TSS Process Group 3: The Joy of Progress

Did I hear your inner Joy give an exclamatory “Yay?!” Mine too! We are all feeling that little burst of excitement as we see the progress being made on the TSS. 

From October 2024 to January 2025, Process Group 3 continued the TSS system design journey, building upon the work and design of two previous process groups. Below is a summary of the work and outcomes of Process Group 3. 

For a detailed overview of the PDW, view our previous article, “Let’s Get Down to Business: Process Design Workshops.” To learn more about previous process groups, take a look at “That’s a Wrap on Process Group 1” and “TSS Process Group 2: The Journey Continues.”

Context Setting

We know there is a lot going on for the TSS Project, so we want to orient you before we get started. The PDW are made up of four distinct process groups, and here we will be reviewing Process Group 3 in detail. You can view the detailed schedule of the PDW on the TSS Project webpage.

Process Areas

The process areas covered in Process Group 3 were split into two subgroups, A and B, to assist with subject matter expert (SME) engagement and scheduling: 

Process Group 3A topics included:

• Visiting Studies
• Program Type Progression
• Equivalency Determination

Process Group 3B topics were all student billing-related and included:

• Payments
• Refunds*
• Account Clearing
• Financial System

*Note: Refunds began in Process Group 3B and will be completed in Process Group 4.

Participants

A wide range of subject matter experts (SMEs) participated in the design activities for Process Group 3, from the initial workshops to final approval. Key units involved include: 

• Division of Extended Studies (DES)
• Division of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA)
• Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute (HDSI)
• Student Health Services
• Housing, Dining, Hospitality (HDH)
• Accounting
• Business & Financial Services (BFS)
  • Student Financial Solutions (SFS)
• Enrollment Management (EM)
  • Registrar
  • Financial Aid & Scholarships (FAS)
• School of Medicine (SOM)
• Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SSPPS)

Key Insights 

During the Process Group 3 design sessions, the team divided its attention between core student billing functionality and student lifecycle functions such as GPA calculations, progression and transfer coursework. Additionally, the strategy and framework for handling visitors and Summer Session was designed. 

Some additional notable highlights include:

• Payments: TSS and Transact will be integrated for Main Campus and DES. The method for passing data between the two systems is being actively developed.

• Financial System Design: The chart string/POETAF values will be stored directly in TSS and referenced at the transaction-type level.

• uAchieve: Will be integrated with TSS for more visibility of transfer coursework details.

• Program Type Progression: The GPA calculation, including rules for repeat and duplicate courses, was created, along with TSS' rules for academic standing.

We Invite You to Get Involved

The primary deliverable of the PDW is the creation of process design documents (PDDs), which we explained in detail in our previous article, Let’s Get Down to Business: Process Design Workshops.

Community participation is encouraged! The PDDs are available for review and feedback. If you have any questions or feedback, please contact us at esr-student@ucsd.edu.

• Process Group 3A PDDs
• Process Group 3B PDDs

To review more detailed information, key insights and additional resources on Process Group 3, please visit Process Design Workshops: Process Group 3 (Fact Sheet).

Making Progress

As we approach the final stages of the TSS Project's PDW, it’s clear that the hard work and collaboration of Process Group 3 have laid a solid foundation for the remaining steps. The insights gathered and design decisions made are essential for ensuring that the system works smoothly for everyone involved.

Looking ahead, Process Group 4 will build on the progress made by all previous groups, refining and finalizing the TSS design. 

Stay tuned, and please share your thoughts with us. Whether you're feeling excitement like Joy, caution like Sadness, or uncertainty like Anxiety, your feedback is invaluable as we continue to refine the design of our new student information system.