#1

HealthEquity

Benefits vendor that hosts HSA (Health Savings Account) accounts. Only employees enrolled in the HDHP are eligible. For more information, visit access tufts or the HealthEquity Website.

Home Dept ID  

1 Letter + 6 Digits; The umbrella dept ID for a group of departments/sub categories of FIN Dept IDs. Determines role based access of who can access which information in PeopleSoft based on the user’s Home Dept ID and the employee’s Home Dept ID.

HSA: Health Savings Account

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) allow you to set aside pre-tax money to pay for medical expenses today, tomorrow and even in retirement. Employees who choose the PPO HDHP Plan will automatically be enrolled in an HSA, all unused funds roll over from year to year regardless of your employment status. Tuft employee HSAs are administered by Health Equity & governed by the IRS. Further, the University may contribute to employee HSAs each year. You may enroll in an HSA by electing the PPO HDHP Plan during your New Hire benefits enrollment, annual open enrollment, or with a qualifying life event. For more information, see the “About the PPO HDHP Plan” section on Access Tufts. In any calendar year, you cannot have both an HSA and a Health FSA. For more information, visit access tufts or the HealthEquity Website.

I-9/I9 Everywhere          

This form is used to verify the Identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States (requirement from USCIS under the Department of Homeland Security).  The form needs to be completed in order to get paid.   The individual must provide proof of identity and work authorization for visual inspection.  Employees can choose to walk in to a TSS Office to complete their I9 or use the service I9 Everywhere. I-9 Everywhere overview and instructional videos on completing a remote I-9 are available here.

Match Exception

A match exception is when the invoice amount exceeds the purchase order (PO) value.

Medius

Site link. Invoice system that vendors use to get their invoices approved and paid.

Pay Frequency 

Weekly (non-exempt) and Semi-Monthly (exempt)

Pay Period

Timeframe used to calculate earned wages and determine when employees receive their pay.  

• Weekly employees pay period is Sunday through Saturday.

• Semi-Monthly employees pay period is the 1st through the 15th and the 16th through the end of the month (28th, 30th or 31st).

PaymentWorks

Link here: www.paymentworks.com/app

Finance System used to invite vendors/suppliers to receive payment from the Accounts Payable team

PeopleSoft (PeopleSoft HR/PeopleSoft Finance)

ERP (enterprise resource planning) system used to manage HR and financial data.

PFML: Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave   

Paid Family and Medical Leave – State benefit only, with provisions for job protected, paid leave. For information on eligibility, visit the Access Tufts site. For more information on your PFML leave options please contact Leaves@Tufts.edu, and when you’re ready to take leave, contact UNUM www.unum.com or call 866-779-1054 using Policy #: 955633.

Pre-Provisioning

New Hires/Rehires submit and validate their information in eServe to begin building their record in PeopleSoft.

Recurring Affiliate

Only get supplements, not on a regular pay schedule throughout the year. The request for the supplement would be submitted via Concierge Request to TSS. A Recurring Affiliate is a special type of employee that is open for pay but may work "off and on" and will be paid through Supplements; this is often used to hire a "Locum" at Cummings/the Vet School. The Recurring Affiliate may have an Appointment in FIS and also will have a record in PeopleSoft.

Supplier

A vendor that is paid through Accounts Payable (AP). This could be a company or an individual/student.

Tableau

Data visualization software that Tufts uses for various purposes, including to display reports and data from the Data Warehouse in a secure, user-friendly way.

Termination Date

The last day of active employment. The day after the Termination Date is the Effective Date, regarding Separations.

Time off tracking

Module within PeopleSoft used to record PTO (Paid Time Off).

Timekeep Number

Three-digit number assigned to a subdivision within a department for time entering purposes.

Timekeeper

The designated person within a department who is assigned to have access to enter employees’ hours.

Tufts Careers (Alternate Name: iCIMS)

Tufts name for our Applicant Tracking System for staff hires. Vendor Product is iCIMs.

UHH: Unite Here Health

Union Dining staff hired by December 31, 2019 may choose from the three Tufts University sponsored BCBS Health Plan options or two UNITE HERE HEALTH plan options. Union Dining staff hired on or after January 1, 2020 may only elect from Unite Here Health plans. (Union is Local 26)

Unum

Third party vendor for Leave, Life and LTD Administration. Contact information for Unum www.unum.com or call 866-779-1054 using Policy #: 955633 (for leaves).

Vendor

Supplier paid through Accounts Payable (AP). This could be a company or an individual/student. Vendor may also refer to the employee benefits providers.

Via Benefits

Over age 65 Retiree Health benefit provider. Visit their website for more information: https://my.viabenefits.com/tuftsuniversity (note: Retiree Dental & under 65 retiree health benefits are managed through EBPA)

Workforce Portal           

See GSS: Guided Self Service