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Training for TravX Travel at Oak Ridge National Laboratory Session Code 1702 DeAnn Ingram ingrammd@ornl.gov
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Today’s Agenda Oak Ridge National Laboratory Travel statistics Support of management Target audiences for training Types of training Questions?
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Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) ORNL is managed for the Department of Energy by UT-Battelle, LLC Located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee Multi purpose science laboratory Operating budget approaching $1B Largest science project in the nation – $1.4B Spallation Neutron Source 3,900 employees and hundreds/thousands of subcontractors SAP version 4.6C
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Decision to move to SAP Travel Homegrown electronic travel system High maintenance cost – outsourced Multiple feeds to SAP – cost recovery and reimbursement Year long RFP process – resulting in SAP as choice provider Fast track for conversion – 7 months from formation of conversion team to implementation Conversion done completely in house
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Basic Information on ORNL Travel $14M annual travel cost 12,000 annual trips VERY tied to government per diems and rules Developed custom WEB applications for reservations, expenses, offsite assignment payments, travel audit function, cash advances and travel direct bill payments Travel reimbursement done via Treasury Services – not payroll Obvious system change –but several business rule changes implemented as well
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Management Support Travel at ORNL is under the CFO – thus keen business sense/connection to business rules Very interested in travel – Leadership Team member sponsoring the changes CFO was the driver behind the rule change to require approval of expenses by direct line managers Fully supported all rule changes I met with him periodically to keep him apprised of progress of implementation Internal polices were updated and approved
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Keys to successful training Develop several types of training Tailor training to specific groups as necessary Do as many live demos as possible Start general public training a month – six weeks prior to implementation Be available to give small group training leading up to and even after implementation date Training developed entirely in house by functional personnel who knew the system
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Keys to successful training - continued Stress enhanced features of new system Explain reasons behind system change, business rule changes, etc Cover conversion of data from old to new system Be flexible Be available
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Definition of Target Audiences System change drove training of travelers and their assistants – to some degree approvers Business rule changes drove necessity of training approvers and finance staff Business rule changes necessitated training of various administrative groups – non-employee processors, administrative staff of foreign travel groups, and Foreign National Office A wide range of employees/non-employees utilize travel and needed to be trained on TravX and how it interfaced with other processes
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Definition of Target Audiences - Continued Travel reservationists and travel audit groups Accounts payable and treasury Internal audit
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Travelers and Assistants – WHY? 1,500 travelers and several hundred assistants Very much “hands on” users of TravX Business rule changes Per diem changes Credit card import features Require approval of expenses by direct line managers All travelers must have an active SAP personnel number Very flexible/robust cost distribution Lodging exception and business personal forms Must have an active SAP account
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Approvers and Finance Staff – WHY? Approvers Actual TravX users who approve trip expenses Business rule changes – per diem changes Require approval of expenses by direct line managers Finance staff Help enforce business rules Involved in recoup of unallowable expenses under new TravX policy Display of cost postings
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Administrative Groups – WHY? Travel cuts across many processes Non-employee processors Travelers must have an active SAP personnel number Non-employee system (NEP) is front end for entry into SAP to get a personnel number for all non-employees Foreign non-employee travelers High percentage foreign travel groups How to handle travel for interpreters/others Foreign National Office Require 8-10 week lead time
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Travel Reservationists – WHY? Travel reservation function was NOT pulled into SAP Reservation tied to expense – thus it must be the starting point of SAP trip Custom WEB application in SAP to create trip and store and route itinerary Apollo is Global Distribution System Display per diems and credit card number Trip approver defaults to line manger Understand the issue of an active SAP personnel number
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Travel Auditor – Why? Travel auditor job was changed tremendously Gained efficiencies by streamlining what was audited and what receipts were required Cash advances/ticket advances Audit que functionality Interaction with travelers Improved monitoring/reporting on delinquent expenses Several automated emails for delinquent expenses, delinquent receipts, and audit adjustments Direct bill application
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Accounts Payable/Treasury - WHY? Subcontractors making their own reservation would still need to be reimbursed via AP Access given to TQA environment PAID non-employee requesting reimbursement via TravX – need AP approval prior to releasing payment Cash advances At point of expense approval – entry made to credit traveler vendor account and debit project Treasury check writing process each morning actually pays the traveler
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Internal Audit – WHY? Internal audit group required training to “buy” into the new system TravX had much improved checks on per diems TravX had much improved processes to avoid over payments – i.e. duplicate tickets
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Recruited Hands on Users of Prototype One key to successful training was enlisting our executive secretarial group as prototype users Also enlisted groups handing high volume of foreign travel Enlisted some frequent and some “fussy” travelers Set up trips for the secretaries’ managers and for the others enlisted Started this level of testing/discussion 4 months prior to implementation Gave users ~ 3 weeks to provide comments
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Types of Training Auditorium Very publicized sessions Designed for travelers/assistants/approvers Powerpoint presentation combined with a live system demo 6 auditorium sessions beginning in mid May prior to June 30 implementation date One per week – on differing days/times 60 – 100 attendees per session
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Types of Training – continued Small group Offered as a tool to encourage training attendance Offered to divisions, groups, any/all who were willing Presented in their conference rooms Slightly tailored powerpoint presentation and a live system demo 15 – 20 small group sessions done Groups ranged from 10 – 50 These went over well as folks felt very comfortable in their own setting asking questions, etc.
