Post Funding Recommendations 2021-22 and 2022-23
- Adewale Adekoya
- James Harris
- Yafang Deng
This is an update of version 5, previously agreed by the Process Alignment Group and to business managers, the TIS team and national finance leads for their consideration.
It reflects the feedback received from some finance leads and business managers. It is now out for confirmation by the Task and Finish Group, as several members were unable to attend the discussion on 15 June.
Timescale
The aim is to get agreement on the recommendations in this paper in time for the TIS team to implement the relatively small changes to TIS by Autumn 2022 in time for each region to bring their posts into alignment with these recommendations by 1st April 2023. This version will be discussed with representatives of the TIS team on 23 June. Hopefully, a final version will then go to PAG and business managers for agreement.
Problem we are trying to solve The lack of a national approach to the management of Post Funding on TIS means that it is impossible to understand exactly how posts are funded, either because teams:
use different funding types in different ways,
use other funding element fields in different ways,
choose not to record key details on TIS
This has meant that it has been impossible to run any meaningful reports, e.g. to help with budget setting, or provide assurance to finance teams that TIS can be used as a definitive source of data.
Helen Friedrichsen in the national finance team has agreed that clarity, transparency and consistency are really important for the national finance team.
The starting Position
All regions should be recording post funding on TIS
Post funding will determine whether a post is active or not.
Items Definition
ITEM | EXPLANATION | Comment |
Funding type | For a post to have active funding, it must have a valid Funding Type. Categories Definition HEE Funded – Tariff Baseline post contracted via an NHS Education Contract to a provider organisation with funds attached in line with national tariff. HEE Funded – Non-Tariff Baseline post funded by HEE outside of the national tariff and subject to local arrangement. Trust Funded Baseline post contracted via an NHS Education Contract to a provider organisation with no funds attached 100% Tariff Funded Post funded on a Tariff contract but where NHSE provide a 100% Tariff rate rather than the normal approximate 50%. Academic – NIHR Academic posts 100% funded by NIHR when occupied. Academic – HEE Academic posts where HEE provide some funding subject to local arrangement and funded when occupied. Use narrative field to indicate funding arrangement. Academic – Trust Academic posts not funded by HEE or NIHR. The trust might be provided with sponsorship for some of these posts. Academic – University Academic posts funded by a university. The university might be provided with sponsorship or funding from other sources for some of these posts. Supernumerary Temporary posts established when additional funding needed for specific educational purpose. Only funded when occupied. Additional information to be provided. Other To be used exceptionally when posts do not fit into any of the above and not funded by HEE. Additional information must be provided. Military To be used for all Military posts. Long Term Plan Used for posts that are created because of the Medical Training Expansion 2021 Paper which aims to expand the mental health and cancer medical workforce. The funding for these expansion posts is currently for a single cohort of trainees and is not a permanent expansion for the programmes. This is actually not a Funding Type truly but a sub-category of HEE Funded - Tariff (please see below). It was only added as a Funding Type as an interim measure as the ability to record sub-categories is currently not possible.
| HEE Funded – Non-Tariff : if selected in the drop down then there should be sub-categories. See table of sub-categories definition below Supernumerary: if selected in the drop down then there should be sub-categories. See table of sub-categories definition below
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Funding body | All posts must have a funding body. This should not be blank. This currently (should) pull from the Trust reference table. Since the development of TIS there has been the desire to change the name of the Trust reference table to something more generic such as Organisations as Funding Bodies as the data in that table are not all trusts. |
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Start date | Start of the funding arrangement. If not known (i.e., because the post pre-dates this agreement) then best guess. |
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End date | No end date is still live. |
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Funding Details | This provides for a narrative to explain the funding type in more detail. It is currently only available for funding types Other and Academic – HEE. |
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Sub-Categories Definition
ITEM | EXPLANATION | Comment |
Funding type>HEE Funded – Non-Tariff> sub-categories | Salary recharges - Dental – 50% - Dental - 100% - FY2GP - Public Health - Hospice or Charity - Occupational Medicine - Community setting - Foundation academic - Other post funding - | Need the definition @James Harris |
Funding Elements>Supernumerary> Funding details> sub-categories | Exceptional training - SRTT - Salary recharges - | Need the definition @James Harris |
Recommendation
Recommendations | Description | Concerns/Questions | Ticket |
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Funding Elements:
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Funding Elements>Funding type>HEE Funded -Tariff | HEE Tariff: We all use the nationally published Tariff guidance, but there are different interpretations of how to fund core training posts. Some seek to use ST1, ST2 and ST3 rates as published by trying to identify the grade of trainee in each post; others look at the balance of grades across all core training and fund the appropriate proportion of posts at each of ST1, ST2 and ST3 rates; yet others create ST1-2 and ST1-3 composite funding rates to be applied to the core posts depending on whether they are for 2 or 3 year programmes.
