A Key Part of UC's Business and Technology Landscape
by Tom Koerner
UC implemented UC Flex over a two year period. It currently provides the university with the technology environment to integrate the financial and human resources business of the institution. However, the effective integration of these business functions is a whole other matter which will take more time to achieve.
Let’s Review
In late 2003, the university made the decision to implement SAP’s “mySAP” ERP business solution starting with the Financials (FI) module. Later, the university decided to implement the Human Resources (HR) module, as well.
From a technical view, UC Flex has three major integrated components:
- R/3 Enterprise 4.7 (the software and hardware behind UC Flex)
- Business Warehouse (BW) 3.5 (the information warehouse for reporting)
- Enterprise Portal 6.0 (the user interface to UC Flex)
The university named the systems and services provided by this solution “UC Flex,” and funded it as a major project. In partnership with SAP, IBM, and RWD, the university managed the project within a highly disciplined and aggressive timeline starting in early 2004 and ending in June 2006. The project team met virtually all of its objectives on time and within budget, something very few projects of its size can claim.
The Role of Information Technology
To those who work in IT, UC Flex is simply an enabler of a business decision.
While the technology tools are now in place to “reinvent” the university’s administrative business operations, the actual outcome is dependant on the hands using them. Technology will never replace the need for individuals with the knowledge of their business and the commitment to taking responsibility for it.
In short, humans still rule. Every individual involved in UC Flex plays an important part in its long term success. Those who have gained the knowledge and experience are encouraged to share it with others who need it. Only by helping each other will we succeed over time as an institution.
Integration – A Blessing or Curse?
Integration is both good and bad news.
It makes business sense to integrate related functions, but to successfully do so requires “knowledge workers” throughout the university to view and understand how an early action (e.g., an appointment) can have an immediate and dramatic impact on the end result (e.g., a paycheck). An increased level of discipline and standardization in the various business areas is also required.
All this is a tall order especially in a university environment. The direction that UC Flex has set is recognized as a learning process, and to some degree a cultural change, expected to take several years to realize.
Looks Like We Made It
It is now a fact that the financial and human resources transactions will no longer be executed independently at this university.
Since June 2006, UC Flex has been operating the university in an integrated business environment for the first time in UC's history. The system has survived two year-end processes – the current one being the first ever under an integrated finance and human resources system environment – in addition to the very complex annual financial report and the always challenging production of 36+ payrolls.
Rounding Third and Heading for Home?
Truth is, the work has just begun…but that also means the best is yet to come.
While UC Flex has successfully moved from project mode to an ongoing support mode, existing issues and new ones remain to be resolved. Beyond the known operational issues, the new challenges facing the university include:
- the need for a permanent model for funding the efforts of an ongoing UC Flex support team, which has been named “Business Core Systems,” and is headed by Dennis Yockey
- the need to continuously improve UC Flex services as well as to stay current with vendor software releases. Like most software, staying current is critical to securing one’s investment and to achieving long term success.
- the need to improve training, both on UC Flex and on the knowledge required to effectively transact university business.
Training – The Final Word
It is appropriate to conclude with an emphasis on technical and business training.
The level of training that was provided to 1,200 users (close to 1,000 on FI overlapping with 650+ on HR) when UC Flex went live was unprecedented at the University of Cincinnati. A recent RWD case study is just one testimony, and even if you discount the marketing aspect of it, the deliverable was world class compared to anything ever provided for a new administrative system at the university.
Regardless, this fact does not relieve anyone of the responsibility to provide improved training going forward. This is a goal that will remain active within HR and Business Core Systems and continuous improvement should be expected.
Feedback
Comments and suggestions are always welcomed at ucflex@uc.edu.
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