Join Connect+Learn for this session on using OneDrive email attachments with Outlook emails. Topics covered will include:
Dear all past RPT users and AMS GUI users,
We wanted to provide you with an update on the new reporting solution that will replace functionality offered by the previous RPT instance. This solution is located within the SAP Fiori Launchpad and allows users 24/7 access to run a range of key reports that were identified after consultation with a number of Central and Divisional users. This solution will provide reporting functionality during scheduled AMS downtimes (the upcoming Fiscal Year End, Holiday Shut Down, Fiscal Month End and pay runs).
We have now completed testing with our pilot group to ensure reports run as expected, and we plan to launch the solution on March 22, 2021.
We strongly recommend that you update to U of T’s multi-factor authentication service, used for applications that require high security. Please be aware that following this launch, MFA may be implemented as a requirement for using the reporting solution. Please stay tuned for more information.
Features of the new reporting solution:
If you’re interested in understanding more about the reporting solution, you can attend an upcoming one-hour information session held by the FAST team:
Each session will provide:
Click one of the links below to save the MS Teams session link to your Outlook calendar:
You can also find additional support here: https://finance.utoronto.ca/fiori-launchpad-documentation-support/
Any questions about access for the Fiori Launchpad Reporting Solution: IT Service Centre.
Questions about specific reports:
Please stay tuned for more details on launch instructions.
Sincerely,
Enterprise Applications & Solutions Integration (EASI)
Join Connect+Learn and representatives from Academic & Collaborative Technologies for this new session on using captioning with Microsoft Teams. Topics covered will included:
Enterprise Applications & Solutions Integration (EASI) is excited to announce the launch of two new Microsoft 365 courses for the University of Toronto (U of T) community: Introduction to Microsoft 365 @ U of T and High Performance Collaboration. Created in collaboration with the U of T community, these courses respond to a clear need for a training curriculum to assist University employees in better leveraging the Microsoft 365 tools available through the University.
The courses are now available via the University’s SuccessFactors site. Interested community members can register for instructor-led sessions, or access over 100 new University-specific micro-learning videos on a range of Microsoft topics. In addition to this, EASI has also launched a new Microsoft Training Centre website to provide the U of T community with a training library and additional information.
We are thrilled to deliver these important new resources to the University community. Please share this announcement with your divisional contacts, and review this email to learn more about:
For more background on our new Microsoft training offerings, please read this article from EASI: https://easi.its.utoronto.ca/u-of-t-launches-comprehensive-microsoft-365-training/.
The Courses
Introduction to Microsoft 365 @ U of T
Introduction to Microsoft 365 @ U of T is a course for those new to the University of Toronto, Microsoft 365, or both. It’s your first week on the job, but where do you begin when it comes to using different Microsoft tools, and how can they help make your job easier? Perhaps you’ve been at the University for years, but have only used Outlook and want to continue to build your knowledge of different tools.
This course provides U of T employees with a foundational overview of using key Microsoft applications in an administrative context. Tools discussed include Outlook, Teams and OneDrive.
Register for March 24 session.
High Performance Collaboration
High Performance Collaboration is for those who are already familiar with the basic functions of applications such as OneDrive, Outlook and Teams and would like to learn more. High Performance Collaboration offers University employees new ways to use Microsoft 365 tools more confidently, productively and collaboratively.
Building on the foundation laid out by Introduction to Microsoft 365 @ U of T, High Performance Collaboration delves into key Microsoft 365 productivity applications to offer new perspectives on how to use tools such as Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint, Stream and Forms.
Register for March 31 session.
Course Formats
Built with the current remote work environment in mind, we are offering the courses in three formats:
Kind regards,
EASI Communications
On March 3, 2021, U of T launched its first comprehensive training for Microsoft 365. Enterprise Applications & Solutions Integration (EASI) is now offering an Introduction to Microsoft 365 @ U of T and High Performance Collaboration. Created with consultation from all three campuses, these courses will help U of T employees to leverage the full power of Microsoft 365 products, to work faster and smarter.
