Campus Solutions (CSS) is now the “system of record” for Student Administration at BGSU. 

The BG@100 Project Team completed the last of the eleven-scheduled phased implementations for PeopleSoft Campus Solutions during the weekend of July 18.  The conversion of data from the legacy SIS system to CSS has been achieved and CSS is now the system to be used as the current data source.

This accomplishment is the result of the many hours of work by the project team in conjunction with the support of members of the back office areas.  The following summary provides an overview of the work that has been completed in order to reach this milestone.

 

CSS Modules Identified and Project Team Members Identified

It was in late 2006 when modules for the Campus Solutions (CSS) implementation were identified and the project team was named.  The modules identified for implementation included: Campus Community, Admissions (Graduate and Undergraduate), Student Records, Self-Service, Student Financials, and Financial Aid.  Additionally, a RMS (Residential Management System) to replace the University’s housing system was included in the implementation.  The BG@100 CSS Project Team attended PeopleSoft CSS training while also assembling to document the primary business processes in each area

 

Fit-Gap

The team used these documented business processes as the basis for examining current procedures in relation to how the needed functionality would fit into the PeopleSoft system.  Over 100 Fit Gap sessions produced documentation (over 125 session notes documents) for over 600 fits and over 600 gaps. 

The fit-gap session results were critical in the planning and development of the project scope, project plan development, a project timeline and process modeling.  Fit-Gap sessions and documentation development took place from June through November 2007.  Fit-Gap session documentation is available for reference at: http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/cio/page36285.html

 

Process Modeling and Data Mapping

With the information provided from the Fit-Gap sessions, the project team would now focus on Process Modeling and Data Mapping.  Process Modeling is the means of testing the CSS processing methods with BGSU business.  This is the step in the project in which many of the decisions were made regarding CSS functionality.  The project team worked in conjunction with Subject Matter Experts to ensure that the functionality delivered in the new system would meet the needs of the University.  Data Mapping is the process of mapping data elements from the legacy system to CSS.  It is during this phase of development that the project team made decisions regarding the amount of historical data that would be brought forward, the cleansing of legacy data, and made decisions regarding the transformation of data.  Process Modeling and Data Mapping was completed during the time period of December 2007 through March 2008.

 

Scope Planning and Development of Scope Document

Scope planning completed by the project team defined what would be included in Phase 1 of the CSS implementation.  The project team used the objectives established by the Executive Steering Committee in the Executive Strategic Outline along with the fit-gap documentation to complete scope planning and to develop a CSS Implementation Scope Document for submission to ESC.  The finalized CSS Scope Document was presented to ESC in April 2008 and is available for your review at: http://www.bgsu.edu/downloads/bgsu/file49244.pdf

 

Project Plan Development

With the scope planning and documentation in place, the development of a comprehensive Project Plan was the next step.  This Project Plan would include all the tasks required to successfully implement CSS.  This detailing would list each step required to effectively complete data conversions, to develop and put interfaces into production, to meet reporting needs, to complete appropriate and thorough testing as well as steps needed to meet training needs for the end users. This project plan would be utilized throughout the project to ensure proper progress was being maintained and that all necessary tasks were being completed. 

  

Project Timeline Established

At this point a project timeline was also developed to document the phased implementation that would be utilized.  Eleven go-live weekends were identified between August 2008 and July 2009.  Each go-live event targeted a portion of the system to “go-live” in CSS following the event.  The timing of these phased implementations allowed Admissions processing, Registration activities, Student Billing, Financial Aid processing, and on-campus student housing processes for Fall 2009 to occur in CSS.  Development of the Project Plan and the Project Timeline was completed in May 2008.  A graphical representation of the Project Timeline may be referenced at: http://www.bgsu.edu/downloads/bgsu/file47005.pdf

  

Unit Testing

In May 2008 the project team began to focus on the unit testing processes in CSS.  Unit testing allows the team to use a test environment to examine and validate the conversion of information from the legacy system to CSS.  In addition to project team members testing this data, a Power Users was identified and also invited to test the data.  This allowed these users to become familiar with CSS while also gaining valuable experience with using the new system.  Unit testing continued until the start of integration testing for each business process as identified in the project plan.

 

Integration Testing

In the time period immediately preceding a business process being a part of a monthly go-live, the process was moved through integration testing. Integration testing is a very important step in that it helps prove that the system is ready for production.  It is an extension of the Unit testing process and would include other systems that may be integrated with a specific business process.  This phase of testing would also include testing of the interfaces developed for a specific business process.  This was done in order to ensure that the legacy system was kept current during the period when processing was being performed in both the legacy system and the CSS system. With eleven scheduled go-live events, eleven integration testing periods were specified and completed during July 1, 2008 through July 2, 2009.

