ctcLink

ctcLink at BTC

Bellingham Technical College has transitioned to a new software system called ctcLink. For key milestones and deadlines, see the Timeline Road Map.

ctcLink is the implementation of a single, centralized suite of online tools. The Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tool called PeopleSoft gives students, faculty, and employees on-demand access to a modern and efficient way of doing their daily college business locally and together as a system.

Washington’s 34 Community and Technical Colleges have shared back-office administrative systems for 30 years, but the software and functionality is both limited and outdated. That’s why CTCs are seeking a new and more flexible information system to meet business and educational needs now and into the future. This change represents a significant challenge. ctcLink is not simply a matter of adapting to new software, it’s about adapting to the change in how we work. For answers to frequently asked questions, please visit the FAQs section of the ctcLink page

Learn more by navigating the tabs to the left!

Go-Live Occurred on Monday, October 25, 2021

Bellingham Technical College has transitioned to a new software system called ctcLink. For key dates and deadlines, see the Key Dates tab.

As ctcLink is implemented, all faculty, employees and students will begin using this new system. ctcLink replaces the current way we enroll for classes, manage courses, process payroll and much more.

What ctcLink Means for Us

For most people, ctcLink will simply be a new website that will help them better manage their experience as a student or as an employee.

For others — those who process financial aid, schedule classes or pay bills — ctcLink will transform their work. Why? For one, colleges across the 34-college system are aligning their core business processes in order to streamline and standardize the way colleges do business locally and together as a system.

This change represents a significant challenge. ctcLink is not simply a matter of adapting to new software, it’s about adapting to the change in how we work. Learn more at Frequently Asked Questions.

Background Information

Our move is part of the Washington Community and Technical College System's statewide project to upgrade the information systems at all 34 community and technical colleges. Peer institutions, including Centralia, Edmonds, Highline, Wenatchee Valley, North Seattle, Seattle Central, and Seattle College made the conversion in February 2021. ctcLink is already in use in the Pierce College District, Olympic, Lower Columbia, Cascadia, Spokane, Clark, and Tacoma.   

In ctcLink implementation, conversion and validation refers to the process of loading data from the existing legacy systems to PeopleSoft. The conversion process involves identifying the data that must be brought to the new system, mapping the data to PeopleSoft fields, translating old codes into PeopleSoft codes, and finally loading the clean, compatible data into PeopleSoft.

The move to ctcLink is led by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) project team. They work with each district to bring them into the system. ctcLink is also how SBCTC has purchased and configured Oracle’s PeopleSoft Campus Solutions, Finance, and Human Capital Management pillars to work together. 

Refer to the menu for additional information about ctclink including frequently asked questions (FAQ), how ctcLink will integrate with other existing information systems we use (like Canvas, myBTCbridge, 25Live, etc.), and other informational resources.

ctcLink pillar image

  • Campus Solution (CS) pillar:
    SMS, FAM, Degree Audit, myBTC portal being replaced by Student Self-Service, Faculty Self-Service, Registration, Financial Aid, Cashiering, etc.
  • Finance (FIN) pillar:
    FMS, FMSQuery being replaced by Accounting, Purchasing, Grant Management, etc.
  • Human Capital Management (HCM) pillar:
    PPMS, TLR, NeoGov (to be replaced in the future) being replaced by Employee Self-Service, HR, Payroll
  • All ctcLink Systems integrate with Canvas LMS, HighPoint Mobile App, 25Live, Megamation DirectLine

Progress So Far

Three pilot colleges (Spokane Community College, Spokane Falls Community College, and Tacoma Community College) went live with ctcLink (Oracle PeopleSoft) in August 2015. After a rocky start, ctcLink has gone through multiple rounds of improvement and upgrade. In 2019, SBCTC upgraded from PeopleSoft 9.0 to 9.2, and the pilot colleges went through a significant upgrade and retraining project.

Currently, ctcLink is in use at:

Spokane Community College (FirstLink)
Spokane Falls Community College (FirstLink)
Tacoma Community College (FirstLink)
Clark College (Deployment 2)
Lower Columbia College (Deployment 3A)
Olympic College (Deployment 3A)
Cascadia College (Deployment 3B)
Peninsula College (Deployment 3B)
Pierce Colleges - Fort Steilacoom and Puyallup (Deployment 3B)
Centralia College (Deployment 4)
Edmonds College (Deployment 4)
Highline College (Deployment 4)
Seattle Colleges (Deployment 4)
Wenatchee Valley College (Deployment 4)
Green River Community College (Deployment 5)
Skagit Valley College (Deployment 5)
Bellingham Technical College (Deployment 5)
Big Bend Community College (Deployment 5)
Whatcom Community College (Deployment 5)

Learn more at ctcLink Project news and updates.

ctcLink Accessibility

The accessibility of ctcLink and its software, PeopleSoft, is critical. While a recent software upgrade has fixed some issues, more remain. Like many colleges implementing ctcLink, Bellingham Technical College is actively advocating for improvements to be made by the software vendor, Oracle. Read about ongoing work at the state level to mitigate problems by visiting the State Board’s ctcLink Accessibility page.

Governance structure

ctcLink is a big, statewide system with many global configuration choices that have been made for all college users. There is a formal governance process to manage how the global configuration is set up and improved over time.

ctcLink Working Group
ctcLink Steering Committee
ctcLink Executive Leadership Committee

Jump to back to Sections List

ctcLink Updates

This page collects updates on the ctcLink implementation at Bellingham Technical College. Check back regularly for the latest information.

Click on any dated update in the accordion to see that information.

  • October 25, 2021 Walter Hudsick, Interim President

    Dear BTC Students,

    This week employees across Bellingham Technical College are working in our new ctcLink system. They are focused on becoming more familiar with ctcLink and checking to make sure information has transferred correctly and getting ready to serve you in the new system.
    Many college offices will be partially closed or have limited services from October 25 through November 8 while they prepare to serve and support you on November 15, when you will begin using ctcLink.

    Reminders:

    You will not have access to your student records until Monday, November 15. These records include information about your student accounts, financial balances, and class registration. You will continue to be able to view your unofficial transcripts and Degree Audit from October 25 until November 15.

    You still have access to your coursework in Canvas. You also have access to email and Office365, most library systems and services, and remote access to computer labs. Email questions to library@btc.edu.

    On Monday, November 15 You Will Receive a New Student ID Number
    On Monday, November 15, you will begin to use ctcLink and will receive an email with a link to activate your new ctcLink account. BTC Student Services and our Library will be on standby to assist with technical issues. The below ctcLink Student Info sessions will cover account activation, enrollment, and payment steps. It is very important to write down your new ID number when you get it and keep it in a safe place. Please do not attempt to activate your account before November 15.

    You Will have Help
    Over the next two weeks you will receive information to help prepare for this change. Library and training employees will be on standby to assist with technical issues. Online help and support -- both self-service tutorials and Zoom meetings -- will also be available. Watch your email for details.

    • Zoom drop-in sessions - November 15-26 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
    • On-site drop-in sessions - November 15-19: G102/103
      • Monday, Wednesday & Fridays 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
      • Tuesday & Thursdays 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. 

    Winter Quarter Registration Begins November 30 Using ctcLink
    On Tuesday, November 30, registration for Winter Quarter will begin for returning students using the new ctcLink system. Your registration access time will be posted as of Wednesday, November 17 in the new system.

    Continuing Education students will continue to register using this link: Take A Class. We will be there to offer help and support as you get comfortable using ctcLink to register.

    Please be patient as we work together to learn this new system. We look forward to helping you use our new system.

    Sincerely,
    Walter Hudsick, Interim President
    Bellingham Technical College
    3028 Lindbergh Ave. | Bellingham, WA 98225

     

  • October 21, 2021, Chad Stiteler, Executive Sponsor Update

    One last ctcLink update to everybody before we go live: 

    Three more days until Go-Live! This day has been decades in the making and it is finally only days away! Go BTC and ctcLink! 

