Excellence in Administrative Information Systems 2004 Award Winners

University of California, Irvine

The Web-based PayQuest system was developed by Administrative & Business Services staff at UCI using open-source products. The UCI staff have used PayQuest to manage the institutional risk of processing payment requests efficiently, automate approval and payment, and improve customer service. During a period of rapid campus growth and severe budget reductions, the university had been facing enrollment growth of about 5 percent per year. An accounting office with a staff of two and a half people was challenged to process more than 11,000 payment requests per month.

The image-enabled request and tracking system

eliminates redundant data entry
reduces processing and turnaround time
manages risk by differentiating workflow requirements according to dollar value, in compliance with campus criteria
integrates business rules that comply with policies and procedures
provides online tracking of in-progress requests
displays images of receipts and documentation

The PayQuest system also

contains internal edit checks for data accuracy (such as valid fund and account numbers)
links to relevant policies for quick reference
creates a paperless review and central-approval process
incorporates an intuitive user interface and online tutorials to eliminate training
interfaces seamlessly with existing accounts payable system

PayQuest incorporates both the functionality required by campus customers and the most useful features evaluated in comparable vendor products. With its professional look and feel and an impressive number of user-friendly elements such as online access to all imaged receipts, PayQuest is practically a complete solution to automating a process. It is a front-end system feeding accounts payable in batch mode, thus making it easily portable to other legacy or ERP environments. The PayQuest approach can be modified for any "approval" sequence, and is proving to be a springboard for many other forms and processes. Although the initial cost was significant in terms of dedicating existing staff for project management, analysis, and development, the project has resulted in significant payoffs in terms of reduced transaction times, decreased institutional risk, and increased customer satisfaction.

Western Washington University

E-sign Web Forms

Western Washington University has implemented a simple, highly portable approach to converting paper forms into Web-based transactions with routing and approval functionality. The code on which E-sign is based stores and updates form data in a database, routes the form to the next approver in a sequence, and digitally signs the form. New forms can easily be created using any HTML editor to create a basic Web page, and include a reference to the prescribed routines. All Web pages use the same set of routines, which were developed in approximately one year by one programmer.

The E-sign site currently has more than 80 separate forms, with new ones added each month. More than 40,000 E-sign Web forms were submitted during the 2003 calendar year, with no losses. Features that appeal to users include

fast, easy implementation (approximately two hours of help-desk work per form, no programming required)
easy tracking throughout the process by the user
faster processing: approvals that took weeks with paper forms and campus mail can be completed within a day or two
adaptable workflow: it is not centrally managed and is easily adaptable to changing requirements
e-mail notification to originator and others tracking progress of form through approval process
centralized storage of forms, so none are lost in transitions
support of electronic attachments, with simple identifier references for the occasional paper "attachments"
secure repository for forms and data
templates for quick modifications or creation of similar forms
use of standard HTML and developed scripting; easily portable to another institution
easy adaptability to any ERP

E-sign has proved to be an elegant solution for Western Washington University and potentially many other institutions, remarkable for its simplicity, flexibility, and functional value.

Award Winners Excellence in Administrative Information Systems 2002 Award Winner Excellence in Administrative Information Systems 2003 Award Winners Excellence in Administrative Information Systems 2004 Award Winners Excellence in Administrative Information Systems 2005 Award Winner		Excellence in Administrative Information Systems 2004 Award Winners University of California, Irvine PayQuest The Web-based PayQuest system was developed by Administrative & Business Services staff at UCI using open-source products. The UCI staff have used PayQuest to manage the institutional risk of processing payment requests efficiently, automate approval and payment, and improve customer service. During a period of rapid campus growth and severe budget reductions, the university had been facing enrollment growth of about 5 percent per year. An accounting office with a staff of two and a half people was challenged to process more than 11,000 payment requests per month. The image-enabled request and tracking system eliminates redundant data entry reduces processing and turnaround time manages risk by differentiating workflow requirements according to dollar value, in compliance with campus criteria integrates business rules that comply with policies and procedures provides online tracking of in-progress requests displays images of receipts and documentation The PayQuest system also contains internal edit checks for data accuracy (such as valid fund and account numbers) links to relevant policies for quick reference creates a paperless review and central-approval process incorporates an intuitive user interface and online tutorials to eliminate training interfaces seamlessly with existing accounts payable system PayQuest incorporates both the functionality required by campus customers and the most useful features evaluated in comparable vendor products. With its professional look and feel and an impressive number of user-friendly elements such as online access to all imaged receipts, PayQuest is practically a complete solution to automating a process. It is a front-end system feeding accounts payable in batch mode, thus making it easily portable to other legacy or ERP environments. The PayQuest approach can be modified for any "approval" sequence, and is proving to be a springboard for many other forms and processes. Although the initial cost was significant in terms of dedicating existing staff for project management, analysis, and development, the project has resulted in significant payoffs in terms of reduced transaction times, decreased institutional risk, and increased customer satisfaction. Western Washington University E-sign Web Forms Western Washington University has implemented a simple, highly portable approach to converting paper forms into Web-based transactions with routing and approval functionality. The code on which E-sign is based stores and updates form data in a database, routes the form to the next approver in a sequence, and digitally signs the form. New forms can easily be created using any HTML editor to create a basic Web page, and include a reference to the prescribed routines. All Web pages use the same set of routines, which were developed in approximately one year by one programmer. The E-sign site currently has more than 80 separate forms, with new ones added each month. More than 40,000 E-sign Web forms were submitted during the 2003 calendar year, with no losses. Features that appeal to users include fast, easy implementation (approximately two hours of help-desk work per form, no programming required) easy tracking throughout the process by the user faster processing: approvals that took weeks with paper forms and campus mail can be completed within a day or two adaptable workflow: it is not centrally managed and is easily adaptable to changing requirements e-mail notification to originator and others tracking progress of form through approval process centralized storage of forms, so none are lost in transitions support of electronic attachments, with simple identifier references for the occasional paper "attachments" secure repository for forms and data templates for quick modifications or creation of similar forms use of standard HTML and developed scripting; easily portable to another institution easy adaptability to any ERP E-sign has proved to be an elegant solution for Western Washington University and potentially many other institutions, remarkable for its simplicity, flexibility, and functional value.
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