NIU prepares to upgrade PeopleSoft financial system

NIU is preparing to upgrade the present PeopleSoft Financial System from Version 7.5sp1 to Version 8.8sp1. The current upgrade announcement affects only the financial system and does not include Human Resource Services or Payroll.

The modules being upgraded include general ledger, accounts payable, procurement, budgets, billing, accounts receivable and asset management. The actual move of the upgraded system to production is planned to begin at the close of business Feb. 9, 2007.

As with previous upgrades, the production system will be down for two weeks.

In most cases, users will see little change to the format and delivery of financial reports in the new system. The new version of the system is Web-based, and users no longer will need a client installed on their desktop for access to PeopleSoft. Training classes will be provided on the new Web interface during January for those who have direct access to the PeopleSoft Financial System for data entry or query access.

The interface for report access will be unchanged.

This upgrade is a major initiative and will impact the ability to provide some services on an uninterrupted basis. It is important that all departments be advised of the planned dates of the upgrade, the period of time when some services will be unavailable and what steps should be taken to minimize any impact that may affect your schedules and delivery of services.

The anticipated date for complete system shutdown is Feb. 9, 2007, and the system will be unavailable for approximately two weeks. During this time, no transactions (purchase requisitions, orders, A/P activity, journal entries, A/R transactions, etc.) will be entered in the system.

Transactions received by Jan. 24, 2007, will be processed by the Procurement Office, Accounting Office, and Accounts Receivable before the scheduled downtime. Transactions received after Jan. 24, 2007, will be processed as time permits. Departments should continue to submit paperwork as they normally do; transactions will continue to be reviewed and entered once the system is available. End-of-month January financial statements will be generated and distributed before the shutdown.

In order to assure the uninterrupted acquisition of goods and services during this period of time, it is strongly recommended that your planning include additional time for processing depending on the nature of your procurement.

Orders considered “rush” might not be completed depending on unusual circumstances. Any order that lacks clear and unequivocal descriptions, quotations, vendor or accounting information might be delayed for the duration of the system shut-down.

A purchase order can only be issued once it has been approved, and all necessary steps have been followed. The university cannot take receipt of any goods, and work (services) cannot commence without a valid purchase order.

To be certain to avoid any delay in procurement due to the period of system shutdown, contacting the Procurement Office at (815) 753-1671 with any special concerns is strongly recommended. Please also be aware that resources may be limited during the conversion and upgrade process, but everything will be done to maintain high standards of service. 

Accounts Payable will be unable to produce checks during the shutdown. Departments should encourage all employees to turn in requests for reimbursement by the stipulated deadline. Vendor payments scheduled for release during the upgrade process will be made in advance. Any questions concerning check production (vendor payment, employee reimbursement) during this time period should be directed to the Accounting Office at (815) 753-1514.

Direct any questions regarding transaction processing or reporting to the Procurement Office, Accounting, Accounts Receivable or the Budget Office as appropriate. For questions about the upgrade process, call Steven Pace at (815) 753-1508.