Interested community members can register for monthly instructor-led sessions and also access over 100 U of T-specific micro-learning videos through SuccessFactors: Learning Management System. In addition, EASI has also launched a new Microsoft Training Centre website, which includes a training library and additional information. Beyond the training sessions, employees can also download slides to use as additional guidance and to practice the skills they’ve learned.
“U of T has such a broad user base and employees have different needs, along with different comfort levels with technology,” says Kathleen McLeod, Services Engagement Coordinator with Enterprise Shared Services at EASI. “We’ve offered training sessions over Teams, but this provides much more in-depth training. If you just joined U of T, you can hit the ground running with the introductory course, and if you’re taking the more advanced course, you’ll get more detailed, targeted training.”
The team started working on these courses with training partner, Protiviti, at the beginning of 2020. After employees began to work remotely due to COVID-19, the previously instructor-led courses needed to be re-imagined. This led the team to create micro-learning videos that provide on-demand training.
“When employees began to work remotely, many had to quickly learn how to use Microsoft products like Teams, SharePoint, Stream, OneDrive, Forms and more,” says Gary Raposo, Senior Manager with Enterprise Shared Services at EASI. “Everyone had these new tools thrust upon them and it really highlighted the need for these courses. Now, employees can easily access and customize the training they need.”
In order to gain a full understanding of users’ needs, the development of the courses included close consultation with all three campuses and 14 divisions. If a division requires specific training needs, the Enterprise Shared Services team can provide a one-time training session co-presented with a divisional representative as well as instructor guides.
“We recognize that the training will not be one size fits all,” says Raposo. “That’s why it was important to make it extremely flexible. We’re providing extensive resources and by offering to train others in the divisions, we hope to meet everyone’s needs.”
In addition to the formal training, the team will also continue to run Connect+Learn sessions to address specific topics such as new Microsoft applications or enhancements to existing applications in a personal and interactive forum.
The first instructor-led Introduction to Microsoft 365 @ U of T session will launch on March 24 and the first instructor-led High Performance Collaboration session will launch on March 30. In April, Enterprise Shared Services will offer train-the-trainer sessions and shortly after will roll out online, interactive workshops to give course participants the opportunity to apply their learnings. Instructors will be available to answer questions as participants work through exercises.
“We have so many tools available that are easily accessible,” says McLeod. “There’s so much value that they can offer to employees and it’s important to show them in context. When everyone uses the same tools in a similar way, it allows us to work collaboratively and expand everyone’s capabilities.”
Congratulations to Hung Chu, who will be retiring with over 38 years of dedicated service to the university on March 31, 2021. Hung began working part-time at Hart House in 1982 and started working full-time at UT Computing Services in 1985. Since then, he’s been involved in a broad range of projects and has held various roles in U of T’s evolving IT landscape.
Learn more about Hung below, and please join me in wishing him all the best in the future!
Cathy Eberts
Director Enterprise Applications and Deputy CIO
Hung Chu, Operations/Product Support
Joined U of T: September, 1982
Retirement and last day at work: March 31, 2021
Describe your background and how you arrived at EASI
I joined U of T in 1982 when I worked various jobs at Hart House while studying Computer Programming at Humber College. After graduating in 1985, I applied to work at UT Computing Services (UTCS) when UTCS acquired Cray Super Computer.
I transferred again to Student Record Systems (SRS) in 1987 to become Production Coordinator. While working there, U of T merged three departments together (UTCS, SRS, and BIS), which was under the portfolio VP Computing and called Systems Development.
In 1998, three departments had separated and needed to convert systems for Y2K compliance. Student Information Systems (formerly SRS) and Computing Service (formerly UTCS) still operated under the IBM mainframe while AMS (formerly BIS) converted to using the SAP system. I came to EASI when AMS and SIS merged.
What will you remember most about EASI?
