Transcript rSmart findings

Kuali Assessment
Recap of rSmart Group’s
UH Visit
(03/17 – 03/20/2008)
General Assessment
• KFS will be a good fit for UH to replace FMIS,
benefits include
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Modern technology environment
Workflow (electronic routing & approval of docs)
Electronic transaction documents
Ability to attach scanned documents to electronic
transactions
– Transactions can be imported from Excel spreadsheets
– Financial information can be downloaded to Excel
spreadsheets
– Essentially real-time knowledge, 24x7, of balances including
pending entries awaiting approval in Workflow
Observations
• Chart of Accounts:
– KFS & FMIS have similar COA structures
– KFS features sub-accounts & sub-object codes
• Allow for more user flexibility
– KFS only has 1 ledger (GL vs GL & SL)
– Both have account attributes
• KFS also has object code attributes (supports more
flexible transaction processing)
Observations
• Purchasing:
– UH has a decentralized purchasing business model
• Limited central vendor negotiated volume pricing
• Most institutions of similar size & complexity follow a
centralized purchasing business model
– Recommend the University analyze & assess if a
centralized purchasing model will provide better
service and lower costs.
Observations
• Budgets:
– UH does not require budgets be entered at the
account level for general state appropriated funds
– This is very unusual for an institution the size &
complexity of the UH
• Reduces the value of reports because there is no budgetto-actual metrics.
Observations
• Organizational Structures:
– Organizational structure inconsistencies among
budget, financial, and HR org structures
• Results in reporting difficulties, e.g., need for xwalk tables
Observations
• Labor (Payroll) Encumbrances:
– UH does not encumber payroll at the account level
• Results in a reduction in the value of accounting reports.
Observations
• RCUH:
– RCUH provides HR, payroll, & procurement
services for sponsored programs using a separate
accounting system with daily electronic feeds to
FMIS; altho, some transactions are processed
directly by UH applications.
• Result is 2-systems supporting sponsored programs with
different user interfaces.
• Adds complexity for users & will make it more difficult to
implement labor (payroll) encumbrances.
Observations
• InfoEd:
– UH plans on implementing InfoEd shortly
– Recommend UH also monitor the Kuali Research
Administration (KRA) project which will have
similar pre-award features to InfoEd & a seamless
interface with KFS.
• KRA is still 2-years from full-implementation.
Observations
• Potential Gaps/Challenges:
– Purchasing
– RCUH’s separate financial & HR/Payroll systems
– Security