Data Governance

Data Governance is a set of quality control disciplines for managing, using, improving, maintaining, monitoring, and protecting Master Data across the enterprise.

Updated January 8, 2023

Defining and enforcing data quality standards:

  • Helps prevent duplicate, incomplete, or erroneous data from entering our systems.
  • Improves trust in reporting with high data quality; reliable and consistent data is essential for accurate reporting, analytics and decision making.
  • Standardized nomenclature (organization speaks the same language).
  • Supports collaborative sharing of information across UC Davis, and across UCs.
  • Provides a clear escalation path to resolve data issues.

Data Governance FAQs

Chart of Accounts Data Governance, effective July 1, 2023

UC Davis is required to report financial transactions using the new Common Chart of Accounts (CCoA) structure beginning July 1, 2023. This requirement applies to all audited financial statements, all UCOP reporting, and all inter-location transfers.

To support this requirement, formal Chart of Accounts Governance has been enacted to manage new value requests. 

Requesting New Chart of Accounts and Non-Sponsored PPM Project Values

Units will use the Aggie Enterprise Help form to request new values.

Value requests route to Central Finance for review against CoA Guiding Principles, and approval will be indicated through ServiceNow notifications.

 
Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

Central Finance has determined Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for each CoA segment, based on the level of review and analysis required to implement a new value. All new value requests will be reviewed against the CoA Guiding Principles, and select segments will require escalation to the Controller for approval.

Please note the following impacts to SLAs:

  • SLAs reflect timing for error free requests that include all necessary information. Requests that require follow-up will take longer to process.
  • SLAs may be delayed during the first few weeks following Aggie Enterprise go-live as the project team addresses the backlog of requests submitted during conversion and cutover.
CoA Segment Guidance/ Workflow SLA

Entity
  • Requires Controller approval.
 One week
Fund
  • Gift / Endowment: DEVAR Approval; Routes through Central Finance
  • Other (Loans, Bonds, UCOP Directed, etc.): Routes through Central Finance
 2 Business Days
Financial Department
  • Requires Controller approval.
 One week
(Natural) Account
  • Requires Controller approval.
 One week
Program
  • Requires Controller approval.
 One week
Project (GL-only) 2 Business Days
Project (PPM) 2 Business Days
Activity
  • Routes through Central Finance
 2 Business Days
Guiding Principles for new CoA Values

New Chart of Accounts value requests will be reviewed against CoA Guiding Principles.

Principle Description
Relevance The CoA design should support statutory, regulatory, and managerial tracking and reporting requirements. Each segment
of the CoA should be an important dimension for managing business now and in the future.
Uniqueness / Single Use The CoA should have a separate segment for each reporting dimension. Segment values should be unique to a single
segment to avoid reporting issues and confusion.
Normalized CoA segments should not duplicate data from within the GL or subledgers. Subledger information (i.e., supplier
information, student information) should remain in the subledger and be reported with appropriate tools.
Known Value End users must be able to populate the segment at the time of data entry. A robust training program will be key to building user knowledge and ability.
Flexibility & Scalability Segment lengths must be able to accommodate future growth, with enough unique values to meet business needs. The
design should be flexible to accommodate reorganizations, acquisitions and other business changes.

Download Chart of Accounts Guiding Principles (PDF)

UC Davis Master Data

Master Data is information that is critical to the University's business operations.

UC Davis Master Date includes:

  • Chart of Accounts values
  • Employee information
  • Project data
  • Award data
  • Roles Management
  • Supplier and Customer information
  • Item Master (Inventory)
  • Memo lines
  • Catalogs (self-service procurement)