Interface FAQs

You will want to submit your request to the CORE Governance Committee (CGC).  You can do this by selecting the CORE Governance tab from the CORE website.  CGC will review the request to determine the benefits and changes needed by other departments.  These requests must be submitted by a Controller/Deputy Controller, Budget Director, or Procurement Director.

Interface files come in two different varieties:  Inbound and Outbound.  

Inbound interface files are flat (.txt) or Excel files containing transaction data, generated by agencies and IHEs using external systems, that are converted to xml by mapping software (Pentaho) maintained by the OSC and its vendor/partner CGI.  These xml entries are then loaded into CORE on a nightly basis (M-F only) with the resulting output being transactions that CORE uses daily.  Some examples of these transactions are GAX transactions (to generate payments) and REs and CRs (which facilitate Accounts Payable functionality).  

Outbound interface files also use translation maps. They extract data from CORE and then send that data via SFTP to agencies to be loaded into their external systems.  Some examples of these exports are “AgencyAll” files which are payment reconciliation files and Accounting Journal files which contain budget information in CORE.

CORE Operations currently utilizes and maintains the following inbound interfaces:

• Accounting Template uploads (Excel format)

• CCard (PRC1)

• GAX

• MD1

• MD2

• MD4

• JVA1

• BGA190

• BGA191

• CR

• RE

• REA

• IET

CORE Operations currently utilizes and maintains the following Outbound files:

• COA elements

• Vendor Extract

• Agency All (payment reconciliation)

• SYSX (Accounts Payable cross-reference table data- used for external systems to link customers to their entries in CORE)

• REA Extract

• Journal Accounting 

All inbound interfaces add the number 1 to the end of each transaction code (ex: GAX1 instead of GAX). The 1 signifies that the transaction created was generated via interface.  These are cloned versions of the original transactions that contain all the same fields and properties with some differences around the parameters of submission and creation.  Parameters can be set for these files to allow them to be sent straight to Final (bypassing approvals).  Also, an interface transaction code cannot be created manually (but it can be modified).  If an interfaced transaction is modified, it WILL have to be processed through workflow, even though the first version bypassed approvals.

The interface source file naming convention consists of several nodes.  An example of an interface source file name, as well as an explanation of each of the naming convention nodes, is described below:

Example: CORE_IHJA_SRQ1_WHSE_20190103154045998.txt

• DESTINATION – The first node is the four-character receiving system name  (i.e., CORE)

• DOC_DEPT_ID – The second node is the four-character CORE department code (e.g., HAAA = Department of Transportation)

• DOC_CD – The third node is a maximum of eight characters for the CORE transaction or page code (e.g., GAX1 = General Accounting Expenditure Interface).  The 1 at the end of the code (GAX1, SRQ1, REA1, etc.) is the automated interface indicator.

• SOURCE – The fourth node (max length 11) is for source system identifier (e.g.  CITIMANAGER = CitiDirect Card Management System from CitiBank)

• YYYYMMDDHHMMSS – The fifth node is for the date and time the interface source file is generated (e.g., 201306021730). This should reflect the system date and time when the file is created.

• FILE EXTENSION – The sixth node is the file extension to identify the type of source file. The extension of “.txt” will be used to identify the ASCII file format.

Interface files are processed M-F and are automated so the can be processed on holidays as well.  The inbound file process begins at 6:00 p.m. MT every week night.  Files should be sent to the CORE folder no later than 5:30 p.m. MT to ensure they are processed the same night.  Any files sent after this time may be processed the following night and in the case of Friday, the following Monday.

CORE Operations checks all files the morning after processing for issues like duplicate entries (entries that have been previously processed), as well as failed uploads.  A failed upload would be considered a file that was not processed at all or had severe errors that did not allow some or all entries to be loaded into CORE, and does not include entries that may have had internal errors (ex., closed period or incorrect vendor information) which kept them from going to Final.  In cases where a file failed due to internal data errors, it is the responsibility of the agency or IHE to determine which transactions had issues and what the agency / IHE needs to do to correct the file for successful processing.

A majority of our current interfaces run through Tyler Technologies (formerly Colorado Interactive or SIPA).  When establishing new “profiles” on the Tyler side, a template may be provided to an agency or IHE to establish the values that will be sent on inbound interface files to CORE.  In these cases, CORE Operations can assist in defining chart of account elements to be entered into the template, but cannot assist with how to fill in these templates.  Those questions will need to be answered by Tyler Technologies.

All policy and procedure information about interfaces can be found here:  https://core.state.co.us/policies/interfaces/interface-policies

Yes, we have both inbound and outbound interface documentation, including mapping documents.  To obtain documentation for a specific transaction, please email core.help@state.co.us.

This is true of most inbound interfaces, with some exceptions, like Gentax files.  To confirm whether or not you can submit more than one interface file a night, please email core.help@state.co.us.

Yes.  A mass load of Accounting Templates values as well as BGA190 and BGA191 values, can be loaded via interface files that are structured as Excel spreadsheets.  To ask questions about or obtain one of these spreadsheets, please email please email core.help@state.co.us.