Cardinal: How to Update a Submitted/Approved Absence | September 11, 2026

Application: HCM | Audience: Absence Administrators, TL Administrators, Timekeepers, Absence Supervisors, and TA Self-Service users with access to enter absences in Cardinal.

• The direct "edit" button for submitted or approved absences has been removed following the Cardinal Upgrade, requiring users to first submit a cancellation request (which auto-cancels if pending, or requires supervisor approval if already approved).
• Once cancelled, users can edit dates or duration by selecting the event under View Requests, or change the leave type by submitting a brand-new request via Manage Absence.

Cardinal Time Entry Guidance – Entering ChartFields with SpeedTypes | September 10, 2026

Application: HCM | Audience: TL Administrators, Timekeepers, TA Supervisors, and TA Self-Service users with access to enter ChartFields using the SpeedType Key on timesheets.

• Following the recent Cardinal upgrade, the ChartField Detail entry window on timesheets has an updated layout, though the overall entry process remains the same.
• To apply a SpeedType Key, click the ChartField link on the timesheet row, select Advanced Search, search for and choose the SpeedType Key, and click Done to populate the fields.

Cardinal System Upgrade – Important Updates | September 8, 2026

Application: HCM | Audience: Cardinal Core Users at Centralized Localities that participate in The Local Choice (TLC) health benefits program

• The Benefits Administrator tile has been removed. You can access all Benefits pages directly from the Navigation Bar (NavBar), the compass icon in the top-right corner.

   

Action Required! Use Updated GL Journal Spreadsheet Upload Excel Template | September 8, 2026

Application: FIN | Audience: GL Journal Processors and Approvers

• An updated GL Journal Spreadsheet Upload Excel Template and associated XLAM Macro File are now required for all Spreadsheet Journal Imports. This new template replaces both the former statewide template and the VDOT-specific template.

   

Cardinal Upgrade: Updated Training Materials Now Available | September 8, 2026

Application: FIN & HCM | Audience:  Cardinal Core Users

• All Cardinal job aids, reports catalogs, and other impacted resources have been updated to reflect the system changes from the Cardinal Upgrade.

Upcoming Improvements to Cardinal Employee Self-Service & Planned Outage | September 1, 2026

Application: HCM | Audience:  Employee Self-Service (ESS) users

• The Cardinal Upgrade introduces enhanced mobile responsiveness, self-service absence cancellations, an Approval Monitor tracking page, and digital document uploads for Life Event benefit updates.

Cardinal Upgrade: New Human Resources Navigation & Page Changes | August, 31 2026

Application: HCM | Audience: HR Administrators and HR Read-Only users 

• New Manage Human Resources homepage tile that replaces the previous NavBar navigation to key HR pages.

• Job Data (renamed "Manage Job") and Personal Data pages feature a streamlined single-page layout without tabs, introducing a new "Job Action Summary" view for HR users.

   

Get Ready for the Cardinal System Upgrade: Time & Attendance New Features | August, 31 2026

Application: HCM | Audience: Timekeepers, TL Supervisors and Absence Supervisors, TL and Absence Administrators. 

• Overview of key enhancements to Cardinal Time and Attendance including changes to the Cardinal HCM homepage and navigation, updated timesheet entry, centralized delegation from the Cardinal HCM homepage
• Links to webinar recording and resources to support Supervisors and Timekeepers following the Cardinal Upgrade.

Cardinal HCM Update: Approval Tile Access for HR Administrators | July, 31 2026

Application: HCM | Audience: All HR Directors and HR Administrators of Cardinal HCM agencies. 

• As of July 31, 2026, Cardinal HR Administrators (V_HR_ADMINISTRATOR) have access to the Approval Tile on the HCM Homepage to process employee name change requests (unassigned agency requests default to DHRM Operations).

Take Action: Cardinal Legislative Salary Increase Tool | June 18, 2026

Application: HCM | Audience: All HR Directors and HR Administrators of Cardinal HCM agencies. Payroll Administrators are included for awareness.

