A: The SC
Enterprise Information System (SCEIS) will ultimately streamline and
standardize the business processes of virtually all state agencies onto
a single system, based on SAP software. An E-Government action plan was
developed as part of the strategic IT planning process, to include an
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. The functional scope of the
SCEIS initiative involves the replacement of many of the core business
systems found throughout South Carolina's state government.
Applications to be
replaced by SCEIS include financials, procurement (materials
management), budgeting, human resources/payroll, and customer service
functions.
The SCEIS project was mandated by the
SC Legislature (Act
151 of 2005).
A: The Project Team uses the ASAP methodology
for implementing SAP. ASAP was released in June 1997 and has since been
used in more than 1,000 projects worldwide to implement SAP efficiently.
ASAP streamlines and standardizes the implementation process to achieve
mission-critical business functionality as soon as possible. ASAP
provides a framework that makes efficient use of resources, including
time, and promotes a high-quality implementation.
The "ASAP Roadmap" is a high-level
implementation plan. It divides the implementation into five phases,
often referred to as "steps" so as not to be confused with the phases of
implementation. They are steps in the overall implementation process.
u
Project Preparation: During the project preparation phase, the project
team makes initial plans and preparation for the implementation. They
set up the project management office (PMO), define the statement of
work, and publish the detailed project plan.
v
Business Blueprint: During the Business Blueprint phase, all
stakeholders work to understand the project's business goals and to
determine the business processes required to support those goals. This
is the "scope definition."
w
Realization: During the Realization phase, the Project Team configures
the SAP modules and implements defined processes based on the business
Blueprint. Design and development activities for modifications
identified during the Business Blueprint phase begin. The system
integration test is conducted.
x
Final Preparation: During this step, the Project Team completes final
preparation activities before going live, including final system
testing, end-user training, data cutover, and system cutover to a
production environment.
y
Go Live and Support: During this step, the project-oriented,
pre-production environment is transitioned into a successful, live
production operation. End-users receive additional training, and the
end-user support system is activated.
Q:What are the major impacts and key
changes resulting from the new system?
A: The new system
will replace the existing financial, budget, procurement and HR systems
currently in use throughout state government. The new system will:
Implement best business practices
Streamline processes
Greatly reduce paperwork
Eliminate redundant work effort
Improve customer service, with
more access to information online
Q:How can we prepare and contribute
to the success of SCEIS?
A: The
stakeholders interviewed in preparation for the project viewed the
liaison structure as a good way to keep communication open between their
agencies and the SCEIS Project Team. Some offered that we could make
presentations at their standing meetings, or hold special introductory
workshops with their affected employees. Others suggested giving the
agencies examples of how SAP or system like SAP can benefit their
agency, by perhaps directing them to other jurisdictions that have
implemented similar systems.
A: The costs of the development
and implementation of SCEIS are shared by the State and the implementing
agencies, with agency implementation costs apportioned according to the
agency's number of end-users.
Q:Is there any financing help,
other than the Agency Savings Account?
A: The SC Master Lease program
helps agencies finance the cost of computers and other equipment,
permitting costs to be spread over five years. For more information, or
to take advantage of the SC Master Lease program, contact the
Debt Management Office of the State
Treasurer's Office.
A: SCEIS has partnered
with several leading companies involved in its development and implementation.
They include, or have included:
SAP, the leader
in providing ERP solutions to the public sector, is the software provider.
Deloitte Consulting partnered with the
SCEIS Project Team for the Phase 1A realization and implementation of the SAP system.
HP has supplied the hardware system, and
partnered with the SCEIS Project Team for its delivery, installation and
configuration.
TeamIA is
a leader in document management solutions.
BearingPoint, a leader in
implementing financial systems in government, worked with the SCEIS Project
Team to develop the initial Blueprint, and is currently providing staff
augmentation.
A: Founded
in 1972 by five former IBM systems engineers, SAP is the recognized leader in
providing collaborative e-business solutions for all types of industries and for
every major market. Headquartered in Waldorf, Germany, SAP is the world’s
largest inter-enterprise software company and the world’s third-largest
independent software supplier.
