Thursday, June 2, 2022

2023 Payroll Calendars are Posted

2023 Payroll Calendars for the Academic Division, Medical Center, and University Physician's Group are posted on the new UVAFinance website. 


Check out the 2023 Payroll Calendars here: https://uvafinance.virginia.edu/payroll

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

FST Updates: May 26, 2022

 


Workday Finance Training

Over 1000 folks have attended a Workday Finance training at this point.  Keep in mind that courses were designed for roles that have high-impact transactions in Workday, so not all security roles have required training.  If you go to the Workday Financials Training page on the website, you’ll see an overview of which roles have required training, which don’t, and what resources are available for all.  See also this quick reference guide on how to sign up for training in Workday Learning.

Read the full training update on the blog here. 

Cutover from Oracle to Workday

"Cutover" refers to a span of five days from June 29 over the Independence Day weekend where the FST Team executes the process of switching over from Oracle to Workday Financials. Now is the time for everyone in schools and units to review the business processes that will be affected by the cutover period.   It’s important that you consider what deadlines related to common business practices in Oracle will affect you and your team, and that you think about what your area needs to do to be ready and have what you need by the time the cutover is in full swing.  See the Cutover Resources page for all the deadlines.

Read about early Payroll deadlines - Review Cutover impacts on Sponsored Accounts - Read the full Cutover update

Fund Balances after Workday Finance Launch

The transition from Oracle to Workday means we’re going from a two-ledger system to a flat ledger system, and while that is great in the long run, it does mean that there’s a significant adjustment required. Right now, the FST team is working on converting the funds from Oracle to Workday at a high level.  After go-live, that high-level group of funds will need some intensive review by fiscal professionals in the schools and units to settle where those funds need to be specifically, using the new Foundation Model, which replaces the old Oracle PTAO.  It may take a couple of months post go-live for fund balances to get sorted out.  We know that work and spending go on, though – so know that Faculty and others will still be able to assess their fund balances, via UBI’s record of historical balances and an understanding of current spending.

Read the full Fund Balance Update here.


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Five Things to Know about FST: May 26, 2022

 
1.  Training, both instructor-led and on-demand, is ongoing between now and after the go-live of Workday.  Don't wait to get your training.  Visit the Workday Financials Training Resource page for information, schedules, and how-tos.

2. Cutover between Oracle and Workday Financials is quickly approaching (June 29 - July 4).  Many common business practices will be affected, including the areas of grants, HR, payroll, expenses, and more.  Review cutover deadlines and make preparations by visiting the Cutover Resources page.

3.  Fund balances will look different after Workday Financials launches.  The FST team is transferring them from Oracle over to Workday at a high level, but there will be a time of cleanup after go-live to get funds settled in the right (expected) places.   Want to know more?  Read this blog article.

4.  The launch of Workday Financials will impact payroll deadlines for the Medical Center, UPG, and the Academic Division.  Review the timelines and make plans now to address expected needs.

5.  The FST Team, including our training team, the Finance Solution Center, and more, are actively preparing a time of "hyper care" to support you during and after go-live, to help everyone adjust as we stabilize Workday Financials.  We look forward to sharing more about this as the July 5 launch date approaches.


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Tuesday, May 24, 2022

How do I see my funds after Workday Financials goes live?

 When Workday Financials goes live on July 5, the fund balances you see in the new system will require some clean-up (read this previous blog post for a rundown of how things will look at go-live).  

As you might know, the transition from Oracle to Workday means we're going from a two-ledger system to a flat ledger system, and while that is better for UVA in the long run, it does mean there's an intensive adjustment required. 

As you read this, the FST team is working on converting the funds from Oracle to Workday at a high level.  In the weeks and months after go-live, fiscal professionals in your school or unit will be working to settle that high-level pool of funds where they need to be, using the new Foundation Data Model (FDM), which replaces the old Oracle PTAO.  

What if you need to know fund balances during that post-go-live transition time when balances are still being sorted out?  

The good news is that UBI is still a part of our future state, so you can check your historical balance there.  That, coupled with your understanding of your recent spending, should give you a solid idea of where your funds stand as your local team sorts out the FDM worktags on the funds in Workday.

Preparation for the process of realignment could take up to two months after Workday Financials launches.  Please be patient as your team does this important and detailed work. They are learning the new system, too -- and within a short time, we are all going to reap the benefits of the massive effort we've put in as we enjoy the flexibility and insight that a modern financial system gives us. 