    Today at 3:00 PM, our loving, cherished system of record fondly known as HP was officially shut down for the State Board team to begin the transfer of data to ctcLink. While we are moving to a new and fancy system, I know many of us will miss the customized features, infamous blue screens, and the wonderful familiarity of our legacy system. Thank you, HP, for your decades of care and support – we already miss you!  

    Back to ctcLink - Our official Go-Live date is October 25th, as you know. When you get access to the system Monday morning, please activate your account and ensure you can log in. PLEASE DO NOT change your information or input any transactional data in the HCM Employee Self Service portion of the system on Monday. Time and leave may be entered in HCM beginning Tuesday.  

    The BTC Project Team will have resources to support your transition to ctcLink PeopleSoft next week. Please review the ctcLink Training page for BTC employee support sessions that will be available to you next week. We will have Zoom and on-campus sessions to support you next week, Monday through Wednesday 9:00 – 4:00, Thursday 9:00-12:00. On-campus sessions will be in Campus Center 317 (CC317), Zoom sessions @ https://btc-tech.zoom.us/j/82635908671.  

    Please review the ctcLink student resources page we have available for students and share with students. In addition, students have been receiving email updates each week with information.  

    I believe next week will be full of rewards and challenges as we learn to do our work differently. Please remember to have compassion and patience with yourself and those around you. Thank you! 

    Sincerely,

    Chad Stiteler
    ctcLink Executive Sponsor
    Vice President, Administrative Services
    Bellingham Technical College
    email me: cstiteler@btc.edu

     

  • October 19, 2021, Walter Hudsick, Interim President

    Dear BTC Students,

    Next Monday, October 25, BTC will be converting to the new ctcLink system. Many college offices will have extremely reduced services until Monday, November 15 to focus on this change. They include Cashiering, Admissions & Advising, Business Offices, Registration & Enrollment, Financial Aid Offices, and Payroll.

    We understand this is challenging. It is necessary so BTC can implement ctcLink successfully and better serve you in the future.

    New Resource Information

    Student Help and Resources
    Curious about how you'll activate your ctcLink account beginning November 15?

    Reminders:

    You will not have access to your student records until Monday, November 15. These records include information about your student accounts, financial balances, and class registration. You will continue to be able to view your unofficial transcripts and Degree Audit from October 25 until November 15.

     

    You still have access to your coursework in Canvas. You also have access to email and Office 365, most library systems and services (email questions to library@btc.edu), and remote access to computer labs.

    On Monday, November 15 You Will Receive a New Student ID Number
    You will receive an email with a link to activate your new ctcLink account on November 15, along with instructions on what you will need to do. Be sure to write down your new ID number when you get it and keep it in a safe place. With your ctcLink (new ID) called EMPLID number, you will have access to your information across Bellingham Technical College as well as across the Washington community and technical college system. Your ID and records will follow you within the community and technical college system.

    You Will have Help
    Over the next two weeks, you will receive information to help prepare for this change. Library and training employees will be on standby to assist with technical issues. Online help and support -- both self-service tutorials and Zoom meetings -- will also be available. Watch your email for details.

    • Zoom drop-in sessions - November 15-26 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
    • On site drop-in sessions - November 15-19: G102/103
      • Monday 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
      • Tuesday 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
      • Wednesday 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
      • Thursday 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
      • Friday 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

    Registration Begins November 30 Using ctcLink
    On Tuesday, November 30, registration for Winter Quarter 2022 will begin for returning students using the new ctcLink system. Your registration access time will be posted as of Wednesday, November 17 in the new system.

    Continuing Education students will continue to register using this link: Take A Class. We will be there to offer help and support as you get comfortable using ctcLink to register.

    Please be patient as we work together to learn this new system. We look forward to helping you use our new system.

    Walter Hudsick, Interim President
    Bellingham Technical College
    3028 Lindbergh Ave. | Bellingham, WA 98225

     

  • October 14, 2021, Chad Stiteler, Executive Sponsor Update

    Good morning BTC!

    Today, the ctcLink crew will work tirelessly from 10 am to 2 pm in a stressful ‘mock Go-Live’ event to verify data and test processes one last time making sure the state has the system set up as correctly as possible for us. This activity is designed to exactly mirror the work these folks will do Sunday, October 24th when they test the real-live system in order to officially turn it on the next day, October 25th. Today’s event is the literal last big hurdle before the Go-Live weekend!

    ctcLink is over a decade (arguably four decades!) in the making and will be live within days! I’m so excited to move forward and give these folks who have put so much effort into this the opportunity to actually work in the system they’ve been preparing and stressing over for years. For those of you involved in this process, thank you so much for your work, stress, and frustration. We wouldn’t be this far along and in this good of shape if not for you. Thank you!

    For those of you NOT so involved yet, you will be soon! Your first step is to complete your ctcLink training, if you haven’t already. Over 200 of you have started the training and of those, 150 have finished - nice work! The expectation is that all of us start and finish it by your end of day tomorrow.

    The new system will not be perfect when it’s up and running. Because of this, it’s important you have familiarity with it as our support crew on campus will not have the same amount of time and knowledge to help you through your processes that you’ve come to expect over the years.

    Michele Waltz shared the following words with her Student Service folks recently, but they are so very true for all of us:

    In the coming weeks, we will need everyone to pitch in to make the on/off switch to CTC link a success.  How can you help?

    • Be patient. First,  with yourself as you learn a new system. Second, with each other.  Third, with the system.  It is not perfect and neither are we.
    • Be flexible. All of us are doing the best we can to plan ahead.  But as we know we often have to re-plan based on what we learn and what we experience.    
    • Jump in.  You may be asked to assist, cover and connect in ways that are not normally a part of your position.  If you are not asked, offer.

    We are doing this – it won’t be perfect, but we will make it the best we can. Thank you for your work, patience and our collective trust in ourselves – it is what keeps us moving forward!

    Have a great day!

    Cheers,

    Sincerely,  

    Chad Stiteler
    ctcLink Executive Sponsor
    Vice President, Administrative Services
    Bellingham Technical College
    email me: cstiteler@btc.edu

     

  • October 13, 2021 Walter Hudsick, Interim President Update

    Hello BTC Students,

    We are beginning the transition to ctcLink. Many college offices will be closed or have limited hours from Friday, October 15, until Monday, November 1, to focus on this change.

    You will not have access to your student records until November 15. We understand this is inconvenient, though it is necessary so we can make the change to ctcLink successfully.

    You still have access to your coursework in Canvas. You also have access to email and Office365, most library systems and services - email questions to library@btc.edu, and remote access to computer labs.

    Start Learning about ctcLink Now
    We encourage you to start learning more about ctcLink by visiting these resources:

    You Will Have Help
    On Monday, November 15, you will begin to use ctcLink. You'll receive more information over the next two weeks to help prepare for this change. BTC Student Services and IT employees will be on standby to assist with technical issues. You will have access to online help and support, self-service tutorials, Zoom meetings and on-site drop-in sessions. Watch your email for details.

    • Zoom drop-in sessions - November 15-24 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
    • On-site drop-in sessions - November 15-19: Locations will be announced next week
      • Monday 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
      • Tuesday 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
      • Wednesday 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
      • Thursday 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
      • Friday 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

    You Will Receive a New Student ID Number: Write Down New ID #

    On November 15 you will be asked to activate your new ctcLink account and receive your new student ID. You will enter your existing SID to receive your new ctcLink identification number (called an EMPLID in the system). Be sure to write down your new ID number when you get it and keep it in a safe place.

    With this you will have one ID number to access your information across Bellingham Technical College as well as across the Washington community and technical college system. Your ID and records will follow you within the community and technical college system.

