Current Projects in DTEIPresented By: Tracy Jordan

AGENDA

• DTEI environment• DTEI improvement program• Server upgrade• Invoicing workflow project• Journal workflow project

DTEI Environment

• Large SA Government Department• Responsible for:

– Road, rail, marine and public transport (including construction, maintenance, regulation and safety)

– State infrastructure development and maintenance– SA Government service delivery

DTEI Environment

• 3000 employees (approx)• Recurrent budget $730m• Capital budget $230m• 10 year investment program worth $10 billion

Improvement Program

• Funds allocated on an annual basis to perform improvement projects across Corporate Services Division

• Finance projects managed by Accounting Policy & Systems

• Improvements aimed at improving control environment or implementing cost saving measures

• Projects must be linked to CSD Business Plan• Current priority for projects that achieve savings targets

set as a result of SBC

Server Upgrade

• Masterpiece• Unix / Oracle• Use of Web Browser and “Green Screen”• Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Fixed

Assets, Job Cost, General Ledger

Server Upgrade

• Current server “ADL0232” – installed in 2001• Solaris 8 operating system• Oracle 9i database

• Tera Term – version 1.?• Telnet authentication

• Web browser access through DTF server

Server Upgrade

• Why upgrade?– Performance issues– Space issues– Server nearing end of life– Operating system support

Server Upgrade

• New server “ADL0903”• Current database server• Solaris 10 operating system• Oracle 9i database

Server Upgrade

• Initial work (Nov/Dec 2010)– Copy file systems from ADL0232 to ADL0903– Update environment variables and other system

settings– Copy all user ID’s and passwords– Test connection– Issues found with Tera Term authentication

Server Upgrade

• Testing phase (Feb/Mar 2011):– Tera Term 4.68 rolled out to selected users– Online and batch jobs tested– Customised jobs tested– Overnight jobs tested

Server Upgrade

• Implementation (March 2011):– Rollout of Tera Term 4.68 to all DTEI users– Creation of new Web Browser URL’s

Server Upgrade

• Next steps (April 2011):– Rollout of Tera Term 4.68 to SSSA users– Update copy of file system from ADL0232– Implement code freeze– Final testing on live server– Update “user” files– Update Tera Term IP addresses and Samba drive

mappings– Go live

AR Invoice Workflow

• Several methods for getting invoices raised:– Paper invoice request forms– “Postmaster” requests– External feeds from third party systems

AR Invoice Workflow

• Issues:– No method to ensure all invoice requests are

processed (audit issue)– Authorisation processes lacking (audit issue)– No validation of data– Different methods / templates / processes

AR Invoice Workflow

• Approved as improvement project for 2010/11• Currently in progress, no implementation date finalised• Project scope to replace current manual forms and

“Postmaster” requests with online system• Alternatives:

– Creation of Bizflow template– Creation of web application

AR Invoice Workflow

• Considerations:– Delivery method for requests– SSSA impacts– Scope (ie invoices, debit memos, credit memos?)– Rollout methodology

AR Invoice Workflow

• Solution to create a web application– Request template filled in by user– Limited validation performed– Request assigned unique number– Request routed to approver for authorisation– “Postmaster” request output by application and

forwarded via email to SSSA– Application tracks status of requests

AR Invoice Workflow

• Future considerations– “Postmaster” to be replaced by MP external feed

formatted data file– More extensive validation to be performed– Validation to be performed against live Masterpiece

database (eg customer ID’s)– Automated new customer requests

Journal Workflow

• Journals entered into Masterpiece via:– Manual Cost Adjustment (manual job cost journal

entry)– Job Cost “Postmaster” journal– External feeds from third party systems– System generated journals

Journal Workflow

• Postmaster process– Template completed by user, sent to SSSA for

processing– Data copied into master template and external feed

format data file produced– Validation routine called – incorrect accounts replaced

with suspense accounts– Journal processed into Masterpiece– Suspense errors corrected

Journal Workflow

• Issues– Variety of “Postmaster” templates used– Formulas, blank lines and incorrect formatting used– Suspense errors trapped, but posted anyway– Business rules not validated– Authorisation process lacking

Journal Workflow

• Approved as improvement project for 2010/11• Currently in beginning stages, no implementation date

finalised• Project scope to replace current manual entry and

“Postmaster” requests with online system• Alternatives:

– Creation of Bizflow template– Creation of web application

Journal Workflow

• Considerations:– Delivery method for requests– SSSA impacts– Rollout methodology

Journal Workflow

• Solution to create a web application– Request template filled in by user (cut and paste from

Excel documents required)– Validation performed in first instance– Request routed to approver for authorisation– External feed format data file output by application

and placed on Unix drive– Picked up and processed by overnight processes

Journal Workflow

• Account validation– Validation of project, task, cost code or GL account

number at time of request– Invalid account numbers rejected at source– Validation performed in real time– Methodology being investigated (existing coding, use

of SDK etc)

Journal Workflow

• Business rules– Use of restricted accounts– Journal amount thresholds– Use of “internal” accounts– Relationships between accounts– etc

Journal Workflow

• Benefits– Forced approval process– Fewer suspense errors– Reduction in transaction volumes– More control over use of restricted accounts– Enforcing of business rules– Less effort by SSSA to post journals

• Future considerations– More extensive validation to be performed– Summarisation of journals– Creation of “standing” journals

Further Information

Tracy Jordan

Manager, Accounting Policy & Systems

Ph 8204 1340