The implementation of this first phase of PHR will be completed in December of this year. Upon completion, all non-faculty personnel will submit timesheets electronically. The system is web-based, so time entry and supervisor approval of time will be done through a web browser such as Netscape or Internet Explorer at http://www.timesheets.umd.edu.

The PHR system is much more than just time entry. It is the integration of a number of critical administrative systems, including payroll, budget, personnel, and financial and position management, that had been largely isolated from each other. The process of appointing a new person to a position, which once took 4-6 weeks and included the completion of numerous carbon-copy forms, will now be done electronically via the Web. The system also has built-in mechanisms to facilitate and ensure compliance with university, state, and federal regulations. It will provide flexible and dynamic access to Data Warehouse content. The system was written primarily within OIT using specifications for the application that were developed by a large team with membership and assistance from units throughout the university.

The business process redesign (BPR) effort is aimed at increasing the efficiency of university administrative systems through electronic means. The result is fewer manual, paper-driven processes and more highly secured, expedient, and accurate information systems where data is collected just once and at the source. In July of last year the university went live with the new Financial Records System (FRS) that has modules that include budget, fixed assets, accounts payable, financial accounting, and purchasing. Travel approval and expense reconciliation have been streamlined dramatically through BPR. Strategic enhancements within each of these areas have led to vast improvements in the way the university does business. An electronic forms routing system (ELF) was developed in OIT and includes many forms used by these administrative systems. Forms continue to be added and the system continues to undergo enhancements to make it more efficient. In addition to increasing the efficiency of these processes, the BPR effort has resulted in the increased availability of more accurate and timely information to the university through automated reporting. All of these measures lead to significant cost savings for the university and help to enhance our reputation as a leader in the integration of technology and process.

Please visit http://www.bpr.umd.edu for more information.

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