    Registration Begins November 30 Using ctcLink

    On Tuesday, November 30, registration for Winter Quarter will begin for returning students using the new ctcLink system. Your registration access time will be posted as of Wednesday, November 17 in myBTC portal (link will follow in a future email).

    (Note: Continuing Education students will register using Take A Class.) We will be there to offer help and support as you get comfortable using ctcLink to register.

    Please be patient as we work together to learn this new system. ctcLink's new tools and features will help us better serve you.

     Sincerely,

    Walter Hudsick, Interim President
    Bellingham Technical College
    3028 Lindbergh Ave. | Bellingham, WA 98225

  • October 7, 2021, Chad Stiteler, Executive Sponsor Update

    Whoop whoop! 

    The countdown to Go-Live is now official: 19 days and counting (11 working days)! On Tuesday this week, the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) ctcLink Steering Committee voted “Go-Live” for BTC! That’s the last external review before we go live on October 25th.  

    Going live with ctcLink is exciting for our college community, especially our students. The work we have accomplished to get here is remarkable. And our work is not yet done – every employee needs to go through ctcLink training and complete it before October 15th. It’s critical to do this training ahead of time in order to know how to submit time and leave which is required if you want your first ctcLink paycheck in November, among other good reasons…  

    Well over 100 of you have already completed your ctcLink training already – thank you! The rest of us have a few more working days before the October 15th deadline – let’s all get it done!  

    BTC goes live on October 25th. To be clear, that date doesn’t mark the end of our ctcLink project, but it does mark a new beginning. Our efforts will continue as we activate employees and students on the system, help each other and our students learn how to navigate the system’s functionality, and assess how our internal business processes need to be refined to efficiently work in the new ctcLink environment. 

    Many of our college services are now closed and not processing transactions as we prepare for the transition. Our colleagues in these departments need to focus on preparing the systems for go-live, training, and, then once we are live, ensuring ctcLink is stable to process our services.  

    Please be patient and extraordinarily kind with those who are working on the ctcLink project, especially those in Human Resources, Business Office, Student Services, Computer Services and Instruction. They are genuinely working countless hours to make ctcLink happen. 

    This is an exciting time and those who have years of effort into this are definitely ready to hit that Go-Live button! I really appreciate all the members of the ctcLink Project Team for their true dedication to this project. Thank you to so many who have worked tirelessly to advocate for students and employees to have access to better technology solutions – we are almost there.  

    Sincerely,  

    Chad Stiteler
    ctcLink Executive Sponsor
    Vice President, Administrative Services
    Bellingham Technical College
    email me: cstiteler@btc.edu

     

     

  • October 6, 2021 Walter Hudsick, Interim President Update

    Hello BTC Students,

    Another reminder to prepare you for our upcoming changes. BTC is moving to a new data system, called ctcLink, to upgrade our systems and online tools to better serve you. These improvements will make the way you access your information more user-friendly with more self-service and mobile-friendly features available.

    To make the transition, we need to shut down our current systems and transfer the data. This means you will not have access to your records and some services for a period of time in October and November. We apologize for this inconvenience and ask for your patience.

    What can you expect during the transition?

    Reduced Services During Transition

    Preparing for ctcLink will mean a pause in many current services, and several college offices will have extremely reduced services until Monday, November 15. This is necessary to prepare for the changeover of data systems and to test and verify our new systems.

    Offices and services affected include:

    • Admissions
    • Advising
    • Business Offices and Cashiering
    • Registration & Enrollment
    • Financial Aid, Workforce Funding and Veterans Funding
    • Payroll and Human Resources - student employees continue to submit your paper timesheets as usual on normal schedule until notified otherwise
    • You will not have access to your student accounts and information in MyBTC portal during this time

    You will still have access to:

    • Coursework on Canvas
    • Email and Office365
    • MyBTC Portal:
      • Change PIN
      • Online Enrollment Verifications
      • Unofficial Transcripts
      • Degree Audit
      • Graduation Applications through Fall Qtr. 2021

    Payment Information

    October 6 - Last day for student payments.

    Monday, December 6 - Cashiering services will begin again using the new ctcLink system. Fall Nelnet Payment Plans will continue on their regular schedules on the 5th of each month.

    Important Dates and Changes

    Following are important dates and notes about the change to ctcLink. Watch your email for details.

    • October 15 to November 1 - Many college offices will be closed or have limited hours during the transition, as noted above.
    • November 15 - Changes in Login and Authentication Begin
      • If all goes as planned, the new ctcLink system will open for your use on Monday, November 15. You'll be asked to activate your new ctcLink account and receive your new student ID. Instructions on how to log in will be provided at that time.
      • Most of the services - like the student schedule, registration, student records and personal information, and business functions - are moving to ctcLink from MyBTC portal.
    • Tuesday, November 30 - Registration for Winter Quarter will begin using the new system. Watch your email for details.

    Plan on New Look for Winter Classes and Registration

    Be prepared to register for Winter Quarter 2022 classes by using and working within the new ctcLink registration process. Your registration access time will be posted as of Wednesday, November 17. You'll notice a new look and some changes to how it works as you view the class schedule in ctcLink. If you have questions, please visit our Information for Students web page. We will have a new Student Help and Resources section posted nearer to our October 25, Go-Live date. These guides will help you search and browse classes and help you register starting November 30. To learn more about ctcLink for students visit: Information for Students.

    Keep watching for important announcements, especially in your email and in Canvas. Please make it a priority to read messages about ctcLink and take any actions you are asked to complete. We are excited to bring these new tools and features to you.

    Sincerely,

    Walter Hudsick, Interim President
    Bellingham Technical College
    3028 Lindbergh Ave. | Bellingham, WA 98225

  • October 1, 2021 Walter Hudsick, Interim President Update

    Hello BTC Students,

    When we move to our new data system, ctcLink, starting on Monday, October 25, 2021, the changes will make the way you access your Bellingham Technical College information more user-friendly. You will have a more comprehensive and consistent experience.

    The preparation for and transition to ctcLink will affect the services you'll be able to access. During the time we change systems, access to your current student account and many student services will be unavailable. We've made every effort to minimize the impact on students, but this is necessary to make sure everything is accurate and running smoothly as we move from the old system to the new system.

    NOTE: You will still have full access to your coursework in Canvas. Canvas will NOT be interrupted by our transition to ctcLink.

    The following are important dates to mark on your calendars:

    Funding disbursements paused between October 8 and November 16
    Due to the transition to ctcLink, financial aid, scholarships, Workforce and other funding disbursements will not occur between Friday, October 8 and Monday, November 16. Documents and requests for funding should be submitted to Student Financial Resources by 5 p.m. on October 1. Financial aid application processing and funding disbursements will resume after Tuesday, November 16.

    Cashiering in-person/phone transactions paused between October 1 and December 5
    Student online payments will be available until October 6. Cashiering services will begin again on Monday, December 6 using the new ctcLink system.

    Access to your online student account and records paused from October 15 to November 15
    Please be aware that you will not have access to your student account and records using our current systems, MyBTC Portal, from Friday, October 15 until Monday, November 15. This period of time is required to transfer our current data systems into ctcLink and ensure the information is intact and accurate. You will still have access to Canvas, Office365 and remote access to computer labs.

    Various student services may not be available October 22 to November 1

    Several offices will be closed Monday, October 25 through Friday, October 29 to focus on the transition and ensure the data transfer was successful. They include Cashiering, Admissions, Business Offices, Registration & Enrollment, Financial Aid Offices, and Payroll.

    We understand moving to a new system will limit service temporarily, and we hope you will be patient with everyone as we all learn to work with ctcLink together. We will keep you informed of the things you'll need to do as well as other important details about this transition, including resources, tutorials, and information sessions to help you navigate and use ctcLink.

    Please continue to watch for important emails about ctcLink and read them. As always, if you want more information, refer to the ctcLink for Student Information website at: Student Help and Resources.

    Sincerely, 

    Office of the President
    Walter Hudsick, Interim President
    Bellingham Technical College

     

  • September 29, 2021: Chad Stiteler, Executive Sponsor Message

    Dear College Community,

    Our college is getting so close to Go-Live with ctcLink. If all goes as planned, we will be live on the new system in 18 working days! If you haven’t already, you have training to do! Now is the time for you to prepare yourself for ctcLink. This training needs to be completed by October 15th.

    Beyond your own preparation for ctcLink, I want you to know about the decision-making process to Go-Live with ctcLink because it’s coming fast!

    1. Readiness indicators: The Project Team is finishing up our Readiness Indicators this week and we will be sharing this status with the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) ctcLink project team to review our readiness to go live with ctcLink next week. We aren’t 100% ready yet, but we are getting REALLY close!

    2. BTC ctcLink Project Team is ready to Go-Live! Our ctcLink Project Team reviewed our readiness indicators today and determined that we do expect to be ready to Go-Live on October 25th. Later this week, Interim President Hudsick will make the decision to move this recommendation forward based on his review of the readiness activities, and the Project Team recommendation.

    3. Washington State ctcLink Steering Committee decides to Go-Live/No Go-Live: The Washington State ctcLink Steering Committee—comprised primarily of ctcLink executive sponsors from colleges throughout Washington State (including me!), commission representatives, and SBCTC leaders—will consider the colleges’ decisions in our deployment group as well as the completion of readiness activities. Next Tuesday, October 5th the Washington State ctcLink Steering Committee will make the Go/No Go decision.

    The SBCTC ctcLink project team is supporting us to become ready and will partner with us through the go live activities. I feel confident in this process and grateful for SBCTC’s support.

    While we’ve officially finished the last User Acceptance Testing (UAT) Sprint, the Project Team and Subject Matter Expects are still finalizing some testing through the next couple of weeks. Please show gratitude for those doing this work by thanking them and being patient if communications and responses are slower than usual. I appreciate the significant work and sacrifice required to get us where we are today. Thank you!

  • August 30, 2021 About ctcLink for Students

  • July 12, 2021: Operational Closure Dates

    Here are the Fall dates when services will not be available (mark your calendars) as we transition to ctcLink.

    Operational Closure Dates:

    Business Office

    • The last day to have all annual PO and purchase requisitions submitted and approved by the appropriate budget authority is Friday, September 10
    • Reimbursements will not be processed between Friday, September 10 (cut-off date) and mid-November
    • Purchase requisitions and orders will resume mid-November

    Student Services

    • Last date to make student record changes is Friday, October 1
    • Student Services record changes will resume mid-November

    Human Resources

    • Last date to make employee record changes is Friday, October 1
    • Human Resources record changes will resume mid-November
  • July 12, 2021: Chad Stiteler, Executive Sponsor Message

    Hi all,

    BTC will be going live with ctcLink in just over 100 days! The Implementation Team is working INCREDIBLY hard this summer to ready the college in time to Go-Live on ctcLink.

    This week is our ctcLink Cycle 4 Validation exercise where the team will verify the information that the State moved from Legacy system to ctcLink. We have four short hours Thursday, July 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to accomplish this. Services will be open to serve students and employees during that time but please be patient as some services may be delayed as employees housed in the College Services and Campus Center Buildings will be concurrently focused on serving students,  employees and Cycle 4 Validation.

    To accommodate both in person students and validation efforts, some of the student Zoom Lobbies will not be available Thursday. Please check the Virtual Assistance webpage for details.

    As a reminder, here are the dates this Fall when services will not be available (mark your calendars) as we transition to ctcLink:

    Operational Closure Dates:

    • Business Office
      • The last day to have all annual PO and purchase requisitions submitted and approved by the appropriate budget authority is Friday, September 10.
      • Reimbursements will not be processed between Friday, September 10 (cut-off date) and mid-
      • Purchase requisitions and orders will resume mid-November.
    • Student Services
      • Last date to make student record changes is Friday, October 1
      • Student Services record changes will resume mid-November
    • Human Resources
      • Last date to make employee record changes is Friday, October 1
      • Human Resources record changes will resume mid-November

    Thanks to all of you who are spending your summer serving students and employees AND getting us ready for a successful Go-Live on ctcLink!

  • June 17, 2021

    Notable News: ctcLink Important Dates

    The ctcLink trainings will help you prepare to learn to navigate our new system. Plan on taking trainings either over the summer for some employees and for faculty in the Fall when we return to campus. Chris Flack is your training contact. Our go-live date will significantly affect our services so please act on and add the below dates to your calendars before you leave for summer!!

    • Business Office dates:
      • The last day to have all annual PO and purchase requisitions submitted and approved by the appropriate budget authority is September 10.
        • Faculty and other employees who will not be back on campus before September 10th will need to plan ahead with any ordering before they leave for the summer. Another alternative is to coordinate in advance with their Dean, POC, and Purchasing if any recurring or not-orderable-in-advance orders are needed.
      • Purchases with P-Cards will remain available over the course of the system transition.
      • Reimbursements will not be processed between September 10th (cut-off date) and November 15th.
      • Purchase requisitions and orders will not resume until mid-November.
    • Student Services – Last date to make student record changes – October 1st
    • Human Resources – Last date to make employee record changes – October 1st
  • May 20, 2021

    Notable News: Data Validation & Security

    ctcLink continues to move forward towards our Go-Live date of October 25th. Your hardworking Project Team and SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) are gearing up to start Cycle 3 Data Validation. From May 13th to May 27th, SMEs will be reviewing how our existing Legacy data – data from FMS, PPMS, FAM, and SMS – populates in the new PeopleSoft environment. The work that is being accomplished at this stage of the project is vital to a smooth transition once everyone switches to using PeopleSoft.

    In addition to validating data, the Security Team has been meeting regularly to determine which security permissions are needed for each employee. Their number one priority is making sure each employee at BTC has the correct permissions in PeopleSoft to successfully complete their assigned duties. You might be wondering, “When will my training for ctcLink begin?” Have no fear! End User Training is scheduled to begin in August and continue through February 2022.

    Have questions about ctcLink? Swing by the ctcLink Drop-In hours and chat with Nat Reilly! Every Tuesday from 9:00am – 10:00am, and every Thursday from 3:00pm to 4:00pm.
    https://btc-tech.zoom.us/j/89477785839

  • April 15, 2021

    Notable News: Official Go-Live Date & Next Validation Period

    As part of Deployment Group 5 of the statewide ctcLink project, BTC now has an official go-live date! On October 25th, BTC will Go-Live alongside Whatcom and Big Bend Community Colleges. Currently BTC’s project SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) are participating in Data Validation Cycles. These cycles are periods of time in which the SMEs are checking to see if the data that lives in our current systems – SMS, FAM, FMS, PPMS – converts successfully into the new system of PeopleSoft. The next Validation period will begin in mid-May. To support the increasing ctcLink work, non-instructional services will be closed each Friday afternoon to allow employees to focus on project requirements. Our ctcLink website is a great resource to help you understand this heavy-lift endeavor, find out about dates, terminology and training!

  • March 18, 2021

    Notable News:Thank you

    Thanks to everyone’s hard at work on BTC’s ctcLink migration project.

    Check out our new website for updates and information about ctcLink!

  • February 18, 2021

    Notable News: G0-Live in October

    The month of February puts us one month closer to our GO-LIVE date in late October, 2021! Because of your tireless work during 2020’s BPFG period, BTC is on track to switch to PeopleSoft, along with the 7 other colleges that comprise DG5. You have heard it many times before, and you will hear it many times to come: THANK YOU!

