Frequently Asked Questions

1. Project-Wide/General
   1. What does the acronym HU LEADS stand for?
   2. What is HU LEADS?
   3. What milestones have been met?
   4. Will there be a hands-on PeopleSoft training for managers?
2. Human Resources
   1. Do I need an end date for tenure-track?
   2. Will Chairpersons have an opportunity for input re: policy/procedures?
   3. How do you replace a budgeted staff position with an adjunct in the middle of the year?
   4. Will hiring managers have editing rights?
   5. When a person transfers from HU to HUH do they get a new ID #?
   6. What happens to the position form recommendation?
   7. Is salary information in the system?
   8. Are special appointments in the system?
   9. If a position is denied, is there an appeal process?
   10. Can we use PS to fill graduate assistantships?
   11. Will employment continue to approve ads?
   12. What happens when an employee takes a leave of absence – what do I do in PS?
3. Finance
1. Will staff be able to view budget when assets are frozen?
2. Will Grants still go through restricted funds for approval?
4. Time and Labor (Payroll)
1. What do you do when you have an employee who is paid from an ORA budget and time is submitted by ORA, but when he/she does OT, we pay him/her out of our budget? How will I pay him/her now? The time is kept by ORA.
2. What do you do about the people who are part-time, but their accrual is not calculated at the part-time rate?
3. When someone is working part-time for two grants, how will PeopleSoft record the time?
4. How will we be able to update and correct leave balances after Go Live if the balances are not correct as of Go Live?
5. How does PeopleSoft manage staff that work rotating shifts?
6. Can we still use Compensatory Time?
5. Technical
1. Will Passwords change monthly?
   

Project-Wide/General

1. What does the acronym HU LEADS stand for?

HU LEADS (Howard University Leading Edge Administrative and Data Systems) is the project name for Howard University’s Human Resources and Financials PeopleSoft implementation project.

2. What is HU LEADS?

HU LEADS is the new, fully integrated PeopleSoft HR/Payroll/Finance system providing much greater accountability and controls and, more importantly, a streamlined and time-efficient, web-based administrative system.

       “The new system will have a major impact on how we do business – especially in Human Resources - where the new system will integrate all HR processes from recruitment through benefits.”

3. What milestones have been met?

The project is on course and meeting targeted milestones as anticipated.

4. Will there be a hands-on PeopleSoft training for managers?

Hands on training for managers in the Finance, MMD, AP/PO and Human Resources and Payroll have been ongoing throughout the project. Managers from the University community are encouraged to attend training when it is announced for the community at large. High level overviews will be offered to campus groups on request, e.g., deans, directors, departments, budget officers, etc. Contact the Training Team at hutrn@howard.edu to request additional information.

Human Resources

1. Do I need an end date for tenure-track?

Appointment end-dates are needed only for temporary appointments. Tenure track appointments do not require an end-date in PS.

2. Will Chairpersons have an opportunity for input re: policy/procedures?

Yes, all employees can have a say in developing or changing policy by making comments or suggestions at general meetings and training sessions. Comments may also be forwarded to the PeopleSoft project via their supervisor and chain of command or go to the Help and Feedback section.

3. How do you replace a budgeted staff position with an adjunct in the middle of the year?

If an employee in a budgeted position leaves during the year, the money encumbered for that position is released at departure. The unencumbered funds may be moved by the Budget Office to another permanent or temporary position at the request of the Department Chair.

4. Will hiring managers have editing rights?

Managers will work with Employment to ensure that job requisitions and opening announcements are accurate and reflect their needs.

5. When a person transfers from HU to HUH do they get a new ID #?

The University and the Hospital maintain two separate payroll systems. Employees will receive a new ID # when transferring between HU and HUH.

6. What happens to the position form recommendation?

All previous hard copy forms will be replaced with on-line forms and recommendations that can be circulated electronically for approvals. The position and budget recommendation forms are being reviewed as well to develop simplified and consolidated on-line request forms..

7. Is salary information in the system?

Yes. Salary information will be held in confidence and will not be accessible to anyone other than those authorized to view it.

8. Are special appointments in the system?

Yes. Any person paid as an employee in the system will be carried in PeopleSoft including Special Appointments, students, and wage employees.

9. If a position is denied, is there an appeal process?

The appeal process would be the same as it is now, and will be conducted person to person outside of PeopleSoft.

10. Can we use PS to fill graduate assistantships?

Yes. A department can use PS to fill any new or existing position. In fact all positions must be processes through PS.

11. Will employment continue to approve ads?

Yes. The Employment Office will continue to approve ads for staff positions. Ads for faculty vacancies will continue to be approved by the Dean/Provost as before.

12. What happens when an employee takes a leave of absence – what do I do in PS?

After receiving notice of the approved leave of absence (LOA), the HR Office will enter a transaction in PS placing the employee on leave with or without pay depending on the circumstances.

Finance

1. Will staff be able to view budget when assets are frozen?

If individuals have access to budget inquiry for a given grant or department, they will be able to see the budgets, frozen or not.

2. Will Grants still go through restricted funds for approval?

Yes. Workflow has been setup so that after the departmental approver (probably the principal investigator or the department administrator) approves it, the next approver is Restricted Fund Accounting.

Time and Labor (Payroll)

1. What do you do when you have an employee who is paid from an ORA budget and time is submitted by ORA, but when he/she does OT, we pay him/her out of our budget? How will I pay him/her now? The time is kept by ORA.

ORA will have the capability to enter straight and overtime separately for an employee with separate combination codes that will direct payment for the two earnings codes to different sources.

2. What do you do about the people who are part-time, but their accrual is not calculated at the part-time rate?

The PeopleSoft leave accrual program can prorate leave accruals for part-time employees. The accurate beginning balances for these employees will have to be determined for the conversion to PeopleSoft.

3. When someone is working part-time for two grants, how will PeopleSoft record the time?

Each grant will be a separate job in PeopleSoft system and time will be entered and approved separately for each job.

4. How will we be able to update and correct leave balances after Go Live if the balances are not correct as of Go Live?

If an incorrect balance is converted into PeopleSoft, a balance adjustment entry can be made any time to correct and update the balance. An audit trail of these changes is maintained in PeopleSoft.

5. How does PeopleSoft manage staff that work rotating shifts?

The PeopleSoft payroll system has separate earnings codes for each of the shifts. When time is entered for a given day, the earnings code will result in the proper shift compensation even if the shift changes from day to day.

6. Can we still use Compensatory Time?

Yes. You must notify the Payroll Office of those individuals who should be able to receive and use comp time.

Technical

1. Will Passwords change monthly?

You will not be required to change passwords as frequently as once a month. The requirements will conform to University security standards. You can change your PeopleSoft password from the homepage at the bottom of the menu.