Frequently Asked Questions - Vacant Position Management

Vacant Position Management

I'm trying to upload a document or type in a field and I'm getting a pop-up error message, "UCPathApplicationError.” What should I do?

UCOP’s web application firewall is flagging and blocking your document or text. If you receive this error, please email UCBUCPath@berkeley.edu, providing the following information: 

  • Screenshot of error message, including the Support ID number (located at the bottom of the pop-up)
  • A copy of the document you were trying to upload, or a copy of the text added to the text field
  • The page you were on when the error message appeared

UCB UCPath Operations team will report this to UCOP IT, who will evaluate the text or document and make adjustments to the firewall settings to allow the text/document.  UCOP IT will inform UCB UCPath Ops that you can try again.  (warning: this might take a few days) 

Screenshot of the UCPath Application Error Message.

Image description: This example screenshot includes all the necessary information needed to report this error. Included in this screenshot is the employee’s browser window, with the page they were on when the error message fired (the “Add Employee Relationship” page), the add document popup window, and the error message text:

“UCPathApplicationError

There was an issue with the information you entered.

How to fix it:

  • Please double-check your entry and try again

  • Avoid using special characters like quotation marks, symbols or backslashes, as they can sometimes cause errors

If you copied and pasted information into the form, hidden characters may have been included. For the best results, try typing the information directly into the form

What happens next:

When you close this message, you'll return to the previous page. Depending on where the error occurred, you might need to re-enter some or all of your information and restart the task. We understand this can be frustrating, and we appreciate your patience.

Need help?

If the issue continues, please reach out to your local helpdesk and provide the following Support ID for faster assistance: 0l3c4f7d-63198-4fg3-01b5-3de4320c3b68”

What is the difference between the department code and the Dept ID?

In UCPath, the department code is a series of letters which identifies a given department (ex: KNBAM). 

The Dept ID is numerical digits, which are part of the chart string, identifying the associated department (ex: 37250).

When should the "N - I-9 integration not required" HR Worksite be used?

In the rare situation that a position number is needed for a contingent worker (CWR), and an I-9 is not required, the HR Worksite field in Position needs to be “N – I-9 integration not required”.  The “N” worksite must be in place prior to hire, otherwise, an I-9 may improperly be triggered and emailed to the employee to complete.
If the position has already been created with the incorrect HR Worksite field, a Position Update Form should be submitted via a case inquiry to the UCPath Center to request the worksite update in position because the HR Worksite cannot be updated via PayPath.

If you have a contingent worker “A” who supervises another contingent worker “B”, but contingent worker “B” does not need to submit a timesheet in CalTime, does contingent worker “A” still need to have a position number?

Position numbers are only assigned to contingent workers who need to sign off on the time of an employee they supervise. If a contingent worker "A" supervises another continent worker "B," there is no CalTime involved, so therefore no need for a position number. If a contingent worker "A" supervises an employee "B", who enters time into CalTime that then needs to be approved, the contingent worker "A" will need a position number.

Can an incumbent employee and the replacement (new hire) employee occupy the same Position number during a training overlap period [over-allocated position]?

While the UCPath system allows the overallocation of the position, we strongly recommend against it. 

Instead, you should have two separate positions ...

  • one for the outgoing and
  • one for the incoming incumbent


... to ensure there are no negative downstream consequences in UCPath or in other downstream/upstream systems, like CalTime and the UC Learning Center.

Overallocation Best Practice:

  • do not over-allocate positions whenever possible
  • do not over-allocate represented or supervisor positions

Overallocation Downstream Consequences: There are downstream consequences of over-allocating positions:

  • impacts CalTime, UC Learning Center, Achieve Together (e.g., downstream systems aren't designed to have one employee reporting to two or more supervisors)
  • impacts job data for all employees in the overallocated positions
  • potential GL issues might be observed with over-allocating a position

Is there an option for mass inactivate position?

Course: Position Control

No, there is no way to inactivate multiple positions at once at the Location level.

What is the process if hours are distributed to the wrong chartstring(s)?

A chartstring will be referred to as “FAU” (Full Accounting Unit) in the new system.  If hours were distributed to the wrong FAU (a.k.a. Chartstring), the department should initiate a Direct Retro transaction to move the expenses to the correct FAU(s).

Do staff have the ability to view the dates that employees are on leave?

Yes. Designated employees within each department have Inquiry access in UCPath to view employee data – including leave information. Additionally, they can access UCPath data through UCPath reports.