SAP is the
leading enterprise resource planning (ERP) vendor, with a 33 percent market
share in 2001 (according to AMR Research, July 2002) and planned additional
growth in 2002.
SAP’s
solution is fully integrated, supporting core ERP areas, utilities, and
Customer Relationship Management (CRM).
SAP’s
solution is industry specific for government accounting, supporting GASB
reporting requirements.
There have
been 56,000 SAP installations.
The SAP
solution has 12 million users.
SAP has
been implemented in 18,500 organizations in 120 countries worldwide.
Q: What are the desktop
hardware and software requirements for a SCEIS implementation?
A:The quick answer:
If your computer setup allows you to go online and surf the internet, you’ve got
enough capacity to use SCEIS. The SAP-based system is a huge and powerful tool,
requiring significant server resources, which are housed in the infrastructure
at the CIO Data Center. As the “client” in this “client-server” system,
you and your agency will get the benefit of that horsepower, without having to
build and maintain such a resource-intensive system.
The “think-about-it” answer:
Your agency will need to make some decisions about the ways you will use SCEIS.
Which employees, based on their
roles, will need SCEIS in their daily work, and therefore will need full-time
access to a workstation?
Which employees will need
occasional access to SCEIS – to update their own personnel records, for
instance? Would shared workstations serve that need? How many, and where should
they be?
Will your existing computers meet
your needs for the next 4-5 years? Even if your system is adequate for today,
you might want to take advantage of the SC Master Lease program to establish the
technology you’ll need in the future.
The Master Lease program helps agencies finance the cost of computers and other
equipment, permitting costs to be spread over five years. For more information
or to take advantage of the SC Master Lease program, contact the
Debt
Management Office of the State Treasurer's Office..
The detailed business-process
analysis required for adoption of SCEIS provides an opportunity to coordinate,
simplify and streamline your core processes, offering additional efficiencies in
both technology and personnel. Some changes may be simply a business decision,
while others may require policy-level decisions.
The “tell-the-techies”
answer: The
South Carolina Enterprise Architecture Oversight Committee (AOC) has established
standards for Minimum Desktop Hardware that more than meet the SAP
recommended requirements. The
AOC standard
is posted on the CIO website.
Scan stations for image capture and processing will be set up as
part of the SCEIS project for each agency. Each agency must provide
scanners. The computer and software to operate the scanning station are part of
your SCEIS implementation.
Any additional viewing requirements beyond the project allocation
can be met with standard 17" or 19" monitors. While larger monitors may be a desired feature, they are not
required.
Q:How can I know whether my agency has the
computer systems and hardware we need for SCEIS?
A: The SCEIS Deployment team will work closely with
your agency to assess your existing infrastructure, and to help you plan
for your hardware and connectivity needs. In addition, you may want to
review the information above, concerning hardware
requirements.Discussion of specific technology requirements
for agencies is available in
the
Organization Technical Infrastructure Readiness guide (pdf 44 kb).
Q:Since SCEIS is a client-server system -- with data residing in the
servers, not in my agency's desktop computers -- what happens if the
connection goes down?
A: Without a connection, you will not
be able to send transactions to SCEIS. The SCEIS Project Team and the
Chief Information Office are working to assure a constant and reliable
connection in all but the most extreme circumstances.
Q:If one agency requires a "restore," is the
whole system down, or just that one agency's system?
A: Briefly, if any restore were
needed, it would be a full-system restore, as SAP does not recommend
partial data restoration. However, a system restore is extremely
unlikely.
In practical terms, if data input or business
transactions carried out within an agency create a difficulty, the
problem can probably be solved through corrective data entries or
alternate transactions. A system restore would only be needed if there
were catastrophic problems in the operating system -- not because of
problems in the dataset.
Q: How do I change the role
assignments/authorizations for one of my employees?
A: A form has been developed for you to use
when requesting user creation or removal, or access changes. Find the
Access Request Form here and
follow the instructions included.
A:
Significant paper reduction is one of the important benefits of the SCEIS solution.
Many transactions will be entirely electronic, with no need to print or
save paper copies.
