A Newsletter From the Core-CT Project

October 2002

The Benefits of Core-CT

Less than a year from now, Core-CT will be up and running. Though the day may seem far off, it's not too early to start picturing what the new system will be like.

For starters, we know that we will be entering transactions on Core-CT and that in most cases the system will make changes to the state's official records. This single database will track information ranging from agency budgets, to personnel lists, to the name of your health insurance provider along with many other types of information that help the state conduct its business.

How does this compare to the situation we have today? Currently many business transactions are begun on paper. These transactions might have to be signed off by somebody else - maybe each needs three or four sign-offs before being considered ready. When the paper is final, it may then be forwarded for data entry (in some cases by a third party with a cost attached) into an interface for a legacy system such as APS or the Comptroller's Central Accounting System. Or it may reach these major central systems through an agency's own accounting or human-resource system via another interface. It may be uploaded into one of many databases that include similar information without the information necessarily agreeing among these separate systems: A change may affect one database while leaving the other untouched. This scenario has worried state policymakers and IT professionals for years and, combined with other factors such as the age of some of the large central systems, was the impetus for Core-CT.

Core-CT will run on the web, with the look and feel of your browser (familiar to many of you), rather than on separate legacy system screens. As we know, some of these programs are not exactly user-friendly. With Core-CT, you will mostly point and click. You will enter HR, payroll and financial data only once. It will reside in one database only. When Phase 2 of the project is complete, you will be able to make simple inquiries by yourself. Also in Phase 2, Employee Self Service will include time entry for many employees. And you will be able to make direct queries from your own desktop, without having to talk to a programmer about the report you want.

Top state managers in Central agencies will be able to report across agency lines, looking at programs from a higher level than before. And because PeopleSoft often upgrades its software based on input from customers like the State of Connecticut, we will benefit from ongoing improvements in the base product.

Core-CT is divided into two sections, HRMS (Human Resources Management System, essentially what we currently think of as various Human Resources systems and functions, Time and Attendance, Payroll, and Benefits) and Financials (the business office functions in most agencies). HRMS will accomplish the tasks listed here (a link) and Financials will perform the functions listed here.

Note that Financials will be the first set of modules to be implemented. The date for financial applications to go live is July 1, 2003. (HRMS will follow in three months.) Financials training will begin in the spring of 2003, only a few months from now.

Detailed statements of HRMS module benefits and Financials module benefits, listing the benefits by task, can be found on this site via the highlighted links. In addition, the impacts of each business process, as discussed in the recent business process workshops, are listed in the following documents: Financials impacts and HRMS impacts. Core-CT Connection urges you to delve into these documents to learn more about the capabilities of our new system.

A brief discussion of the largest points of change and benefit for each area follows.

FINANCIALS

The major benefits to Financials processing also derive from standardization. The state will have one vendor file, one item file, one accounting database. Key information will simply be copied from form to form (Core-CT page to Core-CT page) automatically, rather than having to be laboriously double-entered.

Under Core-CT, Financials transactions that are recorded into the Core-CT database will not be transmitted to a reviewer at the Comptroller's Office. With automated and supervisory edits, these transactions will be entered into the official state accounting database - Core-CT - without requiring a central-agency review.

A major redesign of the state's chart of accounts - called Chartfields in Core-CT - will allow not only more detailed reporting on many agency functions, but also will allow tracking of statewide expenditures on a programmatic basis. Access to this information will be in real time; most regular system-based reports will be available in electronic format. (Ad-hoc reporting will significantly increase accessibility of all financial information at all levels of state government.) The number of accounting-string code characters in the legacy accounting system is 36, while Core-CT uses 72 characters, including 23 for agency use.

General Ledger: This Core-CT module will allow for calculations and reporting in three accounting methods (cash, accrual, and modified accrual). For central agencies, the closing process and major end-of-year reports will be further automated. Central and line agencies will be operating from one budget, so there will be no conflicts between the two major legacy systems: SAAAS and the Comptroller's Accounting System.

Purchasing, e-Procurement: Purchasing will be from searchable on line "catalogs" of pre-qualified items, with built-in guides for the user. Electronic requisitions will be created automatically (and funds pre-encumbered) when doing such "ordering." Requisitions will then be forwarded to the correct approval authority. Approval will create an electronic purchase order and budget dollars will be encumbered, again automatically. (Creation of this purchase order will be significantly faster than current processing allows.) Paper purchase orders will mostly be replaced by electronic means. And when goods are received, agencies will use the purchase order to record the shipment and send an automated electronic receipt to Accounts Payable. Core-CT will capture begin and end dates and maximum amounts for contracts and include such data for automated checks. Requests for Quotations (RFQs) will be created from previous RFQs or Requisitions, and successful quotes will be turned into purchase orders or contracts, reducing data entry. Users will be able to set defaults for many values related to the purchaser, user, requestor, buyer and item to simplify data entry. Reporting on purchasing trends will help the state negotiate volume discounts.

Accounts Payable: Accounts Payable will have an automated match between vendor invoices, purchase orders and receiving reports, resulting in fewer errors. Another benefit is that users will be able to inquire and report on vendor transactions on line. Purchasing card processing will be accommodated in Core-CT. And there will be no system downtime to accommodate month-end processing as current legacy systems require.

Accounts receivable: Agencies will have the ability to record and reconcile deposits in Core-CT. In phase 1, most agencies with customer billing systems will continue using their current databases. Some Federal grants will be identified as receivables. In phase 2, based upon need, agencies will implement full billing functionality.

Functionality in Grants, Asset Management, Inventory and Projects will be addressed at a later date, close to Phase 2, when they will be implemented.

HRMS

As a Core-CT user, the data that you user enter into the system will be recorded into the official state database then and there. Except with position processing, no central agencies will be making final edits on agency input. Agencies will enter - and maintain - HR, benefits, and tax information, and will set up their own employees' time and labor information, directly onto the system. In fact, everyone's information must be in the system correctly, and on time, before they can be paid.

With Core-CT, information that needed to be entered often as many as 3 times - into the MSA Payroll system, into the Automated Personnel System (APS), and into the agency's time and attendance system - will now simply be added once and maintained in one place.

Below are brief descriptions of some of the changes and advantages of the new system. (Again, for further detail, see the documents linked above.)

Payroll: There will be no separate set-up for employees in payroll - an employee's information will be entered once in the Human Resources (HR) module. Leave balances (for employees whose agencies are using time and labor), benefit plan data, and taxable gross information, will be printed on check stubs or advices of deposit. Core-CT will store all payroll information in an historical archive, starting from the go-live date of October 2003 (from data entered in September). The agency payroll office will be able to preview any payment, such as a large accumulated vacation payout, before the check is issued. And for the first time, garnishments will be processed centrally, relieving agencies of an administrative burden.

