Pennsylvania BANNER Users Group 2007 Successfully Implementing a Decentralized Admissions Solution

General Announcements: Please turn off all cell phones/pagers If you must leave the session early, please do so as discreetly as possible Please avoid side conversations during the session Questions will be answered at the end of the session Thank you for your cooperation

Introductions Celeste Corsi, Director of Enrollment Research & Systems – Duquesne University – 9 years – 13 years of experience in Higher Education Institutional Research Undergraduate Admissions – Enrollment Research Banner Implementation – Core Process Team Leader for Data Standards (~ 1 year) – Core Process Team Leader for Admissions & Recruiting (~ 1.5 years) Ezequiel Terrazas, Manager – SMART Business Advisory and Consulting – 13 years of experience in Higher Education which include 7 years with system implementations Recruiting & Admissions Records & Registration Accounts Receivable Collections

Duquesne University Founded by the Spiritan Congregation in 1878 Private Catholic University Nearly 50 acres overlooking downtown Pittsburgh, PA Enroll undergraduate and graduate students Ten graduate schools

SMART Business Advisory and Consulting Headquartered in Devon, PA Professional services firm with international offices and over 600 consultants The SMART Advantage – Depth of Higher Education experience – Proven methodologies with a history of success – Experienced functional, technical and project management resources

Objectives Provide a positive and realistic overview of a decentralized admissions implementation project at a medium-sized, private university. Discuss the primary challenges encountered during the implementation of an ERP system and the corresponding solutions. Identify issues that institutions should address in the early phases of an ERP implementation.

Issues Encountered Communication & Common Vocabulary Skill level variations Different processes for each area Varying application requirements Identify shadow databases used to support offices Security Negotiate conflicting views/interests Identify an implementation partner Identify and engage appropriate institutional personnel to be involved in the implementation

Solutions to Issues Encountered Schedule weekly meetings with end-users and provide documentation Provide training and develop training manuals that cross various skill levels Analyze and identify non-standard processes Analyze and identify varying application requirements for each area and accommodate differences by building the appropriate checklist items Identify Banner modules/forms that can replace shadow databases Develop security roles and classes based on user requirements Actively listen and negotiate conflicting views/interests – facilitate collaboration among team members and external groups Identify an implementation partner Identify and engage appropriate institutional personnel to be involved in the implementation

Initial Decisions – Prior to Design Data standards Define curriculum Identify modules to be implemented Identify all players involved in the implementation and decision making process Identify 3 rd party solutions that may be considered to support the system

Design Process Define As-Is process design – Process Narratives – Process Diagrams Define To-Be process design – Process Narratives – Process Diagrams Standardize validation tables Identify security roles and needs

Design Process (cont…) Resolve non-standard practices Clearly define staff implementation roles in each area Identify testing requirements and develop scripts Develop training plans Identify reporting needs

Implementation Process Dependencies – Student – Financial Aid – Accounts Receivable etc.. Identify and manage database instances Do not assume that everyone is aware what instance should be used for each task Manage the conversion of legacy data Normalize the population of validation tables within different database instances

Implementation Process (cont..) Execute test plan in the appropriate configured database instance(s) Edit and update design as appropriate without reengineering it entirely Document issues encountered and communicate the resolution/decision for each issue Provide training, re-training and more training - ongoing

Go-Live plan Fully define Go-Live plan – Tasks – Responsibilities – Dates – Dependencies etc. Communicate dates associated with Go-Live to all affected Fully define an ongoing system support plan – Security – Navigation – Roles – Rules

Go-Live plan (cont…) Issues resolution and sharing results should be an ongoing process Training must be an ongoing process Dependencies on other Banner modules and 3 rd Party solutions

Conclusions Discipline Communication Functional and technical leader Manage and support the talent involved Realistic expectations Iterative process – all will not be perfect ERP is an institutional asset and must be managed as such

Questions??? Questions Comments Ezequiel Terrazas, Manager Phone: Celeste Corsi, Director Office: