Access to CU Data and Training on Tools
Ready to Begin? Request Access and Get Trained
To begin using our services, please review the information below and submit the appropriate access requests if necessary (some users will already have the access they need, based on their role at the University.)
Before Requesting Access: Please ensure that you have reviewed the following Columbia University policies on data usage and security:
Gaining Access to Data and Reports
Use the instructions and links below to request access to our services.
Gaining Access to Data and Reports
In order to view data within our UDS, or to access pre-configured reports, you must have access to the appropriate data stores within the UDS. Only reports available for the data to which you have access will be visible.
To request access to:
- Financial Data: Open an issue with the Financial Service Center online or at (212) 854-2122.
- Student Data: Open an issue with the Student Information System (SIS) team online or at (212) 854-2989.
- Human Resources Data: Open an issue with the Human Resources Service Center online or at (212) 851-2888.
Once you have been granted access, pre-configured reports can be accessed following the instructions below:
Financial reports can be accessed through the MyColumbia portal:
- Go to https://my.columbia.edu
- Logon using your UNI (University network ID) and password.
- Click on the tab marked "Enterprise Reports" at the top of the page, then scroll down to Reports.
- Users who have access to the ARC Portal within MyColumbia can also access Financial reports there.
Human Resources reports can also be accessed through the MyColumbia portal:
- Go to https://my.columbia.edu
- Logon using your UNI (University network ID) and password.
- Click on the tab marked "HR Managers Resources" at the top of the page.
Student reports can be accessed using a tool called Boomerang:
- Log into Boomerang with your UNI and password.
If, after following the instructions above, you believe you are not seeing the pre-configured reports you are looking for, please open an issue with CUIT by submitting a ticket to the CUIT Service Desk
Does your organization have reporting needs that are not met by one of our pre-configured reports? If so, our WEBI tool will help you create customized reports from available UDS data.
- To use our self-service reporting tool, you must first request access to the appropriate data stores within the UDS (above).
- For those with more complex reporting needs and an advanced knowledge of database structure and SQL, we can provide direct access to the UDS for reporting with third-party reporting tools like Crystal Reports. For more information, email us at [email protected].
Would you like to create visual dashboards of University data to quickly discover data trends and how they may impact your organization? If so, our Power BI tool will help you create dashboards to share with your team.
To use our analytics tool, you must first have access to the data stores within the UDS that you would like to analyze, and then email [email protected] for expanded access to Power BI (a limited data version is available for free on the Power BI website).
Please note that CUIT supports Power BI for employees of the University. At this time, CUIT does not provide Power BI licenses or support for students.
Help Resources and Training
The following resources are available to help you get started with accessing pre-configured Student reports through Boomerang:
- Quick Tips for SIS Desktop Reports (SDR): This pamphlet gives quick instructions on getting you up and running with SDRs and the most commonly used features. Sections include: Getting Started, Running Reports, Filter Unwanted Information, Sort Your Results in any Order, Export Results to Excel, and Commonly Used Parameters. To create pamphlet, print the document double sided, tri-fold it, and use as a quick reference at your desk.
- High-level Design Document: The official form which need to filled up and sent to [email protected] if none of the existing SDR reports satisfy your needs.
- SDR via Terminal Server Guide
- How to Save and Print SDR Reports
A number of training courses and resources are available from Microsoft, the vendor that provides the Power BI tool. Additionally, the following Power BI training session, available on YouTube, provides a concise overview of the capabilities.
If you need further assistance with Power BI, please contact us at [email protected].