Benefits: This process, by which employees receive various benefits such as life and health insurance, will be automated for the first time. Rather than having a clerk manually looking up an employee's eligibility for certain levels of benefits, this will be done automatically based on that employee's profile in Core-CT. Begin and end dates of various coverages will function similarly. Changes in elections and new enrollments will be done using electronic forms and confirmation statements will be generated to validate the changes. In general, these forms will help employees better understand their benefits, leading to fewer inquiries and better decisions.

Time and Labor: Agency timekeepers will be able to view and correct time entries daily. Agencies will be able to track time by task if required and allocate costs accordingly. Time reporting rules will ensure adherence to statutes and contracts. For agencies using Time and Labor, leave balances will be calculated and will be available for printing on the check stub or advice of deposit. Agencies will be able to assign employees to a schedule to facilitate time entry.

Human Resources: Fifteen processes comprise the Human Resource module, beginning with select and recruit, and followed by hiring. When an employee is hired, information on his/her benefits, time and labor and payroll status will all be entered in one place: Core-CT. (Some information entered during the application process can even be used to save time.) An employee's appointment and transaction history will be easily viewable. A centralized applicant database will be accessible to all agencies; people will be able to apply for jobs on line. Small agencies will benefit by having the required monthly position report automated. And Core-CT will help agencies perform seniority calculations.

All in all, Core-CT will make many processes in state government simpler and will add functions in several areas. The new system will truly move the state's computer processing of human-resource and financial information into the vanguard of such applications among all state governments.

Core-CT Connection urges you to view the detailed summaries of system benefits included in the other pages of this edition.

We're taking the right road

As we move ever closer to implementation of CORE-CT, I want to personally thank all of you who have worked so hard on the development of this project. I'm sure it wasn't easy at times to juggle both your current duties and the requirements necessary to implement CORE-CT, but I want to assure you it will have been well worth it! Once implemented, CORE-CT will eliminate much of the needless complication of daily tasks for our business office and human services employees. There will be a single point of entry for transactions and approvals, as well as the ability to do reports and queries right from the user's desktop. The staff here at the Comptroller's Office will be able to examine spending across agency lines to better see the big picture of our state budget. CORE-CT will perform very differently from the way we do our business today. Although it may take some time to get used to the new system, we have an extensive training program ready to help you through the conversion. I am confident that, with everyone continuing to work together, CORE-CT will prove to be the right road for our state to take into the future.

Nancy Wyman
State Comptroller

Core-CT Financials System Benefits

Following is a list of benefits of Core-CT's PeopleSoft Financials system identified by the Core-CT project team and state agency representatives

Module: General Ledger 

Overall Benefits

• Will allow for calculations and reporting in three accounting methods (cash, accrual, and modified accrual).
• For central agencies, the closing process and major end-of-year reports will be further automated.
• Central and line agencies will be operating from one budget, and there will be no conflicts between the two major legacy systems: SAAAS and the Comptroller's Accounting System.
• Agencies will be able to control their budget at a detail level that is useful to themselves.
• Increased detail in accounting categories will enable improved reporting across agency lines. 

Process: Reporting

• Will provide timely, accurate and consistent information.
• Will maximize electronic information access, thus reducing the need for hard copy transaction reports.
• Will provide comprehensive access to information as needed, not just function by function (e.g. HR vs. Financial vs. Payroll vs. Time and Attendance).
• Will provide greatly improved ad-hoc/query reporting capabilities that are better able to address specific agency and end user analysis needs.
• Will provide report printing on agency network printers.
• Will facilitate web access for viewing information with an option to print.
• Will provide analytical applications for performance measurement purposes in the financial and workforce areas.

Module: Purchasing/eProcurement

Overall Benefits

• Will reduces redundancies in data entry -- key information can be copied from form to form.
• Reporting will be much improved at every level.
• Better information will be available for leveraged buying.
• Standardization - will maintain one item file, one vendor file, consistent units of measure.
• Will reference all related documentation (can move directly from REQ to RFQ to PO to receiver, etc).
• Improved commitment control will result.
• Will use speed charts for commonly used accounting strings.
• Will contain online workflow that can include thresholds.
• Paperless processes will result.

Process: Purchasing Defaults

• Will eliminate redundancies in data entry.
• Will default accounting information for accuracy and consistency in reporting.
• Multiple defaults will exist for business unit, user, requester, buyer, item category, and item.

Process: Vendors

• One central vendor file will eliminate duplicate entries.
• Will capture set-aside information (this will be an interface with DAS to keep the information up to date).
• Will capture contacts on line - on line rolodex (for state to track vendor contacts).
• Will allow central certain users to enter comments about vendor status (e.g. debarred, inactive)- and to maintain notes (OSC only).
• Will list corporate vendor relationship (tracks buyouts, associates new companies with old).

Process: Items

• Will have the ability to requisition items not found in the item file by using the description feature. 
• Cohera module of PeopleSoft will assist in the entering of new items (used by DAS and DOIT). 
• A pre-defined item file will simplify the purchasing process by providing the majority of item information online. 
• Accurate reporting and buying power will result. 
• One central item file will eliminate duplication of items. 
• In Phase II, items list will be used in the inventory and asset modules. 
• Account (object or major/minor) information will be assignable to the item (default value). 
• Will standardize w/UNSPSC codes. 
• Will allow tolerances to be used for certain commodities (e.g. printing).

Process: Contracts

• Will be used to capture/document POS/PSA/Contracts/etc. (construction, engineering, other) data for easier reporting and management purposes. 
• Will capture the maximum amount for a contract so it may not be exceeded unless a contract amendment has been completed. 
• Will capture beginning and ending dates for contract. 
• Will allow contracts to be created directly online or via the RFQ process. Also, existing contracts may be copied to make new contracts. 
• Can be made available statewide or for specific business units. 
• Will not eliminate the normal negotiation process.

Process: Requisitions/eProcurement

• eProcurement will be user friendly and requires minimal user training. 
• Will have a request navigator, that walks the requester through the requisition process, displaying the process throughout and checking off completed items. 
• Will use product and service templates. 
• Favorites will allow simple return to often-purchased items. 
• Advanced search capabilities (keywords, multiple criteria, wildcards, Boolean search available for vendor, contract, etc.) will be available. 
• Will create a direct connect, enabling employees to directly connect with supplier sites. 
• Will allow ability to have multiple lines, schedules, and distributions. 
• Will create a pre-encumbrance to "hold or set asidethe funds for purchase. 
• Will allow attachments for conveying more detail information - such as custom work, blueprints, and terms and conditions -- with a purchase order to a supplier. 
• Will feature integration of purchasing card buys with the PS eProcurement database, enabling administration and tracking of purchase card spending. 
• Will monitor entire procure-to-pay process. 
• Phase II - Will include inventory availability check. 
• Phase II - Will allow automatic background requisition for inventory replenishments based on inventory parameters.

