Frequently Asked Questions

Direct access, if a user name appears on the project information as an active user for that project, a project list will display under my project.
Indirect access, a project list will not appear under my project but a user can access to the specific project by searching through the pool listings.

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Q: I am working as a CM PM and an Estimator for the project. Can I have 2 roles on the same project?
A: Every user account is unique with a title and one user can have one account only. Some times, CIPMS help desk can be able to help you.
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Project Information:

Q: There are some typos Project information and I cannot edit them. What should I do?
A: Once the project has been created, there are some fields like Project information cannot be edited by the user. Contact CIPMS help desk by creating a ticket using Help Desk link or by emailing to cipms-help@houstontx.gov or by calling at 832-395-2082.
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Q: What kind of information do I need to provide a Help Desk?
A: WBS No. and the nature of errors that need to be corrected.
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Q: I cannot add Contract Number in Construction Project Information screen. What should I do?
A: Please send a request to a Help Desk.
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Q: I cannot find a CM Contract No. on a drop-down list in Construction Project Information screen. What should I do?
A: Create a Prof Services contract first using the appropriate P.S.Contract No. Then link this PS. contract no. to the appropriate project.
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Q: I cannot add the firm name in Construction Project Information. How can I add it?
A: P.S. Contract No. needs to be created first and then linked to existing project. The firm name and related information from a P.S. Contract No. will be populated on the project information automatically. Please refer to the CIPMS Training Manual on the Tutorials page.
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Q: I cannot see either % Cost Expended to Date or % Time Expended to Date. Why?
A: There are 2 fields that a COH PM needs to enter into CIPMS. The first one is the Original Contract Amount in order to see % Cost Expended to Date. The second one is either NTP Date or Number of Days which needs to enter into CIPMS in order to see % Time Expended to Date.
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Change Order:

Q: I have created a change order by mistake, can we remove it?
A: Change order can be removed only if it is not approved. Need to request the CIPMS Help desk to delete.
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Daily Report:

Q: I have created a daily report incorrectly. What should I do to remove it?
A: Contact CIPMS Help Desk to remove/correct a daily report. However, if the daily report is already paid, it is difficult to delete.
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Estimate:

Q: I would like to disapprove a Pay Estimate. What can I do?
A: Send a request to CIPMS Help Desk to disapprove the pay estimate. Unapproving just the recently approved pay estimate is easier. Unapproving more than one approved pay estimates in a project is not recommended.
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Q: I would like to delete the Pay Estimate. Can HELP DESK help me?
A: Send a request to CIPMS Help Desk. Some may be deleted and some may not be. It all depends on whether the pay estimate is approved and when.
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Q: I have created the Pay Estimate but I cannot see it on the web. Why?
A: The required fields (with red *) in the "Project Information" page need to be entered correctly in order to view the Pay Estimate.
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Q: The substantial completion date is incorrect or missing on the Pay Estimate. How can I correct or make it appear on the screen?
A: Only estimator can input substantial completion date value on the pay estimate screen. To correct the incorrectly entered data, contact the CIPMS help desk.
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Q: I cannot approve the Pay Estimate because it asks me to enter the password and I do not have a password. How can I approve it?
A: Please contact CIPMS Help Desk. CIPMS Help Desk will assign the password to a COH PM, a CM PM or an Estimator in order to be able to authorize the approval the Pay Estimate.
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Q: I could view the Pay Estimate I created. But when I click for details, CIPMS displays only a blank page. Why?
A: It is possible that some improper data entry occurred when the pay estimate was created. Please contact CIPMS Help Desk to resolve the issue.
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Project Unit Price Items:

Q: How can I download the Project Unit Price Items for a Engineering project?
A: Please click on 'Export Master List' button and save it on your computer.
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Q: I cannot import the Project Unit Price Item back into the CIPMS. Why?
A: There could be one or several reasons. Please follow the instructions:

Make sure appropriate data type (number, text, etc.) is used in every column. CIPMS can not handle mismatched data type.

Any additional items can be added in the Custom tab only.

Avoid blank rows between each row.

While deleting incorrectly entered data in the excel sheet, make sure you do not leave any blank white space in the cell.

Please do not add any dollar sign ($) or comma (,) in Unit Price Item or Total, just numbers only.

If the unit is for abbreviation, please do not add the number. This is a kind of mismatch data.

The file name should not be started with number, symbol.

The file name should not have space between words (use underscore instead) or too long name.

The file name can be started with underscore followed by a number or a letter.

If the file name needs many words, please use underscore to put them together.

In the number column, please do not use mathematical symbols such as +, -, etc. to calculate the total.