Of course, you will still receive paper documents
as part of your routine business. Once you have scanned a document and
entered it into the SCEIS system, the electronic document becomes the
official archived version, and the paper version is a redundant copy.
Q:Do I need separate scanners for
different-sized documents?
A: You will make that determination
yourself, by your agency's selection of scanners. Most scanners can accommodate documents of varied
sizes. A few models are designed specifically for particular sheet
sizes.
You also determine whether to use multiple small
desktop scanners, or a few centrally-placed high-volume scanners.
A: Phase 1A went live November 1,
2007, and Phase 1B went live April 7, 2008. For the additional rollout
schedule, see the list of
proposed rollout groups. The composition of
the proposed groups may be adjusted, as the Project Team and agency
representatives further explore the business requirements within
each agency.
A: The
proposed rollout schedule is
available here. It is predicated on the concepts of "functional fit" and
"broader scope." Business processes used in
"functional fit" agencies correlate closely to existing functionality
within the SCEIS production system. For agencies with broader
business-function needs, additional development work may be required.
All agency selections are based on
agency needs, project capacities and functional fit.
The composition of the proposed groups may be
adjusted, as the Project Team and agency representatives further explore
the business requirements within each agency
A: Each Rollout Wave will begin with
Finance and Materials Management. Human Resources functionalities will
be rolled out several months to a year after each agency's initial FI/MM Go Live.
Q:My agency is in a "later wave."
How and when will I be notified of our required preparation activities?
A: Each agency has been asked to
designate an "Agency Liaison,"
the one individual within your agency who is the point of contact
between SCEIS and your agency. The Deployment team will contact your
Liaison (also called a Deployment Lead) well ahead of your Go-Live date, to begin coordinating the many
tasks required for your implementation.
During the months before your Go-Live,
the SCEIS Change Management Team will be working very closely with you
and your agency team to prepare.
Of course, you are welcome to participate in the
project planning and development right now. Your involvement at the planning
stage will help assure that South Carolina's system meets the needs of
its agencies. To ask about participating now, send an email to
sceis@sceis.sc.gov.
Q:How can I
begin preparing for my agency's implementation?
A: If your agency is in the next
group for implementation, the SCEIS Project Team and its Deployment Team have already
been working with you. Wherever your agency stands in the rollout schedule,
there are ways you and your agency can begin preparing for SCEIS:
Business process analysis: Where and how can
you streamline and simplify your current business practices? SCEIS
provides an ideal opportunity to leave bad habits behind -- and, in
fact, that's part of where we'll achieve the considerable economy of the system.
Role evaluations: Access and use of SAP are
"role-based" -- meaning that what you can see and do are determined by
the "security roles" assigned to you. Who in your organization generates
purchase orders? Who approves them? Who sends an order to a vendor? Each
of those is a role, which may be performed by one person or several.
You'll need to identify the roles performed by each SCEIS end-user in
your agency. The Deployment team will help you complete this
role-mapping, but you might find it useful to begin this evaluation
early.
Data cleansing: Before you migrate data from
your existing system to SCEIS, you need to correct typographical errors, remove redundant entries, clarify similar entries, and address other
such
data-cleansing tasks, as well as match your data fields to SAP fields.
This is "hand-work," tedious but essential if you are to avoid uploading
old problems into the new system. See the SCEIS Data Cleansing Guidelines (Word 131k).
While the schedules mentioned in that document were specific for First-Wave
agencies, the general principles and techniques apply to all
implementations.
Technology infrastructure assessment: As you
approach Go-Live, the Deployment team will work with you to evaluate
your agency's technology readiness. Before that, however, you can begin
determining which employees will need full-time access to a
computer, and which ones will be able to share a workstation; where
updated workstations will be needed; and whether your current internet
access will meet your needs in the future. Click here for
more information about technical readiness (pdf 44kb).
Q:What about end-user licenses?
How did SCEIS determine the number of licenses needed at my agency?
A: Early on, SCEIS made a preliminary estimate of end-users at each agency, noting the total
number of employees who would need to have some level of access to
SCEIS. Some employees will need SCEIS daily to perform their assigned work
tasks, while others will only need occasional access (to update their
personnel records, for instance).
