Important September Monthly Close Dates that impact your work

Monthly close activities will be performed on September 30^th. Please be advised of the following deadlines and cut-offs:

• Accounting Journals and Accounting Adjustments will be closed on Friday, September 30^th at 4pm. All Accounting Journals and Accounting Adjustments (e.g. supplier invoice and expense report adjustments) must be approved by Friday, September 30^th at 4pm, otherwise they will be canceled by Central Accounting as they will prevent the period to be closed. Users are encouraged to enter all Accounting Journals and Accounting Adjustments by Thursday, September 29^th to allow sufficient time for approvals. Canceled accounting journals and adjustments can be copied and resubmitted in the next accounting period when it becomes available (see below).
• Payroll will be closed on Friday, September 30^th at 4pm. All Payroll Accounting Adjustments should be approved by Friday, September 30^th at 4pm, otherwise they will post to the next accounting period, when it becomes available (see below).
• All other activity groups and transaction types will be closed on Friday, September 30^th at 5pm. Users can continue to enter and approve expense reports, requisitions, purchase orders, ad hoc payments, banking transactions, customer invoices, etc. until this time to be posted in the current period. Any pending/unapproved operational transactions at cut-off will post to the next period when it becomes available (see below).
• The October period will be opened on Friday, September 30^th at 5pm. Users can continue to process Accounting Journals, Accounting Adjustments, as well as all other transactions at this time to be posted to the October period. Note that the Accounting Date for all transactions must be in the October period as September will be closed which may require the default Accounting Date to be changed to October.

Integrations:

• Last scheduled Accounting Journals Integration (SIS, FM, Fundriver) for the month of September will be on Thursday, September 29^th at 7:00pm.
• Last scheduled Customer Invoice, ISD, Supplier Invoice, and SIS Misc Payments integrations for the month will run on Thursday, September 29^th from 6:30pm to 7:00pm.

Thank you for your cooperation and adherence to these deadlines. As we become more comfortable with the new system, UVAFinance may adjust deadlines and cut-offs in the future.

FST Update: September 22, 2022

No time to read all the text? Check out Five Things to Know about FST

Or listen in to WFST, the FST Radio News Broadcast

Hypercare Case Backlog 

The FST Team is making headway with the backlog of cases during this hypercare phase of the project. The team has prioritized issues like registering and paying vendors, with some team members committing evenings and weekends to solve these issues more quickly, to reduce frustration for both our stakeholders and their vendor partners.  

A quick look at case volume: 

As of September 19, our Finance Solution Center still had 204 cases open at the Tier one level, but they have closed 3795 cases.  For the more complex cases at Tier 2, there are 866 cases open at that level, while 8,325 cases have been closed.

These numbers are on par with what would be expected from such a major implementation in a large organization like UVA.  During hypercare, our functional experts, training team, and several other finance folks are pitching in to help the Finance Solution Center answer your questions as quickly as possible and solve the problems causing stress.

Resources & Help Available

We appreciate that folks are still sharing their questions, working with us on solutions, and doing their part to understand the system.  Attendance at Office Hours has been consistent: since August 11, we’ve  And as of the beginning of September, there have been 10,214 training course completions. 

Although the hypercare phase technically ends when September ends, we’re still planning on having Office Hours in some form during October, for the sessions that are still in demand.

Keeping up with Items in Progress

51 items were deferred until after go-live.  Of the 45 issues still to be tackled, 16 of those are set to be done in September.  Remember that the UVAFinance website is a great place to go to keep up with not only those items in progress, but also on issues with the system and just general “of the moment” FST updates: The FST News Ticker on the home page, the Spend Issues update page, and our System Status/Known Issues page. 

Also on the website is the Workday Finance training page, which is full of not only the training links, but also quick reference guides, video demos, FAQs, and much more to help you get through the tasks you need to complete day-to-day.  

Reporting & Analytics Update

The Reporting & Analytics Team released a significant number of new and updated reports between August 8 to September 9 and there were some new reports for account certification details and grant balance available.  See the full details here.

The team is also working on a Day in the Life FAQ on reporting, which will match up one or two reports with the most frequent daily questions that fiscal administrators and business officers find themselves needing to address.  Their goal is to provide users with a slimmed-down list of go-to reports selected by their peers.   They’re looking to release that in mid-October.

Focus Groups Wrapping Up

There have been six topic-based focus groups that have met for multiple sessions, and the FST team will take that user feedback and use it to focus our efforts where they will be of the most help, and solve the most difficulties. 

