ERP & RFP PLANNING AND FUNDING

Maria Shelton Maria Shelton Vice Chancellor for Information ServicesVice Chancellor for Information Services

Tarrant County College DistrictTarrant County College DistrictFort Worth, TXFort Worth, TX

Tarrant County College District(TCCD)

Background for Decision

TCCD Facts

Four Campuses

Tarrant County- 898 Sq miles

TCCD Statistics

• Credit Enrollment 34,106

• Continuing Ed Enrollment 28,490

• Four Campuses– 78 wired units

• One administrative complex

• Two off site opportunity centers

TCCD IS Support Staff

Information Systems 28

Academic Computing 23

Telecommunications 12

Choosing an ERP

ERP- Enterprise Resource Planning Software

The software attempts to integrate all departments and functions across a company onto a single computer system that can serve all those departments’ particular needs.

source: CIO Magazine January 10, 2006

http://www.cio.com/research/erp/edit/erpbasics.html

TCC Technology Plan

• Create an outcomes-based plan• Standardize basic hardware and software

systems• Provide district-wide training to faculty and staff• Provide technology system support• Purchase one administrative

software system

Gartner’s Magic QuadrantSource: Gartner, 2005

SAP

JenzabarDatatel

SCT Sungard

Oracle/PeopleSoft

Campus Management

niche players visionaries

challengers leaders

Completeness of vision

Abi

lity

to e

xecu

te

Selection Process

• Search committee identified– Major areas represented– Internal data needs and processes identified

• RFI/RFP Planning– Formal vendor responses

• Product demos on site• Iterative surveys of lingering questions

– Meetings with comparable institutions– Meetings with vendor CIO and CEO

Developing a RFP

• An organizational overview• A description of what you want an ERP to do• List required deliverables• Your assumptions and agreements• A proposal format• A technical proposal ( timelines, personnel, completion

schedules)• Documentation (demos, glossary, etc.)• Request for references• Submission deadline• Submission contact information (additional information)• Submit proposal to

Funding Strategies

• THE GOOD– Tax Increase for M&O– Leveraged Services– Beta Site– Revenue bonds based on technology fees

• THE BAD and THE UGLY– General obligation bonds

Hidden ERP Costs

• Training• Integration and Testing• Customization• Data Conversion• Data Analysis• Consultants ad nauseum • Replacing your best and brightest• Implementation teams can never stop• Post-ERP Depression

ERP Planning

Readiness Planning

• Project organization

• Implementation process

• Define parameters of implementation

• Enterprise assessment

• Communication plan

Project Organization

IMPLEMENTATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE•Implementation Project Manager•Executive Sponsor (VC IS) •Team Leaders

Technical Coordinating Committee•Infrastructure •Security •System Performance•Tools•Database Management•Legacy System Transition•Data Conversion

Human Resources System•Personnel •Payroll •Position Budgeting•External Interfaces

Fund Raising System•Development •Gift Processing •Campaign Management•Activities and Events•Major Prospects•Membership•External Interfaces

Financial System•General Ledger •Purchasing •Accounts Payable•Budget Management•Physical Plant•Inventory•Fixed Asset•Pooled Investments•Projects Accounting•External Interfaces

Student System•Recruitment/Admissions •Financial Aid •Faculty Information•Curriculum Management•Registration•Academic Records•Accounts Receivable•Cash Receipts•Degree Audit•Campus Organization•Residence Life

CORE FOUNDATION COORDINATION•Reps from Oversight, IT, Key Users, Reps from Oversight, IT, Key Users, Major Data Users (Research) Major Data Users (Research) •Shared Codes/Demographics Shared Codes/Demographics •RulesRules•Data Standards/Naming ConventionsData Standards/Naming Conventions•Reporting Requirements/Query PoliciesReporting Requirements/Query Policies

Technical Coordinating Committee

– Information Security – System Performance– Legacy System Transition– Data Conversion– Training

Implementation Process

LEARNING & DECISION MAKING

PROJECT LAUNCH

TESTING

LIVE OPERATION

PREPGet Ready

InstallHardware

InstallSoftware

Connect Devices

Begin TechTraining

PHASE IInput DecisionsEDUC AccountGet Understanding

Select TeamsPrepare for ClassAttend Module ClassDecide ProcessesDecide UsageDecide CodesConsult with VendorPracticePractice MorePlan Data Conversion

PHASE IIOutput DecisionsTEST AccountGet Crazy

Build TEST planWrite ProceduresAnalyze ReportsAnalyze FormsAnalyze WP NeedsConsult with VendorBuild ReportsTest ConversionsMock "Live" Process

PHASE IIIPrep for LIVELIVE AccountGet Real

Train UsersSet SecurityTest ReportsEnter LIVE CodesEnter DataRun ConversionsGo LIVE!!Cleanup Data

40% 40% 20%

Implementation Phases

Approach Parameters

ERPs are designed to be modified by parameters, codes and tables.