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Read previous coverage of the GLfund balance realignment on the blog

Cutover Impact: No Sponsored Account Set Up for June 10-July 4

The University is upgrading its financial system from Oracle to Workday Financials on July 1, 2022. How will the transition impact sponsored account setup?
  • The creation of new or modification of existing Oracle sponsored accounts will suspend on June 10. 
  • The creation of new and modification of existing sponsored accounts will begin in Workday on July 5.
  • OSP and your local research administrators are working intensely to process as many actions as possible before June 10.
  • We strongly recommend that you submit requests for:
    • At-risk accounts for new awards that likely will not get processed but have start dates before July 5, and
    • At-risk extensions for awards that will expire between June 10 and July 5.
  • To expedite processing, ensure that all of your required compliance training and disclosures (COI, External Activities, Undue Foreign Influence, etc.) are current.
  • To help with the transition, please assist with your administrator’s efforts to close old accounts and complete all recons.
Should you have questions, please reach out to your unit’s research administrators or email osp-help@virginia.edu.
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Monday, May 23, 2022

Adaptive Planning Considerations as Cutover Nears

As we get closer to the launch of Workday Financials, don't forget that Adaptive Planning 3.0 will go live at the same time!  Adaptive 3.0 is the version of Workday's budgeting software that will integrate with Workday Financials.

Some new things folks will notice about Adaptive 3.0 as opposed to previous versions include: 
  • reference data from the HR side of the Workday platform to inform budgeting
  • the ability to balance transfers across UVA based on each area's input sheet
  • Multi-year Financial planning and model scenarios
  • Three compensation input sheets (faculty, staff, wage)
  • Option of budgeting at the Month level
  • Option for collecting internal request information for compensation and non-compensation
  • and more!
If you'd like to see a preview of how Adaptive Planning will function, check out this demonstration in the Online Community.

And just as we consider what we'll need to plan for before, during, and after cutover from Oracle to Workday, there are also some considerations UVA budget folks might want to keep in mind after Adaptive 3.0 goes live in late July:

  • You'll need to add the "Transfer To/From Cost Center" and ensure that all transfers in/out are budgeted if known
  • Updates to the budget will need to be made to reflect the new, more granular cost codes
  • You'll need to review the initial conversion of Employee to position and update your budget as necessary for the correct Workday positions by employee
  • You might need to update Function
  • If a One to Many relationship in the current state prevents you mapping to FDM prior to the Freeze, you'll need to update that after go-live
  • Units should maintain a list of changes since the submission of the original budget. After stabilization post-go-live, adaptive will remain open with snapshots taken throughout the year; no changes made after a snapshot is taken will be included in that snapshot.

The Adaptive Team and everyone who's been involved in the piloting, testing, and review processes are pretty excited about the functionality our new budgeting software provides already, and we're looking forward to sharing the "future state" version with you this July!

If you would like a one-on-one consultation about Adaptive Planning, please email askfinance@virginia.edu.
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Cutover from Oracle to Workday Financials

As the launch of Workday Financials approaches, you hear the word "cutover" frequently, referring to the switch from Oracle to Workday.  The term sounds short and sweet, but the process is several days long.  Starting June 29 and running through the Independence Day weekend, cutover from Oracle to Workday Financials will take five days. The end result is that we come back from our holiday weekend to a brand-new, cloud-based financial system (hopefully with few fireworks!).

Now is the time to review the business processes affected by the cutover period.  The FST Team has assembled pre-and-post go-live resources to assist you. 

May:  Preparation

Review checklists for work areas like payroll, expense, grants, and more.  Think about what your area needs to do to be ready and have what you need by the time the cutover is in full swing.  Review the May resource page. 

June:  Deadlines

Take a look at the deadlines for cutover; you can sort the chart by area.  Consider what deadlines related to common business practices in Oracle will affect you and your team.  Review the June resource page. 

July:  Clean-Up

Review the checklists related to clean-up post-go-live (we'll be adding to these resources in the coming days).  Think about what activities you'll need to plan for once Workday Finance has launched. Review the July resource page. 

Questions?  Concerns?  Reach out to us at askfinance@virginia.edu - we're happy to help!

