Upgrading PeopleSoft Financials from 8.9 to 9.2

Advice You Need to Know from an Early Adopter

Grant ChappellVNSNY– Director of Business Systems

Michael MerrillElire Partner & Strategic Roadmap Expert

Introductions

Michael MerrillElire Partner & Strategic Roadmap Expert

--16 years of PeopleSoft project management, implementation/upgrade stage lead, and module lead experience

Grant ChappellVNSNY– Director of Business Systems

VNSNY Founded in 1893, the Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY) is the largest not-

for-profit home- and community-based health care organization in the United States, serving the five boroughs of New York City and Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties, as well as parts of upstate New York

The Visiting Nurse Service of New York offers a wide range of home health care services, including medical nursing services, management of chronic conditions, and care to meet the needs of every generation, from at-risk infants to those at the end of life

Project Summary VNSNY was able to successfully upgrade GL, AM, AP, PO, and ePro from PeopleSoft

version 8.9/PeopleTools 8.49 to 9.2/PeopleTools 8.53 in just 7.5 months using Oracle’s newly released 8.9 to 9.2 path

VNSNY had only a very lean team of internal and external functional/technical resources

VNSNY was also able to successfully maximize the use of a non-full time external PeopleSoft Admin/Upgrader resource

Project Objectives Pair Elire consultants with VNSNY staff so that VNSNY staff can expand their already solid knowledge base to

include the new features and technologies of the 9.2 application/tools 8.53 release

Evaluate and analyze the many new features Oracle has added since version 8.9 which could result in

cost savings,

productivity gains, and/or

decreased error rates

Remove non-value add customizations

Improve service where appropriate and deliver increased end user value

Project Methodology

The phases which represent key transition points in the project life cycle of our Elire Success DeliveredTM upgrade methodology are illustrated below

Project Methodology

Plan Phase

Elire and VNSNY used a series of well organized meetings and gate reviews to ensure entrance and exit criteria for the various phases are satisfied

Gate Kick Offs are critical parts of the Elire Success DeliveredTM methodology and were held at the beginning of key phases to allow for a detailed review of

Roles and responsibilities for the particular phase

Deliverables for the particular phase

Process flows and procedures for the particular phase

Software Install

Fit Gap

During Fit Gap we worked to understand the capacity the project could take on so that scope could be properly categorized into core and variable scope

Core Scope: Basics required to upgrade to 9.2 – the project’s primary goal

Variable Scope: Additional scope which would lead to an enhanced future state – things to tackle while “the hood is open” – which won’t jeopardize the project’s timeline and milestones

Fit Gap

The following were reviewed, in a series of facilitated working sessions involving the Client IT and Business representatives to set the approved Project Scope

Current State

Although a formal Current State document was not produced, it was helpful to begin the facilitated Fit Gap sessions with a walk through of key business process to ensure all resources were on the same page prior to determining the Fit/Gap of that process

Compare Report Analysis

Determined which customizations would carry forward

New functionality or functionality that was previously available but unused

The first priority was high-impact features and functionality or low-hanging fruit: features that are easy to implement and do not fundamentally change established business processes

Fit Gap

All details of the Analysis were compiled in a Solution Deliverable as shown in the below example for the New Features tab

Allowed for all Compare Report, New Feature, and Wish List/Work Request Enhancement details to be stored in one place

Captured overview information, priority, cost/benefit, and other pertinent information

Fit Gap

Following the completion of the Fit Gap, leadership reviewed the following to determine the official project scope:

The business priority of all core and variable scope items

A high-level cost benefit analysis of all core and variable scope items

The project’s FTE capacity

The project milestones

Reapplication / Configuration

Reapplication of existing customizations and development efforts were tracked via a Development Tracker

Development Tracker

Test Moves

The project used a series of Test Moves to perfect the upgrade process and build consensus for the production upgrade

The three major technical phases included:

The Initial Pass

The first pass was used to create the DEV environment

The Test Move to Production Passes

After completing the Initial Pass, the project conducted three Test Moves

With each iteration we perfected the process and prepared to go live

The Final Move to Production Pass

In the Final Move to Production Pass, the most recent successful output of the Test Move to Production Pass (generally UAT) was the Source

Success Delivered

The Elire project model for PeopleSoft upgrades works very well. The key components of the model are: high quality consultants, robust artifact requirements, well defined phase objectives and Elire senior leadership oversight. The Elire consultants were some of the best I have worked with, I would recommend them without reservation. The Elire documentation requirements and phase objectives complimented and supported each other. The Solutions Requirements Deliverable document was the bedrock of the project and used repeatedly by the team. All of the above comes together through the strong project oversight of Elire Senior leadership. Senior leadership set the stage for each project phase and constantly monitored progress/issues. In closing, I highly recommend Elire for PeopleSoft upgrades.

–Grant Chappell, Director of Business Systems, Visiting Nurse Service of New York