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Q: I try to print the Form 410 of Engineering but the Total in Figures do not display, although I entered all data and it shows up on CIPMS screen.
A: Probably Min, Max or Fix (one, two or all of them) columns are not filled with data. Please eneter these data and try again. Otherwise contact CIPMS help desk.
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Cash Projection:

Q: I am a construction PM. Once I create a Cash Projection, I can see many fields are filled with some number which I have not yet entered. Where do they come from?
A: Those numbers come from Engineering Cash Projection. Once the Design Engineer creates the Cash Projections by using Auto-Calc, those numbers will be calculated automatically through the entire length of construction project. And those numbers will appear on Construction Project as well. However, those numbers can be edited for future months only (white area).
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Q: Can you remove the Construction Cash Projections for the previous months before the project starts?
A: Yes, CIPMS Help Desk can remove them but it is not the right way to do because those numbers in previous months are obtained from many calculations and this can create the problem. For example, you have multi-step formulas to get the result but you want to change the result at the end without considering calculation steps. This can cause the problem in CIPMS.
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Salary Recovery:

Q: I don't see a Salary Recovery link in CIPMS. What should I do?
A: You require a specific user role to see the Salary Recovery link. Please Contact CIPMS Help Desk by email (cipms-help@houstontx.gov) or by phone (832-395-2052).
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Q: I am unable to find my projects in the projects drop-down list
A: If you have access to those projects, they will appear on top of the list in the drop-down, followed by other project WBS nos.
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Q: I have already selected the project WBS no. from the drop-down list and then click Save However, I don't see it on the list. Why?
A: Once you have selected the project from the drop-down list, you need to enter data (hours) in the field and then click Save.
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Q: Can CIPMS freeze the project WBS no. but allow us to scroll horizontally?
A: CIPMS is not currently capable to freeze the project WBS no. pane. This could be considered for improvement in the future.
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Q: I cannot see my project listed in Standard Time section at all. Why?
A: You might have inadvertently selected your project in Over Time section and saved it. You need to remove the project from Overtime by simply deleting all hours in particular project and then click Save. Your project will be listed in both sections.
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Q: What is the purpose of SCR3?
A: SCR3 is needed whenever a Salary Recovery user does not have any project to work with but individual needs to perform certain work and recover salary.
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Q: After submitting a Salary Recovery, I realize that I have made a mistake. How could I correct it?
A: Please contact CIPMS Help Desk to reset your Salary Recovery status so that you can correct it.
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Q: As a supervisor, Why can't I see my subordinates' Salary Recovery?
A: Either your subordinates have not yet submitted a Timesheet or a Timesheet status is closed.
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Q: How to remove the row with a wrong WBS no. entered mistakenly?
A: Simply delete all hours in particular project and then click Save. However, if the project has been previously selected on a previous timesheet, it will appear on the current one automatically.
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Q: If we use Kronos, should we still submit the salary recovery sheet in CIPMS?
A: The Kronos system and CIPMS are used for different purposes. CIPMS is strictly used to manage project salary recovery, and has no connection with tracking your leave balances or paycheck information.
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Q: When will the new timesheet be available?
A: The new timesheet becomes available as soon as the previous pay period ends (Sunday morning at 12 AM). Users do not have access to pay periods beyond the currently active one, although they have the ability to view (but not alter) data that has been entered on previous timesheets.
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Q: What happens if I don’t submit a salary recovery timesheet before Support Services locks it?
A: When your timesheet is locked around 10 AM Tuesday following the end of the pay period, an empty timesheet will be printed. You will not be able to submit a completed salary recovery timesheet without assistance from Support Services. The ‘Save’ and ‘Submit’ buttons will be grayed-out, so if you enter data on a closed timesheet, the system will not permit you to save or submit it. You will need to contact Hanh Vuong(832-395-2065) at Support Services, who will work with the CIPMS Help Desk to update and submit your timesheet in the system.
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Q: How do I handle my Salary Recovery timesheet when I’m going on vacation?
A: The answer to this question will depend based on your circumstances.

My vacation time occurs partially in and partially outside of the pay period in question. This will be the most common vacation-related situation we will find ourselves in. Unless your vacation lasts for two weeks or longer, then you should have at least one day within that pay period for which you may need to track salary recovery hours. If that is the case, enter in those hours. Since you will not need to enter in any hours for the time you are away, once you have entered in all you can, then go ahead and click on the ‘Submit’ button. Your timesheet will be saved with the data you have entered, and you will not appear on the exception report produced by Support Services.
My vacation time occurs completely outside of the pay period in question. If you take a vacation that lasts two or more weeks, there is the potential that there can be one or more pay periods for which you have no salary recovery hours to record. There are two ways to handle this situation.
1. Since CIPMS is a web-based system, you can log into CIPMS from any location in the world that has Internet access. You can go to the timesheet in question and click on the ‘Submit’ button without entering any hours for salary recovery. Your timesheet will be saved even if you have not entered any hours, and you will not appear on the exception report produced by Support Services.
2. If you are not able or inclined to access CIPMS while on vacation, you need to contact Hanh Vuong(832-395-2065) at Support Services and report the period of time for which you will be away. Your absence will be taken into account and you will not appear on the exception report produced by Support Services.

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If you cannot find your answer here, please send us a ticket from Help Desk link in CIPMS, email us at cipms-help@houstontx.gov or call us (832) 395-2052.

Frequently Asked Questions

User Account:

Project Information:

Change Order:

Daily Report:

Estimate:

Project Unit Price Items:

Cash Projection:

Salary Recovery:

User Account:

Project Information:

Change Order:

Daily Report:

Estimate:

Project Unit Price Items:

Cash Projection:

Salary Recovery: