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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.

Changes to class registration dates

To accommodate the planned Upgrade cutover and Go Live periods in April, class registration timing is changing. Most registration periods will be held earlier than previously published (as noted below) to ensure students can successfully register for May, summer, and fall terms.

May/Summer	Fall
Crookston 3/23-4/2 queued registration 4/24 open enrollment Duluth 3/2 Morris 3/18 Rochester 3/9 Twin Cities 3/9 for degree-seeking students 5/1 open enrollment	Crookston 3/23-4/2 queued registration 4/24 open enrollment Duluth 3/16 Medicine & Pharmacy students 3/23-4/3 queued registration 4/23 open enrollment Morris 3/30-4/2 queued registration 4/23 open enrollment Rochester 3/23-4/4 queued registration (including evenings & weekends) 5/1 open enrollment Twin Cities 3/23-4/4 queued registration (including evenings & weekends) 5/1 open enrollment

There will also be a change to how the registration queue will be created:

• Stages will be defined based only on cumulative credit total (completed and in-progress credits) only. 
• Stage definition will differ by campus. Details will be published on respective campus websites soon. 
• Students will then be randomized within those stages.

This is how the queue will be created once the Upgrade is complete, but due to the positive feedback received regarding this change, we were able to implement it now. For Twin Cities and Rochester students only, registration appointment times will extend into the evenings and weekends to accommodate a shortened timeframe.

Due to the random assignment of registration appointments to students within each defined stage, previously available tables of appointment times by student name will not be published. Students will be able to look up their registration appointment time using the “Your registration time” application for their campus.

Undergraduate students should expect an email with their registration appointment time approximately two weeks prior to the start of queued registration on their campus. There will also be additional communications to students alerting them to these changes starting as early as February 9.

The Upgrade Plans to Launch in April

The Upgrade of our PeopleSoft systems is planned for April. The systems interruption, or cutover period, when PeopleSoft and related systems are unavailable or view-only, is expected to begin on April 10th and last approximately 10 days.

Many activities need to happen between now and then, including additional testing, business process changes, and cutover preparation. Here are ways to get ready:  

• Visit upgrade.umn.edu for more information
• Find training at The Upgrade's Education & Training page
• Get support from your network of Advance Team members
• Sign up for The Upgrade Newsletter

Information will soon be provided about: The Upgrade Fair [Update 4/8/2015: here is a link for information on the Upgrade Fair], where users can get hands-on experience, and The Upgrade Readiness Survey. Please note changes to class registration dates.

Welcome to 2015!

Every new year brings both constancy and change, and this one is no different.

• The constancy: the PeopleSoft upgrade is still expected to launch this spring. 
• The change: we are shifting from February to a goal of March or April. We plan to announce exact dates by January 28th. 

When determining timing for such a large, complex program, we weigh a wide range of factors and trade-offs, from payroll periods to student registration to grant processes, and many, many more. Depending on the timing, the implementation will affect some areas more than others, so we truly appreciate your flexibility.

Greater reach to the University community

With The Upgrade's implementation on the horizon, we are focusing on spreading the news to everyone (yes, everyone) at the University.

-An awareness campaign will be posted throughout the campuses.
-You can help! Visit the Awareness Campaign page to download, print out, and post materials in your offices.
-College and unit leaders will ask you to participate in readiness.
-Visit our website and take the weekly poll. 

High-touch events

Starting with the OIT-sponsored “Get Upgrade Ready” event (see pictures below) this week, we are hosting events that prepare users for the change. The IT event was so well attended and so engaging, we wished we had sold tickets!

Soon-to-be-announced is the upcoming “Upgrade Fair,” a day-long event for PeopleSoft users to get a feel for what the upgraded systems will be like. [Update 4/8/15: here is a link for more information on the Upgrade Fair]

[Around 500 staff and faculty attended IT's Get Upgrade Ready event on January 7th in the Great Hall, where t-shirts were provided, and attendees listened to Upgrade presenters. To see more pictures and Tweets from the event, search #upgradeready.] 

Enhanced support and diligent preparation

We will equip existing helplines and call centers with information and training to answer your questions during Cutover and Go Live. Behind the scenes, we continue testing and refining the systems, and releasing relevant information as it becomes available. Please make sure you are preparing by checking out training on the Training & Education page.

