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March 23, 2009

Questions For...Kerry Peluso
PeopleSoft will make grants easier to manage

By Kim Urquhart

When it goes live this September, Emory’s enterprise-wide Project Compass initiative will replace the separate University and Emory Healthcare accounting systems with the new PeopleSoft Financials system. The PeopleSoft Financials system will standardize and automate the financial management process for Emory, adding value to the way you work.

Helping the Project Compass team develop the initiative’s grants module are the staff of the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) and the Office of Grants and Contracts Accounting (OGCA), who are responsible for the pre- and post-award central administration of all of Emory’s research and sponsored projects.
The PeopleSoft system will integrate all sponsored research data into one system. Emory Report asked Associate Vice President for Research Administration Kerry Peluso to talk about what Project Compass means for University grants.

Emory Report: How will PeopleSoft Financials impact grants and sponsored research?
Kerry Peluso: Other than for accessing historical data, the information systems currently used for capturing and processing research and sponsored programs data will not be utilized after Sept. 1. From that date forward, the functions handled by OSP and OGCA will be processed within the PeopleSoft system. This includes everything from the entry of proposals to the production of invoices and financial reports. Emory faculty and staff will need to access the PeopleSoft system to obtain information and data regarding sponsored programs.

ER: How will this implementation change the way your offices do business on a daily basis?
Peluso: Almost every task that OSP and OGCA staff are responsible for will be done differently after Sept. 1. This provides us with a wonderful opportunity to improve the administration of sponsored projects at Emory. Preparation and tracking of financial invoices and reports and many more functions will be handled and expedited within the PeopleSoft system.

ER: What advice do you have for other managers as they consider what to do to help their organizations prepare for the transition to PeopleSoft?
Peluso: I encourage managers throughout the University to become familiar with the changes that will be occurring as a part of Project Compass. Managers should encourage their staff to visit the Project Compass Web site (www.compass.emory.edu), a great resource, and attend the upcoming learning opportunities. This will allow them to become familiar with the new system and begin to prepare for the transition. Above all, I recommend that managers and staff keep in mind that while this is a big change for Emory, it is a very positive change.

ER: Are you looking forward to go-live in September?
Peluso: Very much. We still have a lot of work left and there may be some bumps in the road, as is common with these implementations, but I am confident that this system and the new processes we are developing will allow us to function much more efficiently and provide a higher level of service and information to the Emory community. The University’s investment in our future through the implementation of PeopleSoft is something that Emory will benefit from for many years to come.