Administrators Head Back to the Classroom
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Administrators
Head Back to the Classroom
By Leanne Marden
The semester is well underway, and so are preparations for the new finance system that will be introduced to the campus soon. In the summer of 2002, financial administrators at UMass Boston and across the University of Massachusetts will begin using the new PeopleSoft administrative system for financial operations.
Getting to this point required many hours of hard work, and many trips to Worcester, where three long-time UMass Boston employees—Bobby Kartsagoulis, Dennis Loughlin, and Richard Simmons—joined colleagues from all of the university campuses and the President’s Office to design the system according to UMass specifications. Once designed and developed, the system was ready for testing. Testing involved trying out all the features of the system and seeing if the results were as expected. And as if testing were not enough to keep the finance team busy, the time for training others on campus has now arrived.
In early February, the first of many transition workshops was held for campus staff, including central financial administrators and departmental staff persons who make purchases and manage budgets for their units. These workshops serve as pre-training information sessions, introducing new features and terminology, and important changes.
During the month of March, the same financial administrators will begin receiving e-mails, directing them to the on-line web registration system to find out what courses are recommended for them and when the courses will be offered. With a few simple keystrokes and mouse clicks, our PeopleSoft finance students can enroll in the necessary training courses at times most convenient for them. Some users may need to attend only one course, while others may be slated to attend many. “Finance Fundamentals” will be offered for all staff members who will be working with the new PeopleSoft administrative system. Other courses will teach system users how to access financial information on-line, access reports electronically, and make purchases using the new PeopleSoft finance system.
All finance systems users should “stay tuned” for more specific information about training and general preparations for the new system. Attendance at training and information sessions will make the transition to PeopleSoft a smooth and enjoyable experience.