I’ll remember re-locating to various buildings around campus when departments merged under the portfolio CEO, and I’ll remember working under various managers and directors who would give me a hand whenever needed. Also, converting various software and systems was very interesting. EASI has been like a second family to me.
What will you remember most about U of T?
All of my co-workers have been really nice when we have shared special projects and special celebrations together. I will miss working with them.
What do you plan to do in retirement?
I’ll do some chores like fixing things around the house and garden. Also, I’ll take care of my grandkids whenever needed while their parents are busy. I’ll travel somewhere to have fun and make some new friends along the way.
Hi everyone,
Enterprise Applications & Solutions Integration (EASI) would like to update you on the latest major production releases and updates for the NGSIS program and student systems. From November 1, 2020 to February 28, 2021, EASI completed over 31 releases for a wide range of applications.
The following are major changes during this time frame:
New Student Information Systems Website (November 16, 2020)
The new Student Information Systems (SIS) SharePoint website was launched on November 16, 2020. It replaces the previous SIS for Staff website, providing a secure location for documentation for our applications. Other information, including system status and availability, and services shared with other EASI applications (e.g., information about VPNs and eToken) is available on the EASI website. The SharePoint site has been updated and includes improved search functions and a more accessible interface. New content, including training videos, is being added continually.
Curriculum Management / Curriculum Publisher (December, 2020)
Curriculum Management was the first product to be delivered through our original partnership with Kuali Inc. The application allows divisions to create, maintain and retire courses and programs using customized divisional governance processes, and in tandem, allows NGSIS to create a central repository of courses and programs for U of T. Curriculum Publisher is a U of T developed content management website that optionally interfaces with Kuali Curriculum Management, allowing divisions to publish a public facing Calendar or Academic Handbook.
In January 2021, the University of Toronto Mississauga completed its first governance cycle for courses and programs in Curriculum Management. In the fall of 2020, Student Information Systems and UTM began implementing UTM’s first Calendar in Curriculum Publisher, building the new framework from scratch. The Calendar itself will be finalised and published by March 29, 2021.
As well, significant enhancements were made to the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering’s Calendar, published in early February, making it the first to be published after Curriculum Publisher’s migration from Drupal 7 to 8. New efficiencies are underway in the production of the Faculty of Arts & Science Calendar, which will be published shortly.
Weighted Grant Unit (December 31, 2020)
Basic Income Units (BIUs) have successfully been converted to Weighted Grant Units (WGUs) in ROSI. These units, which reflect student enrolment, are used to calculate University funding by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities. Divisions receive funding based on student registration retrieved from ROSI on enrolment count dates. For more information on how registration information affects funding, please reach out to planning.analytics@utoronto.ca.
Course Information System
The Course Information System streamlines syllabi and exams processes for instructors and administrators, and will ultimately help students to make better-informed decisions about their education. CIS has made the following releases:
Online Calendar (February 12, 2021)
In the winter and early spring of 2020, the remaining divisions using the Online Calendar tool moved to Curriculum Management and Curriculum Publisher. Historical data for the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering in the Online Calendar that had been used in Degree Explorer was transferred to Curriculum Management and new integration points were established. As a result, the user interface for the calendar is no longer required and was decommissioned on February 12, 2021.
Accommodated Testing Services (Late February/Early March)
As of fall 2020, the Accommodated Testing Services instructor module has been incorporated into the Course Information System for all St. George campus instructors and academic units. This replaces an email-based process and allows faculty members to view all accommodated test and exam requests in one central location where they are able to securely submit test details and documents. Based on feedback received from instructors in fall 2020, a series of targeted enhancements to the instructor module will be rolled out late February to early March 2021. During fall 2020, the forthcoming student module on ACORN was tested by current students to validate the usability of the module. The student module will be launched alongside the administrative module in summer 2021.
Student Academic Advising Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool will complement the eventual renewal of the student system. In 2020, the NGSIS team selected Salesforce as the vendor of choice to establish a Student Academic Advising CRM Proof of Concept. The team evaluated features within the platform and will continue to validate and finalize functional, administrative, and technical requirements throughout the spring and summer of 2021. After publishing the Request for Proposal, the team will proceed with the procurement process and will start the development and implementation effort in October 2021 for a summer 2022 pilot.