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Related Resources:  Workday Finance Cutover and Entering Time for Payroll

Sunday, May 22, 2022

SRN: Readiness to Launch

The System Remediation Network (SRN) has worked through the system-specific impacts and completed necessary changes. System remediation is the process of identifying and implementing changes that are required for non-Workday systems to successfully integrate with Workday Financials or consume new financial data following the transition from Oracle.






The network continues to provide participants to share information, documentation, tools, and best practices necessary for effective system remediation. Now in the Readiness phase, SRN participants are preparing for Cutover and the launch of Workday Financials. Pertinent details will continue to be included on the Cutover Site.




Friday, May 20, 2022

Rylee Wiley Joins the Workday Finance and Data Support Team

Rylee and her husband in France

Rylee Wiley recently joined UVAFinance's Workday Finance and Data Support Team. She says she was “excited to hear about UVA’s   implementation of Workday Financials” and knew she wanted to be part of   that implementation process.

 As a Workday Financials Architect on the Data Support Team, Wiley will   interact with various people involved with Workday, including architects,   analysts, subject matter experts, and end-users.

 Though still new, she says she is excited about the responsibilities and   opportunities related to her role.

Wiley is particularly excited about the people with whom she gets to work. The Data Support Team, led by Director Sue Clements, includes several people familiar with UVA and FST. Wiley, however, is one of two people from outside UVA to join Sue Clements’ Team. Both Wiley and fellow member Mandy Eames (Senior Architect) came to UVAFinance from the Nevada System of Higher Education.

“The opportunity arose to be part of this community while continuing to work with an awesome previous coworker of mine, and that was difficult for me to pass up,” she says.

She spends most of her time outside of work with her husband and two dogs, Cooper and Rocky. Wiley and her husband enjoy traveling, kayaking, and camping and have recently taken up Disc Golfing. Also, they occasionally like to off-road race in her husband’s vintage class 10 car.

Mandy Eames Joins the Workday Finance and Data Support Team

Mandy
Mandy Eames is one of two people from outside UVA to join the newly formed Workday Finance System and Data Support Team. She and Rylee Wiley came to UVA from the Nevada System of Higher Education where they both had experience with Workday Finance.

In addition to getting to work with Wiley again, Eames will also work closely with other members of the Data Support Team, including Director Sue Clements. “All the interactions I have had so far have been very lovely and the team seems like it will be very well rounded,” Eames says.

The Data Support Team will be responsible for configuring, maintaining, and supporting Workday Finance systems after go-live. Though Eames is looking forward to the work the team will do in the future, she was excited for the opportunity to join the project before Workday Finance goes live in July.

“I was attracted to this position because Finance has yet to go live for UVA and I was looking forward to the opportunity to expand my knowledge base,” Eames says. “I also really enjoy working within higher education.”

Eames is a wife of 21 years and a mother to two adult children and one high school-aged child. In her free time, she loves reading, hiking, gardening, cooking, and playing tabletop games. She also really enjoys a vintage aesthetic, and often dresses in a retro style. She even has vintage furnishings throughout her home and collects prints of 1940s artwork.

Chailey Nyssen joins Procurement as Travel & Expense Programs Analyst

Chailey and son, William

After living in Australia for six years, Chailey Nyssen knows a thing or two about travel. That combined with her background in finance, travel planning, and customer service, made her the perfect person to join UVAFinance as the new Travel & Expense Programs Analyst. She was also attracted to the role because she “admires UVA as an institution and as a central part of our community.”

As Travel & Expense Programs Analyst, Nyssen is part of the Travel and Business Operations Team within Procurement and Supplier Diversity Services. She will be working closely with the rest of the Travel and Business Operations Team: Connie Alexander, Danae Polemi, Jenny Godden, Anders Coe, and Team Lead Raegan Harouff Gaye.

“I’m really enjoying it so far!” Nyssen says. “I’m still learning a lot of processes and am excited to really dig in and get to work. My team is amazing, and I’m so pleased to work with them.”

Nyssen describes who she is outside of work as “mostly a mom” who loves spending lots of time with her 8-year-old son, William. She also enjoys trying to improve her acoustic guitar skills, spending time with her friends, and watching shows and movies.

