BUworks Goes Live
BUworks officially went live on July 1, coinciding with the new fiscal year. There’s been a large amount of correspondence about this new system but here’s what most of us really need to know:
BUworks website: This website, http://www.bu.edu/buworks/, provides you with the resources you need to do your job using BUworks. Help, updates, information, and access to the BUworks Central Portal, https://ppo.buw.bu.edu/ are all located here.
Business and Financial Functions: Any business processes or financial functions that were previously completed using Business Link or Galaxy will now need to be completed using BUworks.
Employee Self Service (ESS): All employees may access the ESS portal to manage their personal information, benefits, flexible spending account, tuition remission, etc. This portal replaces the current Employee Link.
One especially important aspect of ESS is Time Entry. Time Entry went live on June 29, for all weekly-paid non-exempt employees. Weekly-paid employees must enter their time each week into the ESS portal. You can access ESS from any computer, but there will be three computers in the 7th floor computer lab of the Dental School set aside solely for time entry. Work instructions will be provided both in a binder near the workstations and as PDF help files on the machines.
If you are an exempt employee (and not a time-keeper) you don’t need to do anything related to time entry at this time. Look for additional functionality that applies to you to come online in early 2012.
Confused?: By this time you should have completed all the BUworks training modules assigned to you, which were designed to teach you how to use the new system. We know it’s a lot to take in, so if you still have questions you can check out the online help tools available through the BUworks Central portal, https://ppo.buw.bu.edu/. A glossary of new BUworks terms is also available on the portal.
And if you’re still confused ask a Power User to help. GSDM Power Users include: Dolly Abbott, Erika Abruzzese, Kathy Bagley, Leslie Baker, Joann Beer, Rebecca Bhatia, Beth Bouhmadouche, Sharon Boyle, Patrice Freeman-Lau, Afaf Hourani, James Howard, Paula Linskey, Carole Loughran, Erica Manczuk, Kelly Marcinkewich, Ashley Matsumura, Eleanor McConnell, Tim McDonough, Annette McPhie, Richard Rabbett, Linda Reed, John Reilly, and James Taillefer.
Finally, get excited! It might take a little while to get used to, but BUworks is designed to bring both our technology and business practices into the 21st century, and it will ultimately allow us to work smarter and more efficiently. Good luck!