PeopleSoft 9.2 ChartField Business Request and Approval

With the release of PeopleSoft FSCM 9.2, increased features and functionality now offer organizations increasingly efficient and effective ways to run their business processes. One of the enhancements to PeopleSoft FSCM that comes with PeopleSoft 9.2 is an enhanced ChartField Business Request and Approval Process.

The ChartField Request and Approval. ChartFields demand a lot of security, as they are directly linked to the SetID. You want to ensure that the proper user creates those ChartFields. PeopleSoft 9.2 has provided a new feature called “Business Request and Approval” to allow for a configurable workflow process for requesting the setup of SetID-driven fields and values for fields, such as ChartFields.

This new functionality guarantees that only the user with the proper authorization can create ChartFields. Users can also can request additions or modifications to field values and submit them for approval. The new field or changes will be active only after the final approval. The new feature also provides an audit trail of the setup and approval of these values to guarantee compliance.

Elements Defined

The Business Request and Approval Process are workflow processes in which users can set fields that are SetID driven and have them approved. Users can add or modify field values with proper approval, and then, have those changes reflected in the corresponding base tables.

ChartFields are fields that store your organization’s chart of accounts and act as a framework to divide and classify data related to your budget and business transactions. Each ChartField has its own attributes and represents one category of data. However, you can classify each ChartField with multiple values (such as by product, fund, service, etc.).

Some delivered ChartFields include the following:
·       Operating Unit
·       Program Code
·       Budget Reference
·       Activity
·       Project ID/Grant
·       And more…

A great benefit of ChartFields is an added layer of security for your organization. ChartFields have an increased level of security to set up and must receive approval beforehand. In this way, organizations can control who can affect the flow of funding by setting up ChartFields.

When creating a new ChartField request, a Request ID will be given to it automatically. After entering in the SetID and Field name, information will appear based on a corresponding pre-defined business template.

After filling in the information, users can submit the ChartField request for approval.

FSCM 9.2 also provides users with an audit trail to go back and track the entire process from request creation to final approval.

On the Approval Flow page, users can see the status of their ChartField requests. Designated approvers will be able to add comments on this page if a request is pushed back for changes, placed on hold or denied. From this page, users can start a new approval path and are able to add or remove approvers.

Want to learn more about the Business Request and Approval Process? Oracle offers great online resources that walk you through understanding the process and assisting in set up and configuration.

Want more information? Visit Defining and Using ChartField Request and Approval on Oracle's website.

Transformation of Finance in a Digital Age

In the later half of last year, Oracle released a report along with Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA), a notable, distinguished accounting organization. The report entitled The Digital Finance Imperativeanalyzes how businesses must increasingly adapt in the digital age in order to connect with customers and outside constituents. The report notes that with the advancement of technology, assets are becoming increasingly intangible. Businesses must rely on streams of data to learn more about who their customers are and how to better reach them, or how to achieve optimal, operational success.

Businesses are reevaluating how to run operations in a digital age and are turning to data to guide the organization’s direction. The report states that while some areas of concentration within a business are embracing this change, finance in particular may not be utilizing the power of data to its fullest potential. According to the report, “finance may lag behind marketing, sales and other customer-facing functions that are investing widely in digital technologies to capture valuable data about intangible assets such as brands, customer relationships, intellectual property and human capital.”

Finance departments can no longer turn to the same measurements and forecasting capabilities that sufficed ten years ago. In order to be successful, finance departments need to be well versed in data analytics in order to make effective decisions.

The report presents a call to action, presenting the mandate that company CFOs must use cloud-based technology to their advantage in order to be a powerful player in today’s business arena.

“The attitude you need to have is not ‘think outside of the box.’ Instead, it’s ‘don’t even see the box,’” Oracle CEO Safra Catz said.

More than 50 percent of the 744 respondents in the report study revealed that their top five business value drivers were intangible assets, including items such as brand reputation and customer satisfaction. This confirms the fact that companies now value the intangible over the tangible. Part of the challenge in the digital age is establishing new KPIs that accurately measure a company’s progress and turning those measurements/insights into action steps.

The report states that the role of the Finance team, particularly the CFO, is expanding, with the Finance scope growing to include data analysis and technology management. In other words, Finance is becoming more of a player in data analysis and organizational decision making. Finance must embrace the influx of data, establish new KPIs and allow for data-driven decisions that benefit shareholders.

CFOs and management accounts may now be in the right position within the organization to own data that can lead to effective decision making and drive stronger performance. Finance can be an objective party that can offer valuable input for company management decisions. ­­­

Offer Your Students a Mobile Experience with Campus Solutions

With the PeopleSoft Campus Solutions mobile application, institutions will be able to increase their level of self-service that they can provide to applicants, students and alumni.

The mobile application provides users with a modern design and intuitive navigation, built using the Oracle Application Development Framework (ADF) Mobile. Users can view and edit information wherever they are at from their smartphone or tablet device.

After logging in to the application, students are taken to a landing page that shows their class schedules for the day and any outstanding notifications such as overdue library books and the late fee charge. By selecting a class, students can drill down and see course details such as instructor, textbook requirements and meeting location. Students can view instructor contact details and even drop a class from their mobile device.