Set expectations early in implementation process

-criteria for modification

-participants

-evaluation

Organization Chart

Director IS

Network and Systems

(4)

Systems andOperations

(6)

ApplicationsProgrammer

(ST)(3)

ApplicationsProgrammer(HR and Fin)

(4)

User Support

(2)

DBA/Analyst

Technical Coordinating Committee

– Information Security – System Performance– Legacy System Transition– Data Conversion– Training

Information Security

• Security

• FERPA

• Appropriate use

System Performance

• Internet service -(2) DS3 circuits

• Smaller LOCs (Learning Opportunity Centers)-full or fractional T1’s.

• Local area connectivity - 10/100/1000 Mb/s switches

• 130 servers

• 7000 desktops

System Performance

-Consolidate web support

-Web portal

Legacy Systems Transition

Disaster Recovery/Backups

Disaster Plan

Backup Procedures

Legacy Systems-Operations

o Virtually operator free

Sys Admins, DBAs and Network Admins function as operators

o Activity pushed to end-users

o Backups scheduled and launched electronically

o Sys Admins load patches and updates

o Keep all balls in the air until “Live”

Data Conversion Planning

Scope-clean data

-shadow system data Process and Timing

-need business decisions -more than a mechanical process

-identify all data sources -evaluate data in shadow and support systems

Training Requirements

Oracle Unix and Colleague Colleague Systems Admin Oracle/Colleague DBA Programmer/Analyst

(role shifts more to analyst) Data Administrator Admin Systems Web Master Customer Support Specialist Librarian

Enterprise Assessment

• Organizational Impact

• Service Levels

• Governance

• Forms– Task Inventory– Data Output Inventory

Enterprise Assessment-Org Impact

• Current responsibilities– Network and systems– Systems and operations– HR and CF Applications– Information Systems– End User Support

Enterprise Assessment-Service Levels

Test and Measurement

Commit to level of service

Budget for training

Support promotional opportunities

Enterprise Assessment-Governance

• Tame multiple IS systems and business processes

• Office reporting/data sources

• Change policies, planning and resource allocation to align with new ERP

Enterprise Assessment-Forms

ERP generated?

ERP generated with modification?

Third party/partner?

Data/Output Inventory1.      Output 2.      Brief description of the report3.      Owner Office/Dept 4.      Mainframe Generated Report? 5.      Manually Generated Report? 6.      Frequency Run - how often do you have to complete this report?7.      Distribution –internal and/or external 8.      Media - what media are you using to create, review and distribute the report?9.      Priority – when do you need to be able to generate this report in Colleague?10.  Date Submitted to Project BESTT – date you forward this

item to Project BESTT inventory contact – _________@tccd.net. 

Task Inventory1.      Task - What you are doing

2.      Brief description of the task

3.      CICS transactions

4.      Data Source - where are you getting information to complete the task

5.      Output - what is the end result of completing the task, IE report, mailer, etc

6.      Additional tools used

7.      Frequency Run - how often do you have to complete this task

8.      Priority – when do you need to be able to do this task in Colleague

9.      Other tasks impacted

10.  Other departments impacted

11. Date Submitted to Project BESTT – date you forward this item to Project BESTT inventory contact – __________@tccd.net.

Communication Plan

Post Implementation Planning

• Forecasting future hardware/software needs

• Budgeting

• IS Oversight

• Priorities

• Standards

Budgeting

• Training

• Well equipped technical staff

• Responsive network

• Maintain staff

• Acquire assistance for custom development

IS Oversight

• No competing technology ventures

• Oversight committee to ensure equitable processes

Priorities

• Reports

• Data conversion

• Changing service levels

These decisions should not be sole responsibility of IS!

Standards

Key Success Factors• “Regular day jobs” must go on.. HELP THEM!

• Data owners want to convert “EVERYTHING;.....DON’T!!

• Too much bandwidth or processing power?.....NO SUCH THING!!!

• High level champion…..A MUST!!!!

Final words…

• Two worlds for a time

• Total IS staff will be affected

• Roles will change and maybe disappear

• End users will assume more responsibility for their data

• ERP implementation is not an IS project

GOOD LUCK!!!

Questions?

Comments?

Maria Shelton

Vice Chancellor for Information Services

Tarrant County College

League of Innovation CIT 2006