• As a reminder, the Legislative Salary Increase Tool is now available in Cardinal to assist HR Administrators with processing the July 25, 2026, salary increase.

• By Friday, July 17, at 7:59 p.m., all agencies must either use the tool to review and confirm increases, or select the Opt Out checkbox.

   

Cardinal HCM: Review FY 2027 Department and Position Default Funding | June 18, 2026

Application: HCM | Audience: Fiscal Officers, HR Administrators, Payroll Administrators, and Payroll Budget Processors for Cardinal HCM Payroll agencies.

• Fiscal Year 2027 Department and Position default funding is now active in Cardinal HCM. To support agencies, the Cardinal team has rolled forward all active FY 2026 data to create the FY 2027 records.
• All FY 2027 Department and Position default funding updates must be completed by Thursday, June 25 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) to ensure payroll is allocated correctly.

Cardinal HR006 (Position Interface) Standardization of Department/Position ChartField Validation | June 17, 2026

Application: HCM | Audience: All interface points of contact (functional and technical) for Cardinal HCM agencies using the HR006 interface. 

• Effective Tuesday, June 30, 2026, Cardinal is updating the wording for certain warning and error messages in the HR006 (Position Data Upload) 002 record validation process.
• The updated messages are shorter and no longer include the phrase “Rejected the Transaction”. The underlying validation logic and system behavior remain exactly the same.
   

Reminder! Prepare for Leave Liability Reporting | June 16, 2026

Application: HCM | Audience: AM Administrators and PSB agency TL Administrators using Cardinal Absence Management (AM).

• As a reminder, as we approach the Fiscal Year End, agency administrators must begin preparing for Annual Leave Liability Reporting.
• Take action: review and adjust leave data!

• All adjustments must be completed by June 30, 2026.

   

Cardinal HCM: New! Overtime Leave Compliance Report | June 4, 2026

Application: HCM | Audience: AM Administrators, TL Administrators, HR Administrators, HR Directors, Payroll Administrators, and Fiscal Officers for HCM agencies using Cardinal Absence Management. 

• New Overtime Leave Compliance report available to help agencies monitor overtime (OT) leave balances and ensure compliance with DHRM Policy 3.20.

ACTION REQUIRED: FY26 June One-Time Bonus Mass Upload and Processing (June 1–5) | June 1, 2026

Application: HCM | Audience: HR Administrators, HR Directors, and Payroll Administrators of Cardinal HCM agencies. 

• If your agency did not Out, you will need to take the following actions by June 5, 2026.

  • Step 1: Run Bonus Queries

  • Step 2: Validate the Query Data

  • Step 3: Rewards and Recognition Upload (HR Administrators)

  • Step 4: Payroll Handoff (SPOT Earnings Mass Upload)

• June 11: Reconcile Rewards and Recognition and Payroll Data

   

Introducing Cardinal Financials’ New Look – Coming September 2026 | May 27, 2026

Application: FIN| Audience: FIN Core Users at Cardinal HCM agencies.

• Modern Tile-Based Interface: Launching September 8, 2026, the Financials application is getting a visual refresh to match the streamlined, tile-based navigation of Cardinal HCM.

• A redesigned layout provides quick, time-saving access to essential tools like approvals, delegations, reports, and queries.

• The upgrade includes upgraded, smarter search capabilities to help you find information faster.

   

Cardinal Upgrade – Coming September 2026! | May 19, 2026

Application: HCM and FIN | Audience:  Core Users at Cardinal HCM and FIN agencies.

• The Cardinal system is getting an upgrade! Scheduled to go live on September 8, 2026, this update delivers a range of new features designed to improve system functionality and your overall user experience.
• Webinar Series: Beginning in July, we will host a series of webinars. These are designed to give you a first look at the new functionality and a chance to ask questions.

• Go-Live Support: As we approach the go-live date in September, we will release updated job aids and training courses to support you as you begin using the new system features.

   

Now Available! Cardinal Legislative Salary Increase Tool – Bonus Payment Cycle | May 18, 2026

Application: HCM | Audience: HR Administrators, HR Directors, and Payroll Administrators at Cardinal HCM agencies.

