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Posts Tagged: UCPath

Cybersecurity and UCPath to change the way ANR does business

When ANR joins UCPath in the spring, it will introduce new technology that will ultimately unify and standardize payroll, benefits and human resources systems for all UC employees. As we adopt new technology to modernize ANR business systems, we are strengthening our online security measures.

In a recent webinar to prepare ANR office managers and others for the transition to UCPath in the spring, John Fox, Human Resources executive director, brought in Dave Krause, manager of web development and applications programming, to discuss multi-factor authentication to access online systems, and Emily LaRue, associate director of the Business Operations Center, to discuss the impact of UCPath on the Business Operations Center.

Multi-factor authentication

To use an online system that is operated by UC Davis for ANR, such as the time reporting system, KFS, Aggie Buy or AggieTravel, an ANR employee logs into a form. Historically, once your credentials are “authenticated” against a database hosted by UC Davis, you are redirected to the system and off you go. Another step is being added to protect the system from hackers. A tool called “Duo” will ask you for a second form of authentication.

“Duo seamlessly adds this second form of authentication right in the login form,” Krause said. “For this example, I have preset Duo to send the second authentication to my phone as a 'push notification' (a mobile phone alert that appears onscreen while the phone is still in locked mode). Duo will also happily call you or send you a code to use instead.” 

Once the user clicks “approve,” the website immediately accepts the second authentication and opens the site.

Mobile phones, tablets and Apple watches are among the devices supported by Duo. “It doesn't take up much space on your device,” Krause said.

For employees who don't have mobile devices for authentication, physical tokens that connect directly to your computers will be available. Currently, only mobile devices are eligible for enrollment. More information about tokens will be available soon.

If you lose or forget your device or token, UC Davis IET Express help desk can send you a temporary access code.

UC ANR will be rolling out Duo for its identity management system next year. Volunteers, affiliates and collaborators will have unchanged access.

“We are now inviting all UC ANR employees who use UC Davis systems to enroll in Duo via a smartphone or tablet,” Krause said. “Be sure you use a device that is with you when you work!”

For details on Duo enrollment and setting it up, go to http://ucanr.edu/mfa.

Impact of UCPath on Business Operations Center

Becoming its own business unit with UCPath will increase ANR's visibility as equivalent to the 10 campuses and change its business relationship with UC Davis. In addition, ANR's responsibility for compliance and accountability will take on even greater importance. Implementation of UCPath will create some changes to ANR's Business Operations Center, including the location of ANR's UCPath payroll team, work assignments and responsibilities, and systems and processes.

“For the first several weeks, everything will seem different!” LaRue said.

Personnel action entry functions for new hires, terminations and pay changes will be performed by ANR HR or the UCPath Central Team. A single ANR BOC Payroll unit composed of a payroll manager and three staff members will be located in Davis. The BOC will be responsible for audits and additional reporting and there will be new terms, different business processes, and different routing of forms and documentation.

LuRue expects the following to remain the same:

  • Payroll (time and leave reporting) processing

          o   Timely submission for all organizational units

          o   Time Reporting System review and corrections as needed

  • Service level

          o   ANR UCPath Hypercare Team – Group devoted to resolution of ANR employee issues

  • Processing of financial transactions

          o   BOC-Kearney – UCCE (Gifts excluded)

          o   BOC-Davis – Statewide programs, Research and Extension Centers and administrative units

For more information about UCPath changes, visit the website at https://ucanr.edu/ucpath.

 

Posted on Thursday, November 1, 2018 at 6:38 PM
Tags: cybersecurity (12), Dave Krause (2), Emily LaRue (4), October 2018 (20), UCPath (18)

UCPath to provide ANR several benefits

ANR employees can expect to see several benefits from the transition to UCPath, a systemwide initiative launched by the University of California to unify and standardize payroll, benefits and human resource systems for all UC employees.

This new system will facilitate formation of ANR as a distinct business unit, establishing a distinct ANR payroll entity, similar to that of an individual campus. With UCPath, ANR's payroll “silos” will be unified, improving the accuracy of our data and the speed at which we can access it, which will strengthen ANR's compliance and accountability.

The creation of ANR as its own business unit, which is supported by President Napolitano, will also increase ANR's visibility within the UC system.

Streamlined HR & payroll processes

In the UCPath system, we will use electronic forms instead of paper and emailed forms. HR and payroll actions will get routed electronically for approval and all backup documents for transactions will be electronically attached and available for review and audit. Many payroll components will auto-populate, resulting in fewer errors. The new system will ease systemwide reporting across all campuses and provide ANR-affiliated employees easier access to ANR/UCD systems. There will be ongoing training and knowledge aids to help employees use the system.

Employee self-service

Employees will be able to view and edit their home and emergency contacts. They will be able to see their current leave balances. They will also be able to view and make changes to benefits choices and income and tax information for direct deposit, paychecks, state and federal withholdings and W-2. Employees will also find links to retirement and savings information at https://myucretirement.com and https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu (formerly called At Your Service).