Five Things to Know about FST: September 22, 2022

 

1.  The FST Team is progressing with the backlog of cases during the "hypercare" phase of the project.  Functional experts, the training team, and many extra finance folks are pitching in to work extra hours helping the Finance Solution Center answer your questions and alleviate issues.

2. Resources and help are available.  Check out the Workday Finance Training page for Office Hours schedules, quick reference guides, links to online training, and video demonstrations.  You can also reach out to askfinance@virginia.edu

3. The FST Team consistently updates issues and items in progress.  Check out the FST News Ticker on the UVAFinance home page, as well as the Spend Issues Update page, and our System Status/Known Issues page.

4. New and updated reports are available for account certification details and grant balances, among several others.  Full Reporting & Analytics release notes are available.

5.  Focus Groups involving teams from UVA schools and units have wrapped up and the FST Team will use their feedback to focus problem-solving efforts to be of the best help.

Are you in Adaptive Planning?

If you're a budget officer for your school or unit and you haven't already gone into Adaptive 3.0, don't wait:  the time to work on your FY23 budget is now!

Adaptive Planning 3.0 went live on July 28.  This is the version of Adaptive that integrates with Workday Financials.  Schools and units are encouraged to log into the system and make updates as necessary.

Training for Adaptive 3.0 is available in Workday (online, on-demand) for everyone. Access to Adaptive is dependent on approval from your school or unit.  For more Adaptive Planning Resources and links to training, visit the UVAFinance webpage.

UVAFinance In Action

Ashby, Hoover, Walker, Daniel

 UVAFinance's Katie Walker, Executive Director of Financial Planning & Analysis, compiled feedback from NACUBO members to produce a piece on Higher Education's Top 5 Business Issues.  The brief is part of a NACUBO's State of Higher Education series.

Walker was also a co-presenter with UVAFinance's Associate Vice President for Financial Strategy Bill Ashby at the NACUBO Budget, Planning, and Analytics Forum.  Joining Ashby and Walker to discuss "Lessons Learned Evaluating RCM" were UVA's Adam Daniel and Rob Hoover.  

Support Sustainability at UVA with "Hoos Making an Impact" Competition

Interested in making a difference in the UVA community? Then why not participate in the “Hoos Making an Impact” (HMAI) competition?

What is HMAI?

HMAI was developed by Staff Senate Co-Chairs Adam Griggs and Patrick Wood, President Ryan and his Executive Staff, and the Staff Senate.

“The competition’s inception was born from the idea that staff needed to be active partners with leadership in the crucial conversations that impact staff University-wide,” Staff Senate Co-Chair Patrick Wood explained when asked about HMAI. 

The goal of this competition, held annually, is to enable staff members to share their ideas for process improvement and to participate in implementing those ideas. Though subsequent years will not be themed, Sustainability was the chosen theme for the competition's first year since the University is working toward the 2030 Sustainability Plan goals.

Proposal Submission and Prizes

The submission portal is open to all Academic Staff from now through October 7th, 2022.

Staff members with the top ten submissions will present their proposals to a screening panel composed of representatives from the Staff Senate, and from the offices of the President, Provost, COO, DEI, and Sustainability.

The panel will choose up to three winning process improvement proposals to implement. The winners will receive $1,000 (teams split the reward) and a lunch in their honor with President Ryan, his leadership team, and the Staff Senate Co-Chairs. Winners will also be featured in UVA Today.

More information on the competition is available on the Staff Senate website.

Mara Hilliar Retires after Memorable 30-year Career

Mara Hilliar started as a temporary employee with the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office in August of 1988 and with 30 years of service on the books, she retires this month.

"Working for all three branches of Virginia’s government including the Governor’s cabinet, I have worn many, many hats over the years such as executive assistant to the president/chief of staff, adjunct instructor, office manager, administrative staff specialist, assistant editor and researcher for the Blue Book of the Commonwealth, enrolling assistant, and restoration of rights and executive clemency coordinator," she says.

The last five years of her work in the Commonwealth has been for UVA and she has made a difference during her tenure. She began in the School of Architecture as the assistant to the dean before coming to UVAFinance as the executive assistant to Vice President for Finance Melody Bianchetto.

"Mara is committed to lifelong learning, being a dedicated football mom and attentive grandmom, analyzing the best way to get anything done, and serving as chief DocuSign advocate at UVA," says Bianchetto. 

"Mara enjoys a challenge and will stick with a complex meeting task until it is complete, no matter how many blocks are put up."

In her career, Hilliar has most enjoyed connecting people to resources, "I considered myself a true civil servant and with the mission of looking for ways to help serve Virginia’s constituency. Because I had the opportunity to work in many different agencies and engage with many diverse populations, I was able to see how services and programs intersected. I used this knowledge to help those lost in where to go and how to go about getting what they needed to point them in the right direction and provide options."

