This service facilitates the formal request, evaluation, approval, and implementation of changes to the university's core Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system (e.g., Banner, Workday, SAP). These changes can range from minor configuration adjustments to significant new functionalities or integrations, all aimed at improving business processes, enhancing user experience, ensuring compliance, or addressing critical operational needs.
Key Features & Benefits:
- Standardized Request Process: Provides a clear, consistent, and documented procedure for all users to submit ERP change requests, ensuring necessary information is captured from the outset.
- Impact Assessment & Prioritization: All requests undergo a rigorous evaluation to determine their potential impact on existing processes, data, integrations, and user groups. Requests are then prioritized based on factors such as strategic alignment, business urgency, cost, and resource availability.
- Cross-Functional Review & Approval: Engages relevant stakeholders, including functional experts, technical teams, and institutional leadership, in a structured review and approval process to ensure changes are well-vetted and supported.
- Controlled Implementation: Approved changes are implemented through a managed process that includes testing, training, communication, and deployment, minimizing disruption to university operations.
- Documentation & Audit Trail: Maintains comprehensive documentation of all change requests, decisions, and implementation details, providing a clear audit trail for compliance and historical reference.
- Transparency & Communication: Provides requesters and affected stakeholders with updates on the status of their requests, from submission to implementation.
- Optimized ERP Performance: Ensures that the ERP system continues to evolve and meet the changing needs of the university, improving efficiency, data accuracy, and reporting capabilities.
- Risk Mitigation: The formal change process helps identify and mitigate potential risks associated with system modifications, including data integrity issues, performance degradation, and operational disruptions.
Types of ERP Changes that can be requested:
- Enhancements: Adding new features, functionalities, or reports to existing modules.
- Modifications: Altering existing functionalities, screen layouts, workflows, or calculations.
- Integrations: Connecting the ERP system with other external or internal systems.
- Configuration Changes: Adjustments to system settings, parameters, or business rules.
- Regulatory/Compliance Updates: Changes required to meet new legislative or institutional policies.
- Security Role Adjustments: Requests for new or modified security roles and permissions within the ERP system (distinct from general access requests, these pertain to new functionalities or access patterns).
- Data Structure Changes: Requests for new data fields or modifications to existing data definitions (require significant impact analysis).
How to Request an ERP Change:
- Submit a Request:
- Online ERP Change Request Form
- Required Information: Provide as much detail as possible, including:
- Your full name and university ID/employee ID.
- Department/Area impacted.
- A clear and concise title for your request.
- Detailed description of the desired change: What exactly needs to be modified or added?
- Business justification: Why is this change needed? What problem does it solve, or what benefit will it provide? (e.g., improve efficiency, reduce errors, meet compliance, enhance user experience).
- Impacted modules/areas: (e.g., Finance, HR, Student Accounts, Course Registration).
- Impacted users/departments: Who will be affected by this change?
- Urgency/Timeline: Is there a critical deadline for this change?
- Current process vs. desired process: (If applicable, describe how things work now and how you envision them working after the change).
- Any supporting documentation: (e.g., screenshots, flowcharts, example reports).
- Review and Prioritization: Once submitted, the request will be reviewed by the ERP support team and/or a designated governance committee. You may be contacted for further clarification or to attend a meeting to discuss the request in detail.
- Approval & Implementation: If approved, the change will be scheduled for development, testing, and eventual implementation. Communication regarding timelines and impact will be provided to relevant stakeholders.
Eligibility:
- This service is available to university faculty and staff who are owners or designated representatives of business processes managed by the ERP system.
Support:
- For questions regarding the status of a submitted change request, or for assistance in completing the change request form, please contact the IT Service Desk at (337) 482-4357 or ithelp@louisiana.edu.
- For guidance on best practices for process improvement or understanding ERP capabilities before submitting a request, consider consulting with your departmental functional expert or IT business analyst.