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Financials Moves From Theory to Reality
The Financials team was excited to move “from theory to reality” as they worked in their new test system this week. They can now interact with the system and really see how things will work. This allows them to fully understand all the configuration options and select the best solution to meet the university’s needs.
Paula Sousa from MIS trained a group on developing content for the UPK (User Productivity Kit), which will play a critical role in supporting users of our new system. The UPK will provide documentation, step-by-step instructions, and even handy video demonstrations of common processes.
The spring issue of TechNews went out to faculty and staff this week. Check out the Optimize articles, fun group photo from the HEUG Alliance meeting, and other technology-related campus news!
Financials Reaches Another Milestone
The Financials team reached another milestone this week as Senior Financial Accounting Analyst Stefanie Lund entered the first grant transactions into the test system! This was the culmination of a busy week for the team as several MIS consultants were on campus to continue the design and configuration process.
The Campus Solutions team had another productive week of discovery sessions, with the focus primarily on academic grade and term processing.
Many of the discovery and design sessions have been recorded and are now available for viewing on the Financials and Campus Solutions pages on SoundNet.
Campus presentations about Optimize Puget Sound are wrapping up with three more meetings this week. If you have not scheduled a time for Project Manager Travis Nation and Associate Academic Dean Alyce DeMarais to visit with your group about the project, please contact Travis at 253.879.2710 or tnation@pugetsound.edu.
Deciphering PeopleCode and Rocking Reps
Stephen Phillips from MIS led the Optimize technical team in training for PeopleCode this week. It sounds futuristic, but PeopleCode is the programming language used for PeopleSoft applications. The team focused on coding for interfaces, a significant part of the current implementation, and Stephen says they are “one step closer to being experts.”
The Campus Solutions team continued their discussions of registration and financial aid processes. Mattie Watts, systems manager for Student Financial Services, had high praise for the MIS reps involved, noting, “Our people rock.”
We’re working on getting recordings of the Campus Solutions discovery sessions posted on the Optimize SoundNet site. This will allow folks who missed sessions to catch up on the discussions and will help MIS review requirements as needed.
Optimize Rolls On!
There was a lot of positive energy in Howarth 005 this week as MIS representatives Robbie de Leur, Jessica Ewald, and Tina DuBose joined the Campus Solutions team in discovery sessions focused on financial aid, charges and payments, academic requirements, academic exceptions, and enrollment. As Melanie Sullivan from the Office of the Registrar noted, “The best part of these sessions is getting to work with people from across campus that we don’t typically work with!”
The Financials team signed off on their Fit-Gap document to guide design and configuration of the module. The Human Resources team is making good progress as they explore opportunities for integrating the current timekeeping processes for faculty, staff, and students.
Project Manager Travis Nation and Associate Academic Dean Alyce DeMarais continue with presentations about Optimize Puget Sound to faculty and staff groups across campus. To schedule a presentation for your department or office, please contact Travis at 253.879.2710 or tnation@pugetsound.edu.
Financials Marks Milestone, Campus Reviews Registration
The Financials team reached an exciting milestone Monday with the presentation and review of their first Fit-Gap summaries. These documents are critical in guiding the configuration and testing of the system which is scheduled to go live in July. MIS is now integrating feedback from the team as they set up the module.
Discovery sessions for the Campus Solutions team focused on registration. The group was particularly happy to learn the new system will automate some important processes currently done manually.
Those who attended last week’s Higher Education User Group (HEUG) conference in Nashville shared their experiences with campus colleagues in a one-hour session on Monday. Learning the meaning of technical jargon, networking with counterparts from other institutions, and building rapport with Puget Sound colleagues were cited among numerous benefits of the conference.
Jody Putman of Accounting and Budget Services sends a big thank you to those 80 respondents who heeded her call to take the Budget Administration survey. If you did not get a chance to complete the survey, please contact Jody at jputman@pugetsound.edu.