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I would suggest the above is a process/policy decision for HEE rather than a development for TIS as TIS can currently handle these variations. HEE Funded - Tariff also has sub-categories which have not been captured here. These include, but not limited to ‘Existing Establishment’ (need to confirm the name for this, ‘Long Term Plan’, ‘NHSE/I Expansion’, ‘Redistribution’. This requirement comes from Finance users as well the need of local offices and senior stakeholders to track investment made from the department of health, etc. The list of this is likely to keep growing. To accommodate this I would suggest a field that is linked to a reference table. I spoke to Jon Howes and finance around the term ‘Funding Reason’ for this although sub-category could work as well. Need clarification on the name. |
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Funding Elements>Funding type>Other | Other: It is recommended that funding Type “Other” should be used only for non-standard funding formulae, to avoid such non-standard funding formulae being confused with standard HEE Tariff funding or other standard funding.
Other: This is used by some whenever they want to specify an accompanying narrative, but the proposed addition of sub-categories for supernumerary in recommendation 10 and consistent use of the full range of funding types available in TIS mean we can now minimise the use of funding type “Other”.
Recommendation 11: There is only one recommended use of funding type Other: funding using non-standard funding formulae. All regions are recommended to eliminate all other uses of funding type “Other” by 1st April 2023. (This is a corollary to Recommendation 2.) Example of non-standard funding formulae are F2 standalone posts getting a salary contribution, clinical placement fee and supervision allowance, and |
I would suggest this is a process/policy decision for HEE rather than a development for TIS as TIS can currently handle these variations. |
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Funding Elements>Funding type>HEE Funded Non-Tariff | HEE Funded Non-Tariff: We agreed we need to identify all the types of post for which this funding type should be used. |
I would suggest this is a process/policy decision for HEE rather than a development for TIS as TIS can currently handle these variations.
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Funding Elements>Funding type>HEE Funded Non-Tariff> HEE Non-tariff sub-categories | Recommendation 4: HEE Non-tariff sub-categories: It is recommended that TIS be enhanced to allow sub-categories under HEE Non-tariff funding, as follows:
This avoids TIS having to allow a narrative (Funding Detail) to explain the different uses of HEE Non-Tariff funding type. If the list of sub-categories proves to be non-exhaustive, any other case would be classed as non-standard funding and hence should use funding type “Other” which will provide a narrative (Funding Details) to explain. It is important that sub-categories are used to provide maximum clarity and the ability to fully categorise the many different types of Non-tariff funding. |
HEE Funded - Tariff also has sub-categories which have not been captured here. These include, but not limited to ‘Existing Establishment’ (need to confirm the name for this, ‘Long Term Plan’, ‘NHSE/I Expansion’, ‘Redistribution’. This requirement comes from Finance users as well the need of local offices and senior stakeholders to track investment made from the department of health, etc. The list of this is likely to keep growing. To accommodate this I would suggest a field that is linked to a reference table. I spoke to Jon Howes and finance around the term ‘Funding Reason’ for this although sub-category could work as well. Need clarification on the name.