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Types of Training – continued Specialized small group Very specialized needs Primarily live system demo Travel reservationists – definitely set up as hands on testers Travel audit – definitely set up as hands on testers Foreign National Office Non-employee processors Accounts payable Internal audit
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Types of Training – continued Small group hands on Offered small group classes where participants could do hands on training Set up portable classrooms of 10 laptop computers Sessions were 3 hours Held 8 sessions – all were full or over capacity Designed for the administrative staff who handle a high volume of travel Very good atmosphere for questions/interactive group
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Types of Training - continued Individual training Some one on one sessions were held Live system demos Mainly high level secretaries (Lab director and division director level) Division directors Corporate fellows A few fussy travelers These sessions targeted to give peace of mind to high level secretaries and to ease concerns Hopefully win over potential critics
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Desktop Training Developed SAP “I Tutor” sessions Targeted for those who were willing to be trained, but could not come to a class Interactive session you could sit at your desk and run Could be run at any time and are still available for new employees/travelers I Tutor demo
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Scripts Scripts compare to a desktop reference guide Prepared scripts to Document processes Allow others to print and review at their desk as necessary Available for new employees, new travelers, or infrequent travelers who might need refresher Prepared for reservationists, auditors, travelers, assistants, and approvers XX scripts prepared
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List of Scripts
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Excerpt from Script OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY Job Aid – SAP 4.6C Web Application Title: TRAVEL EXPENSE FORM (ONE-DAY TRIP) Number: TRV004 Revision Date: 07/14/2003 Description of Process This job aid describes how travelers can create and/or edit Travel Expense Forms for One-Day Domestic Trips via the TravX Web-based application. Included are instructions on how to Change the Begin date and/or approver Import credit card transactions Enter general expenses for a one-day domestic trip (e.g., airfare, mileage, etc.) Add/itemize and delete expenses Add/edit comments Enter Meals and Incidental Expenses (M&IE) for a one-day domestic trip >12 hours Change business city Edit/delete unallowable expenses Submit additional expenses after the Expense Form has been certified/approved/paid Security Authorization Requirements The SAP Travel Expense Form Web application is available to all General SAP Users for their own trips. Users who also have the SAP Travel Assistant role have access to other individual’s trips, as assigned by the role.
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Excerpt from Script - continued NOTE: If you clicked the pencil icon to change the “To be Approved by” field, you will get a pop-up box that allows you to change the approver. Enter the approver’s badge or user ID and tab or click the Search button to update the remaining fields, or Click the Clear button to remove the data from the fields and enter the first name/last name combination or last name only of the approver and tab or click the Search button to populate the remaining fields. If there is more than one person with that name, a pick-list will be provided. Click the OK button to save the data and return to the previous screen or click the Cancel button to cancel your changes and return to the previous screen. NOTE: If the approver is not set up in SAP as an authorized approver, you will receive an error message. NOTE: Click the Question Mark icon for help.
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Questions?
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1702 Session Code:
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