Upgrade to Financials 8.9

Lessons Learned

•Ben Lowenthal, AVP, Finance/ Controller

•Kristal Charles, Project Coordinator

UMUC FACTS & FIGURES

• UMUC is a world leader in online education• In Fiscal Year (FY) 2006, UMUC had over 153,000

online course enrollments. • Currently, UMUC offers more than 100 bachelors and

masters degree programs and certificates fully online. In FY 2006, UMUC offered more than 600 distinct courses online.

• In FY 2006, UMUC ’s overseas divisions offered on site classes in 24 countries throughout the world, enrolling 42,879 individual students in undergraduate and graduate programs.

• Currently, UMUC enrolls close to 60,000 active duty military, reserves, dependants and veterans

UMUC FACTS & FIGURES

• UMUC is a USM institution with a significant national profile

• UMUC is the 12th largest degree-granting university in the United States.

• The number of students enrolled in UMUC stateside programs has grown by 49% in the last five years – from 22,233 in fall 2001 to 33,096 in fall 2006.

UMUC FINANCE AND PEOPLESOFT

• Live in September 2004 on version 8.4• Upgraded 4/16/07 to version 8.9• Modules

GL AP/PO ePro Asset Management

• HR/SA version 8.0 interfaces from PR and SF

• Tools version 8.48• nVision reporting for distribution of

reports to end-users• Approximately 200 end-users worldwide

PROJECT 20/20 KickoffPerfect Future Financials 8.9 Vision

PROJECT MILESTONES• Kickoff – September 2006• Partnered with Cedar

Crestone • Training and Fit/Gap –

October – November 2006• Testing/Lab Implementation –

December 2006• Four comprehensive tests of

database – two in lab environments and two at UMUC – December 2006 – March 2007

• End-user training with UPK – March 2007

• Go-live – April 16, 2007

Project Timeline• 9/11/06 – 11/11/06 – Focus

Groups and Fitgap• 11/06/06 – 1st 8.9 Environment

Established – Lab• 2/5/07 – 3rd 8.9 Environment

Established – UMUC• 3/19/07 – 4th 8.9 Environment

Established – Test Database• 4/11/07 – User acceptance

testing and signoff completed• 4/16/07 – Go-live

Lessons Learned - Playbook

• Allow for separate, dedicated times to develop test scripts, perform testing and develop training materials in the project plan.

• Ensure IT involvement in the RFP and planning. Determine whether lab is needed or if the technical upgrade can be done internally. If a lab is used, understand the responsibilities of the lab vs. in-house IT. Must test all integration points in house - - cannot be tested in the lab.

• Communicate, communicate, communicate!• Change business process to fit the system

and not vice versa.

Lessons Learned – Playbook

• Project schedule must be created up front and honed to throughout the project. Regular review will identify changes and/or adjustments.

• Key people must be identified in advance. Employees dedicated 100% to the project should have backfill in the department prior to project launch.

• Key personnel such as the Project Manager should be 100% dedicated to the project.

• Project Manager should oversee ALL project related efforts to ensure consistency.

• Establish a small committee with knowledge of the project that is empowered to make decisions. Require a 72 hour turnaround on decisions and 24 hours for emergency decisions.

Lessons Learned – Playbook

• TAKE OWNERSHIP. Plan knowledge transfer. Eliminate consultants shortly after go-live to limit over-reliance. Determine Post Production support plan prior to go live.

• Retain key personnel throughout the project. Set goals and CELEBRATE them. Promote TEAM concept.

• Involve departmental end-users in early planning via focus groups.

• Clearly define project deliverables and necessary documentation and track them.

Lessons Learned – Playbook

• Train users up front (prior to any other project activities) on any new technology. For example UPK, Mercury, etc.

• Conduct an orientation with all departments involved in the upgrade/implementation so that all understand the scope of services, the resources required, and the departmental expectations.

• Conduct an orientation with the core project team and the consultants at the beginning of the project so that all understand their roles and responsibilities in the project.

Lessons Learned – Player Acquisition

• When procuring the consultant, be sure to fully understand the implications to University resources before accepting any change in the schedule suggested by the consultant.

• When pricing alternates, obtain the impact to the resources and the project schedule in the event the alternates are taken (i.e. ePro).

Lessons Learned – Training Camp

• Use UPK as your training tool. 24/7 access and different modes are great training tools.

• Key project team members must attend Oracle/PS training prior to project launch.

• End-user training should be “just-in-time” – create a comprehensive training plan in advance.

Lessons Learned - Practice

• Formulate test plans with known results and follow them. Establish criteria and structure for test scripts, testing resources, and reporting.

• Determine who will conduct load/stress testing, within what time frame, and what the parameters are prior to project commencement.

• Test data extensively prior to go live. If parallel testing is to be completed, define cutoffs and data prior to testing.

• Test iteratively. Unit and integration testing from beginning to end of process (include outside touch points).

• Involve any consultants in testing as a joint process. Establish a lab enabling knowledge transfer with consultants and functional end-users working side by side.

Lessons Learned – Xs & OsRSTARS/Conversion

• RStars – Determine mapping for all transactions, including journal entries, deposits, vendor maintenance, and vendor payments.

• Determine selection criteria for RStars transactions. Which transactions don’t go.

• Clean vendor file early in the project and compare to RStars – determine how mail codes and service dates will be sent.

• Determine how ledger balances and journal detail will be converted – detail vs. summary – start conversion early and balance back to legacy system.

Project Highlight Reel

•ePro!•Manage Requisitions – ONE STOP SHOP!•E-mail Collaboration!•Workflow approval process streamlined!•System timeout raised to 60 minutes!•P-card improvements on the way!

Post Game Wrap Up

• Plan, Plan, Plan

• Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

• Test, Test, Test

• UPK Training

Q & A – Expert Panel

• Ben Lowenthal, blowenthal@umuc.edu – Finance• Kristal Charles, kcharles@umuc.edu – Project Mgmt.• Janet Foster, jfoster@umuc.edu – Finance – RSTARS & AP• Marion Wirschal, mwirschal@umuc.edu Finance –

Functional Support• Lucy Kallal, lkallal@umuc.edu Finance – GL & AM• Rob Ahlberg, rahlberg@umuc.edu Finance – nVision

Reports• Valerie Rolandelli, vrolandelli@umuc.edu Procurement -

ePro• Jason Pruitt, jnpruitt@umuc.edu Procurement –

Functional Support• Renee Marshall, rmarshall@umuc.edu – IT – Technical

support

Thank You for Your Attention!