Process: RFQ's

• Allowing the creation of RFQ's from requisitions or prior RFQ's will result in reduced data entry. 
• Automated process and multiple dispatch methods will allow for quick creation and turn-around of bid process. 
• Will turn RFQ's into Purchase Orders or Contracts. 
• Vendor Quote Groups will be pre-defined for ease of selection when identifying vendors for RFQ's. 
• Will allow search for items in catalog. 
• Will be able to receive responses electronically (EDX).

Process: Sourcing

• Will allow background process, complete automation of turning requisitions, RFQ's, and contracts into Purchase Orders. 
• For PO calculation/creation/commitment control/dispatch, will run a batch process up to several times a day or on demand (On-demand to be used sparingly). 
• Will limit the number of requisitions available for sourcing based on criteria. 
• Phase II - Will source inventory items on a requisition from the warehouse.

Process: Purchase Orders

• Will allow commitment control to be done by a batch process or online. 
• Will reduce the pre-encumbrance and encumber the funds. 
• Will allow Purchase Order to be created by batch process or online. 
• Will allow Purchase Order to be dispatched by batch process or online. 
• Will allow vendors to receive Purchase Orders via email, fax, EDI, or in print (mailed). 
• Will create online purchase orders for POS, PSA, MOU, and other contracts (construction, engineering, etc.) without requiring requisition. 
• Will allow PO numbers to be reserved for emergency purchases. 
• Will allow comments (internal or for vendor). 
• Will be integrated with Asset Management, Inventory, Petty Cash, and Grants Modules (Phase II).

Process: Receiving

• Will create a simple process to keep track of receiving - matching process. 
• Will provide a common place to receive, inspect, return, and put away goods. 
• Will keep track of receipts that have not been matched to vouchers for payment. 
• In Phase II, will help with inventory and asset management. 
• Will copy all relevant PO information.

Other:

Process: Procurement Card

• Will allow user to set up relationships on PCard statement using merchant to vendor cross references for small business/set aside reporting.

PeopleSoft Version 8.4 Enhancements

• Will have a new look for navigation. 
• Will provide for a requisition change order to track changes made after a requisition has been approved, budget checked, or sourced to a PO or material stock request. 
• Will allow partial/final liquidations on requisitions and POs. 
• Will allow Purchase Order Rollover - create a PO with a life that extends beyond the accounting year-end. This feature will enable you to liquidate distributions in one budget period and create new distribution lines in the succeeding period.

Module: Accounts Payable

Process: Voucher process 

• Will allow streamlined invoice data entry with automation tools (copy from template voucher, Core-CT receiver and Core-CT purchase order). 
• Will create a payables contract transaction for recurring vouchers and deferred payments. 
• Will allow automated payroll voucher creation in Payables for third-party deduction recipients (health provider, etc.). 
• Will allow automated voucher creation for Procurement card transactions. 
• Will allow integrated matching process with purchasing transactions (PO, Receiver). 
• Will include online budget checking real-time process that checks voucher expended amount against previously encumbered amount. 
• Will include contract retainage features developed for Core-CT. 
• Will have partial and full liquidation features. 
• Will include electronic workflow tool for voucher approval. 
• Will have powerful voucher inquiry capabilities. Process: Payment process 
• Will allow optimized procure-to-pay process with simplified cash requirement and payment processing. 
• Will have discount evaluation and processing integrated in pay cycle. 
• Will allow offset process developed for Core-CT as part of the payment process. 
• Will allow automatic bank reconciliation features to update payment clearing information in Core-CT. 
• Will include integrated escheat feature. 
• Will have powerful payment inquiry capabilities. 

Process: Vendor process 

• Will include online vendor self-service features. 

Module: Accounts Receivable

• Agencies will have the ability to record and reconcile deposits in Core-CT. 
• In phase 1, most agencies with customer billing systems will continue using their current databases. Some Federal grants will be identified as receivables. 
• In phase 2, based upon need, agencies will implement full billing functionality. (See Phase 2 benefits, below.) 
• Will allow automatic payment processing (payment predictor). 
• Will allow electronic inter-unit transfers. 
• Will accommodate the direct journaling of cash receipts for miscellaneous payments; direct journaling does not require an established customer receivable.

Financials Phase: A preview of the benefits that will be provided in phase 2

Module: Accounts Receivable/Billing

• Will allow reporting on customer activity across agencies, programs, and funds. 
• Will have the ability to establish a variety of billing cycles, including recurring and installment billing plans. 
• Will have the ability to "pre-codethe underlying accounting that will be passed to the general ledger. 
• Will facilitate integration of billing data from other modules (e.g. Projects), enhancing data integrity while reducing redundant data entry. 
• Will have the ability to manage write-offs, bad debt and uncollectible accounts.

Module: Projects

• Will allow project definition and other information (e.g. status, project manager, phases or milestones, etc.). 
• Will include budget (estimated and approved), expenditures, billing and reporting for projects at different levels and with multiple funding sources. 
• Will allow project budgeting and integration to GL for commitment control at all feeder modules. 
• Will include a central repository for project costs (detailed vs. GL summary level).

Module: Asset Management

• Mass change function will allow the state to make changes to a large number of asset records with a minimum of manual entry. For example, suppose a restructuring requires the state to transfer all assets from one agency to another. Core-CT allows the state to select a particular set of assets from the database, define the alteration that needs to be performed, and make those changes online or in a batch process. Copy Asset will allow users to create several similar asset records simultaneously or at different points in time. 
• Will have the ability to store financial and physical attributes of an asset including a picture or image of the asset as well as the asset's location, custodian, manufacturer and product registration detail.

Module: Inventory

• Will support processing for multiple inventory business units. 
• Will be integrated with other modules including Purchasing and Billing. 
• Will provide the ability to collect inventory transaction data electronically.

Process: Grants

• Will have enhanced reporting capabilities including system-calculated and -generated Federal grant reports. 
• Will have the ability to report across the state on grant proposal and award activity. 
• Will use electronic routing of proposals for approval. 
• Will have the ability to copy previous proposals and proposal budgets for future use (i.e. last year's proposal as a starting point for this year's). 
• Will result in controlled program spending due to project budgets that are created right within the Grants module.

Core-CT HRMS System Benefits

A list of benefits of the Core-CT system identified by the Core-CT project team and state agency representatives

Module: Human Resources

Process: Administer Salary Plans

• Automated Mass salary increases. 
• Automated Step Progression. 
• Effective dated salary plan histories available to HR, Payroll, Time and Labor. Process: Hire workforce 
• Single point of entry processing - all employees are integrated with payroll, time and labor, and benefits at the time of entry. 
• Applicant information is integrated with employee information to ease applicant hire sub-process. 
• Employee appointment/transaction history can be easily viewed due to effective dating within the Core-CT HRMS application. 
• Use of Core-CT HRMS checklist functionality will allow Agency HR staff to avoid errors in the hiring process by giving them an online standardized checklist of required steps to be completed for the various hire transactions. 
• Integration with the State's highly customized ATC system for Reemployment, SEBAC and Examination processing.

