Conversion

The goal of data conversion is to bring complete and accurate historical data into PeopleSoft to support the proper operation of the financial system following go-live in July 2008. The Conversion team is working closely with business process owners to ensure that all data is cleaned up in the legacy systems and kept clean before it is converted into PeopleSoft. Each module has a lengthy list of data needing to be cleaned. The Chart of Accounts in CUFS has been mapped to the new chart in PeopleSoft, and that data will be used throughout the conversion process as it is propagated throughout the system.

The timelines established for conversion are important as they support the subsequent phases of the project, including testing. During the summer of 2007 the team focused its efforts on developing test scripts. A number of mock conversions were executed in fall/winter 2007 and will continue in spring 2008. Final conversion will take place in June and July 2008.

The intent of the mock conversions is to test all conversion programs and processes in order to identify any potential issues before the final conversion takes place. Mock conversion activities include scripts execution, program defect identification, and data cleanup.

HCM/CS conversion will be integrated with the financial system test effort and will begin three to four weeks after the start of system testing (which began in November 2007). HCM/CS conversion will use the same COA mapping as the financials conversion.

Vendor Conversion

Because the new financial system vendor file is so different from the old CUFS vendor records, it is not practical to programmatically convert all vendors from CUFS. Therefore, an EFS project team worked with business process owners (BPOs) to identify which vendors need to be available in the new financial system as of the July 2008 go-live date. Some of the criteria used to identify which vendors will be immediately available are:

• Vendors with an open PO that will roll in to the new system
• Vendors with a U-wide contract to be established in the new system
• High-use vendors
• Vendors with tax reporting requirements
• Small Business / Targeted vendors
• Vendors required for the XML voucher process

Disbursement Services is working with the EFS project team to identify these targeted groups of vendors, and are soliciting current information from vendors. Disbursement Services staff will begin entering the newly solicited data in the new financial system in early spring 2008.

By soliciting their current information, we are accomplishing several things:

• Updating the vendor’s information with correct information
• Securing an updated W-9 signature
• Securing information that is needed in the new system but not available in the old system. For example, vendor’s preferred PO dispatch method, vendor’s e-mail address, etc.

This pre-entry of vendors is also allowing the Disbursement Services staff to be trained on vendor data entry prior to go-live. Post go-live, Disbursement Services staff will continue to enter new vendors in the system as needed.