FAQ

Frequently Asked/Frequently Updated Questions; Last Updated 3/17/07

General Information
Operational Information
Student-specific Questions
Staff-specific Questions
Faculty-specific Questions

General Information

Q. What is PeopleSoft Student and Academic Administration (PS SA)?: A. PeopleSoft Student Administration (PS SA) is an application of the PeopleSoft software purchased by UH System in 1999 with the goal that each UH component university have a fully integrated enterprise management system. PS SA went live March 5, 2007, with cascading functionalities to be rolled out over the coming year. UH and UHV have both now joined UHCL as universities with a fully integrated enterprise management system.
Q. Are other universities using PS SA?: A. Yes. Among the over 300 universities and colleges who use PS SA are University of Michigan, Princeton, Cornell, Duke, the 23 member California State University System, University of Wisconsin System, Emory, SMU and University of North Texas. Locally, the University of St. Thomas, Lee College, and Houston Community College System use PS SA.
Q. How will the implementation occur?: A. Transactions for the Spring 07 and Summer 07 semesters will still be completed in the old ADMIN system. Scholarship and Financial Aid, Student Records and Student Financials will Go Live in stages beginning in March 2007 for Fall 2007 students. Admissions will Go Live in May 2007 to admit students for Spring 2008.
Q. Will the implementation end in Spring 2007?: A. No. Successive phases will allow for additional features to be turned on in PS SA. For example, subsequent phases will introduce such features as more automated workflow, additional Self Service features, and expanded Advising capabilities.
Q. What does PeopleSoft replace?: A. PeopleSoft replaces the old ADMIN system that has been in use for 17 years handling all student records, course schedules, admissions, and other student-related information.
Q. Why will PeopleSoft be an improvement over the ADMIN system?: A. ADMIN is a flat database, made up of information stored in separate spreadsheets (similar to Excel). PeopleSoft is a relational database, with more than 30,000 spreadsheets (tables) organizing information that is linked across the entire system. In ADMIN, information is retrieved separately from the different spreadsheets. In PeopleSoft, information can be retrieved based on a field such as a unique ID across all tables.

Operational Information

Q. How will I access PS SA?: PS SA is web-based, so you will access it through a browser from any internet-linked computer at http://my.uh.edu
Q. Are there any browser issues I need to be aware of?: A. At a minimum, you will use the latest version of your internet browser. (UH-Victoria users should use Firefox rather than Explorer.)
Q. Will the new PS Student Admin System log me off after a period of time?: A. Yes. Typically, after a 20 minute period of inactivity, the system will log the user off.
Q. If I already use PS HR or PS Financial (and I am an ADMIN users), will I need a different operator ID and password to access PS SA?: A. If you use PS HR, you can access PS SA with the same ID and password, because HR and SA are part of the same system. However, if you only use PS Financial, you will need to request access to PS SA.
Q. If unique seven-digit ID numbers are assigned to all faculty, staff and students at UH, UHCL and UHV (vendors and external organizations will have their own type ID numbers), won't we eventually run out of numbers?: A. Not until we reach 10,000,000!

Student-specific Questions

Q. As a student, will I keep my current ADMIN ID ("HA#" for UH, "VA#" for UHV) number when PS Student Admin is implemented?: A. No. Your student ID will be a new seven-digit number (called "PeopleSoft ID") assigned by PS Student Admin. For example, you might first enter the system as an applicant and be assigned an "applicant number." Once you apply and are admitted, your applicant number becomes your PeopleSoft (student) ID, and your security level will change to allow appropriate access as a student. That is the unique number that stays with you from then on, even if you become a university employee or attend a different UH System university.

Q. Will I continue to need my HA number (UH) or my VA number (UHV)?: A. No, those numbers will no longer be used as of Fall 07.
Q. If I am both a student and an employee of the university with an Employee (EMPL) ID, will my student number and employee number be the same?

