Colleagues,
As part of the Elevate program’s implementation of Workday our campuses have been working diligently toward the goal of a July 2023 system go-live. A key feature of the Elevate program is the use of regular assessments to allow for objective evaluations of critical milestones, technical metrics, and campus readiness to determine if the implementation remains on track. Such rigorous and transparent assessments allow the University to reduce risk and ensure the ultimate success of the Workday implementation.
In the latest assessment at the end of March, it was determined that key technical requirements relating to payroll functions require further testing. After a thorough review by the Elevate team and input from key stakeholders, we have determined that it is best to delay deployment of Workday. A second factor in the decision to delay was that we heard from staff in several critical offices that a short delay beyond July would improve readiness and enable a more successful transition. This delay is disappointing given the hard work of so many staff who are contributing to the Elevate effort. However, we are taking this deliberate step to ensure that our staff, faculty, and students can experience a successful transition to Workday. This postponement will allow us to invest the time needed to complete rigorous testing prior to deployment.
The Elevate team is evaluating alternative dates. The next possible dates are in late October or early November. The selection of a new go-live date for Workday will be informed by the input of stakeholders, so that the new date manages the diverse and competing needs of our community. We will work quickly to share the new schedule in the upcoming weeks.
In making the decision to delay deployment of Workday, we want to emphasize that the program has achieved an incredible amount of progress that will ultimately lead to the success of the Workday implementation. The Elevate program has engaged over 400 staff from across our campuses to fully configure Workday for our HR and Finance needs. This month the Elevate team will complete all training and support material that will be used to prepare staff, faculty, and students to use Workday. Finally, there are currently over 1,000 staff from across all colleges, divisions, and campuses that have access to a fully operational Workday readiness tenant. This early access is providing key stakeholders an opportunity to gain experience with Workday and provide feedback to the Elevate team.
In closing, we want to thank all of the many staff and faculty who are contributing to the Elevate program and helping us to modernize our systems. Your extraordinary efforts are greatly appreciated and will allow us to successfully transition to Workday in the coming months.
Sincerely,
Jennifer King Rice, Senior Vice President and Provost
Carlo Collela, Vice President for Administration
Jeff Hollingsworth, Vice President & Chief Information Officer
Greg Oler, Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer