We are excited to announce that after 20 months of development, the first major milestone of Project Enterprise will go live tomorrow, July 1st, 2009. Banner Finance, TUmarketplace Phase II, and Cognos Reporting will provide the University community with new technologies to manage financial information, make purchases, and run reports.

For a handy summary of what to expect on July 1st, please see Business Processes Under Banner (in pdf format). This document lists standard Temple processes and whether or not they will change under Banner. Note that if you do not handle financial transactions or fill out financial forms, you will not be significantly impacted by the new system.

Get Acquainted with Banner Finance

For your convenience, access to the Banner Finance system for authorized staff members as well as tools and training is centralized through TUportal (http://tuportal.temple.edu). If you are an authorized staff member, you will find links on the portal to Self-Service Banner, TUmarketplace, Cognos Reporting, updated forms, the new chart of accounts, and various Crosswalks to help you convert your current cost center to the new FOAPAL structure. With all these resources in one site, get accustomed to logging into TUportal on a regular basis.

In the past two months, over 330 staff members attended hands-on classroom training sessions. These training sessions will continue for the next several months for those individuals who still require training on how to use the new system. If you currently receive monthly cost center reports through e-mail or FMS on the Web, attend Banner Basics and Cognos Consumer training. If you submit or approve requisitions, attend TUmarketplace training. You can register for these training sessions through the Human Resources Learning and Development web site.

In addition, the Enterprise team developed online training modules to help you become acquainted with the new environment on your own schedule. The modules are available through the Help icon on TUportal. Topics include finding your new FOAPAL, using TUmarketplace and navigating Self-Service Banner. The portal also includes a link to the Knowledge Base which offers you the opportunity to ask questions and review responses to frequently asked questions.

Help Desk Ready to Provide Support

A great deal of effort has gone into testing the new system and preparing the University community for this significant change. However, we know that issues and problems will arise with a system change of this magnitude. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact the respective departments (i.e., the Controller’s Office at 215-204-7663 or Purchasing at 215-204-7685) or the Computer Services’ Help Desk either at 215-204-8000 or through the TUhelp web site at tuhelp.temple.edu. Numerous staff members will be on-hand to answer your questions. Also, stay tuned for the latest system announcements through TUportal. Updates and general information will be posted as needed.

It’s time to begin business in Banner! With your patience and cooperation, we look forward to a smooth transition.