Process: Maintain Workforce

• Core-CT is an integrated system with a single point of entry, so if a job change occurs as a result of the Select & Recruit process (for example), the new position information already exists for the employee and does not have to be re-entered. 
• In Phase 2, Retroactive job changes trigger retroactive payments upon entry for payment using the delivered Retroactive pay functionality. This function will be implemented once payroll history as of implementation is available in Core-CT.

Process: Manage job class and positions

• Job Classifications will be maintained in the system 
• Position Management - all employees receiving paychecks will be associated with a position number 
• Full Time Equivalent - all positions will be counted towards the FTE, if applicable, for better state accountability and budgeting

Process: Meet Regulatory Requirements

• Applicant Flow Report will enable agencies to report on recruitment efforts for Affirmative Action.

Process: Select and Recruit, e-recruit

• A centralized applicant database will exist that is accessible at the agency level, to ensure screening of applicants state-wide. 
• Applicants may apply online or through submission of a paper resume or application. 
• Utilizing the Select and Recruit process feeds the Hire Workforce process. Data entered during the Select and Recruit business process does not need to be re-entered if the employee is hired.

Process: Manage Competencies (Phase 2)

• Ability to establish, maintain and report on detailed competency information. 
• Ability to notify supervisor and employees of job-specific competencies and determine training needed in order to meet each competency. 
• Self service functionality of eRecruit is integrated with competency functionality and allows candidates/employees to document competencies and accomplishments on-line which enables Agency HR Specialists to match employees with appropriate job codes.

Process: Administer training (Phase 2)

• Ability to create a course, create session(s), and post the training schedule(s) 
• Ability to enroll participants in course(s)/session(s) 
• Ability to store participant training requests on a waiting list until course is scheduled 
• Ability to track training completed by employee 
• Ability to tie course(s) completed to employee competencies/accomplishments data

Process: Plan Workforce Successions (Phase 2)

• Ability to plan workforce successions for key managerial positions within State agencies. 
• Ability to review key position and key position incumbent career plan information to assist in planning/developing retention strategies.

Process: Manage Workforce Careers (Phase 2)

• Core-CT delivers Employee Review pages on which the Agency HR Specialist can record the details of employees' performance reviews. 
• The Employee Review pages are linked to the Plan Careers pages to assist Agency HR Specialists with career counseling meetings. 
• The Employee Review pages are linked to Employee Development Activities pages so that the recorded training can be incorporated into the employee's review as appropriate.

Module: Payroll

Process: Administer Post Confirm

• Automated extraction and interface to accounts payable of tax deduction deposit.

Process: Calculate and Confirm On Cycle Payroll

• Due to the iterative nature of pay calculation, everyone involved with the payroll will be able to validate and correct data at a much earlier stage than the current legacy system. Specifically, Agency Payroll Specialists and Central Payroll Specialists will be able to see the results of the payroll calculation several days before the pay confirm occurs.

Process: Calculate Manual Checks

• Manual check processing within Core-CT allows the State the flexibility to report payments that are made outside of Core-CT directly into the Payroll System.
• By linking the State's manual check process to an on-cycle calendar, the State will be able to send one set of outbound interfaces that are accurate and complete.

Process: Calculate On Line Checks

• Core-CT online check functionality provides a method to produce an on-demand check within the system. 
• Core-CT online check functionality provides a method to produce a model check to ensure correct calculations that are occurring both inside and outside of the system.

Process: Commitment Accounting

• This process allows for position level fiscal year budget controls. 
• Integrates the budgeting process with the HRMS functions.
• Allows for a more detailed budget to actuals reporting structure. 
• Greater flexibility to define default funding source information within the HRMS system. 
• Greater flexibility to override funding source information on a pay period by pay period basis.

Process: Manage Employee Data

• Core-CT has the built in functionality to automate non-resident alien taxation once specified in the Employee Tax Data page. 
• PeopleSoft has the functionality to reduce from state withholding amount as well as add an additional state withholding amount. 
• Core-CT maintains bond balances at the employee level.

Process: Manage Adjustment Processing

• Core-CT's check reversal functionality allows the State to reverse a check issued out of Core-CT and automatically reverse gross pay, taxes, deductions and employer contributions. 
• Core-CT's check adjustment functionality allows Central Payroll to perform partial reversals or adjustments that result from additional processing that occurred outside the system.

Process: Manage Employee Garnishments

• Core-CT's functionality will allow the State to process garnishments centrally rather than at each agency. 
• Increased garnishment functionality, automation of processing, and delivered State and Federal regulations will help ensure consistent processing and adherence to State and Federal regulations. 
• Core-CT's built in functionality to distribute available funds between garnishment orders by priority will eliminate manual calculation and distribution between orders. 
• Core-CT's ability to provide online historical information will greatly aid both the Central Payroll Specialist and the Agency Payroll Specialist in tracking garnishment processing per employee.

Process: Manage Quarterly and Annual Payroll Reporting

• Core-CT has the ability to reprint individual W-2's. 
• Core-CT can keep multiple years of payroll balances and W-2 data. 
• Core-CT has the ability to print individual W-2c's.

Process: Manage Reprints

• New check numbers for dead paychecks are automatically assigned by Core-CT from a different set of check numbers than the normal pay cycle. 
• Core-CT maintains a record of Dead Paycheck numbers that have been replaced with active check numbers. 
• Core-CT provides complete check stub information in the reprint file.

Extras

Process: Administer Retroactive Payrolls (Phase 2)

• PeopleSoft has the capability of automating retroactive pay for individuals

Module: Time and Labor 

Process: Administer Time Validation and Approval

• The Time Administration Process allows for the identification and correction of exceptions prior to the final Load Time and Labor process. 

Process: Administer Time Reporting

• This functionality supports self-entry of employee time in Phase 2.

Process: Distribute Labor Expenses

• Ability to track time at the level of task detail agencies require and allocate costs accordingly. 
• Task profiles enable the State of Connecticut to specify how to distribute reported time across tasks: by quantity, by percentage, or by distributing time equally across all tasks. 
• Ability to override Chart of Account information at the point of time entry. 
• Ability to publish estimated and actual project-related costs to Core-CT Projects (Projects is part of Core-CT Phase 2)

Process: Maintain Time Reporting Rules

• Time Reporting Rules will assist in assuring that contractually obligated payments will be processed during Time Administration Batch Processing and each Time reporter will be compensated properly as defined by their contract as well as state statutes and regulations. 
• Time Reporting Rules reduce the need to perform manual calculation and entry of exception time in cases where bargaining unit agreements dictate how an employee should be compensated as compared to the actual hours that an employee works. 

