Common Management System

SDSU is embarking on one of the most significant technology transformations in its history: a mandatory, multi-year transition to a new enterprise system shared by all 22 California State Universities.

What is the Common Management System?

The CSU Common Management System (CMS) is a systemwide initiative to unify financial and human resources operations across every CSU campus on a single platform. For SDSU, this means transitioning to two new systems:

Illustration of a digital dashboard showing financial and student services icons, including payments, travel, and health services.
Finance

Common Financial System (CFS)

PeopleSoft Finance 9.2, replacing Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) and the ASCOT billing system. Includes CSUBUY for procurement and Concur for travel and expenses.

Illustration of a computer dashboard displaying charts and graphs representing data reporting and analytics in a CMS system.
Human Resources

Common HR System (CHRS)

PeopleSoft HCM 9.2, a single HR data management system for all CSU campuses covering payroll, benefits, workforce administration, recruiting, and more.

Why does this matter to SDSU?

These systems are the backbone of how SDSU pays its employees, manages its finances, and stays compliant with state and federal regulations. Getting this transition right is not optional. It is foundational to the university's ability to operate.

Being on a shared platform with the rest of the CSU also unlocks real benefits for our campus: access to the CSU Data Warehouse for finance reporting, shared procurement contracts with better pricing, and the elimination of costly legacy systems like Oracle EBS and ASCOT. The CSU system is stronger together, and SDSU's participation strengthens that collective.

This transition will take real effort

We want to be honest with our campus community: transitions of this scale are hard. Replacing core enterprise systems touches nearly every unit on campus. It requires extensive training, changes to familiar workflows, data cleanup, and sustained engagement across divisions. This is not just an IT project; it affects Finance, Human Resources, and everyone who uses these systems every day.

At the same time, the university has experienced a significant increase in cybersecurity threats, a pattern seen across higher education nationwide. Protecting our community from phishing and financial fraud requires the same level of institutional focus as the CMS transition itself.

A pause on major new IT projects

Given the scope of these commitments, SDSU's Vice Presidents for Business & Financial Affairs and Information Technology have recommended a temporary pause on major new IT-dependent initiatives. This includes pausing new software rollouts, major upgrades, and special projects requiring support from the IT Division, Human Resources, and Financial Operations within BFA, unless they are:

  • Legally or regulatorily required
  • Directly aligned with the CFS or CHRS transition
  • Essential to cybersecurity, financial integrity, or institutional risk mitigation

All other initiatives should be deferred and revisited once these foundational efforts are successfully implemented and stabilized.

This is a deliberate sequencing strategy, not a retreat from innovation. Experience shows that large-scale system changes require more than technical work: they demand institutional focus. Adding new projects on top of these mandatory transitions increases the risk of delays, integration failures, and change fatigue across the organization. 

Stay Informed

Updates on the CFS and CHRS transitions will be posted here as key milestones are reached. For questions, contact Business and Financial Affairs or the Division of Information Technology.