• To process the FY26 bonus in Cardinal, agencies can now complete bonus review and verification activities in the Cardinal Legislative Salary Increase Tool.
• Action Required by Thursday, May 28, at 7:59 p.m.

• Bonus payment to be included in the June 16 paycheck.

   

Cardinal Training Update: ESS392 Moves to COVLC | April 23, 2026

Application: HCM | Audience: HR Administrators, Time & Labor Administrators, Absence Management Administrators, Time & Attendance Supervisors, and Absence Supervisors of Cardinal HCM agencies that use Time & Attendance. COVLC Training Administrators are included for awareness.

• ESS392 Time & Attendance Employee Self-Service (ESS) Web-Based Training (WBT) is now available in the Commonwealth of Virginia Learning Center (COVLC).
• Starting April 27, 2026, new hires who submit time or absences in Cardinal Employee Self-Service will be automatically assigned the ESS392 WBT course in COVLC.
• Existing Users: Employees with active ESS time and absence roles prior to April 27, have received completion credit for ESS392. No automatic assignment will occur for current time reporters.

Cardinal HCM – Prepare for Leave Liability Reporting | April 20, 2026.

Application: HCM | Audience: AM Administrators and PSB agency TL Administrators using Cardinal Absence Management (AM).

• As we approach the Fiscal Year End, agency administrators must begin preparing for Annual Leave Liability Reporting.
• Take Action - Review Leave Data:
  • Active Employees: Verify leave balances and make necessary adjustments.
  • Inactive Employees: Ensure balances are paid out and zeroed out.

• All adjustments and corrections must be completed in Cardinal by June 30, 2026.

   

New! Cardinal HCM Leave Balance Zero-Out page| April 15, 2026

Application: HCM | Audience: Absence Management (AM) Administrators at Cardinal HCM agencies. Payroll Administrators are included for awareness.

• Cardinal has launched the Leave Balance Zero-Out page, a new page designed to streamline the process of clearing remaining absence and leave balances for terminated employees.
• Administrators can now search for terminated employees and clear multiple balances simultaneously, with automated adjustments generated for both Absence Management and Time & Labor.
• The tool is designed for positive balances only (negative balances still require manual adjustment) and should only be used after all eligible payouts are processed.

Cardinal MFA Update – SMS and Phone Options End April 27 | March 25, 2026.

Application: FIN & HCM | Audience: All Cardinal users at agencies that are not part of the VITA COV Network (Non-COV).

• Effective Monday, April 27, 2026, VITA is retiring SMS and phone call options for Cardinal MFA; users must switch to a supported method (such as Okta Verify, Google Authenticator, or Okta FastPass) before this deadline to maintain system access.
• Updated support resources, including the Cardinal System Access Guide and specific registration guides for active and inactive employees, are available to assist with the transition.
• You can find step-by-step setup instructions on the Multifactor Authentication for Cardinal Users webpage.

New Locality Resources for Accessing the Cardinal System | March 17, 2026.

Application: HCM | Audience: Core Users at localities using the Cardinal HCM system for health benefits.

• Cardinal has released five new step-by-step job aids to assist Locality personnel with running reports (TLC Data Sheets, ACA Reconciliation, etc.) and viewing health benefits data.
• A new Company and Department Codes reference tool is also available, with all resources hosted on the Cardinal Locality Users webpage.

Monitoring and Adjusting the Hourly ACA Yearly Limit | February 20, 2026.

Application: HCM | Audience: Time & Labor Administrators, Time & Labor Employee Setup Administrators, and TA Supervisors of wage employees for Cardinal HCM agencies.

• Reminder that Cardinal tracks hourly employee work throughout the year to ensure compliance with the ACA 1,500-hour limit.
• The Hourly Employee Tracking Report and timesheet exceptions help supervisors monitor employee hours and make adjustments as needed.

Cardinal Integration Testing Unavailable June 1 – October 7, 2026 | January 22, 2026

Application: FIN  & HCM | Audience:  AITRs, Interface Contacts, Cardinal Security Officers, Fiscal Officers, and HR Directors at all Cardinal agencies.

