Enhancements to Request Tracking
Managers and Payroll Coordinators Request Tracking Enhancements The Request Tracking application has been enhanced...
Enhancements to Request Tracking
Managers and Payroll Coordinators
Request Tracking Enhancements
The Request Tracking application has been enhanced to provide expanded search capabilities, more specific information about where a form is in workflow, and the individual who is currently holding the form. The enhancements will be implemented and effective May 25.
- Improved Search – Users can select the status drop-down to filter their HCM transactions according to those in process, submitted, completed, or rejected. Alternatively, Specific Search enables users to filter Organizational Management and Personnel Actions including position ID, BUID, personnel number, approver name, date and time.
IMPORTANT NOTE: As an additional enhancement, the new data fields will be populated for older transactions so users are able to use the new Specific Search capabilities to search for transactions submitted from July 1 2011 – May 25 2012. However, for some transactions, historical information may not be available to populate certain fields.
- New Screen Layout Features – Additional columns have been added to the screen providing more detailed information including an employee’s BUID number, personnel number and a position’s ID. Users now will be able to find the position IDs of newly created positions, BUID and personnel numbers of newly hired employees on the screen. Additionally, the application now allows you to select the number of rows to display on the screen (10 rows or more).
- Workflow Current Agents – Users now will be able to quickly identify the individual(s) processing their request and their contact information, by clicking on the Current Agent field.
- Display Approvals – Shows anticipated path of approvals and history of actual approvals with time and date stamp.
Important Note: Open searches with no dates, tracking number, or request type are not recommended, because this may slow down system performance when a user has many historical transactions available.
Support
Detailed work instructions and a quick reference guide for Request Tracking are located online in the Human Resources folder. Click to access. If you have any questions please contact the IT Help Center at ithelp@bu.edu or 617-353-4357.
Sincerely,
Shridhar Kulkarni
Director, Human Capital Management
BUworks
Enhancements to Personnel Action (PA) Forms
Managers and Payroll Coordinators
In response to community feedback, enhancements have been made to the Personnel Action (PA) forms to improve overall usability. The enhancements will be implemented and effective May 25.
Personnel Action (PA) Forms:
- Revised Header on all PA Forms* includes expanded employee information including employment date, status, percentage time employed, salary, hourly rate, base rate, and assignment duration. * Except the New Hire/Re-Hire/Additional Assignment form.
- New “Recalculate Salary” button on the Employee Position Update, Transfer, and Position Change forms will recalculate the annual salary based on data changes. Buttons on the New Hire forms will calculate the regular hours as well as the estimated annual salary.
- Information fields have been renamed on PA Forms:
| PA Form | Field Name | Renamed to . . . |
| Additional Payments Form | Effective Date | Effective/Start Date of Payment |
| Faculty Contract Update Form | Date of Action | Contract Effective Date |
| Leave of Absence Form | Date of Action | Leave/Return Effective Date |
| Recurring Payments Form | Effective Date | All Recurring Payments Active as of this Date |
| Salary Change Form | Date of Action | Salary Change Effective Date |
| Salary Cost Distribution Form | Date of Action | Cost Distribution Effective Date |
| Transfer Form | Date of Action | Transfer Effective Date |
| Position Change Form | Date of Action | Position Change Effective Date |
| Retirement Action Form | Date of Action | Retirement Effective Date |
| Transfer Form | Date of Action | Transfer Effective Date |
- Work Schedule Pull Down Window populates with key information and descriptions
- Retirement Form – Last Day Worked and Last Day Paid fields are updated on the backend using the Retirement Effective Date
- Salary Change Form – When a pay level has been changed for L615, Personnel Sub-Area 0140, the associated hourly rate is automatically populated.
- Leave of Absence Form has been revised to have the same look and feel as other PA forms. Users can now enter the Leave/Return Effective Date and select Continue Editing Form to update the leave data.
Detailed work instructions for processing Personnel Action Forms are located online in the Human Resources folder. Click to access. If you have any questions please contact the IT Help Center at ithelp@bu.edu or 617-353-4357.
Sincerely,
Shridhar Kulkarni
Director, Human Capital Management
BUworks
“Missing Cost Distributions” Report
Payroll Coordinators
We have implemented a new program that updates the Missing Cost Distributions to ensure payroll runs smoothly. One day prior to the weekly and monthly payroll runs, a report will be distributed to Payroll Coordinators listing those employees whose HR records (containing expired or invalid cost distributions) have been updated by this program. A sample report is provided below.
Action Required: If you receive a report, prior to the next scheduled payroll run, submit the appropriate form to update the employee’s cost distribution with the correct distribution information. The next time payroll is run, the incorrect distribution will be reversed and replaced with the corrected distribution (fund center, internal order, or specified grant). If you have any questions, please contact the Payroll Office please contact BU Payroll at 617-353-2270 or e-mail bupay@bu.edu.
Sincerely,
Cheryl DiMuro
Director, Payroll
Comptroller Office
Shridhar Kulkarni
Director, Human Capital Management
BUworks
Sample “Missing Cost Distributions” Report:
Hiring a Graduating Student Employee
In order to hire a 2012 graduating student employee after graduation into a casual or regular position at the University, the following procedure will be in place. Student Employment will need to terminate the student employee prior to the student being hired as a casual or regular full or part time employee. The procedure for terminating a student employee from the current graduating class, so that he/she can then be hired as a casual or full/part-time University employee, is outlined below.
- The last day a student in the class of 2012 can work as a student employee at Boston University is May 20.
- Departments need to notify Student Payroll as soon as possible via email at stupayro@bu.edu, that they plan to hire a May graduate as a casual employee; Human Resources will notify Student Payroll for a student being hired as a regular full or part-time employee.
This email should include:
- Student’s Name
- BU I.D. Number
- Anticipated start date of the job
- Name and phone number of payroll coordinator that Student Payroll should contact once the termination has been entered onto SAP.
Once Student Payroll has updated the student’s SAP record to a terminated status, the department can then complete the normal hiring process for a casual position or Human Resources will complete the hiring process for a regular full or part-time position.
Please Note: While it is always important that payments for student employees be submitted in a timely manner, it is critical that all payments for students graduating on May 20 be submitted on time. Any delay in payment can create obstacles and delays in the ability to hire an individual as a casual or full/part-time employee.
Security Role Transitions to Department Security
Data Security Administrators, Data Trustees, Readiness Leaders and Power Users
As previously announced, responsibility for requesting and approving changes to BUworks security access will transition from the BUworks Readiness Leaders to Department Security Administrators (DSAs) and Data Trustees. Beginning Friday May 18, 2012, users should request changes to their security access directly from their designated DSA. Information on how to contact your DSA, security access roles and the process for requesting changes are posted on the BUworks website. Click on this link for information.
If you have any questions please contact the IT Help Center at ithelp@bu.edu or 617-353-4357.
Funds Management Transaction Report is Available
Funds Management Report Users
Please note that the Funds Management Transaction Report (with Payroll Detail) is now available for access.
New Quota Quick Reference Guides
Mangers and Timekeepers
The BUworks Training and Time Management Teams have produced a set of Quick Reference Guides to help mangers and timekeepers view and process non-exempt, weekly-paid employee quotas. The Quota Quick Reference Guides provide summary instructions for:
- Viewing employee quota balances in Employee Self-service and web GUI
- Processing quota compensation
- Viewing attendance and absence data in calendar view
If you have any questions please contact the IT Help Center at ithelp@bu.edu or 617-353-4357.
Sincerely,
Mark Spengler
Time Management Lead
BUworks
Fiscal Year End Closing
Readiness Leaders and Power Users
This message contains the recently distributed fiscal year closing memo and links to webinars and training.
Fiscal Year End Closing Memo
The memo below has been distributed today covering our upcoming fiscal year closing process and deadlines.
Fiscal Year End Closing Memo – May 2012
Fiscal Year Closing Webinars – (Optional) Highlight the Year End Closing Process and Deadlines
Web sessions have been scheduled to review the year end closing process, deadlines, preparation and to answer participant questions. These sessions will be hosted jointly by representatives from BUworks Training, Financial Affairs, Budget, and Sourcing & Procurement Offices. The sessions are identical, so please register for only one date and time. Registration limit is 100 employees per session. Based on interest, additional sessions may be added.
- Wednesday, May 16 – 2:00-4:00
- Friday, May 18 – 10:00-12:00
To register to attend a webinar, please visit this page.
May-June Training Schedule — Includes Funds Management (FM) Reporting and Journal Entry Processing Workshops/Labs
Additional and more detailed training sessions are also available covering how to use FM reports and process journal entries. To access the current schedule click.
BUworks Update: Announcing New Online Catalogs and Improved Search Capabilities
Shoppers
In response to requests from users, BUworks and Sourcing & Procurement are pleased to announce additional online supplier catalogs and enhancements to the catalog interface. These enhancements are designed to improve your shopping experience and streamline the product selection process.
Funds Management Transaction Detail Report is Temporarily Unavailable
Funds Management Report Users
Please note that the Funds Management Transaction Report (with Payroll Detail) is temporarily unavailable for usage while a correction is being made. Shortly after the correction has been addressed and tested, a follow-up communication will be sent to let you know that the report is available for usage.