Process: Manage Leave Accruals

• Ability to provide leave balances on employees' check stubs and deposit advice 
• Ability to view leave balances on Weekly Elapsed Time page (time entry page)

Process: Manage Time Collection

• Two custom system-generated timesheets will be pre-printed with employee, schedule and balance information. 
• These options will facilitate the transfer of timesheet entries into the Core-CT application in an organized manner.

Process: Schedule Employee Time

• Allows the creation of templates for a variety of workday patterns, this includes rotating schedules and/ or schedules that do not follow the 7 or 14 day period 
• Allows the Agency Specialists to assign a schedule to employees from existing schedule calendars. 
• Allows for Exception time reporting.

Module: Benefits 

Process: Benefits billing

• Core-CT will automatically enroll eligible employees into the Benefits Billing System by means of Benefits Administration. 
• Core-CT allows for employees to be billed for all benefits through one system. 
• Core-CT will automate the Arrears process for employees who miss a paycheck.

Process: Event Maintenance

• Core-CT Benefits Administration functionality will automate eligibility checking and enrollment management, based on the defined eligibility rules.
• Core-CT provides the functionality to automatically trigger events based on job actions. The system also provides the functionality to trigger manual and passive events. Automating event identification ensures that every potential State of Connecticut transaction that could possibly have an effect on benefits is captured. 
• Core-CT provides the functionality to automatically determine coverage begin and end dates and deduction begin and end dates based on rules established on the Event Rules Table. 
• Benefits Administration automatically detects and classifies HR events into Event Classes. Event rules are setup to process each event class differently. For example, only health plans coverage level is available for a change during a Family Status Change event. During a Hire event, all plans are available for change. 
• Core-CT automatically generates benefits enrollment forms detailing employee benefit options. The Core-CT enrollment forms are individualized for each employee and detail all the options, option codes and the costs associated with each option election. 
• The Core-CT enrollment form functionality provides an opportunity for the State to design a "universal enrollment form" and eliminate the many individual carrier enrollment forms currently being used. 
• Core-CT will generate Confirmation Statements. Once employee elections are entered into the system, the confirmation statement is generated and the employee's elections are validated - before payroll is processed. (This is not the case today.)

Process: Administer open enrollment 

• The Base Benefits Audit Report provides a summary of potential employee data error conditions that would otherwise show up when trying to process enrollments or changes. 
• Core-CT's individualized enrollment forms will provide employees with comprehensive current benefits information. This will help employees make better-informed decisions regarding benefit elections while reducing the number of benefit inquiries. 
• The Core-CT system provides ease of entry of employee benefit elections. All benefit elections can be entered on the same page. The system also facilitates the entry of new and changed dependent data, which also can be entered on the same pages as the employee elections. 
• The Benefits Administration process produces a number of reports that will aid the State in managing the progress and status of the Benefits Administration process. 
• Core-CT built-in edits will inform the Agency Benefits Specialist of any errors and data inconsistencies that need to be corrected. This will enable the Agency Benefits Specialist to promptly contact employees to submit corrections. 
• The delivered process allows employee records without errors to continue through the Benefits Administration system while other employee records can be in various stages of processing. 
• Core-CT will generate confirmation statements, which validate employee elections. New employees will be able to validate their elections once their records are processed successfully through the Benefits Administration system. The Agency Benefits Specialist will be able to make corrections to the employee elections prior to payroll processes, which will help reduce the number of payroll adjustments. 
• PeopleSoft provides the capability to differentiate groups of employees and not require all employees to return their enrollment form. The system can be configured to roll their current elections forward. 
• PeopleSoft provides the capability to finalize enrollment for employees who have not returned their enrollment form by enrolling them into their default benefit plans, as dictated by the default event rules setup on the Open Enrollment event. 
• Core-CT provides accurate process status during the Open Enrollment cycle. The Central Benefits Specialist will have up to the minute information regarding percent of completion for all of the open enrollment steps.

Process: Retroactive Benefits

• Core-CT provides functionality that will automatically identify employees who require Retroactive Benefit and Deduction processing, calculate the amount of the Retroactive Benefits and Deductions and load their refunds into their paysheets or amounts owed into their arrears balance. 
• The delivered Retroactive Benefit and Deduction reports can be used to view calculation totals for individual employees before and/or after the load to payroll to ascertain the money owed by or due to the employees, and to audit Retroactive Benefit and Deduction activity. 
• Individual Retroactive Benefit and Deduction requests are generated without user intervention. A change to employee or benefit-related data that has an effective date prior to the current pay period end date of the employee's payroll would trigger the Retroactive Benefit and Deduction request.

Process: Maintain Benefit Plans and Programs

• Core-CT provides the functionality to maintain rates at the table level. In Core-CT, a table rate change will update all records that reference that rate, eliminating duplicate record keeping in multiple systems. 
• Core-CT provides effective dated tables that easily record data changes. As a result historical changes to rates, limits and the addition of plans is easily tracked and viewed. 
• Core-CT provides the functionality to enter benefit-specific vendor information, such as group number, policy number, and vendor contact information, in a single table, regardless of how many benefit plans a provider is tied to. Additionally, the information stored within the Financial system's vendor tables can be automatically synched up to the HR system's vendor tables to ensure that all vendor-related information is correct. 
• Core-CT delivers menu-driven configuration table reports, allowing the end-users to easily generate reports. 
• Core-CT is a fully integrated system and only requires the entry of data once. This data can then be used by any Core-CT application that references that data. The implementation of Core-CT Benefits will eliminate the need to enter information into and maintain information in separate systems to administer benefits processes.