In the Notifications tab of the landing page, information that is updated in Student Records shows up, such as a grade that was recently entered in. Students are not only able to see a grade on an assignment, but their current overall GPA and letter grade as well.

A Menu option from the landing page acts as a one-stop shop for any information students may want to access from the application. Students can view a complete class schedule for the term, view financial aid awards and monitor any holds on their account.

The Finances page shows students an account balance, amount of the next payment due, the last payment amount and any pending financial aid amounts.

Other beneficial features of the mobile application include the following:

·      A To Do page, listing out all checklist items with class assignments.
·      An Applications page, showing the progress and submission of all undergrad or postgrad programs within the university.
·      Class Search enabling students to search for and enroll in classes for a future term using keyword search and filters.
·      For schools that use PeopleSoft’s Contributor Relations module, students can make a donation directly from their phone to a campaign or cause of their choosing.

Interested in utilizing PeopleSoft’s Campus Solutions mobile application for your institution? Visit My Oracle Support for more information.

On-the-Go Paychecks with PeopleSoft HCM

With PeopleSoft HCM Mobile Paycheck, your institution’s faculty and staff can access paycheck information directly from their smart phone (currently, the capability is available for North America only). With the Mobile Paycheck functionality, employees can find the information they need without having to go into the office or log onto a desktop. The capability is delivered in HCM 9.2 Image 14 through the PeopleSoft Update Manager (PUM). The capability shows Oracle’s strong commitment to enhancing the Fluid User Experience by increasing the amount of mobility it can offer.

To access paycheck information, users simply log into the PeopleSoft Self Service homepage. Users will be able to see a Paycheck tile on the homepage with a date listed—signifying the date of the last issued paycheck. After clicking on the tile, users can see a complete list of check dates and the net pay for each one. Users are also able to drill down into each paycheck date to find more information they may need on their pay.

Paycheck Summary
Wouldn’t it be great to have a consolidated list with earnings (both by check and year-to-date), taxes or deductions? PeopleSoft’s Mobile Paycheck feature provides all of these figures and more on the Paycheck Summary page. Users can view any overtime pay or bonus earnings as well as valuable tax information. Not only does the Mobile Paycheck allow employees to view tax information related to individual paychecks and year-to-date, but it also allows employees to view personal tax information as well.

Institutions and organizations are also able to include messages with employees’ paychecks, which are also viewable by drilling down into the Paycheck Summary homepage.

Other viewable items include Employer Paid Benefits (if set up by the organization), how the paycheck was distributed into accounts and any vacation or sick days that were taken during a selected paycheck.

One of the best features of PeopleSoft’s Mobile Paycheck is that Payroll administrations can set it up so that users can view a visual breakdown of their paycheck through a chart of analytics, including components such as Net Pay, Before-Tax Deductions, how much in taxes was taken out and any After-Tax Deductions. Other types of analytics available include a visual distribution of earnings and deductions.

For institutions or organizations that utilize PeopleSoft BI Publisher to produce checks, an option can be set up by administrations so that users can view their paychecks in a PDF format by simply clicking a link.

By using the PeopleSoft Mobile Paycheck application, you can save your organization time and money, reducing processing and reporting costs. Increase your level of self-service by allowing employees to find the information they need, regardless of location or time.

3 Reasons to Upgrade Your Institution to Campus Solutions 9.2

Campus Solutions 9.2 is out! With this new release, institutions are looking at the upgrade and determining what it will mean for their organization. Overall, 9.2 offers institutional users features not previously available to them in 9.0 and will enhance the experience for students, faculty and staff. What are the particular reasons as to why your institution should make the upgrade to 9.2?

Here are the three main reasons:

1.)   CS 9.2 offers institutions a more organic, intuitive experience.
Campus Solutions 9.2 provides an enhanced user experience via the Fluid User Interface, allowing institutions to increase mobility and offer a modern, intuitive user experience. Institutional users will be able to access Campus pages from a smartphone, tablet or desktop, no matter where they are at. All the user needs is a device, application and web browser that supports Fluid UI. Along with accessing information on the go, 9.2 offers increased levels of self-service. Institutions can streamline business transactions as users are able to find the information they need, when they need it. The Student Center in particular will offer increased self-service in 9.2.

2.)   Users will be able to choose the changes they need via Selective Adoption, without major disruption.
While the continuous delivery model isn’t a new concept to the Campus Solutions community (introduced in 2009), PeopleSoft Update Manager (PUM) ensures that institutions can remain up to date without major cost or disruption by allowing institutions to choose the features that they want to rollout and still be supported. Now, PUM and Selective Adoption will be standardized across the PeopleSoft 9.2 Suite, streamlining your applications.

3.)   Users will receive unmatched levels of innovative functionality.
In addition to significant enhancements in self-service and Fluid UI, 9.2 added features such as the Forms and Approval Builder. The Forms and Approval Builder allows institutions to transfer paper forms within their organizations to digital copies within the PeopleSoft application. 9.2 also lays down the foundation for features such as WorkCenters, Pivot Grids, Dashboards and Fluid UI.

