financial systems needs assessment administrator briefing spring quarter 2009

Financial Systems Needs Assessment

Administrator Briefing

Spring Quarter 2009

Spring Quarter 2009 Administrator Briefing

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Project Schedule Change• Schedule extended through

December 31, 2009– Contributing factors:

• Budget cuts: staffing impact to support work group sessions

• Biennium close• Technical Lead position hiring delayed and

reduced to 50% due to budget cuts• Business process collection taking longer

than planned

Project Schedule


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11/08 12/08 01/09 02/09 03/09 04/09 05/09 06/09 07/09 08/09 09/09

Biennium Close All Campus

Activities

Draft Project Charter

GL/COA Focus Groups

As Is Bus. Process Collection

Biennium Close

Central Admin

Activities

Project ActivityProject DeliverableProject Dependency

Key

Today

Phase 1 Needs Assessment Schedule as of 4/15/09

Tech Reqs Validation

Tech. Reqs Workgroups

Business Requirements Validation

Accounting Advisory Team Review

Project Deliverables Development

As-Is Business Process Documentation

Business & System Requirements

Business Process Redesign Framework

As Is Bus. Process Validation

Bus. Requirements Workgroups

Phase 2 Scope Recommendations

Project Schedule

Project Charter Brainstorming

10/09 12/0911/09

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System Replacement Life Cycle

Phase 1Needs

Assessment

Phase 2 Gap/ Alternatives

Analysis

Phase 3Implementation

Planning

Phase 4Design &

Development

Phase 5Final

Preparation

Phase 6Post

Implementation Support

Communication

Business Process Redesign & Change Management


Winter 2009 Go-Live 20??

FundedTiming and funding to be determined at later

date

Major Investment

Funded

Life Cycle


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General Ledger/Chart of Accounts Focus Groups

• Conducted 25 focus group sessions across campus between January and April 2009– Focus of sessions: find out what is/is not working with

our current chart of accounts (COA)– 140 participants from central accounting offices,

central services, Bothell and Tacoma campuses, academic units and auxiliary units

– Over 925 comments collected– Report currently in development which summarizes

findings and recommends next steps• Will be published on FSNA website after approved by the

Steering Committee• Website: http://www.washington.edu/provost/oim/SPP/FSNA/

GL/COA Focus Groups

http://www.washington.edu/provost/oim/SPP/FSNA/


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Focus Group Questions• What works and does not work with the current chart

of accounts?• How would you organize your business if you were not

restricted to the current organization code structure and use?

• What is needed in the COA to meet your department needs?

• What does a “flexible chart of accounts” mean to you?• What laws/policies (e.g., IRS) exist that drive our chart

of accounts? • What are the most critical things to consider in

defining a new GL/COA?

GL/COA Focus Groups


Key Findings1. Limited reporting capabilities2. Inefficiencies

A. Shadow systems, duplicate entry, reconciliations

B. Inconsistent use of COA elements3. Lack of standards: data definition &

reporting / processes & system usage 4. Improper, unclear and inconsistent

classification of activity. Data Stewardship critical to future success.

5. Lack of financial activity coding/classification granularity

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GL/COA Focus Groups


Key Findings (continued)6. System reporting period creates challenges7. Lack of business rules increases error

correction, monitoring, and other non-value-added activities

8. Financial activity transparency issues: 1) relationship of financial organization to authorization; and 2) automatic processing and posting behind the scenes

9. Automatic processing and posting (explosion process) benefits

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GL/COA Focus Groups


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As-Is Business Process Collection and Validation

• Documenting and validating 52 core financial processes around campus– Receiving input from central accounting, central

services, academic units, and auxiliary/self sustaining units

• Over 80% of core processes are documented and validated

– Also documenting financial processes for units with unique systems and/or processes (example: Housing & Food Services)

• Will validate during requirements work group sessions and with campus

• Documentation will be made available on FSNA website

As-Is Business Process Collection

Functional Areas

• Fixed Assets• General Finance• Project Accounting• Accounts Payable• Purchasing & Vendor

Management• Accounts Receivable

• Budgeting• Grants Management

(post award)• Cost Accounting (cost

share & indirect costs)

• Service Centers (recharge)

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Requirements Gathering


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Requirements Work Groups• Conducted Fixed Assets pilot work group on April

27th, 29th, and 30th

– Reviewed, modified, and validated over 180 business and system requirements for fixed assets

– Broad representation from campus (16 participants)

– Preliminary feedback from attendees on the work group process is very positive

• “Retreat” approach enhanced level of commitment and was an efficient use of time

• Great open discussions – participants learned from each other

• As-is process flow diagrams set context for requirements discussion

• Requirements were broken down into logical groupings

• Participants indicated they will do PR for the project



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Requirements Work Groups• Nine (9) Work Groups to be scheduled

– Sessions to be conducted over multiple days– Working with Core Team to identify participants

for each functional area– Goal is to notify participants at least a month in

advance of the start of the session– Scheduling will take into consideration

biennium close activities, impact of budget cuts, summer vacations, etc.

– Goal is to complete all work group sessions no later than September 2009



Winter Quarter 2009 Administrator Briefing

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financial systems needs assessment administrator briefing spring quarter 2009

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