 

Training and Security Access

Intertwined throughout the various processes outlined above was the development and delivery of appropriate training for CSS users as well as the development and establishment of CSS security for the user community.  The first CSS Advisory Group training sessions were delivered to users in July 2008 and the availability of online training courses to users was established in July 2008.  The total attendance in the Advisory Group training sessions was nearly 1,000 and to date just over 1100 individuals have completed 5,208 online training classes.  

Once the appropriate training was completed, users were directed to complete and submit the corresponding CSS Security Access Request Form.  CSS training opportunities are detailed at: http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/cio/page52256.html and CSS Security information is provided at: http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/cio/page54729.html

 

Go-Lives

The following listing will provide an overview of modules/services that were included in each CSS Go Live throughout 2008-2009.  Additional information for each month is available at: http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/cio/page50707.html

 

August 2008

• Academic Structure Go-Live
• Course Catalog Go-Live
  • 15,638 Course Catalog Records were converted

 

September 2008

• Undergraduate Admissions Go-Live
• Campus Community Go-Live
• Campus Community Biographic/Demographic Data converted included:
  • Names            395,915 records
  • Addresses            440,192 records
  • eMail Addresses            41,373 records
  • Phone Numbers            286,516 records
  • Ethnicity            298,833 records
  • Emergency Contacts            18,355 records
  • Emergency Phone            18,075 records
  • Citizenship            271,366 records
  • Visa Permit            15,767 records
  • Service Indicators            93,207 records
  • External Education            372,366 records
  • Candidate GPA            258,752 records
  • Comments            65,048 records
  • Test Scores (External)            212,814 records

                                                       

October 2008

• Graduate Admissions Go-Live
• Admissions Prospects Go-Live
• Schedule of Classes Go-Live
  • 367,990 = Total Number of Classes Converted
  • 212 = Total Number of Terms Converted (1940 – Current)

 

December 2008

• Self-Service Go-Live
• Resource 25 Interface

                                                       

January 2009

• RMS (Residential Management System) Go-Live
• Financial Aid ISIR Load
• Conversion of Student Careers / Program / Plans
• Conversion of Student Residency
  • Current / Former Student Program/Plan Converted = 201,000
  • Residency Records Converted = 217,000
  • Service Indicators Converted = 111,000
  • Student Groups Converted = 89,000
  • Student Advisor Date Converted = 27,000
  • Student Degree Honors Converted = 454,000
  • Milestones Converted = 217,000

                                                       

February 2009

• DARwin Go-Live with CSS
• Enrollment Processing
• Conversion of Student Enrollment (historical)
• Conversion of Student Term History
• Conversion of Student Term Activation
• Admissions Matriculation
• Financial Aid Department Award
• Student Financials Cashiering Go-Live

                                                       

March 2009

• Application for Graduation Go-Live
• Financial Aid Packaging and Estimated Award Letters Go-Live
• Financial Aid Federal Regulatory Release 2 applied

 

April 2009

• Open Enrollment (Registration) Go-Live
• Student Financials Tuition Calculation Go-Live
• Student Financials Billing, Refunding, Cashiering, Installment Payment Plan
• Student Financials Web Payment, Collections, & 3rd Party Contracts Go-Live
• Student Financials Parking and ECSI (Student Loans) Go-Live
• Student Financials CASHNet Go-Live
• FMS Accounts Receivable
• Financial Aid Packaging and Award Letters
• Financial Aid Alternative Loans and Award Authorizations Go-Live
• Financial Aid Direct Loans and Summer Aid Applications Go-Live
• Financial Aid Loan Disbursements Summer 2009 Go-Live
• Employee/Dependant Fee Waivers

 

May 2009

• HEI Reporting Go-Live
• Financial Aid SAP Conversion

                                                       

June 2009

• Student Grades Go-Live
• Transcript Go-Live
• Financial Aid Award Authorizations Fall
• Financial Aid Federal Work Study
• Tuition Calculation, Refunding, and Billing Fall
• Student Financials Installment Payment Plan

                                                       

July 2009

• Transfer Monitoring
• Student Financials 1098T

Prior to each of the Go-Live weekends, a Town Hall event was held to share with campus the preparation that had been completed for that specific Go-Live as well as to summarize the impact of the Go-Live for campus.  The information contained in each Town Hall event is documented at: http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/cio/page52255.html

 

Thank you!

The BG@100 Project Management Team extends their appreciation to the Project Team members and the staff from the primary Administrative Offices for their hard work and dedicated effort throughout the CSS implementation. The success of BG@100 implementation is directly contributed to the many individuals that have taken part in the project activities.

 

August 2009

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