Back in 1996 during the General Assembly, Hilliar worked for the Senate Finance Committee as their office manager. Due to the 1995 election, the Senate ended up split evenly by party and the influential Senate Finance Committee ended up power-sharing with co-chairs. The House of Delegates, specifically the House Appropriations Committee and House Speaker, thought this would weaken the Senate and when it came time for budget negotiations thought they would have the upper hand.

Hilliar recalls of this time, "Negotiations stalled and because this was before the practice of extending the session or coming back at another time, the legislature had to pass a balanced budget before the last day of the session per the Virginia Constitution."

Hilliar stepped in to go above and beyond in her role, "After the conference committee finally convened, the analysts approved all the numbers, it was left to the office managers of both money committees to see the budget conference report got printed and onto the floor of the respective chambers for the members to vote. And those familiar with the final report know that it is the size of a book. I did an all-nighter that lasted 36 hours total but ended with me being escorted by Capitol Police as I rolled the 50 copies from the General Assembly Building to the floor of the Senate in time for the vote."

Her career has been made memorable by the projects she's managed and the people she has supported, but also because of her generous personality and creativity.

"I am constantly blown away by her. Mara is a renaissance woman who relishes getting her hands dirty with topsoil while growing almost anything, an amazingly creative artist and craftsperson, a mixologist and chef, a lover of books, and a generator of unique ideas for UVAFinance swag - chocolate bars, anyone? I’ll always remember her as someone who does whatever is needed to get the job done even with grace and a smile," Bianchetto shares.

Hilliar's last day in the office is Sept. 30 and a celebration of her time with UVAFinance is planned during the networking event at 4 p.m. on Sept. 29 during the Fall Meeting.

UVAFinance Fall Event Update

UVAFinance Team, we're looking forward to seeing you at Darden on Thursday, September 29 at the annual Fall Meeting.  

You should have received an agenda for the day, as well as parking instructions and other details, as attachments to the meeting invitation.  

If you are a fully remote employee, we will have limited availability for headshots during the event.  

Please reach out to bv8h@virginia.edu if you are interested.

See you soon!

Tosh Thompson Joins PSDS as Sourcing Specialist

Thompson and Family

Though new to UVAFinance, Tosh Thompson is no stranger to UVA. With over 13 years, most recently at the UVA Heat Plant, Thompson was ready for something different that provided more of a challenge.

 

In his role within Procurement and Supplier Diversity Services, Thompson will work mostly with Joel Krieder and Song Song. As a Sourcing Specialist, Thompson’s primary responsibilities are to turn requests for money/products into orders, read contracts, and to be a good steward of the University’s funds.

“I love this position,” Thomspon said when asked about his thoughts on his new role. “I have learned a tremendous amount about finance and state regulations.”

Outside of work, Thompson loves spending time with his three daughters, two of which are in high school and one in elementary school. He also enjoys playing golf and traveling. He has even been to every continent except Antarctica!

Continuous Improvement Corner: The Last (and Earliest) Settlement

The Office of Financial Planning & Analysis recently scored a two-for-one on process improvement when the team used new tools to enhance yearly settlement reports and delivered those reports to schools and units in record time.

The Background

A key element of Finance Strategic Transformation was the movement from budgetary spending authority to base spending authority, or the transition to a "hard funding" budgetary model.  As a result of this change, schools and units will have the ability to run a trial balance on any combination of FDM worktags at any time.  That's a welcome change!  However, OFP&A had to work off of the old model one last year, and also do it as quickly as possible so that schools and units could apply knowledge of their current fund balances to the fund balance realignment exercise.  

The Old Process

Each year since 2016 (when the University Financial Model was instituted), the Office of Financial Planning & Analysis had undergone a complicated process at the turn of the fiscal year in order to provide schools and units with a year-end settlement and carryforward calculations.   The process involved pulling data from multiple sources, moving it to Excel, and adding and subtracting and combining everything for a bottom line total.  This complicated flurry of work was necessary in order to give schools and units a rough idea of their financial situation.

Complications from FST Changes

Team members Keith Carter and Rohan Patel were faced with a September deadline to get provide the last year-end settlement to schools and units.  However, the 2022 transition to Workday Financials made the process even more difficult, because the reports they had traditionally used in UBI to gather the data were no longer an option.  They were going to have to recreate the process one more time before the new process took effect.  