How to Prepare for The Upgrade

Training & education

As The Upgrade nears, you will receive emails about training relevant to your role. Most training emails will be sent in January. You are encouraged to take training close to when you receive the emails.

All training information is accessible via the Upgrade Education page, some of which is available now. Since most training will be online, you can revisit it and retake it as many times as you want. (Training could not be developed until after the system was built and tested, so courses are still in development, prioritized by need and timing.)

Here are two trainings that many people will need to take:

• Time and absence training will be available in early January. Employees who submit or approve hours or absences on paper must learn how to do these activities online.
• People who use student systems (Campus Solutions) should take the Student Systems Upgrade Overview course, available now.

If you want to take additional training, consider your primary job responsibilities and, if needed, talk to your supervisor.

Know your support network

During The Upgrade, additional support will be provided to call centers/help desks. Plus, you can reach out to your Advance Team, “voice on the ground” personnel with advance tools and information who have graciously offered to support their areas during The Upgrade. 

Embrace change

Big systems implementations like these usually face technical issues and natural human resistance. Prepare for changes, be flexible, and exercise patience with your colleagues and the system. (See this TED Talk video on change.)

After The Upgrade: Reports

In April 2015*, the PeopleSoft upgrade is scheduled to usher in a new Reporting Center that consolidates UM Reports, UM Analytics, and PeopleSoft reports.The Reporting Center provides a single window into commonly used reports from multiple reporting tools. Features include: Improved search function, real-time data, ability to "like" favorite reports, links to the data warehouse web query tool, HRMS query viewer, and EDMS. 

Here is some important information for people who use reports:

• Some UM Reports will go away because they aren't frequently used or the information is duplicated elsewhere.
• Some reports will have different names and content.
• UM Reports favorites and bookmarks will not transfer, so save a list in order to find them after The Upgrade
• If you have created and saved ad-hoc queries in the Data Warehouse, they may need to change due to business process changes.
• During the one to two-week system cutover period in April, most UM Reports will be view-only with static data.
• Find out details about reporting changes.
• Watch a short video to prepare for the new Reporting Center.

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

Staff, faculty, and students evaluate ESUP’s web presence

Reaching new audiences

If you’re reading the ESUP blog, then you probably have some idea about the impact the upgrade will have on your work. But there are thousands in the University community who have a lot of catching up to do. As we approach April 2015* (when the upgraded systems plan to “Go Live”), ESUP’s Communication Team reached out to “unaware audiences” to figure out the best way to get them up-to-speed.

Usability Services

The Team leveraged the expertise of user experience analyst Nick Rosencrans to evaluate ESUP's online presence. As a member of IT Training and Usability Services, Nick discussed the basics of content strategy and facilitated an evaluation of the website and blog in the University's usability lab. By conducting usability tests with faculty, staff, and students who were mostly unaware of ESUP activities, we gained insight into how these members of the University community find information, how existing content resonates with them, and how they view the potential impact of the systems upgrade.

Santiago Fernández-Giménez(bottom) and Nick Rosencrans(top)
observe participants from behind double-sided glass

Findings

Overall, evaluators were able to find information explaining how and why the University is updating its systems. Most users seemed to agree the content explains why the upgrade is a positive and necessary step, but the Team also heard feedback on areas needing attention:

• Most users wanted to know what is changing, when, and how it will affect them. An abundance of information and insider jargon seemed to obscure the most important points that answered their queries.  

• Evaluators did not anticipate much, if any, interruption to their daily work, despite language indicating systems will be down for several days during Go Live.  

• Our audiences self identified with their role(s) as faculty, staff, or student (example: a staff member who is also taking classes) and sought information according to these roles, rather than how ESUP is organized as work streams or differentiated by the systems (Student, HRMS, Finance, etc.).  

• Participants wanted to know the people behind ESUP. They wanted to understand where to direct their inquiries and have confidence that their concerns would be routed to the correct person.

Tricia Conway(left) and Carrie Meyer(right)

record observations in the Usability Lab

Looking forward

Time with Usability Services provided valuable direction for how to provide detailed information to the community. In the coming months, the Communications Team will adjust strategies and messages to address areas of confusion. To learn more about the upgrade, please contact esup@umn.edu.