• Effective June 1, 2026, the Cardinal Team will enter an extended integration testing blackout period for both Cardinal Financials and Human Capital Management. Integration testing availability is expected to resume on or around October 7, 2026.

• Agencies currently implementing or upgrading systems that require Cardinal integration must complete all related interface testing activities by June 1, 2026. 

   

Enhancements to Cardinal HR Data Audit and Personnel Action Reports | January 14, 2026

Application: HCM | Audience:  HR Administrators and HR Read-Only at Cardinal HCM agencies.

• Employee Data Change Audit (RHR002): Now features a new Employee Type Filter (Salaried or Wage) and includes the Tax Location Code as an audited field; users should select the CSV File Output checkbox on the Run Control page for CSV generation.
• Employee Data Change Audit (RHR002): Now features a new Employee Type Filter (Salaried or Wage) and includes the Tax Location Code as an audited field; users should select the CSV File Output checkbox on the Run Control page for CSV generation.
• Refer to the updated Cardinal HCM Human Resources Reports Catalog for full details on output options. If you encounter issues, submit a helpdesk ticket and include the Report ID and a screenshot of your Run Control configuration.

Action Required: Verify Employee Email Addresses for W-2s | January 12, 2026

Application: HCM | Audience:  HR Administrators and Payroll Administrators at Cardinal HCM payroll agencies.

• HR Administrators must verify and update email addresses for both active and separated employees in Cardinal HCM.
• Email Requirements:
  • All active employees must have a valid email address to access Cardinal.
  • Separated employees retain access for 18 months, but must use a personal (non-agency) email address to log in. Registration is required the first time the user attempts to sign in with a personal email address.
• How to Update Email Addresses:
  • Active Employees: Update Contact Information on the employee’s Job Data page.
  • Inactive Employees: Refer to the HR351 Separation Statuses job aid for post-employment access to Cardinal.

(Locality) Important Update: Extension for SMS (text)/Call MFA for Cardinal Login | December 9, 2025

Application: FIN & HCM | Audience:  All Core Users at localities that participate in The Local Choice (TLC) health benefits program.

• Current Status & Recommended Action
  • If you are using Okta Verify: Please continue to use it. This remains the most secure and recommended method for accessing Cardinal.
  • If you are able to set up Okta Verify: We strongly encourage you to do so now. The step-by-step instruction are available by clicking this link.
• VITA is working with Okta to extend the retirement date for the use of text message and voice calls as login verification options for locality users.

(Non-COV) Important Update: Extension for SMS (text)/Call MFA for Cardinal Login | December 8, 2025

Application: FIN & HCM | Audience:  All Cardinal users at agencies that are not part of the VITA COV Network (Non-COV).

• Current Status & Recommended Action
  • If you are using Okta Verify: Please continue to use it. This remains the most secure and recommended method for accessing Cardinal.
  • If you are able to set up Okta Verify: We strongly encourage you to do so now. The step-by-step instructions are available by clicking this link.
• VITA is working with Okta to extend the retirement date for the use of text message and voice calls as login verification options for non-COV users.

Cardinal HCM: Update: Manage Your Direct Deposit in Cardinal ESS | November 26, 2025

Application: HCM | Audience: All Employee Self-Service (ESS) users at Cardinal Payroll agencies. HR Administrators, Payroll Read-Only, and Payroll Administrators are included for awareness.

You can now enter and update your own Direct Deposit information directly in Cardinal.

Accessing Direct Deposit in Cardinal

To access your Direct Deposit information, follow these simple steps:

1. Log in to Cardinal at my.cardinal.virginia.gov
2. Go to the Cardinal HCM Homepage
3. Click the Payroll tile
4. Select Direct Deposit from the left-side menu on the Payroll page

Note on Agency Support: Payroll Administrators may continue to enter and update direct deposits on your behalf, depending on your agency's internal policy. Please check with your agency's payroll office if you require assistance.