A New Method to Get the Data

Carter and Patel needed a different methodology to get the data they needed for the year-end settlement.  After pursuing a few options that were non-starters, Patel finally landed on MySheet as their method of choice.  In MySheet, Patel expanded the columns available so that he could bring in additional fields that they needed for the year-end settlement reporting.  After extensive effort, he and Carter tested their results and found that their data was solid.  With a solution in place, they were able to run the numbers and provide the necessary year-end reports by the end of August instead of the original September deadline.  Using MySheet, the team was also able to provide schools and units with a tie back to historical balances in Oracle, so it was clear how current data related to past data. 

The Result of the Improvement

Not only did this process improvement provide a new and better way to get data needed for the last year-end settlement report that our UVA partners will need after FST, but also, it meant that OFP&A was able to provide the data to schools and units in record time.  The timing element was especially important this year, due to fund balance realignment.  With correct and useful year-end data in their hands, schools and units could review the funds allocated to them and make necessary changes before the three-phase fund balance realignment process wrapped up on September 22.   

Congratulations to the OFP&A Team's Keith Carter, Brian Longwood, Rohan Patel, and Katie Walker, for their Continuous Improvement thinking, collaboration, and commitment to our financial partners at UVA!  

Reminder: October 6 UVAFinance Book Club Meeting

The UVAFinance Equity Action Team looks forward to our early-fall book club discussion on October 6 at 4:30pm.

The book we're discussing is Razorblade Tears, by S. A Cosby. The book is an intriguing and fast-paced crime novel set here in Virginia and dealing with themes of racism, classism, homophobia, and parenting.

Check out this video interview Cosby did about his book for more insight into the story. the inspiration for his character, and why he relates to Bruce Springsteen's "Glory Days." 

Questions? Email us at uvafequityactionteam@virginia.edu

UVAFinance: Share your News!

Hey UVAFinance Colleagues! The UVAFinance Communications Team seeks your content for our various channels.

We're interested in a wide range of updates and pictures that you might have.  If you've been to a conference, taken pictures with your colleagues at a meeting or event, or have a professional achievement to share, those are great for LinkedIn and the blog. Has your team accomplished something great, met an important milestone, or improved a process? Let us know!

Send news/pictures/ideas to us at askfinance@virginia.edu (put "For the Coms Team" in your subject line so we can get to you more quickly!)

Open Enrollment Website

Benefits Open Enrollment occurs October 3 – 14, 2022. The Open Enrollment website is open; take some time to review the benefits changes coming up and to review action items to prepare yourself for Open Enrollment.

Open Enrollment Town Hall – in addition to five Open Enrollment presentations offered Sep. 14 – Oct. 5 by the HR Benefits team, the Open Enrollment Town Hall on Oct. 5 will include presentations by FEAP, Hoos Well, Fidelity, and the UVA HR Leave, Benefits, and Retirement teams. Additional time will be given for Q&A. Visit the Presentations webpage for a full schedule and links to the presentations, webinars, and Town Hall.

This is a busy time of year, and your benefits are an important financial investment. Carefully plan and mindfully consider your benefits options before it’s time to choose, so you’re ready when Open Enrollment opens in Workday.

1. Familiarize yourself with the Open Enrollment website.
2. Redeem Hoos Well rewards by November 30.
3. Deplete Full Healthcare FSA to $0.00 if considering moving into Basic Health for the first time.
4. Schedule a 1:1 appointment with HR specialists if you need help. Call 434.243.3344 to schedule.
5. Mark your calendar for the Open Enrollment key dates. Visit the Open Enrollment website or refer to the Aug. 31 Open Enrollment email to all benefits-eligible employees.

Updates on Spend Action Plan

Since the beginning of September, the FST team has been providing updates on the action plan to address post-go-live issues in the Spend workstream.  

Working with a cross-functional team augmented by temporary additional team members, they have steadily chipped away at the difficulties and issues affecting users. 

If you'd like to keep track of progress in this area, please visit (and bookmark) this page on the UVAFinance webpage.  

This page is updated once per week (sometimes more!).  

Finance Reporting and Analytics Release Notes for September 9th

This update includes significant new reports and modifications that have been released from August 8th - September 9th as well as known issues that we are investigating or working on currently.

Read the full release notes after the jump, or visit the Reporting & Analytics webpage.

The Reporting team is working with end users to share useful learning materials related to reporting. 

To request new reports:  Email askfinance@virginia.edu with as much information as possible about audience, purpose, filters, fields, etc.

Top Five Most Used Reports over the Past Two Months: 

1. Budget Vs. Actuals by Cost Center
2. Spend Detail Report
3. Find Expense Reports
4. Employee Information for Costing Allocation
5. Award Lines Overview