Hi everyone,

Enterprise Applications & Solutions Integration (EASI) would like to update you on the latest major production releases and updates for U of T’s Administrative Management Systems.

The following are major changes from December 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022:

Enterprise Shared Services

Microsoft Office 365 Security Enhancements (March – June)
As part of the Secure U(ofT) program, and a collaborative initiative between Information Security and EASI, the University recently implemented a series of essential protections to secure data and collaboration tools in Microsoft Office 365 with the help of vendor BlueVoyant. This was an accelerated effort, with an aggressive timeline, as heightened security risk due to the current geo-political situation has amplified the need to enhance security protections.

Microsoft License Renewal (June/July)
Microsoft business applications and collaboration tools are the underpinnings of key institutional systems such as UTORmail+, SharePoint Online, and Teams. The agreement between U of T and Microsoft was renewed by the M365 team in May after a year of discussions and negotiations. The new agreement will provide U of T with access to additional Microsoft features and applications as well as enhanced security across our tenant while managing the overall costs of these services. The M365 team is now focused on transitioning from our legacy licenses to the new licenses by the end of July.

Research Information System

SIG System Rebuild (May)
U of T’s internal system used to manage the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Institutional Grant (SIG), was rebuilt and incorporated into the upgraded My Research Applications & Agreements (MRA)  as a modernized block grant management tool. This rebuild replaces the University’s outdated SIG system and brings many benefits to the U of T Research and Innovation community, including:

• Consolidating the application submission process for funding programs into one system with a single set of credentials.
• Improving the user experience through a user centric design that optimizes navigation.
• Moving block grants to a newer technology will ensure continued access to an automated allocation and award set-up tool.

Human Resources Information System

Kronos
Kronos, a convenient, cloud-based time and attendance system, eliminates the use of paper timesheets and the need to forecast employee hours through online approval processes. Following are the most recent updates:

• In April, the EASI Kronos team restarted the implementation of Kronos Timekeeper module for nine departments – the largest at any one time.
• On May 4, the ITS EASI UKG (Kronos) Implementation Teams channel was launched. This space caters to HR and Payroll administrators leading the Kronos implementation for their departments and serves as a repository for users seeking answers to frequently asked questions. The channel provides easy access to implementation reference materials, deadlines for major implementation tasks, upcoming events, implementation tips, and allows a safe space for users to post questions and share ideas on the implementation process.

Financial Information System

Compensation Planning Tool

• Initial Launch (February 15)
  On February 15, 2022 the Planning & Budget Office, in partnership with EASI, launched the new “made @ U of T” Compensation Planning Tool with improvements to the previous SAP tool (B6). This approach has delivered improvements to the financial planning community, while retaining the robust security, performance, and familiar interface of the SAP platform. The tool provides an improved user experience, a holistic view of compensation, salary increase scenario planning, and simplified compensation projections. The enhanced app also facilitates long-term compensation planning (up to 6 years).
• Progression Through the Ranks (PTR) Pool Calculation (June 1)

On June 1, the Planning & Budget Office in partnership with EASI launched PTR Pool calculation. This enhancement allows users to view updated salary data for more accurate calculation, along with an enhanced user experience and reporting features.

Fiscal Year End 2022 (May 2)
Multiple teams from EASI and Financial Services worked together to ensure the 2022 FI Fiscal Year End event was successful. One year after implementation, the benefits of the SAP S/4HANA environment continue to reduce overall processing time. This year, additional reports using real-time data were added to Fiori Launchpad Reporting, allowing users to proceed with business operations during the fiscal year end closure period. Throughout the year, the teams worked to optimize system efficiencies and reengineered programs that ran faster with as much as a 30 per cent decrease in processing time for some programs.

Facilities & Services

SAP Plant Maintenance and Asset Manager Applications (June 1)
Facilities & Services (F&S), in partnership with EASI, launched the SAP Plant Maintenance and Asset Manager applications on June 1. These applications will support F&S in improving the stewardship of campus buildings and utility assets. Benefits include a mobile work order for trades and engineering staff, user-friendly tools to manage work orders, and a central repository of building and utilities equipment data. This repository will enhance asset tracking and aid in repairs and maintenance, as well as provide improved reporting capabilities. This implementation is the starting point for F&S to move towards more preventive and predictive maintenance, and to improve the reliability of campus facilities and the client experience for the university community.