See above but also I would suggest this is a process/policy decision for HEE rather than a development for TIS as TIS can currently handle these variations. |
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Funding Elements>Funding type>Percentage Field OR Funding Elements>Percentage Field | Recommendation 5: An optional percentage field should be added to TIS Funding Elements. This is definitely needed for Dental and Academic posts to provide the clarity needed by the national finance team. The field is only for use when relevant, hence for most posts would be left blank. However, its addition avoids us needing to ask for a narrative (Funding Details) to be provided instead. |
This is needs further clarification of what it is specifically a percentage of, HEE contribution for example. |
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Funding Elements>Funding type>Academic Post:
| Academic: The three Academic funding types were added relatively recently, which is likely to mean that some academic posts were set up earlier with funding types of Non-Tariff or Other. | Recommendation 6: All Academic posts should be changed to use these explicit funding types. Are we saying the three academic post should be replaced with just “Academic” No, they are saying that there are posts listed as funding type ‘Other’ which should be one of the academic funding types. I would suggest this is a process/policy decision for HEE rather than a development for TIS as TIS can currently handle these variations. |
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Funding Elements>Funding type>Academic - University | Recommendation 7: Another funding type needs to be added – “Academic – University” – recognising that Universities are not Trusts, so it is misleading to use type “Academic – Trust” in such cases. | Funding type “Academic” and “Academic - University” are the two post to be added to the list of the funding type? This can be added to the Funding Type list immediately if required. It will then be for HEE process/policy for local teams to migrate the relevant posts to the new funding type |
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Funding Elements>Academic – Trust AND Funding Elements>Academic – University | Recommendation 8: It should be allowed to have two concurrent funding elements, one “Academic – Trust” and the other “Academic – University”, each with a percentage field, normally 50% each to indicate that a Trust and a University have agreed to provide matched funding to support the post. |
The recommendation as written would cause an issue for reporting, finance, senior managers, etc, as having two instances of funding at the same time would cause the post to have two post funding records, duplicating that post in reporting. In order to retain post funding data integrity, if this was done it would have to be in a way that if part of one post funding record. Further clarification is required of exactly the need for this as currently this is recorded in the Funding Details field. |
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Funding Elements>Funding type>Supernumerary | Supernumerary: Again this is a relatively new funding type and some will have established a pattern of use that means they use Other rather than Supernumerary. It would be good to plan to move to consistent use of Supernumerary for all supernumerary posts but with the narrative field clarifying where the funding is coming from (e.g. SRTT funding, exceptional training funding, or Trust funding). Recommendation 9: Now that TIS provides a “Supernumerary” funding type, this should be used for consistency with all HEE funded supernumerary posts (those with /S suffix). This avoids needing to use funding type “Other” for exceptional training and SRTT funding. Note that many supernumerary posts will of course remain Trust funded and hence the funding type will be “Trust |
HEE funded supernumerary? to replace supernumerary in the current funding type list Trust Funded supernumerary? To replace Trust funded in the current funding type list I would suggest this is a process/policy decision for HEE rather than a development for TIS as TIS can currently handle these variations. |
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Funding Elements>Funding details | Recommendation 10: To avoid having to provide a narrative (Funding Details) to explain the Supernumerary funding, it is recommended we agree a sub-classification and that TIS be modified to allow sub-categories of Supernumerary funding type (similar to Recommendation 4 regarding sub-categories of HEE Non-Tariff funding type). The initial suggestion for Supernumerary sub-categories are:
“Other”: This is used by some whenever they want to specify an accompanying narrative, but the proposed addition of sub-categories for supernumerary in recommendation 10 and consistent use of the full range of funding types available in TIS mean we can now minimise the use of funding type “Other”. | The Supernumerary sub-categories need to be agreed As per above, this is the same requirement as with HEE Funded - Non-Tariff and HEE Funded - Tariff. The list of this is likely to keep growing. To accommodate this I would suggest a field that is linked to a reference table. This would allow for these categories to be agreed/changed as HEE policy is made. I spoke to Jon Howes and finance around the term ‘Funding Reason’ for this although sub-category could work as well. Need clarification on the name. |
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Funding Elements>Funding type>Military | Military: This new type has been added following a recommendation from this TAFG. Recommendation 12: Military funding type should now be used for all military (/M suffix) posts.
