December 2017

Pilot Release Demo Available

Demo instances of the Redesign's Pilot Release is available for the public. The demo instances contain anonymized training data allowing you to experiment with the Redesign software!  Just a reminder these are shared public instances so you should not enter any sensitive data that you would not want others to see.

USAS-R Pilot Demo: 

• https://pilot-usas.demo.ssdt.io/
• Username: admin
• Password: demo

USPS-R Pilot Demo:

• https://pilot-usps.demo.ssdt.io/
• Username: admin
• Password: demo

These databases will be periodically reset.  In our User documentation, our USAS Appendix includes 'processing guides' on how to create accounts, vendors, transactions, etc.  The USPS Appendix includes steps on how to add a new employee and process a payroll.  You are more than welcome to use these processing guides to assist in experimenting with the demo instances.

If you wish to experience USAS-R or USPS-R with your own district's data, please contact your ITC and request they install an instance of the Pilot Release for you.

Pilot Sites Progress

The Pilot sites (Lisbon, C-TEC, Elida, OMERESA) have now been using the USAS/USPS Redesign in parallel with USAS/USPS Classic for approximately 8 weeks. Each Pilot site began operations with all of their same data, in its same form (including historical information), as it exists in Classic. The pilot sites are doing “dual entry” of all monthly transactions into both the Classic and Redesign systems and as they close their books, payrolls between the two systems are balancing and financial results are being reconciled.  Most significantly, Pilot users and their supporting ITC support staff have quickly become comfortable with the new software after just a few days of formal training.  Some of the users had not seen the Redesign until right before Pilot operation began, which is a testament to the user-friendly application of the Redesign. 

Results During the Pilot

• No data translation or data cleansing is required when moving from Classic to Redesign.  
• The data migration from Classic to Redesign is both quick and seamless.
• Transactions entered in the Redesign are yielding virtually the same results as those entered into Classic. Where dollar totals have differed between the two systems, the differences have been researched, explained and fixed.
• The Pilots are identifying some software “bugs” in the testing process.  SSDT has been able to correct these minor bugs as they have come to light.
• The Pilot sites are reporting some instances of slow response times (SSDT had requested response time feedback as part of the Pilot testing). SSDT has been able to improve the majority of these response times.  While most Redesign transactions now have response times of less than a few seconds, a handful of computationally intensive transactions (e.g. process payroll) will require several seconds to complete because of the number of calculations the system needs to perform to complete the task. 
• Transactions can be performed in the “background” allowing the user to do other online transactions while the background tasks complete.  The Redesign allows for multiple processing windows to be open simultaneously. A perfect example is that a user can generate a payroll while having another window open for entering new employees.

The SSDT is grateful for the hard work, positive attitudes, and great suggestions made by the Pilot users.  Everyone has been pleased with the Pilot users’ feedback and suggestions. The SSDT and all of the Pilot sites continue to teleconference on a weekly basis to discuss progress, answer questions, and address issues.

The Pilot is validating that the Redesign is working!  Pilot user feedback is transforming the Redesign into an improved, more user friendly product in just a few short weeks.  The ODE Sponsor is anticipating the SSDT will roll out a production version of the Redesign to as many as a dozen school districts during the first wave in calendar year 2018.

Implementation Timeline

Within the past few months, SSDT has been demonstrating the Redesign software to various groups throughout the state including the OASBO AP regional seminars, OSBA Capital conference, OEDSA conference and ITC fiscal support staff.  We have received some great feedback and districts are excited about the progress that has been made. After demonstrating the software to the ITCs, their response was overwhelmingly positive. Many of the ITC fiscal staff have since demonstrated the Redesign to their districts and many districts have expressed their interest in migrating as soon as possible.  With the pilot sites wrapping up a successful Classic-Redesign parallel-processing period during the last few months, SSDT has been diligently working on many suggested software refinements, fixes, new reports and documentation additions in preparation for the live production release of the Redesign.  We are ready to begin rolling out the Redesign on a live production basis.

The first wave of ITCs/districts will begin production operations using the Redesign between January and June 2018.  This does not mean first wave participants are required to start with the January processing period.  SSDT understands January is a very busy time with W2s, 1099s and year-end closing.  The first production wave can begin any time during the six-month period to give participating districts the flexibility in deciding when, within that time frame, is the best time to migrate.  Also, due to the nature of the migration, it does not have to be done on a particular processing period boundary.  For example, a first wave district can migrate in March or even in the middle of March.  First wave participants have been selected from the ITCs who participated in the 2017 Pilot program.   The table below summarizes the implementation for the Redesign's production wave release.