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

ESUP plans for launch: getting down to details

What happens to regular business activities during the upgrade itself?

During the upgrade period in February 2015, PeopleSoft systems will be available for inquiry only for a period of time while the new systems are brought online.

In advance of system upgrade activities next February, ESUP will share a set of detailed processing procedures and deadlines with the community. Here’s a small sample of the Finance fiscal year-end process to illustrate what will be available. 

Each year there are several days in June when purchase transactions may not be processed in the financial system. Purchasing activities cannot completely cease during this window, so there are special procedures ready for departments to use in case they need something during that time. This year the deadline to enter fiscal year 2014 purchases in the financial system is June 24 at 4:00 p.m. Data entry of purchasing activity must pause until July 1. What are people to do during the interim, if they need something immediately? There are a number of methods for emergency purchases during this window when transactions may not be processed in the financial system; detailed instructions are available in the fiscal year-end procedures. 

Processes similar to the example above will be available for key activities during the upgrade. This is just one example of the types of work adjustments we need to make to certain processes during the upgrade.

More detailed information on go-live activities, including impacts to tertiary systems, will be available in the future at upgrade.umn.edu!

***This blog post was updated since it's original post date to reflect new information.***

ESUP Finance Workstream: Good news for people using EFS!

The upgrade team is working on one web page everyone can visit to prepare for the upgrade. Most people will be able to complete all of their EFS upgrade preparation online.

The upgrade of EFS is scheduled to launch (or “go live”) in February of 2015 for all of the PeopleSoft enterprise systems. Right now, staff with the following roles will have to do a bit more work than everyone else to get ready: PCard reconcilers, PCard approvers, travel & expense preparers, and travel & expense approvers.

Both the PCard and travel related activities may continue to be performed by separate individuals or the work may be combined into one role within units, once the upgrade takes place. Please discuss your role(s) with your supervisor or manager before planning to take the additional training. Your RRC manager and EFS cluster director will ensure you have EFS access appropriate to complete your assigned work. After the upgrade, PCard reconciler and approver security roles will cease to exist (they will be part of being a travel & expense preparer or approver). Details of the approval configuration for PCard activity will be available closer to the launch date for the upgrade.

PCard reconcilers and approvers:

• Do this now (optional): Watch the sneak peek about PCard.
• Do this soon (required before February 2015): If you have not already done so, complete this training:
• Preparers: Travel Authorization & Expense Reimbursement in-person course and related assessment.
• Approvers: Travel Authorization & Expense Approvals online coursework and related assessment.
• When it becomes available (required before February 2015): You will have to complete one online training course that covers the changes to Travel & Expense functionality. And there’s no assessment!

Travel & expense preparers and approvers:

• Do this now (optional): Watch the sneak peek about PCard.
• Do this soon (optional): If you have not already done so, consider completing the PCard reconciliation or approving coursework or review the related materials looking specifically at policy-related information.
• When it becomes available (required before February 2015): You will have to complete one online training course that covers the changes to Travel & Expense functionality. And there’s no assessment!

University Executives Establish Go Live Period for ESUP

Executives identify February 2015 as the optimal time to launch the University’s new enterprise systems

The Executive Oversight Committee (EOC) has been actively involved with the management and oversight of the Enterprise Systems Upgrade Program (ESUP) and is proud of the work done to date. At a recent planning retreat, the committee identified scope and quality as their key priorities and asked for scenarios that maximized time for quality code development and testing while fitting into the University’s business cycles.

ESUP staff assembled the scenarios, including various go live options with multiple staffing and timing alternatives. These analyses included application and reporting development, testing and defect management, risk management, anticipated sustainable staffing output, and contract and budget considerations.

Last week ESUP Executive Program Director Dennis Wenzel presented these options to the EOC. Based on the benefits, risks, and considerations available, the EOC identified February 2015 as the optimal time to begin go live activities.

Wenzel recently briefed President Kaler and the Operational Excellence committee, who agreed with the February 2015 period. “Launching in February allows ESUP to thoroughly test the system and spend the necessary time preparing University units to use the new systems,” Wenzel said.

