A Message from the University Controller
By Christine Wilda
Assistant Vice President & University Controller President’s Office
The University has embarked on an upgrade of the Finance system for all five Campuses and the President’s Office.
Our Finance System covers a variety of functional areas such as:
‘ Grants, Projects, Contracts, Billing, Accounts Receivable
‘ eProcurement, Purchasing, Accounts Payable, Expenses
‘ General Ledger, Commitment Control, Asset Management
Some of you may recall that the last time we upgraded the Finance system was in 2007. In 2010, the Campuses and President’s Office partnered with University Information Technology Services to plan and design the next version of the system. This is a technical upgrade that will better position us for future enhancements such as purchase requisition change orders and document attachments.
In this upgrade, the most noticeable change is in the overall navigation. The specific screens that you use are generally not affected.
Where are we currently in the upgrade? The project team is in the midst of system development (i.e., applying updates to ensure the system meets the University’s needs).
In the future, you will receive additional updates on the progress of the project. More importantly, training materials will be developed to support users impacted by identified system changes. For more information on training materials, see the UPK article on page 2.
I would like to thank the project team, and all of you, for your support during the Finance 9.1 system upgrade.
Finance 9.1 Upgrade Summary
Why are we upgrading the Finance system?
This upgrade ensures the system meets the latest technology standards, thus readying it for future maintenance and enhancements.
When will the upgraded system be available?
The upgraded system will be released in late 2011.
Is the look and feel of the Finance system changing?
Yes. Instead of a left hand navigation menu, you will now use a dropdown menu at the top of the page.
Other enhancements to navigation are:
‘ Recently used pages
‘ Option to alphabetically sort your navigation list
‘ New search functionality
‘ Breadcrumbs to track your navigation path
The system will track or ‘leave a trail’ of the actual path you take as you navigate from screen to screen. This navigation trail is what we refer to as ‘breadcrumbs’.
For a sneak peek video of the new navigation, please follow this link.
Finance 9.1 Upgrade Summary
Which areas will be part of the upgrade?
‘ Grants, Projects, Contracts, Billing, Accounts Receivable
‘ eProcurement, Purchasing, Accounts Payable, Expenses
‘ General Ledger, Commitment Control, Asset Management
How will these areas be impacted?
In most cases, there will only be slight changes (e.g., the location of a field). For those areas with key changes to functionality, users impacted will receive further details in the coming months.
Training: Introducing UMass Productivity Kit (UPK)
With this upgrade, we are introducing the UMass Productivity Kit (UPK) for Finance. This training tool is already in use to support HR Direct and iSiS. An entire Finance 9.1 UPK training package is being developed to provide on-line training for key processes in the Finance 9.1 functionality. While job aids and training guides will still be available, you will also have the ability to learn through online tutorials.
Most online tutorials limit you to only watching a process. UPK offers three different playback modes to support your learning preference on any particular topic (as shown in the table).
If you prefer written documentation on any topic, you can print out a Job Aid using the option.
UPK content will be available via the Help link within the Finance system. Your training materials will be just a click away.
Stay tuned for further communications on how to access and use the Finance 9.1 UPK Online Training Tutorials.
Key Project Contacts
What is the best way for me to keep informed on the Finance system?
For more information regarding the Finance system and the upgrade to 9.1, please visit the empac web page ( http://empac.uml.edu ). Once there, don’t forget to save the site to your favorites!
Who can I contact for specific questions regarding the Finance 9.1 Upgrade?
For Finance 9.1 project questions, please contact:
‘ Project Management & Training ‘ Richard Conley, Norma Clark
‘ Accounts Payable & Expenses – Denise Anastasopoulos
‘ Asset Management – Annette Johnson, Roland Rondeau
‘ General Ledger & Commitment Control ‘ Roberto Miller
‘ Grants ‘ Nancy Desjardins
‘ Purchasing / Procurement ‘ Mike Durkin, Heather Tziotziouras