Redesign Implementation FAQs

When can my district migrate to the Redesign?

Contact your ITC to express your interest in moving to the Redesign.  The FROC committee and ODE Project Manager are overseeing the ITCs participation in the production waves. 

What is needed for migration to the Redesign? 

First, you need approval from your ITC to participate in a particular production wave.  Each ITC may have their own implementation strategy and process.  Once your district is approved for a production wave, 100% of your existing data, maintained by your ITC, will be imported into the Redesign.  You are not required to do any housekeeping beforehand (i.e. clean up unused vendors or accounts).  It is recommended that an evaluation import of your data be completed in order to validate your existing data in Classic migrates successfully.  Your ITC will review the log files generated from your test import and will contact you if any changes need to be made in Classic before the actual production data import.  An example would be if a vendor's STATE field did not import over due to an invalid abbreviation in Classic.  This is a minor change that can be easily fixed in the Classic system before a live migration to the Redesign occurs.

How long will it take to import my district's data?

The importing of your data will take as little as an hour to possibly as long as 24 hours.  It depends on the size of your district and the number of years you currently have in your live data.  A district with 15 years of data in their live files will take longer than a district that may have only 7 years of data.

Do you recommend a dual-processing period after importing our data?

Yes.  At least for the first production wave sites, we will require a 'pre-production certification' where each district must first pilot USAS transactions in the Redesign simultaneously with Classic for at least one processing period, and run at least one complete parallel payroll in both Classic and the Redesign. Once everything balances between the Redesign and Classic systems, your district can continue to proceed on live production basis using the Redesign while discontinuing any further Classic operations.  Keep in mind, when beginning Redesign operations, you cannot import your data in the middle of a payroll.  A payroll must be complete before you can import your data in the Redesign.  

What happens to my access in the Classic system after I migrate over to Redesign on a live basis.  Will my Classic access be taken away?

Your ITC will be expected to allow you to continue to access the Classic systems.  However, your level of access will change.  Obviously, you will no longer be able to process transactions in Classic so your access will be changed to 'read-only' in order for you to still view information and run reports.  You will have access to your MONTHLYCD/PAYROLLCD reports as well so if an auditor is working on your prior fiscal year audit, they will still be able to access those reports.  It will be up to you and your ITC as to how long Classic access will be available to you.  Eventually Classic will be decommissioned entirely, tentatively planned for the end of Calendar Year 2021.

What Redesign training will be made available to my district?

Many districts have already seen a demonstration of the software.  Your ITCs fiscal support staff will be training you and your staff on the Redesign.  Each ITC is currently able to set up test instances containing a copy of your live data so that you can begin to get comfortable with the Redesign.  Training on both USAS and USPS will take a minimum of 2 to 3 days depending on the number of employees who need trained.  We recommend that ITCs train the staff in your Treasurers office first.  If you have Classic requisition users, they will log into the Redesign but will be able to use the 'Requisition (Legacy)' option that mimics USASWEB's requisition program.  Once you and your staff feel comfortable with the Redesign, you and/or your ITC can help train the requisitions users on how to process requisitions using the grid-style format 'Requisition' option in the Redesign.

How will the districts be supported for the Redesign?

Your ITCs fiscal support staff is there to help you with the Redesign just like they always have with Classic.  Any questions or assistance needed by your ITC will be directed to the SSDT.  We are more than happy and excited to help out in any way we can.

My district currently uses third-party software in conjunction with Classic. Will the third-party software be compatible with Redesign versions of USAS and USPS?

Many software vendors have integrated with State Software over the years.  Many of them use the Classic "Web Services" (SOAP) to retrieve data and post transactions.  The Redesign systems also contain web services, which provide a compatible interface.  Therefore, the majority of third party developer products will work seamlessly with Redesign.  The SSDT is working with many of these vendors to verify 100% compatibility.

We are also working with other vendors, such as check printing, which use import and export integrations with Classic to verify support within Redesign.  

If you have any questions regarding a specific software product, we encourage you to contact your ITC or the software vendor directly.  You may also wish to enquire if an update to the software will be involved and any related fees.

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