May 10, 2004
Team offers preview of online payroll system
By Louise Donahue
Paper timesheets are on the way out, and an online time and attendance
system is on the way in, an Executive Budget Committee team explained
to staff members at a May 5 Staff Advisory Board forum.
A vendor to handle the paperless system will probably be selected
by the end of May, with a pilot program to test the new system planned
for September, said time and attendance project manager Peter McMillan,
computing manager for the Office of Planning and Analysis.
The time and attendance team is one of many campuswide project teams
addressing business functions, information technology, resource management,
and academic issues as part of UCSCs budget-driven transformation
efforts.
Staff members at the forum were eager to know which firm had been selected,
but that decision is now up to the Business Transformation Steering
Committee, and also must undergo a financial analysis, McMillan explained.
Three finalists have given daylong demonstrations at UCSC. Through
this process, weve found we have a single vendor in mind,
said McMillan.
While UCSCs pay system must cover everyone from campus firefighters
to researchers in Antarcticaand work with Linux, Macintosh, and
PCswe firmly believe our manual processes can be automated,
said team member Doug Carlson, assistant dean of Social Sciences. I
dont think our pay rules are uniquely complex, he said,
noting that the system the team favors is able to incorporate such features
as winter closure. Its sufficiently flexible to serve the
entire campus, he said.
The online system will have several advantages, including the ability
to check vacation accruals well in advance, get access to up-to-date
student work-study balances, the elimination of shadow systems, and
a streamlined system for those with multiple appointments.
Arrangements for those without computer access at work have been considered.
These could include additional workstations, kiosks, or an interactive
voice-response system, team members said.
A key question at the forum was how many clerical positions will be
eliminated by the change. This is not within the teams scope,
McMillan said. While cost savings are expected, he predicted such savings
would be likely only after the first year.
Several other questions, including what would happen if an employee
failed to fill out an online pay recordor a supervisor failed
to approve paywere policy decisions that will have to be determined
by the steering committee, said project team members.
McMillan noted that the new plan will be tried on a pilot group, possibly
in Business and Administrative Services, then gradually phased in around
campus. Feedback from others wanting to be the first to use the system,
or having other comments, is welcome at peterm@ucsc.edu.
Related links:
Human Resources
Transformation team offers update for staff
Program
takes new approach to preventing injuries, easing employees' return
to work
Staff
Human Resources expands 'transition services' to assist budget-related
job changes
Newsletter provides information
on IT transformation project
Budget impact
candidly discussed at Chancellor's Staff Forum
Effort under
way to consolidate information technology on campus
Campus
team tackles UCSCs workers comp crisis
Currents
article: Changes will streamline purchasing on campus
Currents
article: Panel fields questions about efforts to streamline HR and payroll
Currents
article: Staff forum focuses on HR transformation project; second forum
to take place November 17
Currents article:
Forum on budget process November 5
Currents
article: Chancellor says budget planning will yield strategic cost cutting
Currents article:
Campus 'transformation' begins with info technology consolidation
Executive Budget Committee
UCSC Budget Update
site
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