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Issue 14
UCPath is the University of California’s priority program to implement a comprehensive payroll, benefits, human resources and academic personnel solution for all UC employees.
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Testing
As we gear up for the UCPath implementation in December 2019, vital integration testing will take place between now and then. Timeline and status milestones help us keep on track for a successful rollout.
Testing Timeline
Integration Testing 1: 5/28/19 to 6/28/19
We have tested technical connections between our local systems and UCPath in preparation for integration testing and operational user testing (OUT). The testing included parking deductions, student FICA exempt information, the ability to assign security roles ad hoc and running two payroll cycles.
Integration Testing 2: 7/15/19 to 9/06/19
Our next testing focus will include:
- “Production-like” business process testing
- Interface & downstream system testing
- Location hands-on execution
There will be three bi-weekly (BW) and two monthly (MO) payroll process runs.
- The UCI UCPath team will execute test cases that include complex scenarios and end-to-end business process transactions. Several Point of Contact (POC) groups from different departments will assist in testing grad students and academic personnel test cases, each with several scenarios. Transaction results will be fed into UCI downstream systems and reviewed by those system owners.
- The UCPath Training Team will organize and direct POC & Super User Guided Practice Sessions. Practice sessions will utilize transactions from the POCs normal workday. Step-by-step instructions have been developed to support these sessions.
OUT (Operational User Testing): 10/01/19 to 11/08/19
Our fall focus includes:
- Helping to ensure UCI business processes are operationally ready to work with UCPath
- Verifying that user system access is accurate
We look forward to working with test groups to identify and correct challenge areas, to confirm areas that are working well, and to ensure that the UCPath rollout is as smooth, efficient, and user-friendly as possible.
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Thank You, Paul
We would like to thank Paul Sheirich, UCI UCPath Project Director, for his dedication to the UCPath project over the past seven years. Paul will retire from UCI at the end of July to address some family needs; Bob Moulton will take over leadership of the project. Bob is an executive consultant who has been working with the project the last eight months, and has vast experience leading these type of projects at other universities. We have complete confidence that this will ensure that the project remains on track to the transition to UCPath.
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Meet Marie
Marie is the UCI UCPath Integration Testing Lead. Her focus is to ensure the successful planning and execution of Integration Tests and Operational User Testing, and to assist with cutover.
She started with UCI four years ago as the functional manager for the Student Information System (SIS) project and then joined the UCI UCPath project team in March 2019. Marie has held various positions in higher education over the past 18 years; prior to joining UCI, she served as Director of Admissions at CSULB.
Marie and the two integration testers assigned to her (Scott Seligson and Phillip Nguyen) work closely with members of the UCPath project team to ensure we are well prepared to execute successful integration testing. This includes collection and organization of test scenarios, as well as ensuring that step-by-step instructions and test data are available for execution of the scenarios.
Marie’s hometown is Brooklyn, New York, but over the years she has lived in six different states. She currently resides in Long Beach, and has four children and two adorable grandchildren. Marie is very happy to be a part of the UCPath project, and looks forward to playing a part in its successful implementation.
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POC Update
The 100 Points of Contact representing all of the campus divisions completed seven training sessions. During June they attended sessions to practice transactions in the system and further explore the UCPath functionality. They are asking great questions and learning how UCPath will change how they process transactions.
This month, the POCs are practicing and testing transactions in a new environment that will enable transactions to be completed; this includes finalizing by the UCPath Center and processing the payroll. This will aid in understanding how UCPath will interact with existing processes and where changes may be needed.
All of these activities are preparing the POCs to be able to help the other transactors in their divisions and to answer employee questions. We appreciate these people who are investing their time in learning about UCPath and getting ready for December cutover and January implementation.
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POC Update
The 100 Points of Contact representing all of the campus divisions completed seven training sessions. During June they attended sessions to practice transactions in the system and further explore the UCPath functionality. They are asking great questions and learning how UCPath will change how they process transactions.
This month, the POCs are practicing and testing transactions in a new environment that will enable transactions to be completed; this includes finalizing by the UCPath Center and processing the payroll. This will aid in understanding how UCPath will interact with existing processes and where changes may be needed.
All of these activities are preparing the POCs to be able to help the other transactors in their divisions and to answer employee questions. We appreciate these people who are investing their time in learning about UCPath and getting ready for December cutover and January implementation.
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Lessons Learned from UCLA
Members from the UCPath team, Payroll, and representatives from Division CPOs and MAABOs recently went to UCLA to learn about their UCPath implementation. We will incorporate some of their shared key messages in our planning, including:
- Hands-on experience in the system as part of training is critical. UCLA was not able to offer this, and therefore employees were not as well prepared. They advocated for a training system, which we are now able to use to enhance UCI training.
- Communication to all employees using different methods; this is critical to ensuring that people are prepared for the changes. Their recommendations included: direct mail to employees, announcements on student and employee portals, and conducting town halls where people can ask questions and see new portal demonstrations.
- A local support system ready at go-live to handle employee questions or create tickets to the UCPath Center if/when needed. At go-live, UCLA directed employees with questions to contact the UCPath Center. It quickly became clear that the UCPath Center was not able to handle the volume of calls that were more in-depth and, in some cases, needed answers from UCLA in order to resolve. As a result, UCLA created a support organization – CRU — and directed employees to contact the CRU first for pay questions. UCI is creating a similar support organization that will be available at go-live and will address most UCPath questions.
- UCLA lessons are being incorporated in our training and report creation. This includes addressing challenges surrounding leave of absence, grad student pay, and monitoring those not getting paid.
UCI continues to meet with locations that have gone live on UCPath to understand all the challenges and determine how we can address and avoid the same issues. While a project of this size and magnitude will always present some challenges, UCI is incorporating lessons learned from the campuses currently live on UCPath in hopes that we can minimize issues and enjoy a successful transition.
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