Impacts of Financial Business Processes by Core-CT 
As discussed at Financials Business Process Workshops, September/October 2002

Create Budget Journals 

• Currently, the State's legal and agency budgets are stored and maintained in separate systems 
• Core-CT will incorporate all budget structures within one system 
• All elements link together in all modules

Enter and Process Journals 

• The General Ledger will integrate line and central agency requirements for financial information 
• Agencies will enter corrections and accrual Journal Entries into a spreadsheet 
• Agencies will enter some corrections and accrual Journal Entries into a spreadsheet 
• Agencies will be responsible to ensure accurate and balanced entries are sent to the General Ledger 
• Mass payroll corrections for time before September 5, 2003 may be entered in a spreadsheet journal. Corrections thereafter should be made in the Time and Labor module in Core-CT

Enter Receivables 

• Agencies will enter all State and Federal receivables in Core-CT 
• Agencies will be required to enter a two-sided accounting entry for each receivable item 
• Accounts Receivable staff will review, correct and approve all AR transactions

Receive, Enter and Apply Payments 

• The Treasury creates the Deposit Records from the Daily Bank Statement 
• Every agency will process deposits in the same manner 
• AR staff will determine if a deposit is to be applied to an open receivable or if it is to be directly journalled 
• AR staff will review, correct, and approve all AR transactions

Inter-Unit Processing 

• InterUnit payments are made through an internal bank account, or lockbox, instead of producing a check 
• Payment Predictor is the process run by the Comptroller's Office that automatically matches the payments from the debtor agencies to their corresponding open receivables at the creditor agency, and closes the open receivable item 
• For State and Federal customers, agencies will use Core-CT to track and reconcile open receivables. Agencies will continue to resolve discrepancies for all unmatched payments

Maintain and Collect Receivables 

• State and Federal receivables previously administered in agency sub-systems will now be administered in Core-CT 
• Core-CT will be the system of record for all agencies' State and Federal receivable accounts 
• The AR Credit Analyst uses the Accounts Receivable Aging Report to identify receivable items targeted for collection and maintenance 
• The Receivable Maintenance Processor can select from a number of maintenance actions for each receivable item including credit memo and debit memo 
• The Accounting Processor creates the accounting entries for receivables 
• The Accounting Approver reviews and approves the accounting entries, then posts them

Create and Approve Requisitions 

• A uniform statewide requisition process will be used 
• All requisitions pre-encumber funds in Core-CT 
• There are up to six approvers in the approval process 
• POs can automatically be generated from fully approved requisitions 
• Workflow will be used in the Requisitioning process 
• DAS is increasing agency purchasing quotation thresholds. Purchases under $2500 will not require quotations

Create Purchase Orders 

• POSs and PSAs will be entered as contracts in Core-CT and a PO will be generated to encumber the funds 
• Changes to a PO are executed by creating a change order 
• A PO is the encumbering transaction in Core-CT 
• Workflow will be used in the PO module 
• Due to the elimination of reservations, there may be an increase in the number of POs created

Receive and Inspect Goods 

• Online receiving will be required in Core-CT 
• Copy a PO to create the Receiver 
• The State will not allow receipt of a good or service without a PO 
• Receipts will not be created for P-card purchases 
• Inspection, penalty and return to vendor information will be maintained in Core-CT

Administer Vendor Contracts 

• Contract information entered into Core-CT is a database record 
• There is a one to one relationship, contract to vendor 
• The State will manually number contracts in the Core-CT system (eg: 02DOT0001AA, 02DOC0001AB) 
• Core-CT contracts will include DAS/DOIT contract awards, POSs, PSAs, MOUs, Real Estate Leases, Grants, Construction and ROW contracts 
• Items will be placed on contracts 
• Once a contract is cancelled or closed in Core-CT, it cannot be referenced in other documents (Requisitions, Purchase Orders, or Vouchers) 
• Contracts will not be identified as Set-Aside

Maintain Vendors 

• OSC approval required for all new vendors or change requests 
• Agencies will need to research vendor information in Core-CT before entering a new vendor 
• Agencies can reference OSC conversation areas for additional vendor information 
• DAS Set-Aside information will be interfaced nightly 
• DAS/DOIT Vendor Performance Reports will still be web-based and outside of Core-CT 
• All payees must be in the vendor file in order to process a PO or a payment

Enter and Process Vouchers

• Vouchers are created by copying the Purchase Order and/or the Receiver
• Payees must be in vendor file 
• Users will manage match exceptions 
• Approvers will use Voucher Workflow 
• Purchase Orders are "Finalized" on the last voucher 
• There are separate roles defined for Journals, Adjustments and Corrections 
• Reversal Voucher Processor role must be extremely limited

Procurement Cards 

• Transactions will be in Core-CT 
• Transactions will need to be approved in Core-CT 
• OSC will no longer consolidate P-Card payments into one for the State 
• Identifies P-Card purchases to Set-Aside Vendors (through reporting) 
• General Buyer will cancel a requisition if they use their P-Card 
• Separate Roles for P-Card Coordinator and Voucher Processor

Petty Cash Procedures 

• Petty Cash Account will have its own AP and AR Business Unit 
• The Petty Cash Custodian must NOT have access to the agency's Main AP Business Unit 
• Agencies will continue to process Worker's Compensation "first checks" to employees through the Petty Cash account

Impacts of HRMS Business Processes by Core-CT 
As discussed at HRMS Business Process Workshops, September/October 2002

Manage Positions 

• Position approvals will be within the system 
• All positions will be temporary or regular 
• Agency approval of job positions at two levels 
• Position numbers will be system generated 
• Position activity summary report

Select and Recruit/eRecruit 

• Job Requisitions will be posted using the eRecruit process. 
• Central HR will purge all non-hired applicants with an effective date older than two years. 
• Applicants who don't attach to job requisition can be seen by all.

Hire Workforce

• Employees who hold concurrent positions will only have one tax setup and direct deposit. 
• Employees who hold concurrent jobs will receive multiple paychecks for multiple jobs. 
• Personnel Actions History Report will be used to audit information. 
• Hiring pages contain information that may be handled by payroll in current system. 
• Required data must be completed on HR pages before being saved. 
• Employees must be set up in the system before they can be processed by Payroll. 
• Employee IDs will be system generated, rather than assigned by OSC. 
• An employee must be activated and assigned by DAS upon rehire to a new agency.

Maintain Workforce 

• Communication between HR, Payroll, Time & Labor and Benefits will be more important because of the integrated system. 
• Agencies will generate reports. 
• Central Payroll and Agency will share responsibility for different aspects of Longevity Payment. 
• Job changes will originate and be processed at the agencies. The Personnel Actions History Report will be used by Central HR to audit job transactions. 
• An employee is activated and assigned by Central HR upon transfer to a new agency. 
• MSA transfers will no longer exist.

Event Maintenance 

• The Event Maintenance process will be automated in the Core-CT system. Currently, health insurance carriers maintain the coverage records and life insurance information is maintained in a legacy system at OSC. 
• Health insurance enrollment forms will not be sent to the carriers, instead they will be filed at agencies. 
• Core-CT HRMS will generate an enrollment form that includes coverage history and carrier options the day after an event is entered. 
• Event maintenance time periods will be more strict because Core-CT will not allow entry past the time period defined by the eligibility rules. 
• State will send payment to carriers monthly rather than biweekly

Benefits Billing 

• Core-CT system will automatically enroll participants in benefits billing. 
• Core-CT will generate monthly billing statements for employees. 
• Agencies will be responsible for entering health and life insurance premium payments online. 
• Agencies will be responsible for reviewing the discrepancy report and resolving issues. 
• Today carriers get employers share regardless of employee payment until the carrier cancels coverage, results in retroactive adjustments.

