SIS Update: Reports
October 27, 1998
- Since the implementation of the legacy Student Master File (SMF) in the 1970s, all reports derived from student data have required IT programmers to write programs to extract and formulate the data.
- Some of these reports, called "production reports," are run on a set frequency (monthly, weekly, or other). Others, called "ad hoc reports," were written to satisfy a particular request for data (e.g. UW System asks all Vice Chancellors to submit certain data).
- All of these existing report generation programs, whether for production or ad hoc reports, will lose their functionality on June 14, 1999. They cannot be automatically translated into PeopleSoft.
- The SIS Project Management team recognizes that the University will require new production reports to be available on June 14th, along with the capacity to generate ad hoc reports. Planning is underway to address these requirements.
- A compilation of all known reports generated from the SMF has been assembled. The reports fill six 3-ring binders. A SIS team visited many functional offices and office input on current use of these reports was recorded.
- A Working Group headed by Greg Wypiszynski is currently working to develop standards and protocols for new production reports. They are also identifying appropriate use of two reporting tools that come with PeopleSoft: Query and Crystal. (At this point the working assumption is that Query will be used by IT programmers and that Crystal will be used both by IT programmers and non-IT staff). Once staff are identified, appropriate resources will be determined.
- The Working Group will soon begin identifying those production reports deemed critical. For these reports, new PeopleSoft production reports will be in place by June 14, 1999.
- When PeopleSoft is implemented, desktop access from academic and administrative offices to SIS data for report generation purposes is possible, using Crystal. Such access was never really available with the legacy SMF.
- Short term, for some period of time after the June 1999 cutover to PeopleSoft, IT programmers will continue to produce almost all reports. Academic and Administrative offices wishing to utilize Crystal for report generation will be able to request training.
- Not all current reports will need to be recreated in PeopleSoft. Some reports that currently require a program to run against the SMF may be available as a screen look-up in PeopleSoft. Also, when the collection of current reports was compiled it was discovered that some production reports are no longer used by the offices to which they are sent. These reports also will not need to be recreated in PeopleSoft.
- Long term, the strategy is to deliver the reporting tools to and provide training sessions for academic and administrative offices so they can generate ad hoc reports that meet their needs. IT programmers will probably continue to be responsible for production reports.
- If an office has not been visited for a review of existing reports, contact Greg Wypiszynski and let him know.
