Tag Archive for: Workday

SOU completes first phase of core information system upgrade

SOU successfully shifts to innovative core information system

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University has successfully completed the first phase of its transition to a cutting-edge core information system – a process that most of Oregon’s colleges and universities, and many other government entities, are expected to duplicate in the coming years.

SOU is switching its primary operational software from a platform that was developed more than 30 years ago – and is still in use by most higher education institutions across the country – to the modern platform Workday. The move is expected to eventually save the university more than $750,000 in recurring, annual costs and improve the user experiences of both students and employees.

The first phase of the transition, which has been in the works for two years, has focused on employee-based elements of the platform: finance, payroll and human resources. Those elements of Workday “went live” at SOU on a limited basis in mid-December, and the transition was completed in January – including processing of the month’s payroll.

“This is a monumentally complex shift, and some entities that have gone before us have reported a pretty chaotic process,” SOU President Rick Bailey said. “We have had employees from various departments across our campus who have worked as a team on this project since mid-2022. Their selfless efforts have been focused and deliberate, and the results so far are outstanding – they are continuing to correct a handful of minor glitches, but there have been no breakdowns or reports of deep-seated issues.

“A change to operational software may not seem especially thrilling or energizing, but this is truly a transformational move for SOU. This is a key moment in the repositioning of this university, from a culture of scarcity to one of opportunity.  We owe a debt of gratitude to everyone on our SOU team who bent over backward to make this possible for all of us.”

SOU’s team for its Core Information System Replacement (CISR) project has worked on the transition with the company Alchemy, a vendor that specializes in helping colleges and universities implement various functions of the Workday system.

The transition from an outdated core information system to Workday will enable employees to juggle fewer systems and see modernized and automated workflows, improved analytics and better security. It includes a shift for all employees – including faculty and student employees – to electronic time entry, leave requests and reimbursement procedures, and many other processes are being modernized and streamlined.

The next phase of  Workday implementation – the student module – will begin this spring and is expected to last another two and a half years. The new platform will affect how students view and register for courses, and will provide tools for them to create academic plans, manage financial aid and complete other functions throughout their academic careers. Most functions will be accessible on Workday’s mobile app.

Workday also will become the primary application through which the registrar will schedule and manage courses, and where faculty members and advisers will view and edit students’ transcripts and course progress.

SOU leaders intend to eventually leverage the university’s experience in implementing Workday to serve as a model – and potentially as a mentor – for other universities that shift to the platform. Several other institutions in Oregon and elsewhere have indicated they plan eventual transitions to Workday – Portland Community College and Oregon State University have already signed contracts – and are closely monitoring SOU’s progress.

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About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University is a medium-sized campus that provides comprehensive educational opportunities with a strong focus on student success and intellectual creativity. Located in vibrant Ashland, Oregon, SOU remains committed to diversity and inclusion for all students on its environmentally sustainable campus. Connected learning programs taught by a host of exceptional faculty provide quality, innovative experiences for students. Visit sou.edu.

SOU core information system transition to begin in December

SOU two months from core information system transition

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Southern Oregon University is just two months from its Dec. 16 “go-live” date for the first phase of Workday, the new operational software platform that is expected to eventually save the university more than $750,000 in recurring, annual costs – and improve user experiences and modernize processes for both students and employees. The first phase is focused on employee-based elements of the platform: finance, payroll and human resources.

Employees from various departments across campus who are members of SOU’s Core Information System Replacement (CISR) project team have been working for more than a year with the university’s implementation vendor, Alchemy, to prepare for December’s launch. Alchemy specializes in helping colleges and universities implement the various functions of the Workday system.

Workday will ultimately replace the outdated core information system currently used by SOU and most other universities throughout the U.S. The transition to Workday will enable employees to juggle fewer systems and see modernized and automated workflows, improved analytics and better security. It will include a shift for all employees – including faculty and student employees – to electronic time entry, leave requests and reimbursement procedures, and many other processes will be modernized and streamlined.

The next phase of  Workday implementation – the student module – will begin after the employee module is fully in place, and is expected to last another two years. The new platform will affect how students view and register for courses, and will provide tools for them to create academic plans, manage financial aid and complete other functions throughout their academic careers. Most functions will be accessible on Workday’s mobile app. Workday also will become the primary portal through which the registrar will schedule and manage courses, and where faculty members and advisers will view and edit students’ transcripts and course progress.

Highlights from SOU’s first phase of Workday implementation include:

  • End-to-end testing in August and September. The CISR team evaluated more than 1,600 test scenarios, meticulously inspecting the newly built system for defects and errors. Ninety-five percent of the test scenarios passed, in large part due to team members’ extra efforts.
  • Parallel payroll testing has begun. This is a phase where SOU’s payroll team is running prior payrolls from earlier this year through Workday to compare them against what was paid to employees through Banner. This testing has just begun, but initial results appear strong. There will be two full months of this testing, using two different pay periods to ensure that payroll will be as accurate as possible when the university goes live.

Looking ahead
The CISR Project Team will continue over the next two months to address defects, test the system as updates are made and test payroll. Workday “User Readiness Review” sessions are scheduled for the week of Oct. 23. These sessions will provide a select group of SOU employees temporary access to Workday to complete daily activities in the system, helping the CISR team to understand the user experience and tailor the university’s training materials. Workday training will be made available in early November with both virtual and in-person options. Sign-up will open on Monday, Oct. 23, on the CISR Project Training page. 

Communication
The project team is still working to determine the best channel(s) for providing SOU employees with the information needed to use the system for daily activities when the first phase goes live. For now, employees are encouraged to visit the CISR Project Website often to view project updates and other important information about the Workday transition.

SOU intends to leverage its experience in implementing Workday to serve as a model – and potentially as a mentor – for other universities that shift to the platform. Several other institutions in Oregon and elsewhere have indicated they plan eventual transitions to Workday and are closely monitoring SOU’s progress.

SOU prepares for transformational change to software infrastructure

SOU to begin “transformational” shift in tech infrastructure

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University is heading into the first stages of a transformational change to its primary operational software that will result in far-reaching improvements for both students and employees.

Students will see streamlined registration options, an adaptable academic planner, and an integrated and effective mobile app. Employees will juggle fewer systems and see modernized workflows with increased automation, improved analytics and better security.

The university recently completed an assessment of Banner, its core information system, and will move to Workday. The SOU Board of Trustees approved this transition last month, and the university will begin shifting its systems this summer, with full implementation expected to take several years.

SOU’s current contract for Banner’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Student Information System (SIS) will expire in late 2024. The university’s goal is to begin the shift to Workday by July of this year, with new modules for human resources, payroll and finance fully implemented one year later. The shift to Workday’s student module will then begin, with that implementation schedule expected to take another two years.

The transformation will affect how students register for and view courses. Workday will be their primary platform to create academic plans, manage financial aid and perform other necessary functions throughout their academic careers. Many of those functions will be accessible via Workday’s comprehensive mobile app.

Workday will become the main application for managing employee information and benefits, along with institutional functions such as accounting, budgeting and finance. It will become the primary portal through which the registrar will schedule and manage courses, and where faculty members and advisors will view and edit students’ transcripts and course progress.

SOU will vet and hire an implementation firm within the next month or two to help manage and guide the university through the lengthy and complex process.

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