The EOC believe the fully upgraded system will support the University’s operational excellence goals and long-term needs. Furthermore, the EOC believe the recommended date will allow ESUP to meet its rigorous scope and quality standards while remaining within the planned budget.

Three weeks later with Dennis Wenzel

Dennis Wenzel

Tricia Conway (TC): It’s been three weeks since Dennis Wenzel joined the ESUP team as the new Program Director. If you missed our first Q&A with Dennis, you can read it here. Now that he has his bearings, we asked Dennis to give us his impressions. We asked what challenges he believes ESUP faces and what he’s looking forward to between now and October 2014. 

Dennis Wenzel (DW): This has been a whirlwind three weeks. People have been very welcoming and have done a great job training 'the new guy.' 

The Program is going strong and people are doing great work. I have been most impressed by the commitment and passion of the team; people are truly committed to making ESUP a success. I also get the sense this team wants ESUP to be different--to change the way the University communicates, collaborates, and works together. It is encouraging to see so much cooperation across the University. 

Moving forward, I would like to turn my attentions to preparing the team for implementation. The Program is at a point where we can start focusing on planning for deployment. I hope to bring my experience deploying many large systems to the team. There is a lot of work to do to prepare for a smooth go live--from testing, to infrastructure set up; partnering interfaces to old system conversions and retirement; and communications, training, and sustainability. There is a lot to do, but there is a great team to do the work!

(TC): Thanks, Dennis! If you haven’t met Dennis, please join us at the next Meet n’ Greet on Monday, Oct 7 from 10 - 11 AM in 140 Nolte. Dean Elde, chair of the Executive Oversight Committee, and Dennis will answer questions submitted via our anonymous Google form. Light refreshments will be served. Please join us! 

ESUP fosters University reporting and data management collaboration

Through ESUP, a strong partnership has formed between the Program’s Reporting and Data Management (RDM) work stream and the Enterprise Data Management and Reporting (EDMR) initiative. Together, RDM and EDMR are addressing important reporting and data-related capabilities for the University over the short and long-term.

RDM is a project within ESUP which creates a more short-term focus. Its goals for the Program include:

• Meeting Go-Live reporting needs related to the upgrade
• Aligning central reports to business processes
• Identifying and creating reports needing real-time data

“Our goal is to work with the work streams to make sure their Go-Live reporting needs are met for faculty and staff,” said Amy Winkel, RDM project director for ESUP.

EDMR is the business owner, or governing body, for RDM and will continue to oversee reporting beyond the life of ESUP. EDMR’s overall goal is to improve the availability, understanding, use, and value of data used throughout the University. It will reach its goal through:

• Shared data: access to common and comprehensive data sources
• Shared understanding: a common platform for institutional and unit reporting
• Shared tools: awareness and application of standard metrics and data definitions
• Shared development: a structured environment to exchange knowledge and ideas

“EDMR is about getting the most out of the data, reporting, and analysis assets available to the University,” said Steve Gillard, University data custodian and director for the Analytics Collaborative. “The two groups have a very good working relationship and this collaborative effort improves approaches to problem solving which leads to better solutions.”

A concrete example of this partnership started recently when RDM staff identified three topics that required EDMR collaboration:  reporting standards, direct data access and the identification and definition of key data elements. As a result, one of EDMR’s tactical committees, the Data Governance Team (DGT), is considering these topics at an institutional level to develop actionable next steps and recommendations for long-term solutions.

In the coming weeks, the ESUP Update blog will include articles with more details about the collaboration around these three topics. In the meantime, please send questions to esup@umn.edu

Weekly Update for the week of May 20, 2013

Please read through to the bottom for important information on the upcoming changes to ESUP’s Weekly Update!

Program Quality Review results
The results from ESUP’s second Program Quality Review (PQR) were presented to the Executive Oversight Committee last week. The PQR is an independent quality assurance process intended to ensure proper processes and structures are in place for the Program. Overall, ESUP is green--meaning in good shape-- in the three areas that are reviewed: Overall Project Status, Schedule, and Quality/Performance. In addition, the reviewers identified areas of programmatic strengths and potential areas for improvement. A plan for utilizing strengths and addressing improvement areas is underway.