The preliminary survey of end-users will be
re-evaluated before your Go-Live date, and a more specific count will be
developed, using data you provide to the SCEIS Project Team. Note, any
change in license count will NOT affect your
Agency Implementation Cost (pdf 22 kb).
Q:Can the number of licenses be
increased if needed?
A: The
license count will be updated before your Go Live date.
Note, any change in license count will NOT affect your
Agency Implementation Cost (pdf 22 kb).
Even after Go
Live, we know that your agency will occasionally need to change its
license count, as you add or delete positions.
A: Send an email to
SCEISHelp@sceis.sc.gov. Or telephone
803-734-0343. Please include as much information as possible -- the
document number, or images of error messages, for instance.
A: With the error message showing
on screen, press Alt and the Print-Screen key
together. Then open an email message, click in the text area, and press
Ctrl-V (or >Edit >Paste) to paste the error message.
A: End users attend a series
of classes and workshops, beginning with the Workforce Transition
Workshops, which will outline the new processes and identify any
associated change impacts.
In addition, all end users will attend the core
curriculum, consisting of the SCEIS Overview, the SAP Overview, and SAP
navigation. Further instructions and navigational materials will be
incorporated during the process-based classes. Throughout the
training, you can be assured of
several major points:
All training materials and course content will
be developed using our own SCEIS system and South Carolina processes
and datasets.
End-users will be trained during the two-month
period before their Go-Live date.
Classes will be process-based. That means each
employee will take courses specific to the work he or she will perform
in SCEIS.
Each course will last from a half-day to three
days. An employee will need to take several courses, depending on his
or her work assignments.
Almost all courses will be "hands-on," in computer labs, with one student per computer. The
overview courses are presented in an auditorium.
A:
When you begin your end-user training courses,
just before your
agency's go-live, you will get access to the sandbox (training) system,
for practice and experimentation. Until then, you will not be able to
take a "test drive" of the system.
Until then, you are invited to
take part in the SCEIS User Groups,
to learn more about the implementation process and about how the system
works, and to network with other users and future users.
A: The program curriculum is
organized according to learning "tracks." A track is a set of courses
that focus
on SAP processes which should be mastered by a specific end-user role or
similar roles. A course will cover groups of related processes or
modules.
To
ensure that you attend the correct courses, your Agency Training
Coordinator or Agency Lead will work with the SCEIS Organizational
Change Management (OCM) team to verify and match the appropriate role or
roles for each end-user.
Q:What if an employee misses a
class, or I have a new employee to be trained?
A: The two-month period just before
your Go-Live date will be intensively dedicated to the training
schedule. In some cases, multiple sections of a course are offered,
giving you some flex in the training schedule. Training for newly-hired employees will be handled on a case-by-case
basis.
After your agency's go-live, any trained end-users
are eligible to repeat or review courses, on a space-available basis.
For more information, contact the
SCEIS Training Director.
Q:How much of my staff's time will
training require?
A: SCEIS operates very differently from legacy systems
and from Microsoft Windows-based systems. Therefore, training
will be detailed, and the
amount of time required of any one employee will depend on the roles for
which he or she must be trained.
Q:What Grants Management
functionalities will I have?
A: SAP
includes
several modules addressing Grants Management. In Finance, SCEIS has implemented the Finance/FI, Controlling/CO, Funds Management/FM and Grants
Management/GM modules.
The GM module captures financial data
from the sponsor's (grantor's) perspective. It allows business areas to:
Capture sponsored programs (i.e., track two or
more subcomponents of a single grant separately, or track two or more
grants together), and,
Capture sponsored classes (i.e., group general
ledger accounts (object codes) in the grantor's budget lines).
If agencies properly establish each data object when
grants are entered in SCEIS, information for grant reporting will be
easily accessible.
For the First Wave agencies, there is relatively
little grants involvement. The Finance Team is increasing GM functionality as they work
toward subsequent waves, to support agencies that have more complex grants-management
needs.
Q:I don't have a clear picture of
data hierarchy. What elements are "derived" from other elements?