How soon do you need to upgrade? Campus 9.0 users Premier Support will be supported until December of this year, with Extended Support ending December 2019. Note: In order to upgrade, you must be on Campus Solutions 9.0 bundle 34 and HCM bundle 25 with PeopleTools 8.53 or higher.

Two Key Trends for 2016

The Alliance 2016 Conference is right around the corner. In a couple months, higher education institutions from all over the country will gather to discover more about Oracle applications, network and share their own product implementation and upgrade experiences. This year’s keynote speaker, Charlene Li, will set the tone for the conference.

Charlene Li gave a very powerful talk at the TED Institute: Giving up Control: Leadership in the Digital Era. In her speech, she talks about business today, specifically the need for innovation and rapid decision-making as it trumps yesterday’s drive for efficiency. How does this influence what it means to be an effective leader? Charlene Li explains that it is less about control and more about empowerment, enabling employees to acquire the information they need so that they can make their own decisions.

Li, along with her Altimeter Group colleagues, recently posted an article on the Altimeter Group Blog. In the blog, Charlene Li calls out three themes, or trends, that she expects will become more predominant this year in the business world:

·         Agile customization of experiences becomes a priority

·         Digital governance becomes a necessity

Let’s look at Li’s first prediction as a top trend this year: “agile customization of experiences becoming a priority.”

With the emergence of big data, organizations are now able to interact with their customers and constituents in real time, shaping unique experiences for each individual. Organizations will begin compiling data from a number of sources and analyzing it to provide a clearer customer profile than ever before.

What does this mean for Oracle users? Oracle PeopleSoft applications are continuing to incorporate data-driven functionality and analysis capabilities into their products through features such as Pivot Grids and Dashboards.

Pivot Grids support operational dashboard reporting within the PeopleTools framework by providing a pivot table and chart representation of data using the PSQuery data source. This enables users to visually display data in a dashboard. Data can be displayed in different views by performing operations such as pivoting and filtering, which enables business analysts to interpret data in a variety of ways. Users get multiple dimensions for the same data, which can then be exposed in interactive charts and be refreshed anytime the grid data is redrawn. The combination of the grid and chart capabilities provides a very powerful mechanism for interpreting complex data. PeopleSoft Pivot Grids allow the user to analyze data within the application. PeopleSoft includes more than 60 prebuilt self-service Pivot Grids. 

Dashboards increase self-service and allow users to access the data and information they need in one, convenient location. For example, the Manager Dashboard allows managers to add or delete pagelets to control what information they want to see and where they want to see it. Managers can monitor direct reports or send out approvals, making transactions easy and hassle-free.

PeopleSoft Treasury Management solutions help organizations control their treasury operations by using a single solution with a robust front, middle and back-office ERP. Within the Cash Management module, a product called Financial Gateway allows organizations to ensure straight through processing with the bank. The Financial Gateway will help organizations to centralize their entire payment process, ensure communication with the bank and receive payment acknowledgments. The PeopleSoft Financial Gateway also facilitates compliance with regulatory requirements such as Sarbanes-Oxley, as it tracks and logs all actions performed during the payment cycle.

In Image 10, PeopleSoft delivered the PeopleSoft Cash Management homepage. The PeopleSoft Cash Management homepage allows cash managers to continuously manage their cash position, even while on the go. It also allows managers to evaluate their cash investment options and risk factors before investing any surplus funds.

Anywhere, anytime access: Users can complete everyday tasks such as entering expense reports and time sheets from their mobile devices. Managers can also take advantage of mobile features, including monitoring cash positions, project health and supplier performance, regardless of location.

The second prediction for 2016 is the increase in ethical data issues and questions of privacy as organizations continue to collect information on customers. Oracle continues to keep privacy at the forefront to ensure that application data will not fall into the wrong hands, especially as more data is moved to the cloud.

"We have to rethink how we deliver technology, especially as vast amounts of data are moved to the cloud. If we're going to move all of this data to the cloud, we have to make sure this data is secure,” Larry Ellison said.

As businesses continue to be shaped by the digital age, Oracle users can be sure that they are receiving the latest and greatest technology to match the changing times in releases such as PeopleSoft 9.2 and PeopleTools 8.55.

About Charlene Li
Charlene Li currently serves as the Principal Analyst and CEO of the Altimeter Group, a Prophet company, and is a renowned public speaker, New York Times bestselling author, consultant and thought leader in the technology industry. Li’s book entitled Open Leadership outlines how social media can answer today’s push for more openness and transparency in how business leaders run their organizations. Li’s most recent book, The Engaged Leader, released in March of last year, encourages business leaders and instructs them on how they can become intimately involved with their organization’s digital communication and engagement strategy. Li’s published and spoken works instruct leaders and management on how to navigate through a changing business environment—one that is becoming increasingly digital. Altimeter Group, Li’s research group, serves a thought leader within the technology industry as well, backing trends in the field with analyzed data.