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.

After The Upgrade: Entering Appointment Data Before Employee’s First Day Is Critical for Payroll

With the PeopleSoft upgrade, new capabilities will require changing our processes, including entering Appointment data into the Human Resources Management System. In fact, accurate and timely Appointment Entry drives pay and virtually every other important HR function.

Currently when an employee is hired, the entry of that person’s data may happen at any point after we know their start date, up until the deadline for Pay Entry for their first paycheck. This is changing: After The Upgrade, the Appointment must be entered into the system before a new employee’s first day of work.

In simple terms, Appointment Entry will drive payroll. If someone is not entered into the system before their first day of work, they cannot report time or absence, and their pay will be affected.

For online training about Appointments, Position Management and other functions, go to The Upgrade Training & Education site.

Changes Coming to Payroll and Payroll Accounting

Important changes coming to Payroll and Payroll Accounting were key topics of the October meeting of HR Stars. According to Heather Kidd of the Office of Human Resources, the key points to remember and share with employees about Payroll are:

• Payroll information, including past pay stubs and balances, will be easily accessed from the new MyU portal, under the  “My Pay” tab.

• Pay statements will look somewhat different. They will show greater detail, including specifying regular pay, paid absences or overtime pay.
  
• University employees will not see any changes to how and when they are paid.

Key changes coming to Payroll Accounting include:

• Distribution entry will be separate from appointment entry to help ensure the timely entry of appointments, as well as timeliness of paying employees.

• The new distribution entry process introduces four funding options: Appointment Level, Position Level, Pool Level, and Department Level. 
• Units/departments need to decide how to handle distribution levels according to their business needs.

At the meeting, HR Star Shannon Luloff of the Academic Health Center shared some of the ways she is helping her unit prepare for The Upgrade. She emphasized the important role of the HR Stars, an advance team of more than 100 HR professionals throughout the five system campuses who provide advice and disseminate information about The Upgrade.

View presentation slides from the meeting or watch the video. For more information about the HR Stars, please contact Nicole Salm in the Office of Human Resources at (612) 626-2286 or salm0078@umn.edu.