A: Derivation rules are under
development now. For now, you should start becoming familiar with the
master data objects and the related mapping from the legacy systems, and
across SAP modules.
The Finance Team calls this Finance Integration, and
there will be multiple presentations of this information.
Q:Can I upload a FY budget and
make changes in authorizations during the fiscal year?.
A: The initial legal basis budget will be uploaded into SAP, as it is done now in STARS. Live agencies
will have the option to allocate (push budget down) to more levels. The
requirements for appropriation transfers will remain the same; requests
will workflow to the Office of State Budget for live agencies.
Q:How does the "shopping cart"
work? Can I "test drive" a prototype?
A: The shopping cart is a new method
that SAP has developed to ease the process of creating a Purchase
Requisition, for users who are not professional buyers.
The shopping cart is built as a web interface, for
access by remote users. Basically, the shopping cart is a three-step
wizard-type process:
Choose the type of procurement that is
required,
Fill in the details for the procurement, and,
Place the order. (Note: See the question/answer
immediately below.)
There are several ways to select the items you want
to buy.
Select goods and services from catalogs or
contracts,
Enter a description of your requirements
Enter a product ID from the Product Master, or,
For recurring orders, use previous shopping
carts or templates provided by the purchasing department.
You might be able to schedule a "test drive,"
depending on the time availabilities within the Materials Management
functional team. Contact us at
sceis@sceis.sc.gov.
Q:Do I actually purchase an item while in the Shopping Cart?
A: Shopping Cart begins the purchase
process, but does not immediately send the order to a vendor.
Workflow within SCEIS will send your purchase request to the proper
person(s) for approval, before bidding takes place or (for an item with
no bidding requirement) a purchase order is issued, and before the order is
placed by the agency buyer.
A: The Materials Management team is
working closely with live users to increase user expertise and to refine
the system. For more information about workshops, contact the
Materials Management Team.
Q:What are
shopping cart templates? Who creates them?
A: Templates are created for
recurring procurement processes, as a time saver. They can be accessed
by requestors using the shopping cart. Ordinarily, a buyer will create
templates in the shopping cart. However, template creation involves
security, and it will be the agency’s decision as to who is given
authorization to create templates.
Q:
As a requestor or shopping cart creator, how will I
check on contracts and bids?
A: The shopping cart requestor has the authorization to “check status” of a request, to view follow-on
documents that have been created by the buyer. After the requisition
follow-on document, other follow-on documents include a bid solicitation
document, a vendor response document, a purchase order document, and a
contract document.
A: Document Builder is an application
in SAP that supplies "boilerplate" language for terms and conditions in
contracts, solicitations and other purchasing instruments.
ITMO (Information Technology Management Office) and
MMO (Materials Management Office) have spent many years developing
standard clauses (terms and conditions) that are added to solicitation
documents and become part of a contract.
With SCEIS, if you create purchasing documents,
you'll have access to Document Builder, and will be trained in how to
identify and access the appropriate "bundles" of contract elements.
Q:
How will I secure a new NIGP code in a timely manner?
A: If a new
Code is needed from NIGP, the agency should contact ITMO (the SC
Information Technology Management Office), which manages purchase and
posting of NIGP codes. They will download the new NIGP
Code to SCEIS, extending it to all agencies. The turn-around time for
one additional NIGP Code is expected to be within 8 hours.
The need for an additional NIGP Code should not
delay the procurement process, however. The bidding process can begin
without the new NIGP Code, which can be added (or changed) during
purchase order creation.
For Direct Pay vendors, a W-9 is needed. The
Comptroller General's Office reviews the registration requests to verify
the required information is provided. A vendor may be blocked until the
registration process is complete. If you know of duplicate vendors,
please let the Comptroller General's office know.
A: For a
change-of-address, the vendor should use the online registration system
to enter the change. Do NOT set up a new vendor record for a change of
address.
Q:
What if I don't know the funding information when I am completing the
shopping cart?
A: If you don't know the funding
stream (account information), just enter a "U" in the fields requiring
funding information. The Shopping Cart will route to the designated
person in Finance, to complete that information.
Q:
Can I get a list of General Ledger codes in SRM?
