A Guide to Planning for the Cutover of the Upgraded Human Resources System

As we move closer to our April 20 Go Live date, when the Human Resources Management System (HRMS) transitions from PeopleSoft 8.9 to 9.2, several crucial events and deadlines may cause some disruption in normal business activities. Most importantly, the transition means that PeopleSoft and related systems will be unavailable or view-only from April 9 through April 19.

To help you plan for the cutover period, here are the most important dates and events for your human resources work. More detail is on the HRMS Tools and Resources web page under “HRMS Cutover Resources.”      

BEFORE THE CUTOVER (Now through April 5)

Send in all benefits forms as early as possible. From March 27 to April 7, send benefits forms (such as enrollment, ORP/457, severance agreements, phased retirement agreements, releases, etc.) as soon as you get them.

Make sure your staff with security roles are trained by Friday, April 3. Anyone who needs security access in PeopleSoft 9.2 must take required training by this date to ensure access for Go Live.

Post job openings by Friday, April 3. The last day to post new job openings is Friday, April 3. Job requisitions can’t be submitted again until April 20.

All units should be ready to finish payroll by Tuesday, April 7. Pay Entry will close at 4:00 p.m. on that day. Payroll Services will close payroll on April 8. Any paysheet updates must be received by 3:00 p.m. on April 8.

DURING THE CUTOVER (April 6-19)

Most PeopleSoft and related systems will be unavailable or view-only from April 9 through April 19. Deadlines may vary by business process. For human resource business processes, submit information in plenty of time to meet these deadlines:

• The last day to enter Position Management requests is Monday, April 6.
• The last day to enter job data is Tuesday, April 7, including new hires, additional pay, position requests, and HRMS corrections.
• The last day to enter benefits enrollments is Tuesday, April 7. Employees can still enroll or register family status changes by paper during the cutover; these will be entered into the new 9.2 system beginning Monday, April 20.
• The last day to enter paper time off requests is Sunday, April 5.
• Pay Entry will be open April 17-21. All job data entry and pay entry for the period ending April 19 is 5:00 p.m. on the 21st. Payroll Services will close payroll on April 24. All paysheet updates must be received by 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April 24.

GO LIVE (April 20)

On Monday, April 20, the upgraded PeopleSoft 9.2 system will be up and running! On the first day of Go Live, data entry resumes for all business processes suspended during the cutover, including:  

• New hires, additional pay, position management, and other job data
• Requisitions for new job openings
• Time and labor
• Time-off requests (including absences requested during the cutover, April 6-19)
• Benefits enrollments and family status changes (including those requested during the cutover)

Employees begin reporting hours and requesting time off electronically on Monday, April 20. Make sure your staff understands the new procedures and has taken the online training. (Go to The Upgrade Training and Education web page, click on Human Resource Systems, then click on “Time Reporting” and “Absence Reporting.” In the left-hand column, under “Training for:” look for the courses that apply to your role as employee, manager, supervisor, etc.)

POST-GO LIVE (After April 20)

COBRA notices will be issued by central Employee Benefits, instead of by units, starting Friday, May 1.

The first pay period using electronic time and absence is April 20–May 3.

The last day to fill or close job openings in the old PeopleAdmin system is Tuesday, June 30. Hiring managers will not be able to see or access old job requisition information after that date. Hiring and job requisitions will be done exclusively in the new Recruiting Solutions system.

Avoid pay and vacation interruptions

Goodbye paper timesheets!

Faculty, staff or students who currently submit paper timesheets or absence forms will do so electronically after The Upgrade, which is scheduled to launch in April. Paper timesheets and absence forms are being eliminated to bring the University up-to-date with other large organizations and peers.


Employees who currently submit paper timesheets or absence forms need to learn the new process to make sure they will be paid on time and can take time off. Prepare by reviewing “how-to” resources and training at The Upgrade’s Training and Education page:

• Time Reporting
• Absence Reporting

(If you have trouble due to a pop-up blocker, this job aid can help you turn it off.)

Keep these points in mind as you prepare:

• If you do not submit time or absences on paper now, you do not need to change after The Upgrade.
• Electronic time and absence reporting is for University pay only, and has nothing to do with effort certification related to a grant or contract. The latter is a separate function and will not change.
• The change to electronic reporting will affect employees in most colleges and units, except those in University Services, Auxiliary Services, the Veterinary Medical Center, University of Minnesota Duluth Facilities and Police, and University of Minnesota Morris Facilities and Police, who will continue using KRONOS, Compass or software other than PeopleSoft to report time and absence.

If you have questions after you view the time and absence courses, please see your local Human Resources director.

