IPPS and the Financial Information System (FIS) Project
Hear what the IPPS Leadership Team is saying about the Financial Information System (FIS) project. Get insight into how FIS will impact our campus clients, suppliers, stakeholders, and strategic business partners.
There are several changes coming to IPPS applications and processes as we begin using new systems. IPPS is also taking this opportunity to reevaluate and redefine processes to add more value to campus. Review our Key Decisions PowerPoint for an overview of important changes.
Cutover Schedule
With UC San Diego’s new Financial Information System (FIS) going live on July 1st, 2020, it’s important to be aware of deadlines associated with our IPPS applications and transactions to avoid unnecessary interruptions in service.
A comprehensive Cutover Schedule has been published on Blink and will be maintained as key dates are determined and updated. This table summarizes activities departments need to manage in order to prepare for the 'cutover' between legacy systems and the new Oracle and Concur platforms.
The interactive table allows you to filter by Date, Keyword, and Financial Domain (e.g., Travel & Expense, Procure to Pay, Accounts Receivable).
Prepare for the PO Freeze
Between June 24th and June 30th, we will be working on transferring existing POs from Marketplace to Oracle Procurement. This means there will be no eProcurement system available (Marketplace or Oracle) to create new POs while we make this transition. We’ve created two documents to guide you through this transition.
PO Freeze Checklist: Find out how to place orders before, during, and after the freeze period.
PO Transition Guide: Know which POs will transfer from Marketplace to Oracle Procurement and what information will be retained.
Finance Training
Check out the Finance Training hub to learn more about Oracle and Concur training plans and access supplemental training opportunities designed to prepare you for the FIS launch. More information is being continuously added to this page, so check back often!
Are You Ready for WalkMe?
WalkMe will provide self-service, in-system guidance to walk users through tasks as they navigate many of the new FIS systems launching this year. To take advantage of this new technology users will need to confirm the browser add-on has been successfully installed.
Visit https://go.ucsd.edu/384oiAo to confirm that your browser is ready for WalkMe. If the browser extension has not been installed or is not working properly, please contact your IT support staff.
Upcoming Role Changes
General Role Information
Below is a list of roles that will be available in Oracle Procure-to-Pay and Concur Travel & Expense. The FIS project team is assigning initial roles for Oracle and Concur based on what roles a person has in our legacy systems, with feedback from department leadership. Moving forward for new role requests, unless otherwise stated, the following roles will be requested through the UC San Diego Services & Support application in July.
PO Requisitioner Role (formerly known as the Shopper and Department Buyer Roles)
The PO Requisitioner role will apply to the Oracle Procurement and Payables modules. This role will be very similar to the current Index-Informed Shopper and Department Buyer roles and will be available in four different amounts: $0, $500, $2500, $5000. Employees and affiliates with access to Oracle will automatically be assigned the PO Requisitioner $0 role. Those receiving a role with a delegated purchasing authority ($500, $2500, $5000) will be required to watch a video on Oracle Procurement in UC Learning.
Financial Unit (FinUnit) Approver Role
The FinUnit Approver role will be responsible for approving all financial transactions related to Procurement, Payables, and Travel and Expense in both Oracle and Concur.
Department Head
The Department Head role will be merged with the Standard Entertainment Approver role. This role will continue to be responsible for approval of gifts and awards, as well as most entertainment expenses, within both Oracle and Concur. Note this individual cannot be the same individual designated as the Special Entertainment Approver for a given Financial Unit.
Special Entertainment Approver
The Special Entertainment Approver role will continue to be used for the approval of certain entertainment expenses, both in Oracle and Concur. The process for delegating this role has not changed.
Procurement Card Department Administrator (formerly known as the Express Card Department Administrator)
The Procurement Card Department Administrator will continue to be responsible for the use of Procurement Cards (PCards) within their department. More information on this role, and changes to the PCard process, is coming soon.
Card Programs
Travel & Expense Announces a New Corporate Bill Card
To keep in step with industry trends and align with the Oracle and Concur Travel & Expense initiative, the Travel Card is changing to a corporate bill model, rebranded as the Travel & Entertainment (T&E) Card. T&E Cards are issued to employees who travel and entertain for business as well as employees who host or arrange meetings and entertainment events for campus. Similar to how the Procurement Card program works, T&E transactions are automatically paid by the university. Transactions will load into UC San Diego's Concur Travel & Expense tool for quick and easy travel and event reconciliations. Simply match your card transaction to the appropriate expense report and submit!
Review the Travel Card announcement for more information including a timeline on when to use which card while traveling.
Current Travel Cardholders will receive a new T&E card in mid-May 2020.
To align with industry-standard terminology used by other Procurement Card programs, the UC San Diego Express Card will be rebranded as the UC San Diego Procurement Card. Cardholders will automatically receive a Procurement Card (PCard) when their Express Card expires or when a new card is requested. The name change will not impact how the program works or require any action on the part of the cardholder.
Client Relationship Management Portal
IPPS Services & Support Launching April 27
As you’ve probably heard, Business and Financial Services (BFS) teams have begun transitioning their client support from ASK into the central UC San Diego Services & Support portal. This will give campus one place to access assistance from not just BFS but other departments, including Information Technology Services (ITS).
IPPS is currently next in line to migrate over, which will take place on Monday, April 27th. Rest assured that all existing IPPS teams currently operating within ASK will be migrating into the new Services & Support portal and will be available to answer your questions.
We are looking forward to all of the possibilities that come with the new portal, including broader insight into your needs, increased collaboration between groups aimed at nurturing client relationships, easier case transferring, and centralized engagement with our collective audiences, including faculty, staff, students, and the community.
As part of IPPS Logistics’ ongoing effort to streamline processes and improve client experience, Mail Services and Material Support Services joined forces and integrated technologies to develop a one-stop-shop Logistics Portal.
Now campus clients can log into the Logistics Portal with their Single Sign-On (SSO)* to access ALL Logistics services in one place.
Track Packages
Request package pick up services for toner recycling or returns
Request Moving Services
Request Messenger Service
Request Outbound Services including bulk mail and hazmat shipments (this means no more shipping memos)
*If you are off-campus working remotely you can still access the portal. Just make sure you are on UC San Diego's Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPN instructions are available on Blink.
Resources and Funding for Small Business
The Small Business and Development Office (SBDO) has posted a list of COVID-19 funding opportunities and resources for small businesses that have been financially impacted by COVID-19. They are also actively working on strategies related to access, inclusion, education, and performance opportunities to support small business both during and following the stay at home orders. More information will be continuously posted on their site.
IPPS COVID Status Updates
To provide campus with a consolidated resource for tracking updates to IPPS-related operations and services, visit the IPPS Operations Status During COVID-19 page. We will continue to update the IPPS status page daily (Mon-Fri) with the latest news.
Help Desk Office Hours and Webinars
Help Desk Office Hours
The IPPS Solutions Team is holding bi-weekly, online Help Desk Office Hours via Zoom. This is a great opportunity for you to resolve complicated issues related to purchasing or payment in Marketplace, navigating Payment Compass or using MyTravel.
Time: 10:30 AM -12:00 PM Dates: April 21, May 5, May 19, June 2, June 16, June 30
The IPPS Help Desk is hosting a series of UC Learning webinars centered around Payment Compass functions. Each webinar will be followed by a Q&A session to ensure participants have the opportunity to get all of their questions answered.
Time: 10a.m. Dates: April 28, May 12, May 26, and June 9.