Preparation and Training Opportunities for PeopleSoft Systems

Fred H. Cantrell, Associate Vice President and Project Director

UF Bridges is a multi-year project to replace current computer systems with new integrated Web-based PeopleSoft systems and improve university business processes. On July 1, 2004 all financial, human resources, and payroll systems will be replaced, with student systems to follow in 2006.

There will be many opportunities in the coming months prior to the July 1 “go live” to attend training classes or participate in other learning activities. In addition to intensive training for staff there will also be a big learning curve once the training is completed. The standard rule is that it takes twice as long to perform a new function as compared to one in a legacy system due to the combination of new interfaces, new business processes, new workflow, new reports, etc. Keep this in mind when planning your college or department activities in 2004.

To find out what you and your staff can do today to prepare for these upcoming opportunities, please review this checklist. Other transitional materials are located on this same Web page at www.bridges.ufl.edu/transition.

Overviews of the PeopleSoft Human Resources Management System (HRMS) began yesterday. The first introductory session will cover PeopleSoft’s Time & Labor module, which will serve as UF’s time reporting and leave tracking system and will feed these data directly to the payroll system. Designed for current time- and leave-keepers as well as decision-makers, these sessions will help you to decide which timekeeping approach your department or division will use, which individuals will serve as “approvers,” and plan for future training of your employees. Future sessions will cover other HRMS components.

High-level overviews of the PeopleSoft Financials systems were presented in July through October. In December, UF Bridges conducted several hands-on mini-sessions to provide an early opportunity for faculty and staff to see selected PeopleSoft financial systems and perform simple data entry for budget checking, purchasing, travel and payment vouchers. This concludes the transitional training phase for the financial systems.

Early this year and continuing beyond the July 1 “go live,” UF Bridges will offer certified end user courses at various campus locations. With the exception of a few self-service features, end users must participate in certified training to use the new PeopleSoft systems. Certified courses will include both instructor-led, hands-on sessions as well as Web-based training. In February, once the assignment of roles to users is completed and validated, and the Bridges training schedule is set, individuals will begin receiving invitations to register for appropriate course(s). Invitations to register will be sent as each course becomes available. For more information about role-based security, please see the December 23, 2003 DDD memo entitled Bridges Update: Assigning Roles for PeopleSoft Systems.

Registration for all courses offered by UF Bridges is available at http://www.bridges.ufl.edu/registration.