Executive vision: a forum for Georgia government leaders, Vol. 2, no. 2 (May 15, 1999)

A Publication of the Georgia Merit System Volume 2, Number 2 May 15, 1999

A Forum for Georgia Government Leaders

Phoenix Program Network

Installation on Schedule

Por some agencies getting ready to run the new PeopleSoft human resource and financials programs has meant a complete replacement of computer equipment. For all agencies it has meant some degree of equipment enhancement, whether great or small.
"Because funding for the network didn't come through until December, installation did not really get under way until February when the Department of Administrative Services' backbone network was upgraded," said Sue Armstrong, assistant director of Information Technology for DOAS. "But we are on schedule, and while installation of agency workstation circuits and routers and software will continue through June, we expect to be 88 percent complete by the end of May."
The PeopleSoft modules will operate primarily in a three-tier environment, according to Ms. Armstrong. A three-tier environment is a client/ server architecture consisting of three well-defined and separate processes running on different platforms. The three tiers are the database server, the application server, and the end-user interface, also known
as the client.
The primary advantages of the three-tier environment are improved network performance and the capability of modifying one tier without disrupting the other two.
The Phoenix database server uses a UNIX operating system and database-management software from

Oracle, and it connects directly to four application servers. The PeopleSoft programs are stored on the application servers, which reach out to the agencies through a dedicated, highspeed LAN. Ms. Armstrong said agencies may chose one of three ways to connect their IT infrastructure to the Phoenix LAN.
Native three tier - With a native three-tier configuration, end users first use their agency's LAN to connect with the GoNet WAN, which in turn connects to the Phoenix LAl'J. This approach requires the installation of the PeopleSoft programs on the agency's local file server and a special cache on the end user's Pc. If an agency selects the native three-tier configuration, its LAN administrator is responsible for maintaining and
updating the PeopleSoft programs. Critix three tier - A Citrix three-
tier configuration routes the GoNet WAN through another group of specialized servers before connecting to the Phoenix LAN. The Citrix software enables the end user's PC to control a portion of the processor and memory on one of the specialized servers, which is where the actual work occurs. It eliminates the need to load PeopleSoft modules on an agency's local server and consequently reduces the amount of ongoing maintenance that an agency's LAN administrator must perform.
Citrix dial up - A Citrix dial-up configuration allows end users to access the Phoenix LAN through the public telephone network.
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2

viewpoint PeopleSoft End-user Training Under Way

Standardized Financial,
HR Systems Will
Maximize Tax Dollars
By Governor Roy Barnes
Decisions-good ones-must be based upon timely and accurate data. For too long we have had no means of "rolling up" accounting numbers from our various state agencies as each agency had its own means of managing its budget. The Phoenix Program will put Georgia on par with major corporations that have adopted enterprise accounting standards and human resource management systems.
The new system will also allow us to more accurately forecast future budget needs and to justify budget changes based on operational data. Our ability to track the progress of our employees will be greatly improved. And, we will better define progress and productivity both in terms of headcount and dollars expended.
The success of this project will give taxpayers and businesses confidence in our ability to conduct government in an efficient and businesslike manner.
Of course, Phoenix will present its share of management challenges for the agencies involved. Some business processes will need to be changed to accommodate the new system. But, the
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End-user training has begun for the employees who will be using the new Y2K-compliant software to do their jobs, according to Gloria Brown, Phoenix Program training manager.
The Phoenix Program estimates that there are 8,000 end-user employees who need some level of training on the new systems. Agencies are responsible for deciding which of its employees should attend training.
"Because the new systems are going to look so different from our current systems, we are recommending that everyone who will be using PeopleSoft attend training. We don't think that sending one or two employees who would then train the rest of an agency's users will be an effective means of getting people quickly up to speed on these new programs," Ms. Brown said.
new processes will allow us to manage better the taxpayers' dollars, which is a priority for all of us.
Perhaps the greatest challenge will be the rollout for the new system. In addition to the software, numerous pes and networks will be installed and a significant training and conversion effort will take place. The coordination of this effort will tax our resources, but with hard work, we can make this happen.
This project will be a model for future systems as Phoenix presents us with an opportunity to standardize our accounting, desktop and network systems. We will work diligently in the future to ensure that all technology projects adhere to standards that will allow us to maximize the return on the tax money spent on new information systems.
The implementation of the Phoenix Program is a significant piece of our solution for the Y2K problem. I thank all of those whose tireless efforts already have made this project a success in terms of cooperation among all agencies. I urge you to continue your efforts so that we can report to the people of Georgia a great success story.

In addition to the Phoenix

Program's 22 full-time trainers and

trainer support staff, she said there

are 52 trainers-on-Ioan (experts in

specific areas, such as human re-

sources, budget or purchasing) from

14 different agencies. Training is

being offered at 43 sites throughout

the state, and classes range from a

half day to three days.

Ms. Brown said the training for

May includes

pilot training;

parallel testing training; and

the introduction to PeopleSoft

training, which is the first class

each employee takes before taking

the class for their specific job

function.

Because there are employees who

are unfamiliar with the Windows

operating system and programs such

as Word, Excel, and Access, some

prerequisite training has been neces-

sary. Prerequisite training is an agency

responsibility and is available through

the Georgia Merit System's Training

and Organization Development

Division. Merit System Training staff

can recommend whether, in the new

system, a particular job function

requires experience in Word, Excel, or

Access.

"We will not have time or the staff

to teach people how to point and

click during Phoenix classes. Employ-

ees must come to class with that

skill," Ms. Brown said.

