In the fall of 2011, the first phase of the iNtegrate project was implemented: a new student system across all seven NSHE teaching institutions. NSHE then turned its attention toward replacing the existing legacy Finance and HR systems.
Transforming How NSHE Does Business
Rather than replicating existing business policies and processes in a new system, the iNtegrate project recommended changes in how NSHE institutions conduct business operations. Technology was to be at the core of this initiative. This process included an exhaustive review and proposal for how to best approach and structure business and administrative transactions across NSHE. We believe this work will help to ensure that Nevada’s investment in our colleges and universities is spent wisely and efficiently.
iNtegrate 2 Steering Committee
To begin this work, Chancellor Dan Klaich appointed an iNtegrate 2 Steering Committee composed of 14 members from NSHE and each of our institutions.
The Steering Committee was created and charged with:
- Representing stakeholders and constituents across NSHE
- Acting as a communication conduit.
- Proactively supporting and participating in business process redesign to improve operations, reduce redundancy and ensure consistent policy across NSHE
- Ensuring a system-centric approach is employed in evaluating more efficient, effective and accountable business processes and systems, including alternative delivery mechanisms
- Ensuring efficient and effective business processes drive the system’s design
- Evaluating all legitimate options to new Financial and HCM systems.
- Developing and facilitating strategic communication to help ensure iNtegrate 2’s success
- Issuing an RFP for evaluation and selection of a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software.
- Building executive commitment and sponsorship across the NSHE.
- Developing a realistic project budget, including system and campus resources, both financial and staffing, to ensure successful implementation
- Ensuring that the selected ERP provides a data management/retrieval system for improved reporting and decision making
Evaluating Existing Business Processes
A subcommittee of the Steering Committee evaluated a number of current business processes to identify ways to improve workflow, streamline operations and increase service levels across NSHE. In Human Capital Management (HCM), these included: Recruiting, Benefits Administration, Payroll Processing, Personnel Administration, and Position Budget and Control. In Finance, these included: General Ledger, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Procurement, Budgeting, Grants and Contracts, Inventory Management. For more on this important step, visit Chart of Accounts and Finance and HR Business Process Redesign.
Subcommittee Work Leads to ERP Selection Criteria
Another subcommittee of the Steering Committee worked with consultants to define a new structure for NSHE’s Chart of Accounts and to improve major Financial and HCM business processes. These two initiatives helped to define business requirements and other considerations used to evaluate and select a new ERP.
Selection goals included the ability to:
- Streamline business processes by adopting best practices.
- Reduce transactional costs.
- Increase reliability, accuracy and timeliness of transactions.
- Improve flow of information and access to business operations across NSHE.
- Improve decision making.
- Deliver consistent administrative solutions that best meet the needs of NSHE in the most cost-effective manner possible.
- Adopt common business practices to ensure standardized and consistent high levels of service across NSHE.
- Maximize productivity through supporting shared resources across campuses, where possible.
- Improve consistency in data and reporting capabilities at the institutional level, as well as reporting and data collection at the System level.
Workday and SCI Selected
After an extensive review process, Workday was selected as the next-generation technology best able to empower NSHE and its member institutions to operate more like a truly integrated system of higher education. In addition to selecting Workday, NSHE also contracted with implementation consultant Sierra-Cedar, Inc. (SCI) to guide our work and ensure a sound implementation.
Project Team’s Work Begins
The 14-member original Steering Committee was replaced by a four-member Executive Steering Committee (ESC) responsible for championing the Project and overseeing its overall progress. Beginning in Spring 2015, a Project Team was appointed that includes employees who represent each of NSHE’s eight institutions and its System Office. This team includes the ESC, Project Leads and other Project and SCS support, and Designees and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). The latter two come from our campuses and provide the highest level of expertise in performing functional tasks or specialized jobs. A Project Plan and Charter also were developed.
In late Spring and into Fall 2015, the Project Team worked on Business Process redesign and conducted dozens of Design and Working Sessions to configure NSHE’s Workday implementation.
Data Conversion, Validation, Integration and Prototype 1
In the Fall and Winter of 2015, the Project Team converted data from all eight institutions that will populate the Workday configuration, and configured Prototype 1. At the beginning of 2016, the Team prepared for Unit Testing of P1, including developing test scenarios that guided approximately 120 testers thorough testing our new Business Processes. This testing generated feedback on what’s working as designed and what needs adjustment before P2 is generated for more testing.