    The end of February also marks the month when DG4A – Centralia, Edmonds, Highline, Wenatchee – and DG4B – Seattle College District (three colleges) – will go-live with ctcLink. We wish them a successful transition to the new system, and look forward to learning more based on their experiences. In order to provided DG4 with a high level of support, the various state Project Teams will be focused solely on DG4 go-live activities for the next several weeks. This provides BTC with the opportunity to focus on SME Canvas training that is typically delivered later in the project schedule.

    We are working on a web page which will be coming in March and it will be your one stop shop for everything ctclink!

  • January 14, 2021

    Notable News: ctcLink & A Big Thank You!

    2020 threw us multiple curveballs, yet through it all, our Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) went above and beyond to complete over 2600 hours of live trainings to prepare our college community for the transition to PeopleSoft in late October. Not only did they engage in multi-day trainings that spanned August through December, but they also completed scores of homework assignments and documents required for proper configuration of the software to meet BTC’s needs. The ctcLink Project Team and I (Nat Reilly, ctcLink Project Manager/Organizational Change Manager) cannot thank the SMEs enough for their time, flexibility, sense of humor, and commitment to giving their all, not only during BPFG, but also in their daily responsibilities to students and college operations.

  • October 22, 2020

    Notable News: ctcLink: On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!

    Over the course of the next few years, SBCTC and all 34-college systems will transition to a single, centralized system of online functions to give students and employees access to modern and efficient ways of doing their college business. This entire process includes new software (PeopleSoft), improved ways of conducting business (Business Processes), and opportunities for growth in all areas (Change Action). BTC is part of Deployment Group 5 (DG5), along with Bellevue College, Skagit Valley College, Green River College, Whatcom Community College, Everett Community College, and Big Bend Community College. This cohort of 8 colleges are all scheduled to go-live with the new system in October of 2021. And BTC will be the very first Technical College to fully implement PeopleSoft.

    This summer, nearly 60 BTC employees embarked on the next phase of our ctcLink journey: Business Process Fit/Gap sessions. These sessions are the first steps in understanding how our local data and processes will work with the ctcLink PeopleSoft systems. Our local Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) have dedicated hundreds of hours engaging in full and multiday workshops, collaborating across departments, and completing homework assignments to prepare our BTC Community for transition next year. Supporting and working alongside the SMEs have been a stellar group of Pillar Leads – Chantel Fields, Joan Kammerzell, Matthew Santos, Sherry Minninger, Tami Willett, and Walter Hudsick.

    Although Fall quarter has started, the work needed for ctcLink has not slowed down one bit. In fact, many of our SMEs can attest that we are in a constant state of acceleration. With all of the unknowns faced over the past six months, it is with pride that BTC continues to remain on schedule, within project scope, and on budget. It is because of the commitment and dedication demonstrated by employees like ours that this project is still able to progress forward, even in times of tremendous change and uncertainty. During this academic school year, you may experience longer than usual response times from offices, departments, or individuals that are balancing BTC responsibilities with ctcLink deliverables. On behalf of the Project Team, we want to thank everyone for your patience, understanding, and unyielding support. Please know that the effort and work put forth now will make the final experience for our employees, students, and community that much more positive.

Jump to back to Sections List

Key Dates, Events & Timeline

Bellingham Technical College went live with ctcLink on October 25, 2021 as part of Deployment Group 5-B. Bellevue, Big Bend, Everett, Grays Harbor, Green River, and Skagit Valley, and Whatcom colleges have deployed as a group at the same time.

During the implementation phase (Fall 2021), some services will have limited availability. MARK YOUR CALENDAR with these Important Dates:

Operational Closure Dates:

Business Office 

  • The last day to have all annual PO and purchase requisitions submitted and approved by the appropriate budget authority was Friday, September 10
  • Reimbursements will not be processed between Friday, September 10 (cut-off date) and mid-November
  • Purchase requisitions and orders will resume mid-November

Human Resources

  • Last date to make employee record changes was Friday, October 1
  • Human Resources record changes will resume mid-November

 

  • Key Dates for Students

    Various Student Services Will Be Greatly Reduced from October 25 to November 8  
    Several offices will be closed or have greatly reduced hours from Monday, October 25 through Friday, October 29 to focus on the transition and ensure the data transfer was successful. They include Cashiering, Admissions, Business Offices, Registration & Enrollment, Student Financial Resources, and Payroll. These offices will reopen on Monday, November 8.

    Funding Disbursements Paused Between October 8 and November 16 
    Due to the transition to ctcLink, financial aid, scholarships, Workforce and other funding disbursements will not occur between Friday, October 8 and Monday, November 16.  Financial aid application processing and funding disbursements will resume after Tuesday, November 16.  During this transition, students may file their FAFSA/WASFA and submit documents to Student Financial Resources however, processing will not occur until mid-November.  

    Access to Online Student Acct & Records (using myBTC Portal) paused from October 15 to November 15 

    Cashiering Transactions Paused Between October 1 and December 5 
    Cashiering services will begin again on Monday, December 6 using the new ctcLink system.
    Fall Nelnet Plans will continue on their existing payment schedules. Nelnet Plans will NOT be available for Winter Quarter.  

    Access to Your Online Student Account and Records Paused from October 15 to November 15 
    Please be aware that you will not have access to your student account and records using our current systems, MyBTC Portal, from Friday, October 15 until Monday, November 15. This period of time is required to transfer our current data systems into ctcLink and ensure the information is intact and accurate.  

    You will still have access to:  

    • Coursework on Canvas 
    • Email and Office365
    • MyBTCPortal:
      Change PIN
      Online Enrollment Verifications
      Unofficial Transcripts
      Degree Audit
      Graduation Applications through Fall Qtr. 2021

    Student Changes in Login and Authentication Begin November 15.

    Help SessionsZoom drop-in sessions – November 15 – 24 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

    On site drop-in sessions: November 15 – 19: G102 & 103: 

    • Monday 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.  
    • Tuesday 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.  
    • Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.  
    • Thursday 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.       
    • Friday 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.  

    Registration Access Time will be posted in myBTC Portal Wednesday, November 17. 

    Registration Winter Quarter 2022 will begin using the new system beginning Tuesday, November 30. 

     

ctcLink Deployment Groups and Timeline

The below graphic will change and be updated as we move forward (keep an eye on the red arrow) to notice the advancements.

Deployment Groups and Timeline Graphic

You can find the latest infographic, pdf files, and text alternative for Deployment Groups & Timeline infographic here. For more detailed information and the most recent updates, see the statewide project timeline website.

Jump to back to Sections List

Information for Employees

What are the benefits of ctcLink to me?

ctcLink is our new state wide fully-integrated online management platform for faculty, employees, and students that is replacing our antiquated, decades-old legacy systems. The transition to ctcLink is a major statewide project to upgrade the information systems at all 34 community and technical colleges. The major benefit will be the integration of data systems.  

For many employees who work in student services, instructional support, and administration, ctcLink will mean big changes to daily work tasks. For other employees ctcLink may simply be a new website that will help them better manage their experience as an employee.

Faculty and employees will have their SID replaced by a universal ctcLink ID (referred to as the EMPLID). This one ctcLink ID will be used at all community and technical colleges across the state of Washington. With this new ID, you will have one login to access your information at BTC as well as at all Washington community and technical colleges. 

For most faculty, ctcLink will mean new online tools designed to help manage classes and rosters as well as your experience as an employee. With ctcLink implemented, faculty can:

  • Use My Schedule to view all classes which are assigned to you.
  • View and print Class Roster.
  • Send messages to a group of students, or individually email from your roster.
  • Use Grade Roster—to see what program a student is enrolled in and assign grades.

What systems will be replaced by ctcLink?

The following systems and their functionality will be replaced by ctcLink.

Note: Canvas, 25Live, and to some extent myBTCbridge, will remain in use in conjunction with ctcLink.