A: Currently, the GL code is a
default, based on the selection of the NIGP code. The Materials
Management Team is researching a way either to provide a list, or to
generate an error message if the GL codes and NIGP codes don't match.
A: You should place either the
"taxable" code or "tax exempt" code on each item on a purchase order.
This can be changed at the Invoice. Use Tax also can be applied to a
purchase at Invoice.
Q:
What supporting documentation for purchases should be scanned for State
Auditors?
A: Scan in any supporting document
that you think will be requested by the Auditors, and that is not
already in the system. It is not necessary to print out a Purchase Order
and then scan it back in.
A: If the packing slip has warrant
information on it, it's good practice to scan it. In general, guidelines
for such scanning are a business decision by each agency.
Q:What is BW/Business Warehouse,
and how will it affect my agency's work?
A: Business Warehouse (BW) is SCEIS's
central storage system for business data. At least daily, SCEIS will
"warehouse" the data generated in that day's work, ensuring its
stability, security and accessibility to all business areas.
The transactional system is called Enterprise Core
Components (ECC). To ensure that data entry is efficient in ECC,
analytical reports and reports using data from multiple modules will be
produced from BW. Displays and lists (whether online or printed) are
examples of items which will be available directly from ECC.
The Enterprise Reporting Team has gathered the
requirements of STARS, First Wave agencies, and certain other reports.
The Team is determining the strategy for producing and distributing the
needed reports. More information will be posted when the Reporting
Strategy is completed.
A: In many instances, you will not need to invoke
Business Warehouse (BW) directly. Instead, it will run "in the
background," as a resource for SCEIS transactions and reports. For
custom data-access, you will learn to launch inquiries within Business
Warehouse, generating data in Excel spreadsheets which you can manipulate
in many ways.
Q:What reports will I be able to
generate within SCEIS?
A: Like other aspects of SCEIS,
reporting is centrally driven, using data in ECC and in the Business Warehouse
(BW). A library of report templates will assure that each agency
can export the information it needs, whether for internal analysis or
external reporting. Specific training will assure that users are
knowledgeable about using those templates.
Q:How can I meet specialized
reporting needs -- Federal reports, for instance?
A: Your daily work will enter data
into the enterprise-wide ECC system and its Business Warehouse.
For the most part,
standard reports will provide the information required. The actual format
may look a bit different from what you currently use; but the data you
need will be in the report.
For custom reports, you will be able to
query the system yourself to access the data you need.
The SCEIS Project Team continues to
catalog the range of reports needed, to assure that you will be able to output the reports you need.
A: Data for the SCEIS system are
warehoused centrally, in servers at the State Chief Information Office.
All users will access the data through network connections.
The SCEIS system is enterprise-wide -- statewide --
and highly integrated. That's a powerful advantage which reduces
redundant data entry, duplicative record-keeping and operator error. For
instance, when a vendor registers once in the SCEIS system, that company
is available as a vendor to any state agency.
Information updates propagate daily throughout the
system, allowing all users to work with the most current information.
A: Access to transactions, data, reports
and all other elements of SAP are controlled through role-based
authorizations. In short, if someone's job roles permit them to view
your agency's data, or to carry out a transaction on behalf of your
agency, their SAP security roles will allow them to do so. If they do
not have those security authorizations, they will not see the data, and
will not have access to the transaction codes.
This is true between agencies and within an
agency. A purchasing clerk, for instance, will be able to view his or
her own request for a purchase order, and will be able to see the when the request has
been approved. But he or she will not be able to approve the request,
and will not be able to view the payment history, unless that is
allowed by other roles within his or her job description.
Q:What Human
Resources functionalities will I have at Go-Live?
A: When your agency first "goes live,"
there will be no Human Resources functionality available to you.
Instead, the State Office of Human Resources will continue to receive
and maintain your agency's HR data in the existing HRIS system, and will
also mirror a select group of data fields in the SCEIS system. Nightly
SCEIS updates will assure that the HRIS data will be available to
support agencies' Finance and Materials Management functions.
Several months after your Go Live date, the
HR/Payroll module of SCEIS will be brought online for your agency.
