Financial Systems Needs Assessment

1. Financial Systems Needs Assessment Administrator Briefing Spring Quarter 2009

2. Project Schedule 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 Spring Quarter 2009 Administrator Briefing

3. Project Schedule Phase 1 Needs Assessment Schedule as of 4/15/09 11/08 12/08 01/09 02/09 03/09 04/09 05/09 06/09 07/09 08/09 09/09 10/09 11/09 12/09 Draft Project Charter Project Charter Brainstorming GL/COA Focus Groups As Is Bus. Process Collection As Is Bus. Process Validation Bus. Requirements Workgroups Business Requirements Validation Tech. Reqs Workgroups Today Tech Reqs Validation Accounting Advisory Team Review Project Deliverables Development As-Is Business Process Documentation Key Biennium Close All Campus Activities Biennium Close Central Admin Activities Business & System Requirements Project Activity Project Deliverable Business Process Redesign Framework Project Dependency Phase 2 Scope Recommendations Spring Quarter 2009 Administrator Briefing

4. Life Cycle System Replacement Life Cycle Winter 2009 Go-Live 20?? Phase 1 Needs Assessment Phase 2 Gap/ Alternatives Analysis Phase 3 Implementation Planning Phase 4 Design & Development Phase 5 Final Preparation Phase 6 Post Implementation Support Major Investment Funded Funded Timing and funding to be determined at later date Communication Business Process Redesign & Change Management Spring Quarter 2009 Administrator Briefing

5. GL/COA Focus Groups 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/ Spring Quarter 2009 Administrator Briefing

6. GL/COA Focus Groups 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? Spring Quarter 2009 Administrator Briefing

7. GL/COA Focus Groups Key Findings • Limited reporting capabilities • Inefficiencies • Shadow systems, duplicate entry, reconciliations • Inconsistent use of COA elements • Lack of standards: data definition & reporting / processes & system usage • Improper, unclear and inconsistent classification of activity. Data Stewardship critical to future success. • Lack of financial activity coding/classification granularity Spring Quarter 2009 Administrator Briefing

8. GL/COA Focus Groups Key Findings (continued) • System reporting period creates challenges • Lack of business rules increases error correction, monitoring, and other non-value-added activities • Financial activity transparency issues: 1) relationship of financial organization to authorization; and 2) automatic processing and posting behind the scenes • Automatic processing and posting (explosion process) benefits Spring Quarter 2009 Administrator Briefing

9. As-Is Business Process Collection 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 Spring Quarter 2009 Administrator Briefing

10. Requirements Gathering 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) Spring Quarter 2009 Administrator Briefing

11. Requirements Gathering 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 Spring Quarter 2009 Administrator Briefing

12. Requirements Gathering 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 Spring Quarter 2009 Administrator Briefing

13. Winter Quarter 2009 Administrator Briefing