New Videos Introduce Changes to Timesheets and Absence Requests; Watch to Ensure You Get Paid on Time or Can Take Time Off After PeopleSoft Upgrade in February

One of the biggest changes in the University’s Human Resources Management System Upgrade from PeopleSoft 8.9 to 9.2, is that employees who currently report their time and absences on paper will instead do so electronically when the system plans to go live in April 2015*. The change will affect almost everyone who works at the University, except those in University Services and a few other units who will continue using KRONOS and COMPASS. Hourly employees and their supervisors who don’t make the shift from paper to electronic reporting risk not being paid on time. Salaried employees who don’t make the change to electronic absence reporting could have time off delayed. To introduce the change from paper to electronic reporting, the University’s Office of Human Resources has completed three new sneak peek videos, including Electronic Time Reporting, Electronic Absence Reporting, and Approving Electronic Time and Absence Reporting. Closer to the Upgrade Go Live date, University employees will be offered training and other how-to resources to help make the change. Here are a few key points employees should be aware of when the Upgrade plans to launch in April: For Hourly Employees

If you are an hourly U of M employee or undergraduate student worker who reports your hours now, you will continue to report them in the future. But rather than completing a paper timesheet, you will submit your hours online using electronic time reporting. Unit administrators can assist employees without access to computers. For Salaried/Exception Hourly Employees (Faculty and Staff)

If you are a salaried or exception hourly employee who does not submit a timesheet now, you will not be required to do so in the future. (Exception hourly employees will continue to report salary exceptions such as approved overtime, shift differential, etc.) Salaried and exception hourly employees who currently report vacation and other absences on paper will instead do so electronically. Unit administrators can continue to assist faculty and staff with reporting absences. For Supervisors/Managers

If you are a supervisor who reviews and approves employee time or absences, you will continue to do so in the future. After Go Live, you will complete your approval electronically rather than on paper. Supervisors will be able to delegate this function where necessary. To view the new sneak peek videos, go to: *Electronic Absence Reporting (helpful for all employees)

http://z.umn.edu/sneakpeekabsence

*Electronic Time Reporting (helpful for hourly workers)

http://z.umn.edu/hrmseltimerpt

*Approving Electronic Time and Absence Reporting (helpful for managers/supervisors) http://z.umn.edu/hrmsapprtimeabsrpt

*This article was updated on 02/04/2015 to reflect the most recent timing information.

Change from paper time sheets to electronic reporting focus of July HR Stars meeting

Nearly 100 members of the University’s HR Stars participated in-person or online in the group’s most recent meeting on July 31 on the Minneapolis campus. Representatives from all five system campuses participated.

One of the primary focuses of the meeting was on the new Electronic Time and Absence Reporting capability, which plans to go live in April 2015* as part of the Human Resources Management System Upgrade. Once the upgrade launches, University employees who previously filled out paper time sheets or absence forms will now complete their reporting online. And supervisors or unit administrators who previously reviewed and signed paper forms, will now complete their review and approval online.

Heather Kidd of the Office of Human Resources presented a real-time demonstration of Electronic Time and Absence Reporting. Members of the Stars group asked many excellent questions, as well as offered valuable advice about how to prepare employees and supervisors for the change to electronic reporting.

Gary McVey, communications lead for the HRMS Upgrade, shared several draft key messages about the change to electronic reporting with the Stars and asked for their feedback. The key messages, he said, are intended to communicate to employees that the change to electronic reporting is scheduled for April, what it means to them, and that training and other how-to resources will be provided, before the go-live date and after.

The meeting ended with discussion about how to best inform and engage faculty and staff supervisors about the upcoming change from paper to electronic reporting. To see the presentation slides from the meeting click here. Draft key messages and other meeting handouts are available here.

HR Stars to Meet July 31; Focus Will Be Electronic Time and Absence Reporting

Planning is well under way for the next meeting of the University’s HR Stars on July 31. The Stars are a key advance team of more than 100 HR professionals throughout the five system campuses that has been organized by the Office of Human Resources to provide valuable leadership, insight and advice regarding the upgrade of the Human Resources Management System, as well as the larger Enterprise Systems Upgrade Program. The Stars convene monthly and serve as important resources within their units.

One of the key areas of focus at the Stars’ July meeting will be the new electronic time and absence reporting capability, which will replace paper timesheets and absence forms when the HRMS upgrade plans to go live in April 2015*. Heather Kidd from the Office of Human Resources will be leading a presentation and live demonstration of electronic time reporting.

Current paper absence reporting card

The meeting also will provide an opportunity to test and gather feedback on key messages being developed about the change from paper to electronic reporting. The messages and other communications tools being developed will ultimately be provided to the Stars to help disseminate within their units, as well shared with other employees to raise awareness of training and other how-to resources that will be provided.

For more information about the HR Stars, or the group’s upcoming meetings, please contact Nicole Salm in the Office of Human Resources at (612) 626-2286 or salm0078@umn.edu.

*This article was updated on 02/04/2015 to reflect the most recent timing information.