Time and Labor (overall impacts) 

• Integration of Core-CT HRMS System o Creation of central Time and Labor entity 
• Creation of new payroll schedule

Time and Labor - Schedule Employee Time 

• Integration of Core-CT HRMS System (i.e. need to hire employee through HR prior to assigning a work schedule) 
• Centralization of schedule creation 
• Agencies' maintenance of schedule assignments

Time and Labor - Manage Time Collection 

• Creation of groups for the collection and entry of time 
• Creation of timesheets

Time and Labor - Administer Time Reporting 

• Entry of time - Weekly Elapsed Time Page 
• Managing of exceptions 
• Performing prior period adjustments and record only adjustments

Time and Labor - Validation and Approval 

• Validation of time through online edits 
• Validation of time through the time administration batch process 
• Centralization of loading time to central payroll

Time and Labor - Manage Leave Accruals 

• Ability to view employee's leave and comp balances on the time entry page 
• Ability to view employee's leave and comp balances on the employees' check or advice print 
• Assignment and verification of employee leave and comp plan assignment

Payroll - Overall Impacts 

• Ability to produce a payment for an employee without having to "hire" the employee in Payroll 
• Ability to generate Payroll and TL reports prior to the close of the pay period 
• Ability to view and correct errors prior to close of the pay period 
• Ability to generate some Payroll and TL reports at the agency level

Payroll - Employee Garnishments 

• Centralization of employee garnishments 
• Agency view only access to garnishment pages

Payroll - Employee Payroll Data 

• Employee Tax Data will be setup at the time of hire and at the time of a change request 
• Agency Payroll User will be responsible for the maintenance of the following employee data: 
• General deductions 
• Additional pay 
• Direct deposit 
• Savings bond 
• Tax data

Payroll - Calculate & Confirm On-Cycle Payroll 

• Creation of new payroll schedule 
• Ability to generate payroll and time and labor reports prior to the close of pay period 
• Ability to view and correct errors prior to the close of the pay period 
• Ability to generate payroll and time and labor reports after the close of the pay period

Recent Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) are posted at the Core-CT website, separated into categories for easy reference, at http://www.core-ct.state.ct.us/faq/index.htm. Listed here are some questions and answers that have been added recently.

Will we be using Crystal Reports for Financials? Will agency staff need to be trained in Crystal?

Users will not need to be trained in Crystal, though the Financials Team is developing Crystal Reports, users will not need to know if a report is a "Crystal Report" or not.

For agencies that are not on SAAAS, will a consistent approach be used for grant transfers?

This functionality that deals with Grant Transfers is currently under review by the Chart of Accounts team. A process for this functionality will be coming out in the near future.

When will agencies see the list of Financials standard reports to be available in Core-CT?

A list of Financials standard reports is posted on the Core-CT website. It is linked from http://www.core-ct.state.ct.us/library.htm#fsr.

What defaults from Time and Labor schedules: the number of hours per day or the actual schedule (e.g., 8 am - 4 pm)?

The number of hours per day defaults in.

If an agency is not able to use the automated salary update process, is the workaround totally manual?

All salary increases for range plans will need to be manually adjusted.

How many steps are there to get Mass Salary to run?

Mass salary updates will be run centrally for step salary plans. For manual entry of increases to range salary plans (example: managers, VR's), the following six steps will be required: 

1. Add new effective dated row for appropriate employee in Job Data 
2. Insert appropriate data (example: new salary) 
3. Press save 
4. Add new effective dated row for appropriate employee in General Comments 
5. Add comments 
6. Press save

How will HR legacy system data be available post-go-live (agency access or central group access)?

Regarding historical transactions - we are converting very little historical data. 

1. Legacy APS data will be available on APS for enquiry purposes by end-users. 
2. MSA (payroll history) that is being converted into EPM, will only be accessibly by someone in Payroll who has knowledge of the historical data structure. 
3. Current transactions will be available online for use given the PeopleSoft security restrictions. 

If the agency use their own systems today - they need to speak to their tech. people to see what is happening with the legacy systems.

When will agencies see the list of HRMS standard reports to be available in PeopleSoft?

A list of standard reports will be posted on the Core-CT website soon.

Can the HRMS BPW presentation be made available to agencies?

This has been posted on the Core-CT website.

What areas of Excel should staff be trained in?

The list of prerequisite skills can be found in the September Sponsor Meeting presentation posted on the Core-CT website as well as in Core-CT Extra No. 17, also on the website.

Have we purchased the Analytical and Strategic Reporting Module?

The state has purchased the analytical modules, but the configuration and set-up of these modules is not included in the current project plan.

When can agencies see a list of the 20 standard EPM queries/templates?

This list is still being developed and will be published when finalized.

How many years will be available to be reported on when executing a cross-year report?

The current plan is to accumulate and maintain multiple years of historical data after the system goes live. The exact number of years is to-be-determined. The data required for historical cross-year reporting will not be converted from the existing legacy systems into the EPM database.

How many years of data will be available in EPM once we go live?

Only limited historical data will be converted into the EPM database. Account balances for the past 5 years will be converted from the Central Accounting System into the EPM database. See the response to the "MSA Conversion" issue below for information about what payroll data will be converted to EPM.

How many years of MSA history will be converted? How much will be available in the EPM reporting tables?

1. PeopleSoft HRMS will have current year balances converted from MSA. Only current end quarter balance records will be converted for the current calendar year (i.e. only QTD for the quarter 3, period 9 and year 2003). - this is the information needed to produce a W2 in PeopleSoft. These balances are deduction, earning, tax, garnishment or check year to date. W2 corrections will be produced by a stand-alone application by Central Payroll for years prior to 2003 not through PeopleSoft. No detailed payrun data will be converted into HRMS. 
2. EPM - will have 4 years of payroll history available. These tables will not be available for end users to query as they will be in the Legacy MSA format. This MSA data is not available on-line in MSA today (only available on backup tape). A power user from central payroll will be able to query the data to respond to information requests.

When will agencies see the list of HRMS standard reports to be available in PeopleSoft?

A list of standard reports will be posted on the Core-CT website soon.

Is the Automated Budget System being replaced? 

No, OPM's Automated Budget System is not being replaced by Core-CT. It was determined that the PeopleSoft application's budget function is not robust enough to meet the state's requirements. Agencies will continue to submit their budget requests to OPM in a format required by OPM. 

What are limited scope agencies? Which agencies are limited scope? 

Limited scope agencies are agencies that will be using only some of the Core-CT modules - in most cases, only the HRMS functions since they have separate accounting organizations for statutory or constitutional reasons. The limited scope agencies are Legislative Management, the Judicial branch, UConn, UConn Health Center, Connecticut State University System, Connecticut Community Colleges, Connecticut Development Authority, Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, Connecticut Lottery Corp., and Connecticut Innovations, Inc.