The Executive Oversight Committee and Program Directors Andy Hill and Rebecca Collings (CCI) were pleased to read positive reviews about the team. The reviewers pointed out, “ESUP continues to be staffed with individuals who possess the subject matter expertise required to effectively and efficiently address the business and technical needs for the program. They are committed and very passionate about the program.” Great job, all!

HRMS begins stakeholder engagement planning
Santiago Fernandez-Gimenez, ESUP assistant program director for change management, communications and training, and Jim Thorp, HRMS communications lead, met with the HRMS Functional Steering Committee last week to gather input on the HRMS strategic communications plan and to brainstorm methods of stakeholder engagement. The purpose of this preliminary conversation was to help ensure broad participation, two-way communication, and shared ownership of key decisions and the resulting system.

This input from the HRMS Functional Steering Committee is particularly important as HRMS is tackling a number of issues early in its IDP process that will have widespread impact and are foundational to the quality and availability of data in the system and the overall success of the project. HRMS is considering a number of recommendations to solicit feedback and input from key stakeholders and users. The HRMS work stream website, along with a variety of in-person and electronic engagement strategies, will be used to ensure users and stakeholders understand recommended changes to the system and can weigh in on key decisions and resulting impacts.

Working toward Go Live 
A common ESUP question lately has been, “When is go live?” The Program has been hard at work with Student, Finance, Human Resources, and Information Technology leadership to better understand the multiple impacts to launching a new system. Parties understand there is no convenient time to “flip the switch”, but they have come to the conversations with original ideas and fresh perspectives for how their offices can continue operations or demonstrate flexibility with dates previously considered locked. ESUP will continue to host discussions before identifying a date, but overall, the Program has been inspired by the University community’s willingness and commitment to reach a go live date with minimal impact to users.

Portal survey closes today
ESUP’s Portal team is gathering opportunities and needs for the new portal, and wants to hear from the University community about some of the ideas already collected. The team will use the survey responses to prioritize opportunities and begin design work. Please fill out the 10-15 minute survey.

Week one complete for Finance
The Finance work stream began Phase 1: Plan and Discover work last week, tackling the General Ledger. The Chart of Accounts (COA) workgroup, General Ledger (GL) business process owners, and representatives from the Student and HR work streams all attended the sessions, along with Finance’s new CCI consultant, Mike Robinson. The Controller’s Office EFS Module Support GLAMBUTR (General Ledger, Asset Management, Budgets, Treasury) team led the sessions. An estimated 20 people attended each session, and current, as-is process flows and narratives were reviewed. More information is available on the Finance work stream website, including information on what recommendations and issues were presented to the GL group, and next steps.

Quick hits and reminders from across the work streams

• Portal is on Pinterest! Portal has put together a Pinterest board for viewing all the Design Thinking Workshop prototypes. Repin and leave us comments to tell us your favorite features.
• The Student work stream has cancelled its May 24, 2013 Town Hall meeting due to the proximity to the Memorial Day weekend. The next Town Hall is scheduled for June 14, 2013.
• The Reporting and Data Management team has begun the process of reviewing functional specifications for UM reports needed from the Student work stream. The Reporting team is reviewing the requirements and working with business owners to determine the best way to deliver data. Work is also continuing with the Integration team to discuss data changes that impact the Data Warehouse.

Weekly Update distribution change
Effective the week of May 20, 2013, ESUP’s Weekly Update will move to a bi-weekly distribution schedule. The newly-named ESUP Update will be sent via email every other Monday and will include links to items posted to the ESUP blog between Updates. (Hint: read below for instructions on subscribing via email to the ESUP blog!) As a result, there will be no Update next week, Monday, May 27, 2013.

The communications team is working to bring information to the ESUP and University community in smaller, more timely pieces. If you have any questions or suggestions on how ESUP can better communicate with you, please email Tricia Conway at conwa012@umn.edu.

Subscribe to the ESUP blog!
As ESUP progresses, you can expect more information to be shared more frequently on the ESUP blog. Get every post delivered to your inbox by entering your email address in the Subscribe by Email window at upgrade.umn.edu and following the instructions. Once your subscription is activated, you will receive an email alerting you to new ESUP posts late in the afternoon the day they are published. If there is no post, you receive no email -- simple as that!