We use several systems to manage our finances and information about our people here at the University. The reason for the delay in introducing the new system is that it has proved more challenging than anticipated to integrate these systems (such as Oracle) with SAP Concur. Making sure our systems work together is crucial because we will only be able to submit and process claims effectively if SAP Concur is drawing through the right information, for example people’s names and email addresses, project and cost centre codes. These issues are not related to the SAP Concur system itself.
Key activities being undertaken:
- The second phase of the data collection exercise is nearing completion with thanks to finance colleagues for providing details of their department’s expense claims approval hierarchy. This will enable us to input the right names associated with each approval level within SAP Concur.
- The project will be engaging further with Heads of Administration and Finance (HAFs), or equivalent, to explore their department’s readiness for change and to facilitate communications to expense claimants nearer to SAP Concur going live in their departments.
We are very grateful for all the help provided by finance colleagues at such a busy time with year-end activities and continued pressures related to COVID-19 and the return to office working.
- We also plan to engage with Personal and Executive Assistants within departments to ensure they are aware of what to expect, as they often support senior colleagues with their expense claims.
- Detailed testing of SAP Concur (user acceptance testing), is now scheduled for November and a cross-section of participants has been recruited. This will check that everything works as required and enable any discrepancies or bugs to be identified and fixed before launch.
- In addition, the project team continues to develop materials to help staff and students move to the new system, this includes communications, on-line training, Quick Reference Guides and How to video guides.
For further information, please see the Finance Division website. If you have any questions or suggestions please contact the project team via expensesproject@admin.ox.ac.uk.