The UCPath website will have a mobile-enabled interface for easy access from tablets and smartphones.

Manager self-service

Managers will have access to their direct report employees' home and emergency contacts, leave balances, compensation history and job and payroll information.

Job applicant tracking system

CATs, the classification/applicant tracking system, will be replaced by the Talent Acquisition Manager (TAM) for staff recruitments. TAM contains intuitive, user-friendly templates for job applicants and hiring committees and supports an end-to-end recruitment and selection process, from position description development to making an offer to the successful candidate. Hiring managers will be able to check the status of a recruitment throughout the HR process. Job-seekers will be able to apply to jobs throughout the UC system from a single portal. The new system will allow HR to collect data on hiring trends and affirmative action. Because UCPath will integrate recruitment with payroll, when an employee is hired, their information will automatically get transferred to payroll, reducing delays and errors. Training for hiring managers is expected to begin in December, before this system launches in April 2019 

Performance evaluation

E-performance will replace our current paper/email process for annual staff performance appraisals. It will provide goal setting and tracking functions, with electronic routing and electronic signatures. Managers and employees will be able to review the employee's performance history and monitor the overall performance process. Employees will receive notifications throughout the annual cycle. E-performance is targeted to launch in the 2020 performance appraisal cycle.

More about UCPath

For more information about UCPath, visit the website at https://ucanr.edu/UCPath. It will be continually updated with webinar recordings, FAQs, training resources and other information.

If you have questions or comments about UCPath, you can post them on the website https://ucanr.edu/UCPath or email the ANR UCPath team at ucpath@ucanr.edu.

The next webinar, which will discuss UCPath roles for human resource and business officers, will be Wednesday, Oct. 24, 11 a.m. to noon. To join the Zoom meeting, go to https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/8151602829, or dial +1 408 638 0968 (US Toll) Meeting ID: 815-160-2829.

 

 

Posted on Friday, September 28, 2018 at 11:13 AM
Tags: September 2018 (14), UCPath (18)

ANR to join UCPath next spring

UCPATH is an acronym for “UC Payroll, Academic Personnel, Timekeeping & Human Resources.”
Preparations are underway for UC ANR to join UCPath in the spring. To ensure a successful transition to new systems and new processes, John Fox, executive director of Human Resources, recently hosted the first in a series of monthly meetings with business officers and administrative staff located in UC Cooperative Extension offices, at Research and Extension Centers and in administrative units.

UCPath is a systemwide initiative launched by the University of California to modernize its current payroll system, which is nearly 40 years old. Using new technology, UCPath will unify and standardize payroll, benefits and human resource systems for all UC employees.

Employees at Office of the President, UC Merced and UC Riverside have already made the transition. UCLA and UC Santa Barbara are scheduled to join UCPath this fall. UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Irvine and UC ANR are scheduled to join in April 2019.

This initiative involves a single payroll and HR technology system, a shared services center in Riverside, and the formation of UC ANR as a distinct business unit within UC. The formation of UC ANR as a stand-alone business unit, rather than as part of UCOP or a campus, is one of the strategic initiatives supported by President Napolitano, and provides an opportunity to improve efficiency and strengthen compliance and accountability.

“UC Path will transform the way we do business,” said Fox. “Our fiscal silos will be unified, hugely improving the accuracy of our fiscal data and the speed with which we can access it. It will also give all of us better access to information and improved tools for hiring and transaction approvals.”

Business officers and administrative staff will be key to the success of UCPath for ANR.

“They are the people who know how to get things done in ANR today,” Fox said. “We want to support them in becoming UCPath experts to help ANR employees navigate the new systems and processes.”

Business officers and administrative staff who missed the UCPath Network kick-off Zoom meeting with Fox can view a recording of the Aug 24 session at https://ucdavis.app.box.com/v/ucpathnetwork. The next monthly session will be on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 11 a.m. to noon.

Highlights of UCPath when it goes live in spring 2019:

  • User-friendly, mobile-enabled portal to view and update personal data and manage benefits
  • The UCPath Center in Riverside will help with benefits, payroll and personnel services
  • Direct deposit in up to three accounts 
  • New recruitment tools and enhanced candidate experience
  • Manager self-service access to reports and employee data
  • Improved security for payroll and personnel data
  • Automated routing for approval of personnel and certain pay transactions
  • Improved online employee appraisal system
  • Standard set of reports provided to all UC business units

Academics who are affiliated with a campus should refer to their respective campus UCPath websites. More information is on UC ANR's UCPath website at http://ucanr.edu/UCPath and it will continue to be updated as we approach the launch.

An email account has been set up to receive questions and comments about UCPath: ucpath@ucanr.edu.

 

Posted on Friday, September 7, 2018 at 3:01 PM
Tags: August 2018 (13), John Fox (13), UCPath (18)

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