Instructional Tools:

  • Instructor Briefcase Grade Roster → ctcLink
  • Instructor Briefcase Class Roster → ctcLink
  • myBTCbridge cases (alerts) → ctcLink
  • Degree Audit → ctcLink

Employee Tools:

  • BTC Earnings History → ​​​​​​​ctcLink
  • Time and Leave Reporting → ​​​​​​​ctcLink

If you currently do work through FAM (Financial Aid Management) and/or SMS (Student Management System) you will transition to PeopleSoft Campus Solutions (CS). If you currently use FMS (Financial Management System) you will transition to PeopleSoft Financial Management (FM). If you currently do work through PPMS (Personnel & Payroll Management System) you will transition to PeopleSoft Human Capital Management (HCM). If you currently do work in Canvas, 25Live, myBTCbridge those systems will not be replaced by PeopleSoft, but we may change how they are used.

Don’t currently use FAM, SMS, FMS, or PPMS to do your work? Don’t worry, we have it covered!

General employee applications, like Time & Leave Reporting (TLR) and Earnings History, will also be replaced by new PeopleSoft applications. This means that you will log in with your ctcLink ID to report leave, view your earnings, etc. In addition, once ctcLink is implemented, staff will have access to the following:

  • Self-service tools to manage personal information and other college business online.
  • Consolidated payroll processing and a full suite of online HR tools and services.
  • An online, integrated suite of financial tools and the ability to create automated approval workflow. processes for purchasing, travel authorizations, expense reimbursements, and more.
  • Student information 24/7

Tutorials, Resources & Training

General SBCTC Training for Faculty Available on Canvas

If you’re interested in how faculty will use ctcLink, two general overview courses are offered in Canvas. These courses cover the generic, state-wide ctcLink functionality and are appropriate for faculty to complete at this time.

  • ES100 HCM Employee Self-Service
  • CF100 Faculty Self-Service

To enroll in these two classes, go to the ctcLink Training page and scroll to the Instructional Employees and Faculty section.

FYI: To supplement this general training, BTC developed a How Do I...? section on the Training page.

Information about ctcLink to include in Course Syllabi for Students:

BTC moved to ctcLink on October 25, 2021 

Bellingham Technical College moved to a new system for student data, registration, and self-service called ctcLink on October 25, 2021. More information about which systems will be affected has been provided via email. The move to ctcLink will help you better manage your entire college experience 24/7 from your mobile device, laptop, or home computer. 

ctcLink WILL REPLACE myBTC portal

The myBTC portal site allowed students to register for classes and perform other types of student self-service. Most of this functionality will be replaced by ctcLink Student Self-Service. You will use ctcLink to register for Winter Quarter classes starting in November 2021. 

The following online tool is NOT GOING AWAY. You will continue to use both systems along with ctcLink.

  • Canvas - the learning management system for online courses 

 Who is working on this project?

In addition to a small, dedicated project team, employees from student services (registration, financial aid, etc.), finance and accounting, HR, and payroll, instruction, and many other areas of our colleges worked for approximately 18 months on this project.

Project Team

Meet our team that has been diligently working on this project over the past 18 months:

  • Chad Stiteler - Executive Sponsor & Vice President of Administration is the Executive Sponsor for Bellingham Technical Colleges’ ctcLink implementation and a member of the statewide ctcLink Steering Committee.
  • Nat Reilly - Project Manager/Organizational Change Manager is responsible for timelines and resources.
  • Joan Kammerzell, Matthew Santos, Chantel Fields, Heidi Ypma - Campus Solutions Pillar Co-Leads are leading our transition of Student Services processes (how we do work) into PeopleSoft.
  • Sherry Minninger - Finance Pillar Lead is leading our transition of Accounting and Finance processes (how we do work) into PeopleSoft.
  • Tami Willett - HR & Payroll System Specialist is leading our transition of HR and Payroll processes into PeopleSoft.
  • Curtis Perera - Security Lead is helping transition staff HP access to the new PeopleSoft security permissions maintained by SBCTC.
  • Diana David - Reporting Lead helps with overseeing training and running of data queries
  • Curtis Perera - Testing Lead is helping to coordinate our PeopleSoft testing at the direction of SBCTC.
  • Marni Saling Mayer – Communication Lead develops communications about the transition and progress and will work with the communications directors and deployment leads at each college.
  • Chris Flack – Training Coordinator coordinates and reports on Canvas training and help get the right staff to SBCTC training sessions.
  • Alex Pieke-Dahl – Help Desk Lead supports college employees, faculty, and students after go-live.

How long will this project take?

The State Board of Community and Technical Colleges has been working on the overall ctcLink design and configuration since 2013. Bellingham Technical College began implementation efforts in Summer 2018, and we successfully deployed ctcLink October 25, 2021.

At Bellingham Technical College, the transition window when we make the actual switch from our current systems to ctcLink is set for roughly two weeks, starting on October 25, 2021.

Our current student data, course registration, finance, and HR systems will be down during that time to accommodate the transition to our new ctcLink system.

Bellingham Technical College deployed or "went live" on October 25, 2021. Bellevue, Big Bend, Everett, Grays Harbor, Green River, Skagit Valley and Whatcom will deploy as a group (Deployment Group 5) together at the same time. We plan to have students begin using ctcLink starting on November 15, 2021.

When did this change take place?

ctcLink went live for Bellingham Technical College on October 25, 2021.

Training

ctcLink is a large system with many capabilities. As such, systemic training will be a crucial component of a successful implementation. The training includes:

  • Canvas self-paced training courses
  • Instructor-led online training
  • User-acceptance training
  • End-user training

Visit the ctcLink Training page to learn more and enroll in training courses on Canvas.

Helpful Videos

Fluid Navigation

Activities and Events

Check out our upcoming events by viewing our Key Dates & Events tab.

Questions/Comments

We’ve created this page to update you with specific information that applies to you as faculty  and employees of BTC. We invite you to click through the entire ctcLink website and let us know what more you’d like to know.

Designated faculty leads have been named to assist faculty in the transition from legacy faculty tools to ctcLink faculty self-service.

BTC's Instructional Lead: Heidi Ypma, Ed.D, Interim Executive Dean of Instruction, email: hypma@btc.edu or phone: 360.752.8433.

Jump to back to Sections List

Information for Faculty

Please check out the ctcLink for Faculty page for all the information you need!

Jump to back to Sections List

Information for Students

Bellingham Technical College moved to a new system for student data, registration, and self-service called ctcLink in Oct/Nov 2021. While we’ve all grown accustomed to our current system, it uses outdated technology that doesn’t offer the integrated online services you need. This new system, ctcLink, offers many services online in a mobile-friendly way. Watch your email for additional important information. One thing to look forward to is the new Mobile App, which makes connecting all the more convenient for students.

What are the benefits of ctcLink to me as a student?

The move to ctcLink will help you better manage your entire college experience. Using the new online student center, you'll be able to do the following 24/7 from your mobile device, laptop, or home computer:

  • View or update your student information and manage personal contact info.
  • Register for classes, add, and drop.
  • Pay tuition and fees and handle financial aid processes.
  • View grades, track academic goals, and apply for graduation.
  • Register for specific courses that apply to remaining program requirements.
  • Contact your instructors or advisor.

We are posting key dates for students that will help you through this transition. You can also find information and step by step instructions on our ctcLink Student Help & Resources page.

If you are a current student, you will be assigned a new ID number on November 15, 2021—a ctcLink ID—and, after launch, all new incoming students will receive a ctcLink ID. With this new ID, you will have one login to access your information across Bellingham Technical College as well as at all Washington community and technical colleges. If you transfer in from or out to another community or technical college in Washington state, you will be able to use that same ID to access your information, which will follow you.