| Remain the same and keep. Only encourage users to use for all Military? Yes, I would suggest this is a process/policy decision for HEE rather than a development for TIS as TIS can currently handle these variations. |
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Funding Elements>Funding type>Long Term Plan | Long Term Plan: The funding calculations should be the same as for HEE Tariff but typically this funding is made available for a single cohort of trainees. Recommendation 13: All posts using funding type “Long Term Plan” should have an End Date. | End date must be mandatory? No as having NULL End Date is valid in the vast majority of instances. Any validation would have to be only for Long Term Plan funded posts but this could be done through reporting currently. |
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Funding Elements>End dates | End Dates:
Recommendation 14: Whenever the final end date of a post is passed, TIS should automatically change the post status to INACTIVE. Whilst there will be a few exceptions where teams don’t want the post status changed, in over 95% of cases they do want the post status changed, so it will be much less work for teams to fix the small number of exceptions rather than have to change the post status manually on the bulk of posts, as they do now Recommendation 15: Whenever a post or placement is saved, TIS should provide a warning message if there is a placement going beyond the final end date of the post, similar to the warning currently given for concurrent placements. |
Recommendation 14: Whenever the final end date of a post is passed, TIS should automatically change the post status to INACTIVE.
We have explored this before in data leads and the issue is with ESR as ESR will not export if the post is INACTIVE. A post may have a future instance of funding and so by this rule will be inactive until the start date but it needs to be current so any future placements go through the TIS-ESR interface 13 weeks prior to the placements start. Validation on not allowing placements to be added to a post if the placement goes beyond the posts funding dates has already been approved by the data leads. It was requested this wasn’t moved forward until after local offices had a chance to cleanse their current data. | |
Post> Ownership> Owner | Post Owner: The owner field in TIS identifies which region owns the post. However, there is current inconsistency about how to specify the Owner when the post is attached to an NHS Trust in one region but the post is to be funded by a neighbouring region(probably because the post has been set up to accommodate trainees from that neighbouring region). Recommendation 16: The “Owner” field should identify the HEE region that is responsible for the funding of the post. | Need clarity on this and what information we expect to see in “Owner”? If trust is funding, trust name instead of HEE region. No, they are saying it should be the Local Office in the Owner field which it already is. This is already possible by the ManagingDeanery of the ProgrammePost being able to be different from the Owner of the post which is the Local Office that manages the funding no matter the funding type. I believe this is simply documenting what should already be true. |
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Funding Elements>Funding type>HEE Funded -Tariff, Trust Funded | As described under HEE Funded - Tariff, there is a requirement to differentiate the funding investment that is the cause of the commissioning and decommissioning of posts. Current examples of these (this is not a definitive list and naming convention might change with a definitive list having been requested) are:
| Will there ever be examples where an HEE Funded - Non-Tariff post needs to have these values associated to it? If not, can the same solution for HEE Funded - Non-Tariff be used for this requirement? If yes, does that mean two additional Funding Elements are required to meet user needs? |
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UR Findings
Epic: https://hee-tis.atlassian.net/browse/TIS21-3273
UR Findings | Priority | Notes | Grouping |
Ability to create quarterly returns for trusts showing changes |
| Reporting needs- we will need more information from trust the specification of what the reports should be- what they want to report on and what they want to see on the report-UR to explore this with users.- Angela Fletcher? |
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Ability to simplify the completion of METIP |
| same as Number 5- |
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The information we require for payments is as follows:Trust nameFunding statues e.g. HEE fundedSpecialty School / ProgrammeTrainee gradeNPN numberPost Start and End date |
| same as numner 3- covered in the same reporting as METIP. |
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Long Term Plan posts and moving these to tariff but with ability to track as LTPAbility to track movement of posts so that if we decommission a post in London and move it to W Midlands that’s reportable somehow -- we need to build thi into TIS to fgather the long term post report... |
| can a non tariff funding type be a long term plan post?-we need an extra field to record the funding reason e.g if it is a long term plan post, expantion . To check with John. | |
UR Insights |
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It is recommended that TIS be enhanced to allow sub-categories under HEE Non-tariff funding | 2- in terms of Effort | Ticket - and then slice the ticket up depending on how the devs want to do it.Need additional drop down field for sub categories | |