Cardinal HCM – What You Need to Know for the Leave Year End | November 20, 2025

Application: HCM | Audience: Absence Management (AM) Supervisors, AM Administrators, and Time & Labor (TL) Administrators at PSB agencies.

• Leave Year End processing begins January 15, 2026, to calculate carryover, forfeitures, and new entitlements effective January 10, 2026.
• Use reports Employee Leave Report and Potential Leave Forfeiture Report to review balances; remember that absences can be reported up to 90 days before or after the date.
• AM Administrators must manually or via mass upload update non-automatic entitlements, including Executive Leave and All Purpose Leave, by the first pay period.

Cardinal HCM: Update to HR Administrator Security Role Permissions | November 18, 2025

Application: HCM | Audience: HR Administrators, HR Directors, Payroll Administrators, Payroll Read-Only Administrators, Fiscal Officers, and Cardinal Security Officers at Cardinal HCM agencies.

• The following roles now include Direct Deposit read-only access:
  • HR Administrator (V_HR_ADMINISTRATOR)
  • HR Position Management (V_HR_POSITION_MGMT)
  • DHRM Operations (V_HR_DHRM_OPERATIONS)
• HR Administrators must now cross-reference system data with new onboarding forms and immediately report any discrepancies to the payroll office.

Cardinal HCM: Time Entry Tips for the Holidays | November 12, 2025

Application: HCM | Audience: Time Reporters with modify access, Timekeepers, Time & Labor Supervisors, Absence Supervisors, Time & Labor Administrators, and Absence Administrators.

• Salaried Users:
  • Cardinal automatically generates paid holidays for most salaried users.
  • For variable work schedules or partial holidays, manual time entry is required.
• Absence Management:
  • Supervisors can use the V_TA_ABS_SV_AND_SB_STATUS query to identify pending absences.
  • Saved absences must be submitted individually to be processed.

(COV) Action Required: Replace SMS (text)/Call MFA for Cardinal Login | November 10, 2025

Application: FIN & HCM | Audience: All Cardinal users at agencies that are part of the VITA COV Network (COV).

• The SMS (text) and phone call options for Okta Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) are being retired later this fall.
• Users logging in from outside the COV network must now use Okta Verify (mobile app) or Okta FastPass (desktop app) for MFA.
• Users currently relying on SMS/phone should proactively switch to Okta Verify before November 30 to avoid disruption.

(NON-COV) Action Required: Replace SMS (text)/Call MFA for Cardinal Login
 | October 30, 2025

Application: FIN & HCM | Audience: All Cardinal users at agencies that are not part of the VITA COV Network (Non-COV).

• The SMS (text) and phone call options for Okta Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) are being retired later this fall.
• Users logging in from outside the COV network must now use Okta Verify (mobile app) or Okta FastPass (desktop app) for MFA.
• Users currently relying on SMS/phone should proactively switch to must set up a new MFA method as soon as possible. VITA recommends completing setup before November 30 to avoid any disruption in access.

(COV) Important Update: SMS & Phone Authentication is Retiring for Cardinal Login | October 10, 2025

Application: FIN & HCM | Audience: AITRs, Cardinal Security Officers, Fiscal Officers, and HR Directors at Cardinal agencies are not part of the VITA COV Network.

• The SMS (text) and phone call options for Okta Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) are being retired later this fall.
• Users logging in from outside the COV network must now use Okta Verify (mobile app) or Okta FastPass (desktop app) for MFA.
• Users currently relying on SMS/phone should proactively switch to Okta Verify before October 31 to avoid disruption.

(NON-COV) Important Update: SMS & Phone Authentication is Retiring for Cardinal Login | October 9, 2025

Application: FIN & HCM | Audience: IT Contacts, Cardinal Security Officers, Fiscal Officers, and HR Directors at Cardinal agencies that are not part of the VITA COV Network (Non-COV).

• The SMS (text) and phone call options for Okta Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) are being retired later this fall.
• All Cardinal users who rely on SMS/phone authentication must switch to using the Okta Verify mobile application for MFA.
• Users currently using SMS/phone should proactively switch to Okta Verify before October 31 to avoid disruption.