Jump to back to Sections List

Training

The best thing you, as an employee, can do to help ensure our smooth transition to ctcLink is to complete online training, which is available now. Courses are arranged by employee category. Review the accordion sections on the ctcLink Training page for the best match to your job responsibilities, and expand the accordion. Information on how to enroll is provided.

  • Courses are self-paced. Longer courses allow you to pause at certain points (end of modules) and continue at a later time so you do not need to complete the course all in one sitting.
  • All online Canvas courses for your role needed to be completed by October 15, 2021.
  • If you are unsure which course you should complete, please check with your supervisor.
  • Additional guided training will be offered online beginning in Oct/Nov 2021.
Jump to back to Sections List

FAQs

General FAQs

  • What is ctcLink?

    Once fully implemented, ctcLink will create a single, centralized system of online functions, providing modern online services — anytime, anywhere — to all faculty, staff and students of Washington’s community and technical colleges. Commonly called an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, ctcLink will provide a set of interconnected software modules to help us streamline and standardize many of the things we do at our college today. The software modules will cover core administrative processes such as registration and course management, financial aid, financial services and human resources.

  • When is ctcLink being implemented?

    Moving to ctcLink is a very large, very complex project. All told, 34 institutions and the office of the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) will be migrating to the new system. Due to the magnitude of the project, the implementation is happening in six deployment groups. BTC is part of Deployment Group 5, which went live on October 25.

  • What is the “ctc” in “ctcLink”?

    The “ctc” stands for community and technical colleges. ctcLink is the name that was chosen for the system replacement (actually running PeopleSoft software) by all of Washington’s community and technical colleges. The project involves more than just new software. As the existing legacy software is replaced with modern technology, colleges will also work to align current business processes, making for streamlined, standardized practices across the 34-college system.

  • Why is this project necessary?

    The current administrative systems are old and outdated. They were developed in the early 1980s by the Washington community and technical college system, and use database and reporting tools that are no longer supported. These systems have no long-term support options, and are at risk of failing. While we have been able to keep them working this long, it becomes more and more expensive to do so over time, and is not a long-term solution to our needs.

  • What are the benefits of ctcLink?

    ctcLink will be a massive upgrade for the entire community and technical college (CTC) system. Faculty, staff and students will have access to information from anywhere at any time. Students will use modern online tools for doing their college business, and they’ll have a more common experience across the CTC system, whether they transfer from one college to another or attend two or more CTCs at once. They will have one student ID and use common online tools for everything from admission to graduation. Among many other things, colleges — and the system as a whole — will benefit from a single source for accurate and timely data and the standardization of select administrative processes to support efficiency and effectiveness across the system.

  • Which legacy software systems are being replaced by ctcLink?

    • Financial Aid Management (FAM): The Financial Aid Management system administers and manages financial aid functions for Washington state community and technical colleges.

    • Financial Management System (FMS): The Financial Management System administers and manages financial and accounting functions for Washington state community and technical colleges.

    • Payroll/Personnel Management System (PPMS): The Payroll/Personnel Management System manages the human resources and payroll processing functions required by the colleges and collects the information necessary to manage this large group of employees.

    • Student Management System (SMS): The Student Management System is used to administer and manage all student and curriculum related business functions for Washington state community and technical colleges.

    Some applications that use the data from these back-end systems will also be replaced in the process. These include, but are not limited to, Degree Audit, Instructor Briefcase and TLR (time and leave reporting).

  • Will we be able to access SMS/FMS/PPMS queries?

    DataExpress/ByRequest functionality will be replaced by PeopleSoft reporting tools. The college will identify and train a core group of users who will work with colleagues at the SBCTC and other colleges to develop these reports. Staff and faculty will be able to run the reports as needed to fulfill their job duties.

  • How far back will the data in the new ctcLink system go?

    At this point, the plan is for the ctcLink system to include all enrollment data for students who have been actively enrolled during the past three years. Personnel and payroll data will be converted for employees who have been actively employed during the past year. Financial transaction data will be converted for the current fiscal year only. Older data will remain available in the legacy system in a read-only version, and some will be available in a data warehouse.

  • What happens to the information in the legacy software system (SMS, FMS, etc.) when we go live on ctcLink?

    The legacy information will be put into a read-only mode and will be accessible through the legacy software for a time. Staff will be able to access the data, but will not be able to make changes. At some point, after all the colleges in the system have migrated and the new system is stabilized, the legacy software will be retired, but the historical data will continue to be available (though other avenues) for reporting purposes.

  • When will I get my ctcLink account information?

    You will receive your ctcLink ID when you activate your account. Most faculty and employees began activating their accounts on October 25 and students beginning on November 15, 2021. Students can begin at a date to be decided. As we get closer Zoom Help sessions will be available for faculty and employees and for students.
  • What if I attend class or work at more than one college?

    The ctcLink system will contain only one account for all of your activities, no matter how many colleges you are associated with. Once you log in, you will be presented with a way to choose which college information you wish to access at that moment.

  • Is training available for learning ctcLink?

    Yes. For many, it will be required. Courses are available indefinitely through Canvas. To begin online self-paced training, see the Training page.

  • I’m having trouble registering for ctcLink training courses. What should I do?

    Here are two quick tips:

    1. Complete the four easy steps in the “Directions for Signing Up for a Training” section of the Training page.

    2. If you need additional help, contact the the Help Desk by emailing: helpdesk@btc.edu.

  • Once I register for ctcLink training courses, where do I find them?

    ctcLink training courses are offered in Canvas at BTC. To access, use your BTC username and password. If you have problems, contact the the Help Desk by email at helpdesk@btc.edu.

  • I signed up for ctcLink courses through the SBCTC website, but the courses aren’t appearing on my dashboard when I log in to my Canvas account. What should I do?

    The Canvas Dashboard only shows a selection of the courses you are signed up for. It is not a complete list and is more of a landing page. To see the full list, follow these steps once you have logged in to Canvas.

    • On the left navigation bar, click on Courses. A pop-up menu will appear.
    • On the pop-up menu, select All Courses (you may have to scroll to the bottom of the list).
    • A list of all courses should appear.
    Note: When you log in to Canvas, your myBTC username is the first part of your BTC email address and your Password is your BTC password.

Impact To BTC Faculty, Employees and Students

  • What tasks will I complete with ctcLink?

    Students will use the system to:
    • Register for classes.
    • Pay tuition and fees.
    • Access unofficial transcripts.
    • Review degree progress and more.
    Faculty will use the system to:
    • Enter grades.
    • View earnings information.
    Employees will use the system to:
    • Submit timesheets.
    • Request and report leave.
    • Approve timesheets and leave (managers/supervisors).
    • Perform a multitude of job-related duties, if applicable, such as register students, run payroll and enter financial transactions.

    NOTE: Faculty, employees and students will continue to use their current BTC username and password to access all campus-based resources, including Canvas, student and employee email, desktop computers in labs and offices, and print services.

ctcLink Accessibility

The accessibility of ctcLink and its software, PeopleSoft, is critical. While a recent software upgrade has fixed some issues, more remain. Like many colleges implementing ctcLink, Bellingham Technical College is actively advocating for improvements to be made by the software vendor, Oracle. Read about ongoing work at the state level to mitigate problems by visiting the State Board’s ctcLink Accessibility page.

Jump to back to Sections List

Terminology & Acronyms


TERMINOLOGY

While you learn and work with ctcLink and its software, PeopleSoft, you will come across many words and terms. Find a quick list below and a comprehensive list at ctcLink Glossary.

Benefits

There are many words and terms associated with benefits in the ctcLink system. Find a list in the Benefits Vocabulary page of the ctcLink Reference Center

Campus Solutions (CS)

One of the three main working systems — referred to as “pillars” — in the PeopleSoft software that runs ctcLink. Campus Solutions (CS) will manage student administration, including admissions, financial aid and student records. It will replace the Student Management System (SMS), Financial Aid Management (FAM) and Degree Audit. The other two pillars are Finance and Human Capital Management.

