Monday, January 24, 2011

RRC Summary 1/19/2011

See attached notes from Katherine, who attended the January RRC meeting in my absence.

RRC 2011-01-19.doc


Notes are also pasted below.  Thanks to Katherine for putting this together this month.  DJP





RRC MEETING NOTES                                                                                                     JANUARY
19, 2011



EFS UPDATE / FITZ:



Fitz said there are 3 main
objectives with improving EFS at the present time.



*Additional human and financial resources are being
added to OIT to improve several aspects of EFS.*



1)      Reporting:  Central is looking at immediate enhancements
that could be made to existing UMREPORTS that would add value for the end
user.  Simultaneously, since UMREPORTS
will be going away eventually, a focus should be made on transitioning these
enhancements to the BI tool.  See below for Julie Tonneson's Reporting
Project Update.



 



2)      Punch
list items: Remember the original priority list?  They are dusting off the original list and
reviewing older items that weren't implemented and adding new requirements.



 



3)      User
input: Rob Super is chairing a committee of 10-12 users where 'nothing is off
the table' in terms of improving EFS system issues.  Fitz is anticipating it will take this group
approximately 9 months to explore specific questions both Fitz and Tim Mulcahy
have regarding recent user issues.   In the charge letter, Fitz is anticipating
having the group review the specific list of issues such as definitions of
account balance, chart of accounts, and workflow.  He also mentioned adding a 'front-end' and
possible internal maintenance plan are within the realm of possibility for
long-term solutions.  An EFS upgrade is
coming...currently the priority is HR, Student,  then Finance.



REPORTING PROJECT UPDATE / JULIE TONNESON



Reporting: By mid-February



Reporting
work group:



1)    Julie
Tonneson



2)    Sue Paulson



3)    Sherrie
Kutzler



4)    Dan
Hemauer



5)    Andrea
Backes



6)    Lisa
Carlson-Warren



7)    Sharon
Ramallo



8)    Corey
Cain



9)    Bill
Tolman



10)  Abel Ponce de
Leon



11)  Dan
Dwyer



 



A group people will be charged with
reviewing and updating the original reporting requirements list.  Are there immediate reports that could be
developed?  What do users need now?  An email went out January 18th
inviting financial users to attend 'EFS Financial Reporting Listening' sessions
geared understanding the current reporting issues and needs.  Ideas will be tracked and during the design
phase of the fix, the team will go back to users who suggested the improvement
and ask if it meets the need.  Note:  Reports will be prioritized by solutions that
will affect the most users.   Please encourage your faculty colleagues to
attend as well.



 



Mon., Jan 24  3:00-5:00     
402 Walter Library (room capacity - 92)



Thu, Jan 27 
1:00-3:00      G 55 Peik Gym (room
capacity - 94)



Tues., Feb. 1         9:00-11:00  355 Borlaug Hall St. Paul (room capacity -
182)



Please be aware seating will be limited by
room capacity. 



 



Can't make the session?



Voice your opinion via a survey or a listening session feedback form instead:  http://www.finsys.umn.edu/reporting/reportinghome.html



 



From the EFS reporting website....Two factors are critical
to the success of this project. First and foremost is timing. It is essential
the project begins and delivers real improvements as soon as
possible. Second, there must be significant user involvement in the entire
process, not only in the gathering of requirements but also in the
determination of priorities and solutions. 



 



2)      BI
report pilot.  There will also be a group
of 100 users who will be part of a pilot to use the new BI tool and produce
reports using a few tables.  Stay tuned...



 



BUDGET
UPDATE / JULIE TONNESON



1)      FY12
budget process.  Budget instructions were
sent to RRC's on January 20th and the Budget office is working on
uploading the budget module and position budgeting tables in EFS.  Position budgeting is required for FY12.  Training Services will have the original
course and an online refresher available for users.



 



TRAVEL
POLICY: PROPOSED REVISIONS / LACRETIA BELL & KAREN TRIPLETT.



1)      Did
you know 'Travel' is the most reference policy at the University?  The central office found that there is
confusion regarding the current language in the policy and they have proposed
changes that will clarify and simplify details for employees and make it easier
for everyone to be in compliance.   See
attached 'travelling on university business proposed changes 011911' pdf.



2)      The
timeframe for the policy update is March-June, 2011.

NOTES TAKEN BY
KATHERINE LINDSAY (ON BEHALF OF DAVID PAPPONE)