It should become mandatory for each post to have at least one Funding Element and within each Funding Element it should be mandatory for Funding Body, Funding Type and Start Date to be specified. | 2- in terms of Effort | Yes we can make it mandatory but there will be some data cleansing first. | |
Automating a post status based on funding end date |
| This can be done but -Explore with the team- the issue is ESR and how the ESR works. | |
It would be helpful if a post could be automatically made inactive when the funding end date is reached. |
| This can be done but -Explore with the team- the issue is ESR and how the ESR works. | Create a spike ticket |
I need an option for spilt funding, with a free text field where we can show the break down (as the spilt varies between % and/or source, there doesn’t seem to be a drop down suggest that would cover the breakdown) |
| Explore with the team- We need to work out how this will work out for reporting and what the users want this to do. | |
Types of funding (other than tariff, non-tariff and trust funding) to be easier to understand, and use (mainly around funding that comes under other). New funding types need to be added quickly, this then saves on users trying to choose alternatives. |
| Process issue- there is a document that shows this- business managers needs to communicate this to the teams. | PO to communicate to business managers re process issue |
It would be useful to have Spilt to be available, and if possible, a free text field to show where the funding comes from more than one source. |
| Explore with the team- We need to work out how this will work out for reporting and what the users want this to do. | |
In terms of new funding, at the start of the long-term plan, as this wasn’t added, users were using Other as not sure what to use. |
| Process issue- there is a document that shows this- business managers needs to communicate this to the teams. | PO to communicate to business managers re process issue |
Another funding type needs to be added – “Academic – University” – recognising that Universities are not Trusts | 1-in terms of Effort | To make a ticket: we can add the funding type but local teams will need to bulk change their data to utilise that funding type- We need to create some kind of coordination with them to change their data- this can be done through the Teams channel(data leads). | |
An optional percentage field should be added to TIS Funding Elements when there are multiple concurrent funding elements. |
| Explore with the team- We need to work out how this will work out for reporting and what the users want this to do. | |
TIS be modified to allow sub-categories of Supernumerary funding type (similar to Recommendation |
| Need additional drop down field for sub categories. | |
Additionally within these users are not sure if their need to select Military, or Armed Forces from Other (so we end up with a mix) – could this be limited back to 1 option. |
| Process issue- they need to update their posts to use military. Non communication that exisits within local offices- this info needs to passed on to relevant admins in the local offices.(This has been done already). | PO to communicate to business managers re process issue |
Add a new funding type of 100% Tariff | 1-in terms of Effort | To make a ticket: we can add the funding type but local teams will need to bulk change their data to utilise that funding type- We need to create some kind of coordination with them to change their data- this can be done through the Teams channel(data leads). To check with John of whether he is happy with additional funding type that is being requested. | |
Add a new field into the funding type reference table |
| The added field is to control if the funding detail box is amendable or greyed out. | |
TIS should provide a warning message if there is a placement going beyond the final end date of the post, similar to the warning currently given for concurrent placement |
| There is a ticket for this- we can not do this- we can not do soft validation because there is no way to do this through bulk upload. We need to do some data cleansing and this has been disscussed with data leads | |
Whenever the final end date of a post is passed, TIS should automatically change the post status to INACTIVE |
| This can be done but -Explore with the team- the issue is ESR and how the ESR works. | |
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BA Post Funding Fields Analysis
Note:
The current Post bulk create does not have the funding fields
Post Funding FE Fields Validation
Field name | Reference Table | Initial value in dropdown | Proposed value in dropdown | Current value in dropdown | Initial FE Validation & Rules | Proposed FE Validation Rules | Current FE Validation & Rules | Error Messages | List Page?(Y/N) | List Page Rules (Sort/Filter) | Comment |
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Funding type |
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| In addition to the Initial FE Validation Rules;
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| Y | Filter |
https://hee-tis.atlassian.net/browse/TIS21-4801
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Funding Details |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
Then the ‘Funding Details’ field is greyed out; don’t accept text. If Funding type is "Other"
Then the ‘Funding Details’ field is NOT greyed out; accept text.
If Funding type is not "Other"
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In addition to the Initial FE Validation Rules;
Then the ‘Funding Details’ field is greyed out; don’t accept text.
Then the ‘Funding Details’ field is NOT greyed out; accept text. |
Then the ‘Funding Details’ field is greyed out; don’t accept text. If Funding type is "Other"
Then the ‘Funding Details’ field is NOT greyed out; accept text.
