Q. What is Employee Self-Service?
Employee Self-Service (ESS) allows you direct access to your data in the Human Resources system, CHRIS. Changes you make via ESS are updated in the CHRIS system with immediate effect.
Q. Why can't I log in?
This version of employee self service was launched in February 2017. You use the same username and password as you use to log into raven, but the log in screen looks different. If you haven't changed your UIS (raven) password since approximately January 2016 then you might need to update it (but not necessarily change it) before you can log in. If your existing password is sufficiently secure, then you don't have to set a new password - re-entering your existing password will be enough.
Q. Will self service work on my mobile or tablet?
Self service is not supported on mobile or tablet devices at this time. Some users have reporting being able to use self service by choosing the "Request desktop site" option in their mobile browser.
Q. Why can't I update my email address?
The email address field on the Contact Details form is to hold your work email address. As such, only a set list of email address suffixes are allowable.
A separate field is available for personal email addresses.
Q. How do I access Self-Service?
You will need a UIS (Raven) password to access ESS. If you do not currently have a Raven password, you will need to apply for one. Once you have a Raven password, if you experience any difficulty accessing ESS, please contact the CHRIS Helpdesk (tel. 60999, email chrishelpdesk@admin.cam.ac.uk).
Q. What do I do if I can't access Self-Service or have forgotten my password?
You will need to request that your UIS (Raven) password is reset.
Q. What if I don't have access to a computer?
ESS is available from any computer where you can log in to the University network. If you do not have access to a computer you can continue to update your data via the standard HR Division forms.
Q. What data do I have access to?
You have access to personal details such as addresses and contacts and your absence history record held in CHRIS. Some data is read-only and some can be updated directly by you.
Q. What if I need to change data that isn't available via Self-Service?
Data that is not available via ESS can still be amended by completing the relevant HR Form and sending this to the HR division.
Q. What if I have questions about using ESS or wish to offer some feedback?
Please check all the questions here first. If you still have a question or just wish to offer some feedback or an idea, please contact the CHRIS Helpdesk (tel. 60999, email chrishelpdesk@admin.cam.ac.uk).
Q. Who else can access my data via ESS?
Your data is linked to your login only. This is dependant on you being the only person who knows your UIS (Raven) password information. If you have given your Raven login details to anyone else, please refer to the next question.
Q. I would prefer not to have my HR details available via Employee Self-Service, is it possible to opt out?
It is not possible to opt out of ESS, please refer to usage of Raven passwords in the question above.
Q. Can ESS be viewed by people who have left the University?
No. Once you have left the employment of the University you will no longer have access to Employee Self-Service.
Q. I use role-based security in CHRIS, will this affect which role I can use?
No. You should continue to use your normal role(s) when logging into CHRIS. The role titled Employee Self-Service is a separate role that is used automatically by the system when logging into ESS. If you select the Employee Self-Service role when logging into CHRIS, you will not be able to see any data/menu structure.
Q. Why can't I change my name or date of birth?
Your name and date of birth are key items of data which can only be amended with relevant supporting documentation. Should you need to change these details, please refer to the HR department for further guidance.
Q. How is my home address used?
Your home address is used for various written correspondence sent from the University.
Q. I have received an error message stating my entry contained invalid characters. Which characters are valid?
There are restrictions as to which characters can be used in text fields due to both security and interfaces between our HR system and other systems, such as HMRC. The data entry rules within Self-Service are as follows:
- Text fields
- May only contain @, full stop, colon, semi-colon, hyphen, single or double quotation marks numbers 0–9 and letters a–z and A–Z or spaces.
- Telephone number fields
- May only contain numbers 0–9, round brackets, spaces or plus signs.
Q. Why are you asking me to supply these details?
We are asking you to provide these details in order to comply with statutory reporting requirements determined by the Higher Education Statistics Agency. HESA is the agency responsible for collecting staff and other data from publicly funded Universities in the UK. The items of information and the descriptors in the drop-down lists are specified by HESA. The University does not have control over these data items or descriptors.
Q. What if I don't want to provide the details?
We cannot force any member of staff to provide details, but as a publicly funded University we are obliged to attempt to obtain these details.
Q. What happens if I provide the details? Who will see my personal details?
Only designated staff within the Human Resources Division and University Information Services will be able to access individuals' details. This is because these staff have job responsibilities of a technical or management information reporting nature. At no time will your sensitive personal details be made available via reporting in such a way that you, as an individual, can be recognised. Departmental Administrators and other managers will not be able to access the details in CHRIS. Reporting approaches will be used that aggregate data so that individual's data will be protected, for example total numbers of staff that have declared a disability may be made available to the Equality & Diversity section of the Human Resources Division. The data returned to HESA does not include individual names—this requirement is specifically to avoid the identification of individuals.
Q. What if I don't understand a particular question? Where can I go for help?
A detailed description of the data items required by HESA is available:
- Nationality
- This may or may not be the nationality as specified by your passport. Holders of dual nationality, where one nationality originates from a country within the EU and the other is not, are encouraged to declare the EU nationality in preference.
- Previous Employment
- Please select one Previous Employment type from the drop down list. This should be the Previous Employment immediately before you joined the University.
- Previous HEI
- This field must be completed if your Previous Employment was a Higher Education Institution in the UK.
- Primary Nature of Disability
- Please select one code as appropriate. If you are not disabled, please select “No known disability”.
- Secondary Nature of Disability
- A second field is provided for persons with multiple disabilities.
- Highest Qualification Held
- For example, a person holding GCSEs, A levels and a first degree would declare the first degree. A person holding GCE O levels and an HND would declare the HND. A person holding multiple GCE O level subjects would be declare GCE O level.
- Academic Discipline 1 and 2
- If you have declared a Highest Qualification Held you must state at least one Academic Discipline. A second field is provided for persons holding joint degrees, e.g. Earth Sciences and Life Sciences or where a person holds multiple GCSE subjects.
- Regulatory Body
- This field should be completed by staff holding clinical and quasi clinical roles, e.g. Clinical Academics, Clinical Researchers, Research Nurses etc.
Q. What do I do if I think my absence record is incorrect?
If you think your absence data shown is incorrect, please check with your line manager in the first instance. Further advice can be sought from the HR and/or Payroll departments.
Q. Why isn't all my absence history available?
You should talk to your line manager or departmental administrator in the first instance.