The Pennsylvania State University - Administrative Information Services, a unit of Information Technology Services

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Where does AIMS data come from?

AIMS directly accesses the University's Data Warehouse. Each night, the Data Warehouse is refreshed with the current IBIS data. These data are also preprocessed so Fringe and Overhead (F&A) charges are applied. In this way, AIMS can report (if the "calculate F&A" box is checked on the Report Selection window) on the actual account balance.

While AIMS uses accounting data, it is not an accounting system and should not be used to manage project closeout or major procurements.

How current is AIMS data?

Planned data latency is usually no longer than 24 hours. If the nightly data refresh does not occur, then this time will increase. The last refresh date is noted on reports.

It is important to note that AIMS data (like IBIS data) are no timelier than the input from the feeder systems. For instance, a machine shop or storeroom may post transactions to IBIS only once or twice a month; therefore, non-posted transactions will not be reflected in the AIMS data. AIMS data cannot track unrecorded encumbrance--it only knows what a user has told it.

Remember that Fringe and Overhead (F&A) charges are calculated in IBIS on a monthly basis. Your AIMS report calculates these charges when the report is generated.

Which browsers are compatible with AIMS?

Please view the browser compatibility section under General Information on the AIMS home page.

I can't login to AIMS. What should I do?

AIMS uses your Penn State Access Account ID and password. If you can't login, then it may be because you are using an e-mail account alias or an incorrect password.

  • In the case of using an incorrect ID, the error you'll see is: Registry Not Found
  • In the case of using an incorrect password, the error you'll see is: Invalid Password

AIMS access control requires that all users have the AIMS function assigned in their IBIS Security Profile. If you receive an error message, then it is likely you have not been assigned AIMS. In this case, contact your Access Security Representative (ASR) to correct your IBIS Security Profile. If you continue having trouble, then contact the AIS Support Center, which is available from Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at (814)-863-2276.

I can login to AIMS, but not all of my accounts are available. What should I do?

You should have access to all accounts established since fiscal year 2001/2002. If all of your accounts are not showing:

  • Contact your Financial Officer to correct your user access privileges using the UPRJ function
  • For accounts established prior to fiscal year 2001/2002, contact your Financial Officer to include these accounts using the UPRJ function
  • In the case of cost center access, contact your Financial Officer to include these accounts using the UEFA function
An unexpected charge appears in the account ledger for one of my accounts. What should I do?

Contact your Financial Officer or College Research Administrator to resolve this issue.

An expected charge does not appear in the account ledger for one of my accounts. What should I do?

Contact your Financial Officer or College Research Administrator to resolve this issue.

What does AIMS stand for?

AIMS stands for Account Information Management System.

I am a co-investigator. May I have access to the account information?

Default access is limited to the principal investigator. Financial Officers can permit additional access as needed.

My budget is a sub-account or cost center. Can I access these types of accounts?

Yes. Contact your Financial Officer to include these accounts using the UEFA function.

Can I use AIMS reports to send to an external agency or entity?

No. AIMS reports must not be sent to agencies or any other external entity. Only Research Accounting and Financial Officers can provide reports to agencies, external sponsors, and auditors. AIMS reports are only for internal use to help faculty manage their accounts.

My sponsor has requested a financial report. Can I use AIMS to generate it?

No. AIMS reports must not be sent to agencies or any other external entity. Only Research Accounting and Financial Officers can provide reports to agencies, external sponsors, and auditors. AIMS reports are for internal use only to help faculty members manage their accounts on a day-to-day basis.

Will I be able to see budget details?

With the single exception of faculty salary details, you can see all transactions.

My IBIS and AIMS reports are not reconciling. Why?

There are three possible reasons that IBIS and AIMS reports do not reconcile:

  1. IBIS data is updated in real time while AIMS data is updated once per day (afternoon)
  2. IBIS applies fringe and overhead charges monthly while AIMS applies fringe and overhead charges in real time (if the "calculate F&A" box is checked on the Report Selection window)
  3. The IBIS and AIMS reports may have been run at different times
Can I export my data to Excel?

You can export your report data to Excel from the AIMS Generated Report window. Use the print option within Excel to print your report. You have the option of saving the report to a file or opening Excel. If you save the report, you can start Excel and open the file. To print your Excel report, use the Print Option within Excel.  For more information, please see the Printing and Exporting Reports page.

Why can't I view individual faculty salaries?

Faculty Salaries are shown only in aggregate and not by named individual.

Content Questions: AIS Support | Support Questions: AIS Support