A. Yes.
Q. What if I want to register for classes for Summer 07 and for Fall 07?: A. During the appropriate registration times, you will be directed from the UH or UHV web site to appropriate links to register for Summer 07 (in the old ADMIN system) and for Fall 07 (in the new PeopleSoft system).
Q. How do I access the new Student Self Service Page?: A. Login to "Enrollment Services Online" at UH or "Register, Pay and Check Grades" at UHV as you normally do with your HA or VA number (or SSN & pin code). After logging in, you will be prompted to choose Spring/Summer 07 transactions (and go to ADMIN), or choose Fall 07 transactions and go to retrieve your new PeopleSoft ID. You will be given your new PeopleSoft ID and a temporary password, as well as the link to login to your new Student Self Service page.
Q. What can I do on the new Self Service Page?: A. The first function to be available is checking your financial aid status for the 2007-2008 academic year. Before registration time at UH and at UHV, the enrollment functions will be available so that you can browse the catalog and schedule and enroll in classes. When fee bills are processed during the summer, you will be able to pay fees.

Staff-specific Questions

Q. How will I be trained to use PS Student Administration?: A. Training will be arranged by the Academic Affairs Change Management team for all current users of the ADMIN system. First to be trained will be Enrollment Services staff, followed by staff in colleges and other UH/UHV departments that currently use ADMIN. Training will roll out just before each functionality is needed.
Q. How do I register for PS SA training?: A. Information will always be available on this web site—ADMIN users can now register for the first two steps: Experiencing Change Workshops and Intro to Student Admin (online course). See University of Houston PeopleSoft Project: Training.
Q. Who identifies who needs training?: A. All current users of the old ADMIN system will receive training in using PeopleSoft. Additionally, the colleges and other units will identify any additional users they need to have working in PeopleSoft. Users of PS HR or PS Financials who do not use ADMIN will not need PS Student Admin trainings. Faculty and students will have their own training sessions and online tutorials.
Q. How will new hires be trained in PeopleSoft?: A. The Change Management team is working with HR to set up special training following New Hire Orientation, similarly to what is currently done with PeopleSoft Finance and PeopleSoft HR.
Q. Will PeopleSoft training be available online?: A. Yes, to some extent. Currently, Intro to Student Admin is available online. Some trainings will consist of online tutorials; other trainings are face-to-face sessions--either hands-on or demo sessions. Documentation will also be available online for reference.

Q. Who will be the trainers?: A. Trainers will be identified "Super Users" from the various Enrollment Services units at UH and at UHV who began their training in Summer 2006, both in PeopleSoft and in facilitating learning. There will also be a network of specially trained "Coaches" from among the Enrollment Services Super Users, as well as "Power Users" from the colleges who will have started their PS training earlier and will be available in many departments.
Q. Is all the old data from ADMIN being converted to PeopleSoft?

A. All biographical/demographic data at UH and at UHV has already been converted to PeopleSoft. The past eight years of student records data at UH and all data at UHV has also been converted to PeopleSoft. All UH student records data prior to the past eight years will be stored in an Oracle database from which information can be de-archived as needed. Eventually all UH student records data will be converted.

Q. Will I be able to get the same downloads as I'm getting now from RARDAT in the ADMIN system?: A. Data that has been available in RARDAT will be accessible through reports or queries in PS, and there will be special trainings held in March-May 07 to cover these areas. The Change Management Team has gathered information on the specific reports used by the colleges and other units in order to set up these trainings to be held in Spring 07 (and then on an ongoing basis).

Faculty-specific Questions

Q. When will I need to change the way I enter grades?: A. In Fall 2007, grades will be entered for the first time into our PeopleSoft system. Training for faculty will be conducted in their colleges (supported by the Change Management Team) late in November 07.
Q. Can I upload my grades from an Excel spreadsheet?: A. No, not in this version of PeopleSoft. You will input grades electronically, but the grades will be entered one at a time, as they are now by hand.
Q. Can I enter grades remotely?: A. Yes, you can enter grades from any internet-linked computer with an up-to-date browser using your login and password--even if you're abroad doing research.
Q. How many trainings will I need to attend?: A. If you are an ADMIN user doing administrative tasks, you may need to attend 1-3 half-day sessions over time, depending on how many things you do in ADMIN. If you are not an ADMIN user, you may choose to attend a demo session or work through an online tutorial in the Spring. During November you will attend a one-hour session held in your college. Your departmental person who helps you with the class schedule can also assist you.
Q. What else might I want to do with PeopleSoft Student Administration?: A. PeopleSoft SA will also enable you to download your own class rosters at any time. This training will be available in demo sessions and tutorials in Spring 07 and will also be included in the Fall training sessions on grades.