Message from Jack J. Blanchard, Associate Provost for Enterprise Resource Planning:
Things are developing rapidly over at Elevate as we draw closer to Go Live on July 17, 2023. We are reaching critical milestones on developing and piloting training materials, nailing down cutover dates and transition activities, and conducting extensive user testing. Some high-level accomplishments from the last month include:
- I hosted a Town Hall (February 22 and 23) open to the entire campus community where I provided updates on the Workday implementation, including program status, training, what to expect at Go Live, and more. If you missed it, you can watch the recording on our website at your convenience.
- We asked university leaders about the Workday implementation and what it will mean for their business areas in HR, Finance, and Procurement. You can watch their answers in this short video.
- We published freeze dates and last days for activities in our legacy systems on the Drive to Go Live page on our website. This freeze period allows for data to be accurately transferred so that when Workday goes live there is a minimum of manual data entry. This page will continue to be updated as activities are identified and last day activities are solidified.
Over 850 users, representing Central Office business staff, College/Division Business Officers, PIT Crew members and other departmental staff from across our partner entities, were given early access to a Workday Readiness tenant or sandbox to explore and become familiar with Workday. They have logged over 1,900 hours and have been providing valuable feedback to the Elevate team.
On The Horizon
Go/No-Go Round 2
In early April (before training is deployed), Elevate leadership will complete the second of three planned “Go/No-Go” Assessments. These Go/No-Go Assessments evaluate critical milestones, technical metrics, and campus readiness to determine if the implementation remains on track to Go Live July 17, 2023. If the results of this next assessment provide confirmation of our technical and functional readiness, we will proceed as planned. Alternatively, should concerns be identified in the Go/No-Go assessment that would interfere with a July Go-Live, then Leadership and the Elevate team would evaluate the identified issues and determine appropriate next steps which could include revising the expected start date. Such rigorous and transparent assessments allow the University to reduce risk and ensure success of the Workday implementation. We will keep all campus partners updated on key decisions that come from these assessments moving forward.
Workday Training
Training for Workday will begin next month starting the week of April 17. The first course all users should take is the 45-minute Introduction to Workday on-demand computer-based training course. After that course, everyone’s training curriculum will be unique to their security roles, or what you’re able to see and do in Workday to do your job. You will be provided guidance on recommended and optional courses to self-enroll in based on your assigned security roles so that you can complete your tasks in Workday. General, Human Capital Management, and Finance courses are provided via ELMS-Canvas and can be taken and retaken at any time. This flexibility allows for users who have busy schedules or prefer to learn at their own pace.
Words of Workday
- Compensation Grade: Legacy Term: Pay Band Standard compensation range for a given job or job level that serves as a guideline when entering compensation for an employee.
- Initiator:Legacy Term: Affiliates (excluding Retiree) and Nonpaid Workers A non-paid worker or non-paid non-worker who may be granted system access or services as appropriate, but they are not paid by the University through Workday. Contractual hourly employees currently known as Contingent 1 and Contingent 2 workers are not contingent workers in Workday. They are referred to as C1 and C2 employees throughout Workday and associated training materials.
Featured FAQs
What would a No-Go decision mean?
In the event of a No-Go decision, the Elevate team and leadership would re-evaluate July Go-Live and take appropriate next steps to mitigate any concerns, which could include shifting the Go Live date.
What will happen to our current system(s) after we Go Live?
During and after the go-live, some systems replaced by Workday that contain historical data will continue to be accessed in read-only mode for compliance and reporting purposes. Other systems will be decommissioned.
How will I continue to do key business functions while we are transitioning to Workday?
The Elevate team is working closely with University of Maryland College Park central offices and tenant partners to minimize the impact on business operations by identifying business continuity processes and the best dates for last-day activities in legacy systems.
In the coming weeks, the Drive to Go Live page will be updated with last days to do different activities in various systems being replaced by Workday.
ElevateR Spotlight
The Elevate Program is thrilled to have a team of full-time employees with a wide breadth of experience and institutional knowledge. In each issue of the ElevateR, we shine the spotlight on a staff member who is working hard to make the program a success.
Will Heiss
Technical Process Analyst
Will Hess joined the University of Maryland two years ago as a Business Process Consultant within the Division of IT’s Enterprise Planning and Continuous Improvement organization. The Elevate Program is his first project at the University. In his prior role in the private sector, Will worked on a project to replace outdated, custom-built database tool with more modern solutions. “I am most excited to see how much Workday will improve the experience of working at and being part of the University of Maryland and its partner institutions,” says Will, “not only when we go live with HCM and Finance, but over the coming years as new opportunities are identified to enhance our use of the platform.” Will is hopeful the ultimate success of the Elevate Project will continue to inspire other similarly transformative initiatives to improve processes and service delivery at the University of Maryland.
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Your Questions Answered
From big picture planning to the impact of daily routines, the Elevate team is available to answer your questions and address your concerns.
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