Chart of Accounts (CoA)

The foundation of the PeopleSoft accounting system. The Chart of Accounts provides each business unit, fund, department, cost center, project/grant and account with a unique identification number and a common language for identifying financial transactions.

ctcLink

ctcLink is the name for the PeopleSoft enterprise resource planning (ERP) project for Washington’s community and technical college system. The “ctc” stands for “community and technical colleges.” ctcLink will replace our aging legacy systems, such as the current Financial Management System (FMS), Student Management System (SMS) and Payroll/Personnel Management System (PPMS). It will be used by all 34 of Washington’s community and technical colleges.

Database

A collection of similar information stored in a single place. PeopleSoft is built on a relational database, meaning that data is stored in many tables that relate to each other through common fields.

Empl ID

Empl ID (pronounced “em pull eye dee”) is a single identification number for each person record, regardless of whether the person is a student, staff or faculty. Even if a person has multiple roles at multiple campuses, they will still have just one Empl ID (also written as EMPLID).

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

PeopleSoft is an ERP, which is a system to integrate internal and external management of information across an entire organization (in our case, across Washington’s community and technical college system).

Favorites

PeopleSoft Favorites are user-defined list of frequently visited PeopleSoft pages or frequently used queries.

Fee class

Fee class is what you are charging a fee for, such as tuition. Not the same as fee codes in legacy system.

Finance (FIN)

One of the three main working systems — referred to as “pillars” — in the PeopleSoft software that runs ctcLink. Finance (FIN) will support all of our business processing and will replace the Financial Management System (FMS). The other two pillars are Campus Solutions and Human Capital Management.

Financial Aid

The Financial Aid module is located in Campus Solutions (CS) pillar. This module replaces FAM system for all awarding and disbursing functions. Interfaces with Human Capital Management (HCM) to support work-study students’ employment and earnings and Finance to record financial data.

go live vs. Go-Live

The first day a college begins to use ctcLink as its system of record.
Verb: We are getting ready to go live on ctcLink PeopleSoft.
Noun: The webpages are being updated in time for Go-Live.
Adjective: The go-live preparations are underway.

Human Capital Management (HCM)

One of the three main working systems — referred to as “pillars” — in the PeopleSoft software that runs ctcLink. Human Capital Management (HCM) will house all HR-related functionality and will replace the Personnel and Payroll Management System (PPMS). The other two pillars are Campus Solutions and Finance.

Learning Management System (LMS)

Software for delivering, tracking and managing training or classes. Some examples include Canvas, Angel and Blackboard.

Legacy

PeopleSoft is replacing several legacy software systems: FAM, FMS, PPMS and SMS.

FAM = Financial Aid Management
FMS = Financial Management System
PPMS = Personnel/Payroll Management System
SMS = Student Management System

Module

A group of processes that are related to each other (e.g., Student Records is one module and Admissions is another).

PeopleSoft

PeopleSoft is the name of the software that will manage all student (Campus Solutions or CS), human resources (Human Capital Management or HCM), and financial (Finance or FIN) data. Technically, PeopleSoft is an ERP, which is a system to integrate internal and external management of information across an entire organization (in our case, across Washington’s community and technical college system). Find an extensive list of terms in the PeopleSoft Glossary.

Query

A report in PeopleSoft that can be created or run to return subsets of information. Can be either Public or Private. Security setup for Query is unique to Query.

Time and Labor

There are many words and terms associated with time and labor in the ctcLink system. Find a list on the Time and Labor Vocabulary page of the ctcLink Reference Center.

Time period

Configuration area that defines days, weeks and months for the system so that calendars can be built.

Time reporter types

Either Elapsed (work is reported in hours without clock details) or Punch (work is reported in time stamps for In, Out and Meal breaks).

Time type

Either Exception (employees only report when they are not there) or Positive (employee must report time they are at work). This is defined for employees by their Workgroup. This is different than Elapsed vs. Punch which are time reporter types.

User Acceptance testing (UAT)

A process to obtain confirmation that the system meets mutually agreed upon requirements. A subject matter expert (SME) provides such confirmation after trial or review. UAT is one of the final stages of the project before the go-live date.


ACRONYMS

While you learn and work with the ctcLink system, you will come across many acronyms. Here are the most common acronyms and their meanings:

3Cs: Communications, Comments and Checklists
AAR: Academic Advisement Report
ADKAR: Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability and Reinforcement
AM: Absence Management
AP: Accounts Payable
AR: Accounts Receivable
AWE: Approval Workflow Engine
AWS: Amazon Web Services
BEN: Benefits
BPFG: Business Process Fit Gap
BU: Business Unit
CAP: Change Action Plan
cDR: ctcLink Document Repository
CE: Continuing Education
cELC: ctcLink Executive Leadership Committee
CEMLI: Configuration, Extension, Modification, Localization and Integration
CIA: Change Impact Analysis
CoA: Chart of Accounts
COMMS: Communications
CPW: Common Process Workshop
CS: Campus Solutions
DG: Deployment Group
DRS: Department of Retirement Systems
ER: Expense Report
ERP: Enterprise Resource Planning
ES: Executive Sponsor
ESS: Employee Self-Service
EUT: End User Training
EX: Expenses
FA: Financial Aid
FIN: Finance
FNC: Functional Testing
FWL: Faculty Workload
FY: Fiscal Year
GDA: Global Design Adoption
GDR: Global Design Review
GL: General Ledger
GM: Grants Management
HCM: Human Capital Management
HR: Human Resource
ILT: Instructor Led Training
KK: Commitment Control
MSS: Manager Self-Service
OAA: Online Admissions Application
OCIO: Office of the Chief Information Officer.
OCM: Organizational Change Management
OSECE: Online Student Enrollment for Continuing Education
OTM: Oracle Test Manager
OU: Operating Unit
PAY: Payroll
PC: Project Costing
Pcard: Procurement Card
PI: Principal Investigator
PM: Project Manager
PMO: Project Management Office
PO: Purchase Order
POI: Person of Interest
PRD: Production Environment
PS: PeopleSoft
PWA: Project Web Application
QA: Quality Assurance
QARS: Quality Assurance Reporting System
QRG: Quick Reference Guide
RTM: Requirements Traceability Matrix
SF: Student Financials
SIT: System Integration Testing
SME: Subject Matter Expert
T&L: Time and Labor
TA: Travel Authorization
TAM: Talent Acquisition Management
TBD: To Be Determined
TECH: Technical
TR: Treasury
TSB: Technology Services Board
UAT: User Acceptance Testing
VC: Value ChainActivities and events

Jump to back to Sections List

ctcLink & Existing Systems

How will ctcLink work with existing information systems used by students, staff, and faculty across Bellingham Technical College?

  • Campus Solution (CS) pillar:
    SMS, FAM, Degree Audit, myBTC portal being replaced by Student Self-Service, Faculty Self-Service, Registration, Financial Aid, Cashiering, etc.
  • Finance (FIN) pillar:
    FMS, FMSQuery being replaced by Accounting, Purchasing, Grant Management, etc.
  • Human Capital Management (HCM) pillar:
    PPMS, TLR, NeoGov (to be replaced in the future) being replaced by Employee Self-Service, HR, Payroll
  • All ctcLink Systems integrate with Canvas LMS, HighPoint Mobile App, 25Live, Megamation DirectLine

ctcLink pillar image

Jump to back to Sections List

Employees and Support

Organizational Change Manager, responsible for timelines and resources.

Photo of Chad Stiteler
Chad Stiteler
Vice President of Administrative Services

Executive Sponsor for Bellingham Technical Colleges’ ctcLink implementation and a member of the statewide ctcLink Steering Committee.

Jump to back to Sections List