e-PAR to be campuswide by early 2007
The early results are in and the SoftServ e-PAR module appears to be as popular as the personal self-service modules (e-Profile and e-Pay) launched last spring.
“This is an incredible advancement in the efficiency of our business processes,” said Susan Norton, director of human resources. “As one of only a few universities in the nation to use this module to shift to an entirely electronic system, MCG is on the cutting edge of HR technologies.”
The e-PAR system, which began testing in late spring, will move the campus from paper-based Personnel Action Request forms to a faster electronic system that will allow electronic approvals or “signatures” and enable workflow tracking through the electronic routing system. A number of pilot departments began processing real transactions to the database in early summer, and the process has been well received.
Pilot tester Kelly Callaway in the School of Medicine Office of Operations acknowledges a small learning curve, but thinks the system will be “an asset to our workflow once we get used to it.
“We have to think differently – we have to get over wanting to hold onto our paper,” she said. “Once we get into the routine of it, I think everyone will love it, especially when they realize they won’t have to run all over campus for signatures.”
The e-PAR module automatically pulls personnel information from the system into the online form. The whole process is complete in just a few clicks, and the person who initiates the transaction can monitor the status of the request and receive e-mail alerts as it moves through the system.
Electronic routing streamlines the approval process. “This system has cut our transaction processing time to a fraction of what we experienced with the paper-based system,” said Sharri Peck, human resources information systems and reporting manager. “Salary changes through Sponsored Accounting that used to take weeks to process can now be completed in one to two days. We even had one termination transaction that went through in one hour. It would have taken four days under the old system. Also, some transactions – work commitment, reclassifications and title changes – will no longer even require a PAR. Best of all, this process also automatically updates the database so we always have the most current information in the system. There’s no lag time for data entry.”
Testing for faculty transactions is under way, and the system will be accessible to all departments by early next year, according to Ms. Peck. “We’ll contact departments and arrange for training as their turns come up,” she said.
For more information on the e-PAR system, contact Sharri Peck at ext. 1-0961.