We've heard of location codes in PeopleSoft. What are location codes and why are they used? 

Location codes identify places where positions are located and people report to work. They are used for OSHA reporting, Affirmative Action reporting, and, most importantly, for payroll check sequencing. They are also used in Select and Recruit when posting a position. Payroll checks (and advices of deposit) are grouped according to work location so agencies do not have to sort the checks in this way. If there is no need to identify a unique location for the aforementioned cases, then a person's location code will be the agency's central office. 

Will APS be kept alive for historical inquiries?

Yes. Some users will be able to query it for history, but on a read-only basis. After Core-CT goes live, no transactions will be keyed into APS. 

Why are some in-house time and attendance systems not being retired? 

Some agencies have implemented a time and attendance system that is highly customized and decentralized; there will be an interface for those systems. The project will provide a standard interface. But generally there is no need to keep any systems that Core-CT will replace. Recently the project team provided sponsors a document called the Systems Disposition Summary. This document mentioned that interfaces will be built between certain systems and Core-CT. If the interface is not listed in this document, then an interface is not planned. Most agencies will be performing time and attendance (to be called Time and Labor) in PeopleSoft, except for those agencies using TPS and other agencies with their own decentralized systems. If an agency does not have a separate time and attendance system today, that agency will be using PeopleSoft. 

Is it true that some limited scope agencies will not be using the Core-CT Time and Labor module? 

Yes. UConn, UConn Health Center, Judicial and Legislative Management will be processing payments through the Additional Pay module. They will not be using Time and Labor to record time and attendance. 

How far before go-live will the agencies have access to the Core-CT system? 

That hasn't been determined yet. The goal is to have most of the changes that the Core-CT team is going to make in place before an "instance" of PeopleSoft/Core-CT is opened up. (This exploratory "instance" is often called "the sandbox," since it provides an accurate experience of the system, but can be used without any consequences to live data.) Users will receive access to the "sandbox" environment only after they complete training. 

What is prerequisite training? And who should take it? 

In preparation for the transition to Core-CT, optional training on basic accounting principles will be available to those state employees that currently have general ledger and/or accounting responsibilities. The one-day course will be offered free of charge beginning in the fall of 2002, prior to PeopleSoft training. (A similar course in Human Resources basics will be offered as well. Details are not firm as yet.) Please note, this is not PeopleSoft training; it is only basic prerequisite training that will ensure Core-CT users have the basic accounting skills that will be necessary in the new system. 

The prerequisite accounting class will be a one-day, instructor-led session. The target group is agency staff at the level of FAO, Accountant or below. These accounting professionals are responsible for preparing and entering deposits, transfer invoices, ledger corrections, or debit/credit memos into the general fund and/or enterprise/internal service fund accounting systems. Sponsors will work with appropriate agency personnel to determine those who should have training. 

Topics to be covered in the class include: 

• Activities of government accounting and reporting capacity 
• Annual financial reports 
• Basics of accounting 
• Budgeting, budgetary control, and budgetary reporting 
• Common characteristics of government funds 
• Common characteristics of propriety funds 
• Elements of the balance sheet 
• Enterprise fund 
• Expenditure and expense accounting classification 
• Fund accounting system requirements 
• Internal service funds 
• Objectives of the accounting equation 
• Proprietary funds 
• Reporting capital assets reporting long-term liabilities 
• Required financial statements of governmental funds 
• Required financial statements of propriety funds 
• Transactions most affected 
• Types of funds 

We have a lot of users who will only enter requisitions and nothing more. Will they the same level of training as others? 

No. Limited users such as requisitioners will need much less training. Training for requisitioners will be done within these limited users' own agencies using a "train-the-trainers" approach. In other words, a particular person will be designated by the agency to deliver local training. That designee will be trained by the Core-CT training team and will then return to his or her home agency and train the other users there. 

Agencies and the Core-CT training team will continue to work together to determine the training needs for all Core-CT users. More information will be available in winter 2002/03. Also, impacts and roles will be discussed extensively at the Financials Business Process Workshops coming up in September and October. 

Will there be separate training for HRMS and Financials? 

Yes, and it will be separated by module (HR, Payroll, Benefits, Time and Labor, General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Purchasing and eProcurement, for example). 

Will classroom training for PeopleSoft be done at agencies or off-site? 

Logistics of PeopleSoft classroom training are in the planning stages. The Training team has identified a number of sites in state agencies, mostly in the Greater Hartford area, but details and schedules have not been finalized. We are still recruiting trainers, so cannot determine where any one agency's personnel will be trained. More information on training logistics will be forthcoming in winter 2003.

We've heard a little about the ad-hoc reporting functions under something called EPM. What is this function in Core-CT? 

The EPM Ad-Hoc Reporting team is working to build an ad-hoc reporting capability that will allow business users to retrieve relevant information from Core-CT. Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) is a PeopleSoft product that will be used to create reporting table repositories (in a data warehouse) that are designed to support ad-hoc reporting. The information in the data warehouse will be refreshed nightly, when appropriate, providing end users with timely access to business information. The data warehouse will also be designed with the end user in mind. The intent is to provide an intuitive and integrated view into a very complex transactional system, without affecting the system's performance. 

During Phase 1 implementation, the EPM Ad-Hoc Reporting team will develop processes to move data from the production system to tables within the EPM database. These tables will be designed and built during Phase 1. In addition to developing the processes and tables, the team will be designing a limited number of ad-hoc reports. The intent of developing these reports is to provide end-users with examples of how this new capability can be used to extract, format, and analyze business information. Ultimately, individual users will be creating ad-hoc reports by themselves. For Phase 2, the team will be refining the ad-hoc reporting capability while looking to take advantage of the EPM's analytical capabilities. 

Users who need to run reports in Core-CT will receive training in the PeopleSoft query tool, and possibly other reporting methods, during their training sessions. 

I don't have an e-mail address. Will this be a problem? 

All Core-CT users will need an e-mail address to receive important information about the project, especially regarding training. Training schedules, enrollment confirmations, and other notifications and reminders will be handled solely by e-mail. As we draw closer to the go-live date, and even after go-live, the Core-CT project team will likely be sending frequent updates that all users will need to receive. In light of the critical role that e-mail plays in Core-CT communications, the project team urges all agencies to clear up any remaining e-mail problems and validate and/or obtain working e-mail accounts for all who have been identified as Core-CT users. Should you need assistance, please work with your agency Internet technical liaison.

Contact Info:

Core-CT Project
Change Management Team
101 East River Drive
East Hartford, CT 06108

We want your feedback!

Contact the project at corect.change@po.state.ct.us  or call Bob King at Project Communications, (860) 622-2580. Or contact any of the project team leads listed on our website.

For more information on the project, see our web site, http://www.core-ct.state.ct.us

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