Middlebury College
Banner Implementation:
Minerva Project
Kathy Weiss
Assistant Registrar for the Undergraduate
College
&
Co-Lead for the Banner Student
Implementation
ANCIENT HISTORY
 In 1998, should we develop software “in-house?”
 August 1999, the Minerva Report suggests radical change
 September 1999, working group began systematic evaluation
 January 2000, appointed project manager
 February 2000, began formal requirements and evaluation
 Approximately 70% certain: vendor software
 Included “in-house” system in evaluation, formal RFP process
 Several rounds, scoped down to 5, then to 2 (PeopleSoft and SCT)
 Steering Team with input, selected SCT in August 2000
 Signed a multi-year software and services contract on Sept. 28, 2000
WHY?
10.
9.
8.
7.
6.
5.
4.
3.
2.
1.
Improve the quality of the system for secondary users
Take advantage of superior technology
Take advantage of emerging technology
Shift our resources to “value added” activities
Avoid the cost of being a “development” shop
Improvements in the quality of ERP products
Take advantage of vendor customer base
Increase end-user self-sufficiency
Easier Access to more timely and accurate information
Integration
HISTORY
 The Chart of Accounts
 New AP/Purchasing procedures, policies, processes
 Training of end users on Banner
 Selection of a reporting tool (Brio)
 Hiring of a Banner experienced Project Manager (Larry Tansey)
 The changing face of technology at Midd
 Creation of infrastructure to support project
 Go live on July 2, 2001
The Chart of Accounts
No more 26-184-20-TTR, now . . .
We have 100010-210630-706200-300-100
Indexes, PRAT01 (Provost, Athletics, Fund 01)
What do we gain:
Encumbrances
Flexibility
Replace “Shadow Systems”
Tailor to “Users” Needs
Enhanced Reporting Capabilities
 A shared management information system
Human Resources
• Went live on January 1, 2002
• Web-time entry
• Payroll
• Lessons learned
Training of End Users
• Massive training effort
• Documentation critical
• Eye on “process improvement”
The Reporting Tool
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•
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Brio Technologies
End user queries
Programmer’s tool
Web based reports
The Changing Face of Technology
A quick review of some jargon:
instance
clone
web enabled
“web for”
form
conversion
interface
portal
tables and views
The AS400, IBM quasi relational database, mainframe
Oracle 8i, relational database, web based forms
Showcase to Brio
Single instance (version) of database to 6 instances of DB
Minerva Project Structure
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Steering Team
Implementation Oversight Team
Leads Plus Team
Data Standards Work Team
Project Technical Team
Change Management Training Sub-team
Technology Sub-team (client group, server group, T3)
User Support Sub-team
Functional Work Teams (Technical and Functional Leads)
Finance
(e.g., COA, AP/Purchasing)
HR
Alumni
Student
Financial Aid
Implementation Calendar (Q1 began Sept. ‘00)
YEAR 1
OctDec
Finance
HR
Alumni
Student
Fin. Aid
JanMar
X
10/00
AprJune
YEAR 2
JulySept
OctDec
X
7/01
JanMar
AprJune
YEAR 3
JulySept
OctDec
JanMar
AprJune
JulySept
X
1/02
X
1/01
X
1/02
X
11/01
X
8/02
X
4/02
X
8/03
X
8/02
X
2/03
The Banner Systems
Financial
Aid
Student
Recruiting
Admissions
Catalog
Schedule
Faculty Load
Academic History
Location Mgt.
Registration
Accounts Receivable
CAPP
Human
Resources
Alumni
Finance
The Student Implementation
• The Student Module Implementation Team (SMIT) oversees
the entire student implementation, providing guidance to needed
work teams.
• Work teams formed around different functions: registration,
admissions, recruiting, etc.
• These work teams may be broken out into even greater specificity:
undergraduate registration, recruitment of special groups, etc.
Student Implementation Team Structure
Student Core Team
• Lead group (co-leads; technical lead; consultant)
• Attends training for each module (SCT lead)
• Coordinates training schedule for work teams
• Requests information on policy or procedural changes as needed
• Meets regularly with Advisory Team and with liaison to
Academic Affairs Committee.
SMIT Group – Core Team plus key functional specialists
• Operational team; meets weekly
• Develops strategies for implementation
• Members serve as module leads and share information
across modules
• Plans work team compositions
SMIT Team Membership
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•
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•
•
Likely to play a critical role on a work team
Understand what we do and how we do it
Think about how we can do things better
Translate this into a system
Communicate, communicate, communicate
Work Teams
• SMIT member as Team Lead along with other functional
specialists from across campus.
• Receive 3 day training from SCT for each module
• Responsible for
• building and testing the module
• developing training documents
• training end users
Cross – Module Issues Teams
• May include people trained and not trained
• Each module / work team will need to address these issues:
• Data Standards
• IPEDS reporting
• Web Services
• Reporting / Datamarts
• Security
• Training
• Communications
Steps for each Module:
• Create and train a work team of users/decision makers
• Build Banner validations and rules
• Test, refine and perfect the business process as it will exist in Banner
• Develop security profile for the process
• Build reporting infrastructure to support the process
• Convert data and test for accuracy
• Build any necessary interfaces or data bridges
• Create end-user documentation
• Train end-users on Banner and Brio
Proposed Student Module Timeline
‘02
Jan
April
July
Oct.
Dec.
Academic
History
Converted
Enter new
Resource 25
Summer
prospects
Interface
School Reg.
Summer
and convert
Spring Term Reg.
School/SA
Convert
old ones
(Web-based)
Search Mailing
Summer
Recruiting
First-year
UG Housing
employee
Seminar reg. Enter UG
housing
Apps
‘03
Jan
April
July
Oct.
Early Decision
Dec.
Reunion
housing
’03 Catalog
(Summer/Fall)
Summer
School/SA
Admissions
‘04
Jan
Feb &
returning
student
housing
Homecoming/
Summer/
Family
Housing of
First-year
Winter
Fall Sched. LS & Bread Loaf
weekend
First-years
Reg.
Term Reg.
Housing
Housing
Schools Abroad
Convert April
First transcripts
Registration
Registrations
out of Banner
First F.A.
Packaging in
Banner
Regular Decision
First F.A.
disbursement in
Banner
UG & Study
Abroad Billing
April
First Banner
Commencement
Commencement
Housing
Summer School
Billing
July
First UG aid.
disbursement in
Banner
Oct.
Dec.
Lessons Learned
• Buy-in and support from the top is essential
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Backing on decisions is key
Expensive project to do right – costly and takes time
This is a good time to review processes
Team Leadership is important
Good Team members have a strong understanding of the
functional areas; team players; positive communicators
Helpful having a project manager from outside of the College
Hire people who have experience in Banner / conversion
experience
The simplest changes can create the biggest effect
You will need a reporting tool in addition to Banner
You have to make it FUN !
What you can do:
• Ask SCT for consultants who have experience with the
IA conversion to Banner
• Get on SCT Listserv’s
• Networking is extremely helpful
• contacts at other schools who have gone through a
conversion;
• at professional conferences
• do site visits to other schools
• Attend SCT annual conference – SUMMIT;
• especially 2004
Department
Coordinators
What is Banner?
Banner
Oracle
Database
Web for Faculty
Faculty Members
Brio