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 November 1, 2020 to February 28, 2021:
SAP S/4HANA Migration (November 3, 2020)
On November 3, U of T launched the next phase of the U of T Enterprise Modernization Program, called the S/4HANA Migration. This phase of the five-year program represented an upgrade of the Administrative Management Systems (AMS) that will create the foundation for improved overall system performance and future modernization of the SAP systems at U of T. U of T’s Financial Information System was a core part of this upgrade and will transition to a highly responsive system, since the new system will be a transactional and reporting system built into one. As well, the upgrade will improve speed and reporting for the Human Resources Information System and Research Information System in the future. The platform will also have the potential to provide an improved user interface as well as enhanced analytics and better insights into reporting. Learn more about the S/4HANA Migration.
The U of T phonebook directory project has officially wrapped up – providing users a more modern, accurate and mobile-friendly application. The revamped phonebook directory allows external and internal users to search for staff, faculty members and division or department information using an accessible interface. It also eases Departmental Administrators’ workloads, since staff and faculty can update secondary information. The application was initially launched in summer 2020. Since then, accessibility has been optimized and a new telecommunications administrator module has launched. As well, departmental and telecommunications administrators can now search by UTORid, and when staff and faculty are logged into the application they can compile a list of departmental contacts in PDF and CSV format.
If you are a Departmental Administrator, please ensure your department’s information is up to date. You can review training materials here: https://easi.its.utoronto.ca/initiatives/phonebookdirectory/
New Shared Mailbox Creation Process (November 24, 2020)
Starting on November 24, the University of Toronto moved to a full-service shared mailbox creation process and Reader Registration no longer processes new shared mailbox requests. Faculty and staff can submit online requests for new shared mailboxes directly to U of T’s Enterprise Service Centre (ESC). Read the updated instructions, and access the new form, here: https://uthrprod.service-now.com/kb_view.do?sysparm_article=KB0010164.
ESC is going to Paris! (January 26, 2021)
On January 26, our production instance of the Enterprise Service Centre (ESC) was upgraded to the latest version of ServiceNow called Paris. The Paris release introduces improvements to the platform’s performance and stability. It also introduces some exciting new features that we will be deploying in the future, including Microsoft Teams interion and a virtual support agent. A big “Thank You!” to the ESC community for all their time and feedback preparing and testing this new release. ESC is available at: https://uoft.me/esc
New Electronic Signature Competency Centre (January 2021)
The Electronic Signature Competency Centre is a joint effort between Information Technology Services and divisional representatives to provide resources and guidance for divisions interested in e-signature solutions. Resources include guidelines for electronic signature assurance, sample use cases, comparisons of popular solution platforms, and details on specific products. The Electronic Signature Competency Centre is available here: https://utoronto.sharepoint.com/sites/its-easi-esignature
Dalla Lana School of Public Health COVID-19 Archive (February 2021)
EASI Information Management partnered with Dalla Lana School of Public Health (DLSPH) to create a SharePoint archive to preserve and share the school’s experience with the COVID-19 pandemic, acknowledging their potential historical value. DLSPH faculty, students, post-doctoral fellows and staff are invited to submit original records and first-person testimony to document perspectives and lived experiences around the COVID-19 pandemic. Submissions will be collected and preserved for future researchers to gain insight into DLSPH’s significant role in the pandemic.
UCheck Administrative Dashboards (November 2020)
On September 8, 2020, U of T released UCheck to faculty members, librarians, staff and students. UCheck is a web portal that enables users to complete the required COVID-19 health screening and generate a risk status before coming to any of our three campuses or other properties owned or operated by U of T. The risk status will indicate whether an individual should come onsite or stay home. In November 2020, EASI enabled a UCheck administrative dashboard for the purposes of viewing health screening outcomes. It allows CAOs, delegated human resources professionals in divisional offices and residence administrators to view the statuses of all students or employees within their reporting areas/residence.