HEUG and Other Happenings
This week, over 3000 people from 24 countries attended the annual conference of the Higher Education User Group (HEUG) in Nashville, TN. Fourteen members of the Optimize team were among them! Three and a half days of wall-to-wall sessions provided excellent opportunities to network and learn from other institutions utilizing PeopleSoft. Project Manager Travis Nation noted that “learning what not to do is as valuable as learning what works.” A debrief on the conference is scheduled for Monday, March 26. If you are interested in attending, please contact Emily Precht-Patterson at 253.879.2596 or eprecht@pugetsound.edu.
Meanwhile, back in the Underground at Puget Sound, the Campus Solutions team participated in remote discovery sessions on tuition calculation. The Financials team engaged in productive discussions on annual budget processes.
Project Coordinator Emily Precht-Patterson provided an overview for team members who access the Optimize SoundNet site (requires Puget Sound login). The site is a key tool for facilitating collaboration and managing the wealth of documents related to the project. To learn more about SoundNet, see the schedule of training sessions offered by Technology Services.
Survey on Budget Administration Now Available
Jody Putman of Accounting and Budget Services is managing a survey on the Optimize SoundNet site to gather campus input on budget administration. The survey has 10 questions and takes 5 to 10 minutes to complete. Survey results will aid in designing the new Chart of Accounts (COA). Please complete the survey by Monday, March 26. For any questions about the survey, please contact Jody at jputman@pugetsound.edu.
This week the Financials team marked an important milestone in the data conversion process by loading the first set of test data in the new system. Procurement module work focused on the approval workflow structure, while Jessica Ewald and Robbie de Leur from MIS worked on site with the Campus team to map admission and academic processes.
Several campus representatives are heading out for the annual conference of the Higher Education User Group (HEUG) scheduled to begin Sunday in Nashville, TN. Hope everyone packed their shorts, since the forecast is for temperatures in the 80s during the conference! Besides soaking up a little sun, it will be a great opportunity for our team to engage with colleagues from similar institutions who use PeopleSoft and other Oracle applications.
A Superb Week for Financials
The Financials team had a great week as they continued discovery sessions with MIS consultants Suresh Pandurangam, Michelle Welch, and Teri Mills. Puget Sound and MIS staff are developing strategies for data conversion and integration between PeopleSoft and third party systems.
Jody Putman, director of financial reporting and tax for the university, has met with the Steering Committee and other campus members to solicit preferences on budget administration. If you have feedback for Jody, please contact her at 253.879.6110 or jputman@pugetsound.edu.
Also this week, the Campus Solutions team participated in discovery sessions conducted remotely by MIS consultants Jessica Ewald, Robbie de Leur, and Tina DuBose.
Project Manager Travis Nation has been meeting with faculty groups across campus to share information about Optimize Puget Sound. To schedule a time for Travis to meet with your department or office, please contact him at 253.879.2710 or tnation@pugetsound.edu.
Financials and Campus Solutions Progress
More remote discovery sessions happened this week for Financials and Campus Solutions. The teams are closing in on their requirements and documenting the rationale for each decision. Discovery sessions will continue next week for Financials and Campus Solutions, and the Financials team is excited to meet their new MIS consultant, Suresh Pandurangam, in person.
As a means to learn from other universities that have implemented PeopleSoft, several of the Steering Committee members, or their representatives, will attend the annual conference of the Higher Education User Group (HEUG) from March 18-21! This conference provides networking opportunities as well as informational sessions that will guide our teams throughout the implementation and training process.
Procurement, Budget, and Campus Solutions: In Motion
The turnout was incredible for the Procurement, Budget Development, and Campus Discovery tracks this week. The team members and our MIS consultants were able to meet face-to-face and begin review of our requirements. Together, people discussed business processes in different lights and envisioned how the future may look.
Next week, we will conduct remote follow-up sessions as we continue to elicit requirements.
Thank you so much for everyone’s continued participation.