Wellness Resources May 26, 2022

 



FEAP Resources

MANAGE NEGATIVE AND ANXIOUS THOUGHT PATTERNS
In this Hoos Well reward-eligible webinar, you will learn top strategies from Bethany Teachman, UVA Psychology Professor and Director of Clinical Training, on managing negative and anxious thoughts so they don’t become so overwhelming. We will also discuss how to look at situations from different perspectives and generate alternative ways of thinking about situations.
Register for the June 30 webinar

CONNECT FOR SUPPORT - EMPLOYEES & MANAGERS
Join a 30-minute drop-in session to check in with colleagues, share strategies for challenges you are facing, and discover resources available to help.
Sessions occur the second Tuesday of each month

EXPERIENCE FEAP'S 21 WAYS IN 21 DAYS TO REST AND RESTORE
FEAP invites you to take care of yourself in a new and accessible way. Many people are so keenly tuned into others, their own needs are often overlooked. In a few brief minutes each day, this program will remind you and encourage you to attend to your own needs kindly every day as well as guide you through a series of effective strategies to do just that. The goal of this program is to help you rest and restore your own energy tank in the midst of everything else that you do. Read more and register.

Don't forget Yoga in UVAFinance


Thursday, May 19, 2022

Training Update

 Contributed by Patty Marbury

Training for Workday Financials is in full swing.  By the time you read this, over 1000 users will have attended an instructor-led or self-paced course and gotten the training they need to do their jobs when the system goes live on July 5, 2022.  

See training calendars and more on the Workday Financials Training page

Training courses were designed for those roles that execute high-impact transactions in Workday and/or roles that have large numbers of people assigned to them. Not all roles have required or formal training. We've put together a Security Role and Training Overview to go over which roles have required training, which don't, and what resources are available for all. You can access this resource at the website linked above, or via this direct link.

It's good to bookmark the Workday Financials Training page, as it contains many helpful resources, and all learning materials associated with the courses will be posted there by mid-June.  

Training will continue through go-live and after, but don't wait to complete your training.  Here are some other actions besides training that you can take to get  ready for Workday Financials: 

Need guidance signing up for training in Workday?  There's a QRG for that!  You're also welcome to reach out to askfinance@virginia.edu -- we are happy to help make sure you get the training you need to be ready on July 5!


Workday Finance Cutover & Entering Time for Payroll


Workday Financials launches July 5, 2022, a little over a month from now.  Between now and then, both the FST project team and finance personnel in schools and units will be working carefully on the process of cutover from Oracle to Workday. 
You can find all cutover deadlines here.

UVA Payroll will of course ensure that all employees are paid during the cutover, but deadlines for time entry will be earlier than usual.



Medical Center & UPG bi-weekly payroll
  • Deadlines for the MC/UPG bi-weekly payroll 07/01 check date, must be adhered to.
  • The week of 6/27, the Payroll Department will be unable to process any late timecards or manual adjustments. We are completing the 7/1 payroll in a single day.
  • Any missed time will be processed on the next regular payroll.
  • Off-cycle payments will not process until the week of 07/11.

Academic Division bi-weekly payroll
  • For the Academic Division's bi-weekly pay period end 7/3 (check date 07/08), all standard time entry deadlines will be followed. Employees should enter all hours by the end of their last day worked in the pay period and submit their time for approval.
  • The week of July 4, Payroll will be unable to process any late timecards or adjustments.
  • Any missed time will be processed on the next regular payroll.
  • Off-cycle payments will not process until the week of 07/11

Please note these timelines and make plans now to address any expected needs as soon as possible.  To see all payroll calendars, visit the UVA Payroll website.  

Thursday, May 12, 2022

Five Things to Know about FST: May 12, 2022

 


1. Workday Finance Training is taking place now; make plans to get training completed for you and your team before go-live.  Instructor-led and self-paced options are available.  If you have any questions about your training, reach out to askfinance@virginia.edu

2.  Now is the time to plan for Cutover Deadlines.  Visit our Cutover Resources page to view the deadlines and get more info about what you can do now to prepare for the shift from Oracle to Workday Finance.

3.  FST Friday recordings are available, including a new demo of reporting in Workday Finance.  Check them all out on the FST website (scroll to the bottom of the list of resources).

4.  Future State Finance Considerations:  the FST Team is working with schools and units on Fund balance realignment (shifting funds from Oracle, which is a 2-ledger, to Workday Finance, which is a flat ledger) and fund balance ownership (a new way of seeing budgets vs. actuals).  

5. Workday Finance goes live July 5, 2022!  But wait!?  Didn't we say July 1 was the date?  July 1 is the day things begin to happen with go-live, but July 5 is the first day for you as a stakeholder to get into the new system.  


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