Kronos Upgrade (December 4, 2020)
Kronos is a cloud-based time and attendance system that eliminates the use of paper timesheets and allows for convenient, online approval processes. On December 4, 2020, EASI upgraded Kronos to eliminate Flash and provided a more consistent and improved user experience, including employee timecards and transfer selection for managers. Other enhancements were made to functionality for Timekeeper and Advanced Scheduler modules, and the mobile application.
SuccessFactors: Performance & Goals (January 2021)
On January 18, 2021, the 2020 / 2021 Goal Setting process opened for Professional & Managerial (PM), Confidential and Research Associate / Sr. Research Associate (RA/SRA) employees. While Human Resources & Equity launched the goal setting process in SuccessFactors, they are currently reviewing institutional processes with an eye to streamlining and reducing the administrative load on U of T’s people leaders and employees. As a result, participating in the conventional 2020 / 2021 goal setting process this year is not mandatory for the groups previously mentioned.
Research Study Leave (February 1, 2021)
The Office of the Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life (VPFAL), in partnership with EASI launched the Research Study Leave tool (RSL) in the Human Resources Information System (HRIS) on February 1, 2021. The tool is an additional functionality in HRIS that consolidates faculty RSL and administrative leave entitlements. This new tool provides a single, reliable and accurate source of data that will streamline the entire RSL and administrative leave process. With leave entitlement data now within HRIS, and the accrual and deduction of credits managed within the system, users can leverage the tool to forecast leaves, estimate risk and exposure, and ensure solid academic planning.
2020 Personal Income Tax – T2200S (February 25, 2021)
Human Resources & Equity worked in partnership with EASI to develop an online process to request a T2200S for claiming work from home expenses on their 2020 taxes. Employees who have worked from home over 50 per cent of the time since March 2020, and who incurred expenses greater than $400, can request a T2200S via the HR Service Centre using this process. For those who requested the detailed version of the form, it will be available in Employee Self-Service on February 25. Refer to this official communication for more details.
Hi everyone,
Please note that the previous Administrative Web Services site, located at http://aws.utoronto.ca, has moved into the Enterprise Applications & Solutions Integration site located at https://easi.its.utoronto.ca/administrative-web-services/.
Please update your bookmarks accordingly for any of the following services:
Sincerely,
Enterprise Applications & Solutions Integration
U of T’s Enterprise Applications & Solutions Integration (EASI) is pleased to announce that a new process will allow controlled application integration with Microsoft 365 (M365).
Previously, any apps that accessed M365 data and MS Office add-ins were disabled due to security concerns. Now, EASI, in partnership with Information Security, has created a solution that will allow some apps that are business critical or broadly used at the departmental level to integrate with M365. The goal is to improve the user experience and allow users to realize more potential from M365.
Apps that are deemed very low risk, meaning they don’t access any M365 data, are now available for use. These include Microsoft Tech Community, Microsoft Events, Miro, Flipgrid and many others. Other apps that have been enabled include email clients like Thunderbird, Gmail and Samsung email. To see the current list of approved and pending applications, please visit the Admin Managed Apps page.
Apps that are higher risk or require individual licenses will be limited to certain users and will be managed at a departmental level. These include apps like 12twenty, myViewBoard, and DocuSign.
Once a new app is requested, it needs to be approved by divisional IT administrators, and then it heads to the Application Review Committee for evaluation. An additional risk assessment is performed and then implementation begins. New requests should be submitted through M365 App Request form.
The team faced many challenges when trying to implement this solution. They tried four different methods of controlling application access before creating a solution that balances users’ needs along with access and security. The winning combination uses Azure Active Directory, a cloud-based identity and access management service, including custom app consent policies and application user assignment groups.
The team is currently working to clear up the backlog of requests, and in the future will work on approved requests.
For more information, go to the EASI website. Admin Managed Apps | EASI (utoronto.ca)