Training in the 11 job function

modules begins in June and will be

offered according to task. "For

example, not everyone in purchasing

will be a buyer or prepare purchase

orders. There will be at least three

categories for purchasing-one for

buyers, one for those who complete

purchase orders, and one for those

with approval authority," Ms. Brown

said.

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3

Getting Ready to ~Go Live'

J uly is the "go live" month for the new PeopfeSoft programs that are replacing the patchwork of human resource and financials systems the state is currently using. As that deadline nears, parallel testing is a part of the critical work now going
forward at full throttle.
Parallel testing will continue through June and requires that identical transactions be entered in both the old and new systems, according to Pat Martin, Phoenix HRMS project manager. Ms. Martin said the state is using both manual and automated testing methods.
"Manual parallel testing consists of actually entering transactions into

both systems. Manual testing is more time consuming than the automated version, but it is effective in pinpointing problems. In automated testing payroll data is imported into the new system after having been entered in the GEMS/PACS system," she said.
While every agency is encouraged to perform a manual parallel test of at least one complete pay cycle, Ms. Martin said some agencies are manually testing all pay cycles between now and July. A test lab has been set up on the 19th floor of the Floyd Building West Tower for use by those agencies whose IT infrastructure is not yet complete.

Network Installation Cont'd. from page 7

Ms. Armstrong said about 70 percent of end users have selected the Citrix three-tier configuration. The native three-tier configuration is the second most popular approach, and only a small number of end users are adopting the Citrix dial-up configuration.
Regardless of the approach chosen to connect with the Phoenix LAN, agencies must make sure that the PCs available to their PeopleSoft endusers meet certain minimum requirements. Requirements include a 133 MHz Pentium processor, 32Mb of RAM, a one-gigabyte hard drive, a

VGA color monitor, and a network interface card supporting the TCP/IP protocol. In addition, PCs must run Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0 or any upgrades to these programs.
"Once complete, the network will be state of the art. Most agree that a statewide standardized and unified computer infrastructure for such operations as generating paychecks, crediting leave, tracking health care benefits, managing contributions to deferred compensation, and other tasks that agencies must perform daily will advance the state by at least a generation," Ms. Armstrong said.

Training Cont'd. from page 2
Other job function modules, in addition to purchasing, are human resources, payroll, budget, general ledger, accounts receivable, accounts payable, asset management, labor distribution, and pensions. Pensions training will be handled by the Employees' Retirement System.

Core users should be trained first, then casual or infrequent users. Ms. Brown said she expects training to continue through December for less critical or casual users.
For more information contact Ms. Brown at 404-371-7534 or gcbrown@doas.state.ga.us.

newsbriefs
EEOC's latest guidance document, Enforcement Guidance: Reasonable Accommodations and Undue Hardship Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, was released on March 1.
It addresses employee and employer responsibilities and types of reasonable accommodations, including job restructuring, leave, part-time schedules, and what constitutes an undue hardship. The document is available free on the Internet at http://www.eeoc.gov or by calling 800669-3362.
Pension portability legislation (H.R. 1102, the Comprehensive Retirement Security and Pension Reform Act of 1999) introduced in March by Congressional Representatives Cardin (D-MD) and Portman (R-OH) would allow workers greater flexibility when they move between the public and the private sectors.
Among the Portman-Cardin provisions: increasing the contribution limits for all types of plans; repealing the 25 percent of compensation limit on defined contribution plans; raising the maximum 401(k) contribution to $15,000; allowing catch-up contributions under all salary reduction plans for anyone age 50 and over; and allowing rollovers between different types of plans, including 401(k)s, 403(b)s and 457 plans.
For a summary of HR 1102, see http:// www.house.gov/portman/news.htm.
In 1998 the Department of Labor completed the highest number of Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) conciliations and investigations 0,795) in any year of the five-year history of the law. Monetary damages recovered totaled $4.5 million.
More than half (59 percent) of the complaints showed FMLA violations. The remaining complaints were either not covered by FMLA or not considered violations.
Not being reinstated to the same or an equivalent position is the most frequent FMLA complaint (44 percent); 22 percent claim employers refuse to grant FMLA leave; and 16 percent say employers interfere with or discriminate against them for using FMLA leave.

State Moving to Resume-based Application Process

As it standardizes, unifies, and makes Y2K compliant an array of electronic human resources and financials tasks, the state is also putting in place an electronic employment application process. This new process, using a software product called Resumix, will move the state from an applicationbased system to a resume-based system. The goal is to make maximum use of the vigor of the Internet for recruiting.
With The Job Site (www.thejobsite.state.ga.us) the Internet is already becoming a primary means of making state jobs known to applicants. And, in turn, Internet advertising is providing agencies with access to the broadest

and most qualified range of applicants. (All agencies and entities of state government may post their job vacancies on The Job Site free of charge.) Together Resumix and The Job Site offer agency personnel offices a recruiting system that is not only quick and cost effective, but seamless and paperless as well.
Resumix will allow applicants to apply for state jobs posted on the Internet simply by copying and pasting a resume in the space provided or by creating a resume using Resumix's Resume Builder feature. Applicants will also be able to apply for jobs bye-mailing or faxing a resume into the Resumix database. Additionally, application can be made

by mailing a resume to the Georgia Merit System so that it can be scanned into Resumix. All four methodsInternet, e-mail, fax, and scanningwill link the resume to the job the applicant is applying for.
Resumix is an expert system that goes beyond simply matching words. It is designed to extract job skills from context and match those skills to position criteria, which makes it much more powerful and accurate than early electronic resume readers.
A resume-based application process will not eliminate testing for those jobs that require testing. Test scores will become a part of the applicant's resume.

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