If Funding type is not "Other"
| Only special characters allowed: forward slash ( / ), apostrophes ( ' ), hypens ( - ), full stops ( . ) and spaces ( ) | N |
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Funding body | No value display, it is smart search |
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Then the ‘Funding body’ field is NOT greyed out; accept text | Mandatory: No In addition to the Initial FE Validation Rules;
Then the ‘Funding body’ field is NOT greyed out; accept text |
Then the ‘Funding body’ field is NOT greyed out; accept text | This field is required | N |
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Start date |
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Then the ‘Start date’ field is greyed out; don’t accept text.
Then the ‘Start date’ field is NOT greyed out; accept text.
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In addition to the Initial FE Validation Rules:
Then the ‘Start date’ field is NOT greyed out; accept text. |
Then the ‘Start date’ field is greyed out; don’t accept text.
Then the ‘Start date’ field is NOT greyed out; accept text.
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| N |
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End date |
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Then the ‘End date ’ field is greyed out; don’t accept text.
Then the ‘End date ’ field is NOT greyed out; accept text.
| Apart form the list in the Initial FE Validation & Rules, the following should be added
Inputting Placement: Validation message for a posts with status ‘Inactive’/funding end date expires OR inadequate funding end date when inputting placement against an ‘inactive’ post ( using UI/PPT or Placement bulk upload) In addition to the Initial FE Validation Rules;
Then the ‘End date ’ field is NOT greyed out; accept text. |
Then the ‘End date’ field is greyed out; don’t accept text.
Then the ‘End date’ field is NOT greyed out; accept text.
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| N |
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https://hee-tis.atlassian.net/browse/TIS21-4801
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This is new field to be created; Sub-category | To be created | None because it is a new filed to be created. |
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| None because it is a new filed to be created. |
| To be updated after implementation |
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| Funding Type Sub-category |
This is new field to be created; Funding Reason | To be created | None because it is a new filed to be created. |
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| None because it is a new filed to be created. |
| To be updated after implementation |
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| Funding Type- Funding reason; |
Post Funding Bulk Upload (Post Funding Creation) Fields Validation:
https://hee-tis.atlassian.net/browse/TIS21-4803
Column Heading | Add/Update/Matching Criteria | Mandatory | Rules | Questions/Notes for discussions |
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TIS_Post_ID* | Matching Criteria | Y |
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Funding type | Add | Y |
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Funding Details | Add | N |
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Funding Body | Add | N |
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Funding subtype | Add | N |
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Start date | Add | Y |
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End date | Add | N | Date format DD/MM/YYYY |
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Post Funding Bulk Upload (Post Funding Update) Fields Validation
https://hee-tis.atlassian.net/browse/TIS21-4803
Note: If non-mandatory fields are blank, retain existing value
Column Heading | Add/Update/Matching Criteria | Mandatory | Rules | Questions/Notes for discussions |
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TIS_Post_ID* | Matching Criteria | Y |
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TIS_PostFunding_ID* | Matching Criteria | Y |
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Funding type | Update | N |
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Funding Details | Update | N |
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Funding Body | Update | N |
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Funding subtype | Update | N |
| Please note: For the Post Funding Update template, if it is used to change the Funding Type of a Post Funding record, any existing Funding Subtype will be removed from the Post Funding record and replaced with what is populated on the template. This means that if a Post Funding record has a Funding Type of 'Supernumerary' and a Funding Subtype of 'Salary recharges', for example, if that record is updated to the Funding Type of 'Trust Funded' and the Funding Subtype field is left blank on the template, the Funding Subtype of 'Salary recharges' will be removed from that funding record. The reason for this is Funding Subtypes can only be used with certain Funding Types. |
Start date | Update | N |
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End date | Update | N |
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More details on Post Fields Validation including Post Funding, see link https://hee-tis.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NTCS/pages/edit/502530108?draftId=503283717&draftShareId=be601949-148c-4ceb-9f13-cea3295ba957&
Slack: https://hee-nhs-tis.slack.com/
Jira issues: https://hee-tis.atlassian.net/issues/?filter=14213