Happy New Year!
It seems odd to utter those words in the middle of summer, but as you know, UCF just closed the books on fiscal year 2007, and we at Financials Support Services (FSS) have now turned our attention to initiatives and developments that are slated for fiscal year 2008.
Improvements in the fiscal year end process
First, I’d like congratulate the FSS team on a job well done during the fiscal year-end process. Again this year, the team made use of delivered PeopleSoft functionality to ease the purchase order rollover process. As a result, Finance and Accounting (F&A) was able complete the rollover process during one weekend, enabling payment against those purchase orders starting July 2. In particular, let me recognize two FFS team members, Dawn Vu and Kristal Jackson, for the extra effort and leadership they demonstrated leading up to and during the weekend of June 29 – July 1. This year’s improvements in business and system processes were in part driven by requests for enhancements to UCF Financials received from Financials Focus Group (FFG) members at the monthly FFG meetings. For example, at the close of fiscal year 2006, FFG members requested a complete list of purchase orders that would be rolled over; the FSS team was able to provide the campus community two preliminary lists on June 11 and 25, and also a final list after year-end close. These lists were publicized and posted on the F&A Web site. We appreciate and value the input from the FFG, and I am pleased to report that we are turning our attention to another element of UCF’s Financials system that the group has singled out for enhancement, the Departmental Authorization List (DAL).
Departmental Authorization List (DAL) enhancements
In October and December of 2006, a sub-committee of the FFG called the DAL Working Group met twice to formulate and prioritize nearly 30 specific enhancements to the way the DAL is administered. While considering various ways to deliver a comprehensive workflow system to Financials users, we recognized that UCF’s existing DAL could serves as a repository for the rules on which workflow is dependent. I am pleased to announce that Finance and Accounting has contracted with EIS Technologies to refine and improve the DAL to include virtually all the specific recommendations of the DAL Working Group. EIS will also ensure that the DAL can serve as a model to drive workflow, not only for purchasing transactions, but for other university–wide financial initiatives that are candidates for a workflow solution. New training and informational materials are being developed to assist employees with the DAL changes they have requested.
eProcurement module implementation, with workflow
The UCF Board of Governors recently indicated its desire for the university to move toward strategic sourcing, for better control of expenditures, and to seek cost advantages through a better understanding of current spending patterns. The functionality embedded in eProcurement moves the university toward that goal. eProcurement with workflow has been approved for implementation within UCF Financials this fall, and will completely replace the existing core requisitioning functions in UCF Financials. There are several significant advantages that will flow from the decision to implement eProcurement:
- There are fewer online pages required to complete a requisition, and eProcurement offers several new requisition types that will allow Financials users to capture additional information about their department’s purchasing history.
- eProcurement offers UCF a direct line to a workflow based approach to handling purchasing approvals, with all the efficiencies that accrue from workflow.
- eProcurement positions UCF to embrace an e-commerce approach to purchasing. When the module’s functionality is fully utilized by UCF, employees will be easily able to compare vendor pricing for departmental purchases, using online vendor catalogs and shopping carts, much like shopping at any online retailer.
- Desktop receiving will be launched together with eProcurement. This change enables departmental employees to request direct (drop) shipments, and receive the goods themselves. Departmental receiving, in turn, increases the speed with which departments can authorize Finance and Accounting to generate payments to vendors, so efficiencies are created all along the procurement cycle.
The FSS team will support the launch of eProcurement with a new training manual and user guide and a new WebCT course called FPO114 - Creating ePro Requisitions. Finance and Accounting (F&A) will host multiple, instructor-led workshops on creating ePro requisitions for Financials users who first complete the new WebCT course offering. The workshops are scheduled both at F&A and at various, on-campus locations. Multiple, new Addy Notes and Tips are planned to highlight specific functions of the new requisitioning and receiving processes.
Finally, I welcome the recent additions of Brad Smith and Marcia Maukonen to the FSS team. Both seasoned veterans of previous PeopleSoft implementations at UCF, Brad and Marcia are already contributing their valuable experience as we gear up for this ambitious schedule for fiscal year 2008. I welcome them both and am very pleased they have joined our team.
Project Manager
Associate Controller, UCF Finance & Accounting
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