PUBLICATIONS Inside Illinois Vol. 20, No. 11, Dec. 7, 2000

Single software system to replace UI’s outdated business systems

It’s hard enough keeping up with the fast pace of changing technology, but UI’s aging business systems on its three campuses don’t stand a chance, considering some of them are almost 30 years old.

Many of the university’s business systems are not only outdated but also most are not able to communicate or share data with each other. In addition, because the university has not kept pace with the way business is conducted outside its boundaries, it’s possible that if the systems are not updated, in the future the university would be unable to do business with banks, vendors, government contractors and even other educational institutions.

Last year the university began to search for a single software product suite to replace its more than 100 disparate systems, an approach known as Enterprise Resource Planning or ERP. The new software is an integrated product – the student, human resources and financial software share common tables and processes – thus the project was christened UI-Integrate.

Systems and Computer Technology (SCT), a leading global provider of e-solutions, was selected as the vendor to provide the new ERP system. The university also has hired Andersen Consulting to implement the system.

SCT systems are found in universities throughout the world, including nearly half of all colleges and universities in the United States with enrollments greater than 2,000 students. UI is SCT’s largest implementation to date. During recent benchmark testing that simulated a peak registration period, within an hour the SCT system registered the equivalent of 54,000 students for 10 courses each.

Rich Mendola, associate vice president of Administrative Information Technology Services (AITS), is project executive for UI-Integrate. Margaret Krol is the interim project director. Universitywide teams responsible for human resources, finance and student systems are in place and have already devoted many months of work to the project.

Because UI-Integrate will affect every university employee and student, a smooth transition to the new system is vital. Implementation will evolve over the next four years.

Presentations about UI-Integrate are being planned at all campuses. Groups interested in scheduling a UI-Integrate presentation can send requests to: ui-integrate@uillinois.edu. For current information about UI-Integrate, go to the AITS newsletter at: www.ui-integrate. uillinois.edu.

New integrated software system will …
… provide a more understandable and user-friendly environment with Windows and Web-based accessibility.
… integrate the data from our many separate data systems into a single database, allowing us to purify the data, eliminate duplicate records, maintain a single source of directory information, and update information with immediate availability to authorized users.
… provide self-service "Web for Students" and "Web for Faculty and Adviser" applications, making information easier and more efficient to access.
… allow us to redefine and standardize our accounting system to better meet our data analysis and reporting needs.
… continue to move the University toward its "paperless environment" goals.
… streamline our student, financial, and human resources business processes by taking advantage of new technology as it develops.