I ask you, how can you know where you are going if you don’t know where you have been?  Do you know who is doing what and what role that is in the organization no matter who sits in the role?  Do you know where your manual processes are and how you might achieve efficiencies with system support?  Do you know what rules are necessary to ensure when you follow the process that you are in compliance?  Are you aware of the boundaries and how the HR process may be impacted by the Recruitment process, or how the supply chain process may be impacted by procurement. 

It is always amazing that there is someone who indicates process is not important, or we don’t need to do that until we get into designing the system and writing the specs.  Process Analysis needs to happen up front to determine where the opportunities are for change, how change will be instantiated and communicated, what training will need to take place, does the system support the process or not?  Are there other systems that are integral to the process?

Here are some questions to ask yourself and ensure you have the answers and your processes analyzed to provide a framework and foundation for everything else in your implementation.  The foundation will be there for testing, training, security, roles, compliance and ultimately change and communication. 

Questions;

What is the purpose of the process, outcome and result?

What are the Roles and how will they change?

What are the steps?

What are the business Objects?

What are the rules?

What is manual and where does the system support the process?

What training and testing will be necessary to ensure the process is working as planned?

What are the boundaries between processes and what is the impact on pre and post process?

How will all the changes be communicated and managed?

So if you think process is not important, look to those implementations where you have been involved and determine points of failure.  And on those that were supported by Business Process or Use Case Analysis how they had an impact on success. 

I remain amazed that there are still consultants and professionals who do not understand the value of understanding and anlyzing process at the beginning of an implementation…not in design, not in construct, not in transition, not in deploy but in the beginning to provide a foundation for all stages, phases and tasks involved in an implementation.

1. How many systems will need to be integrated into the ELM solution?
1. HR
2. CRM
3. Finance
4. Supply Chain
2. How do you envision the “end state”?
3. Competencies, are they all developed, configured?
4. Reports?  What do they currently have?  Additional? 
5. What metrics are of interest to the organization?
6. The challenge is to seamlessly connect skill and competency profiles, learning objectives, performance and succession planning data, employee development plans, training metrics, and financial tracking with the LMS.
7. Is Integration Broker up and running? With PeopleSoft integration technologies, an application is integrated once to the hub. Publish/Subscribe
8. Are you planning to Allow a learning event to be triggered from any management solution such as CRM, HR, or supply chain.
9. Prepackaging integration points to HRMS and FMS. Do you have a list?
10. Policy and Procedures documents?
11. Approval Requirements? Rules?
12. ePerformance?
13. Table Values?
14. Table Loading Sequence

How to Create Competency Models
Brief Refresher on Competency Models
Competency models are simply lists of characteristics required to do a job well. For example, the competencies for a patrol officer might include:

• Attention to Detail
• Problem Solving Ability

These competencies typically have definitions. For example:

Attention to Detail: Pays attention to details to ensure they are correct.

Competency definitions are most useful if they include a scale which helps identify low and high levels of the competencies. For example:

Attention to Detail: Pays attention to fine details to ensure they are correct

• Low: Shows concern when errors are made in detail but does not make special efforts to fix them.
• Medium: Is careful in work and takes the time to ensure details are correct.
• High: Is very careful in work, checks final result, puts in extra effort to re-do work when it is not up to their personal standards.

Typically, there are around seven to ten competencies for a job. While one could often justify having more competencies the models become too hard to use.

Tools for Building Models
There are three main tools used to build competency models. They can be used alone or in combination.

1. Select from Existing Competency Dictionaries
   Many consulting firms have dictionaries of existing competencies. They may even have lists of jobs with associated competencies.  In addition, PeopleSoft is delivered with vanilla competencies that can be reviewed. A client can simply select and edit competencies from the dictionary that they feel relevant to the job.
2. Use an Expert Panel to Define Competencies
   An “expert panel” normally consists of HR, one or more managers of the job being discussed and one or more incumbents of the job being discussed and a consultant. The expert panel discusses the job and decides what competencies are required.
3. Research on the Competencies Required to Do the Job
   The most scientific way to determine the competencies required for a job is to do research. Typically this is done by doing structured behavioral interviews of high performers and average performers. The interviews are analyzed and the differences between high and average performers become the basis for the competency model.

Selecting a Tool
The key issues in selecting a tool are:

• What can you afford (in time and money)?
• How well do you understand the job?
• How much do you want to learn about competencies?

Here are some common scenarios and the appropriate tools:

• Small company with limited resources
  Often small companies find they can only afford the cheapest, quickest approach which is to select from a competency dictionary. This does not add a lot of value but is better than not using competencies at all.
• We already understand competencies and we understand the job
  If the job is well understood and you already understand competencies then you may find that selecting from a competency dictionary meets your needs.
• We need to understand the job better and we want buy in
  Using an expert panel typically helps you ensure that you develop competencies that are well tailored to the specific job. Just as importantly, you get buy-in and understanding from the people who will be using the model. For most situations, this would be the method of choice.
• It is a critical job and it’s worthwhile to get it right
  For a large population job, such as flight attendants in an airline, or critical jobs, such as senior auditors, it is often worthwhile to do a research project. It is also useful if you suspect that there may be competencies that an expert panel would be unaware of.
• We want to really understand competencies
  A research project is the best way to really understand what competencies are all about. An HR department might well want to do one or two research projects to learn about competencies before retreating to faster, cheaper tools such as expert panels or selecting from a dictionary.

Caveat
Generally, far too much effort goes in to building a model, and too little effort goes into using it. In general it may make sense to try to get a rough model together quickly, start using it, then refine it based on what you learn.

Role of Consultants
Companies new to competencies should probably use a consultant to help them get started. However, in general it is best if the consultant is the teacher and coach while the company (usually HR) does the actual work of building the model.

If the consultant does the work they will gain a deep understanding of competencies and jobs. You, the client, will get a piece of paper.

Consultant “Do you have your processes documented?” Client: “Of course, let me show you the ringbinder where we keep them. I had to use them the last time we did an upgrade and they are somewhere here. Oh yes, here it is the red ringbinder in the back of the overhead on my cubicle. What? Do the executives review them…you have got to be kidding.”

Consultant: “Can you show me how they cross all the organizational boundaries? Where they start and where they end? What are the results and who is the owner of the process? Who is getting value at the end of the day?” Client: “Huh?, I just keep the binder of the visio documents, I don’t know who uses the process documentation.” And so on, and so on.

Process is not something to keep in a binder on the shelf, but something to review on an iterative basis. Do your processes remain static? Are the roles always the same, do they change? If so, how and who integrates the change into the organization to ensure it is accepted? It is important to identify the stakeholders, the change agents, the processes that change and how they change. Is the change a result of a policy change, a change in the system, a role enhancement, a performance concern either system performance or performance of an associate? There is an impact to the organization which will effect systems, people, process, procedure outcomes or results that must be addressed.

Who owns the process? The process owner is the person who gets value at the end of the day. What does that mean? It means the highest level ownership in the organization, the role that ensures that part of the organization is achieving the results expected and the results that support the organizational vision and direction. I wonder how many associates can explain how what they do will impact the direction and strategy of the organization..in fact, how many can articulate the vision or strategy of the organization?

Process is the absolute foundation of the organization and determines where any implementation or upgrade will go and whether or not it will be successful. It is the foundation for system, customizations, training, testing, and ongoing support of the organization so again I ask…where are your processes? In a binder on the shelf, or in the forefront of organizational and strategic discussions?

Process, Process, Process. How many times have you worked with organizations who insisted they wanted to improve their processes? Hours were spent analyzing the “as is” and the “to be”. Requirements were identified, opportunities, and efficiencies evaluated. Improvements were possible in system, process, policy and performance and the road to the future was determined.
And then, it stopped. It was time to address the system and ensure the technology was upgraded but what happened to the opportunities? The opportunities were sacrificed to ease of technological implementation, to the ways we have always done it and to meet the “go live” date identified. Bring it up as “vanilla” as possible and move on. Who would look to the policy decisions that needed to be addressed, how would people be trained to improved performance and when would the “to be” processes be tested and documented? My guess would be never or perhaps the next time someone realizes things are going awry.
Managing your processes constantly is a key factor in navigating the problems that arise in the organization. Managing process helps to manage change. Change is not an option but a daily reality. Whether organizations want to change or not…they will. Organizations must make investments in process and change. What investment has your organization made in process and change? A few weeks of process analysis or an ongoing strategy to evaluate process and change? Only with change will new organizational capability be present in an organization.
Ability to perform and the capacity to scale is a task that needs to be addressed in the process analysis process. How many databases do you have with the same data, but no integrity? How do your processes link your stakeholders to the business? Have you even determined who your stakeholders are internal and external to your organization?

It seems Business Process templates are used on every project with varying degrees of success.I have used Rational, Visio, PDF’s, and templates that have been developed to encompass a modified Rational approach.

The current project is reviewing all the delivered processes and using them as a basis for the development of the “to be” processes for the implementation. New projects always result in a search of the “PeopleSoft” now Oracle website to find the delivered processes and each time it is a matter of wading and searching to find them.

Daniel, who is one of our business analysts on the project found this link which has provided an excellent resource for our process development work.

http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E17355_01/hf91bpm0/index.html

Oracle also has a PDF of the 9.1 processes. Let us know where you are in your business process work and how you developed your “to be” processes for your implementation.

Objective of the Meeting
The purpose of this discussion is to provide a foundation for decisions and definition of your system and
processes during the Discovery Sessions. The discussion will center on some of your current
information and discuss ideas for the forthcoming implementation. Please participate to the best of your
ability.
There will be information and additional research that may be required following the discussion sessions.
What is needed for Process Analysis:
• Ability to conceptualize future state
• Roles: Who does what in the process
• Boundaries: Where does the process start –end.
• Pre-Post Conditions
• Rules: Regulations
What are your pain points?
Are there points in the process that could be eliminated?
Are there manual processes that you would like to have supported by the system?
What changes are you most apprehensive about in changing process?
Keep the following points in mind as we discuss process:
Points of Discussion
Base Benefits
Do you have Benefit Programs?
–What differentiates the Programs?
How many Medical Plans?
How many Dental Plans?
How many Vision Plans?
Plan Summaries, Plan Documents
Benefits
Describe your benefit types: (Examples)

• Long-Term Care

• Medical

• Legal Services

• Wellness Credit

• Vehicle

• Uniform

Base Benefits Dependents/Beneficiaries
• Child
• Employee
• FostChild
• Grandchild
• DPAdult
• Dom Partnr
• DPChild
• Other
• OthQ Dep
• Stepchild Child
• Spouse
• ExSpouse
(Provide any manuals or reference procedures if applicable)
I am sure anyone who has conducted informational/discovery sessions will have information and questions to add to this blog. Please feel free to send additions or comment.

The purpose of this document is to provide a foundation for discussion, decisions, and definition of your system This document defines the current Time and Labor business practices of the Client along with ideas for the forthcoming implementation.
Question and Answers
Time Collection Process, Time Period and Time Reporting Code
1. Do you electronically track employee time worked? If so, what technologies are used to enter time?
Internet
Intranet
Electronic Timesheets
Clocking systems (Kronos)
Swipe card (i.e. Employee Badges)
Other (please describe)
2. Do you have employees or groups of employees who record time on paper-based time sheets? If so is there a need to print new timesheets?
3. Is employee time entered centrally or is time entry decentralized?

4. Does the time collection system allow time entry for groups of employees or for one employee at a time?
5. Do you have staff, such as timekeepers, who collect and post time? Please provide details of the process of collecting time and who collects and posts time.
6. Is there a restriction on who can enter hourly employees’ time versus salaried employees’ time?
7. Can employees enter their own time?
8. Can employees inquire and view their entered work hours?
9. Is time approved? If so who approves time? What is the procedure for approving employee time? Can time be approved electronically?
10. How is time capture for both electronic and paper timecards: hours per day or punch time ins and outs or are employees paid a standard schedule and only exceptions are captured or all three depending on the employee?
11. Currently, where is time entered corrected if there is an error? At the data entry level or is it corrected in the payroll process?
12. What is the input of incremental time, such as half days for vacation, etc. currently allowed?
13. If standard hours are used, what are your employees’ standard hours?

14. If time capture differs for different employees, explain the business process on what determines how the employees’ time will be captured.
15. Can retroactive time and labor adjustments be made once a time period has ended? Describe any situations that require you to pay employees hours and/or amounts from the prior period.
16. How are new employees set up for reporting time? Please describe the business process for “enrolling” your new hires in your existing time management system.
17. What are the beginning and end days of the time period? How does this relate to the payroll cycle?
18. What are the beginning and ending times for a 24 hour period?
19. Describe all of the specific time codes that are used in recording time in the current system, including any recorded hours for unpaid time, such as Unpaid Sick, Unpaid Vacation. Does the present system track absences or tardiness?
20. What are the Public Holidays offered to the employees? Are the same Holidays offered to all employees’ or are there different Holiday Schedules for different employees.
21. If more than one Holiday Schedule, what determines which Holidays are offered to an employee?
22. What are the specific business processes that must be adhered to for time reporting, such as Education leave must have at least 1 hour keyed to a maximum of 8 per year?

23. Aside from capturing hours, do you also record data elements such as dollar amounts or units? Such as flat dollar bonus amounts or units like 30 cents per mile.

Cost Allocation, Schedules and Shifts Processes
1. Is your timekeeping system used for allocating costs? Do you define how and/or where an employee time is spent? Are there certain tasks that are grouped together? Please describe how your costs codes are structured and how they are assigned to the time reported by employees.
.
2. Does the organization use Work Orders to capture information about labor costs? How is the information used?
3. Do your employees work shifts? What are they?
4. Is an employee assigned to one shift or are they allowed to work multiple shifts? Can they work multiple shifts in a day and/or in a week?
5. How many shifts make up a workday?
6. Are shift employees paid a differential? How is the differential calculated?
7. Describe your FLSA processing requirements? What days constitute the definition of your workweek? (E.g. Mon – Fri, Sun – Sat). Are FLSA requirements union driven?
8. Do all employees work the same schedule or are they flexible work schedules? Please describe all the different schedules that employees work.

9. Are employees allowed to work several jobs in the same week? In the same day?
10. If an employee is working out of his/her job classification, is their different rate of pay and how does the timekeeper or payroll representative determine the rate of pay?
11. Are employee’s represented by Unions/Bargaining unit(s)? If so, how many Unions/bargaining units?
12. When do these unions bargain? What are the bargaining seasons?

Time Administration Processes
1. What are the time processing rules currently used today? For example: How is Overtime calculated, only hours worked or does the calculation included Vacation, Holiday etc? Is it overtime after 8 hours in a day or after 40 hours in a week? Are these rules the same for all employees or different for each class of employee? If so, please describe each rule being used.
2. Are leave balances maintained at time entry level? If so, list all types of leave that are maintained.
3. If leave balances are maintained at time entry, describe what happens when the employee’s leave requested is greater than the employee’s leave balance or are the employee’s allowed to carry a negative balance?
4. If employees work flexible schedules, are the hours paid for vacation, holiday and sick based on the flex schedules.
5. How is the entered time validated? For example, if total time entered exceeds standard hours, does the current system provide red flags for the approver to review?

6. List any reports that are used to validate this time. Please submit an example.
7. Are control totals used to reconcile employee time entry? Describe the process. Please identify and give an example of any reports used for reconciling.
8. What are the mechanisms for correcting error data? Please describe the business process for correcting data that your time collection system has invalidated.
9. Do you have any audit needs regarding who has changed or approved time?
10. What employee information is available for time entry personnel?

Compensatory Time Management Processes
1. Are Client employees allowed to report Compensatory Time (Comp Time)?
2. How is Comp Time earned? Can the accruals be recorded in the existing time collection or payroll systems?
3. How do employees take their Comp Time?
4. Are Comp Time balances maintained automatically by the existing system?
5. Are Comp Time balances adjusted at the end of the year? How is that adjusting done? Manually? Electronically?

6. Can Comp Time expire? What are the conditions under which Comp Time would be considered to have expired?
7. Can Comp Time be bought, sold or donated? How are these transactions handled?

Time and Labor Integration with Payroll, Human Resources, and Projects
1. Is the timekeeping system electronically integrated with an automated payroll system? Please describe the process of integrating the two systems.
2. Which system calculates the time rules, such as Overtime, shifts and such?
3. How often is time collected and uploaded to payroll? Do the time periods, used for capturing time, follow the payroll period?
4. What is the current deadline that time must be entered and calculated so payroll can be processed in a timely matter
5. If time does not load to payroll, what are the procedures for investigating, rectifying, re-approving and paying for that time?
6. Describe how your Time and Attendance business process integrates with human resources and payroll? Does your existing T&A system interface electronically with your payroll and HR systems?
7. Aside from Payroll, does your current time keeping system interface to any other system (internal or external)? Such as a Project or Funds. Please list those interfaces and describe what they do.

Reporting/Outbound Data
1. Are there reports generated to balance and prove employee time entry?
2. Are time reports generated to be sent back to time originators/collectors?
3. Are time reports generated for managers to approve time?
4. Please list and describe all time reports that are generated from the current system. Please submit an example of all the reports.

Policies and Procedures
Please provide any policies and procedures manuals and desk references currently being used by your department for time management.

The purpose of this document is to provide a foundation for discussion, decisions, and definition of your system during the Discovery Sessions. This document defines the current Payroll business practices of the Client along with ideas for the forthcoming implementation. Please complete this to the best of your ability. If a question does not apply to the Client mark that question as N/A (Not Applicable). If you can’t get an answer for a question, mark that question as N/R (Needs Researching). If the question has already been answered through the Client’s internal business process review, please refer to that document. Provide a due date for submission.

Responding Contact
Department
Question and Answers
Payroll Data In Legacy
1. What is your current payroll system?
2. How many years’ worth of payroll data is there in your current system?
a.) How many employees?
b.) How many pay periods worth?
3. Do you process payroll for both active employees and retirees? If so, are they processed in their own company?
4. How many companies, departments, locations, work/tax locations, company City /County /local taxes are currently processed. Please list in detail.
5. How clean is the legacy database? Is there duplicate payroll data, inactive payroll data, etc?

6. Provide a file layout of the legacy database(s) with field names, formats and sizes.
7. Please provide lists/query reports of the following data that you have in your current system:
a.) Active earnings codes/pay codes
b.) Deduction codes/ids
8. How much history of payroll data, would the Clients need to retain in Peoplesoft? Can the data be archived as flat files and accessed by queries?
9. How do you group your employees for payroll? Are pay groups utilized for processing the payroll? Please describe all groups and any eligibility requirements for an employee to be in that group.
10. How are contract and temporary employees paid? Please describe in detail.
11. Do you have employees whose pay workdays are not equal to pay periods? An example might be true contract pay employees?
12. Do you group earnings codes so that only certain earnings are available to certain groups of employees? Please describe in detail any groupings.
13. How do you accumulate earnings or deductions for other processing?
a.) Do you have special accumulators for determining 457 earnings? Please list all special accumulators and the earnings / deductions that affect the accumulator.
b.) Do you have special pay processing/accumulators for Retirement, 403 (b), 415 etc?

14. How many different check and advice forms are currently being used? Please describe or attach a voided sample. Indicate if the form is pre-printed.
15. How many shifts are currently processed in the system? Please attach any shift schedules and explain in detail.
16. Are any tables shared between the legacy payroll systems?
17. Are payroll changes audited? If yes, explain the process.
18. Please provide copies of current procedures, process flows, forms, and system manuals.

Payroll Administration & Processing
1. Who has overall responsibility for managing the payroll process?
2. What are your pay frequencies?
3. Please describe your pay period begin and end dates for each pay frequency.
4. How are your Check Dates relative to your Pay Period End dates?
5. What is your current payroll processing schedule?
a.) Time entry cut off?
b.) Payroll processed?

c.) Checks printed?
d.) Checks distributed?
6. How many employees are:
a.) Post-paid?
b.) Paid in advance?
c.) Current paid?
7. How far in advance do you build your pay calendars?
8. How are pay-sheets created and calculated? Does payroll launch these processes online? Are they automatically launched through batch processes? If the latter – what batch process scheduler do you use?
9. Do you create off-cycle or manual checks for ad hoc payments? How many on average would be produced in a pay period? What is the manual check process?
10. How many banks and accounts are used to process payroll checks and payroll related payments?
11. Is direct deposit offered for payroll checks to all employees? If so, is prenotification required and how many days does it take for the bank to pre-note?
12. How are direct deposits transmitted, (flat file, software, internet)?
13. Is there a limit to the number of direct deposits per employee?

14. May an employee participate in direct deposit and also receive some of their pay in a physical check?
15. How are checks and advices distributed to employees?
a.) By work location?
b.) By department?
16. Provide a list of paid holidays offered to the employees. Are any employees offered a different holiday schedule? Who determines the holidays? How are they published?
17. Please explain in detail holiday pay processing for all employees.
18. Are all employees – both full and part-time employees – eligible for all holidays?
19. Are floating holidays provided to the employees? How are floating holidays assigned? Are all employees both full and part-time eligible for floating holidays?
20. Are savings bonds available to employees through payroll deductions?
a.) Can employees purchase more than one bond per pay period?
b.) Can employees deduct for different bonds by pay period?
c.) Where are the savings bond balances maintained?
d.) What form of transmittal is used to process savings bonds?
21. Do all payrolls contain both salaried and hourly employees?

22. How are exempt employees maintained?
23. Describe your time collection process for the following types of employees:
a.) Salaried exempt
b.) Exception hourly
c.) Hourly non-exempt
d.) Contractual
e.) Other
24. Do hourly employees report time on a daily basis or do they summarize their time?
25. Describe the approval process for timesheets.
26. How are final checks processed? Are they part of the current payroll cycle or are they processed manually? Describe the process.
27. How do your current systems interface with your bank?
28. Describe your check reconciliation processes.
29. How does the Payroll system interact with Human Resources and Benefits?
30. Do the systems currently share information? Is there duplication of data because the systems do not share data?

31. What third party systems does the current Payroll system interface with? (Savings Bonds, retirement funds, outsourced benefits, etc) Is the data to other systems inbound or outbound?
32. Are payroll vendors paid from the payroll system or Accounts Payable?
33. Describe your check printing process.
34. Describe your check reprint process.
35. Describe your paycheck reversal/adjustment process.
36. How are garnishments, child support, court orders, etc, processed? How are garnishments paid? Please describe in detail the garnishment process.
37. Are company fees deducted for employee garnishments?
38. Please provide a list of all garnishment vendors.
39. How are balances tracked, reconciled, maintained and adjusted? Please explain with reference to:
a.) Earnings Balances
b.) Check Balances
c.) Deduction Balances
d.) Tax Balances

e.) Garnishment Balances
f.) Accumulator Balances
40. Is there a need of balances other than calendar year?
41. Do you adhere to FLSA rules? If so, which earnings are included as:
a.) Regular
b.) Overtime
c.) Excluded from FLSA calculation?

Earnings and Deductions Processing
1. Are all earnings eligible for Retro Pay processing? If not, please list what earnings are not eligible.
2. How is Retro Pay determined? What is the process to pay?
3. Are all earnings subject to the same tax methods such as annualized or do you have some earnings that are based on supplemental tax rates?
4. Are there any earnings that are considered memo earnings that are calculated but not paid to the employee such as vehicle valuations?
5. Are all earnings subject to Federal Withholding, FICA, City /County Withholding, and Federal Unemployment Taxes? Please list all that are not subject.

6. What earnings, if any, require special calculations? Are there any earnings that are based off other earnings? Please explain the special calculations.
7. What earnings have an effect on leave accruals? Please list all earnings and describe in detail their effect on leave balances.
8. How do you handle sick payments (in house and third party)?
9. Describe the process flow for sick leave donations.
10. Describe your process for maintaining additional pay (recurring earnings)?
11. What is your process for balancing the additional pay (recurring earnings)?
12. Describe your process of handling one-time payments.
13. Are there any data entry issues that require timekeepers not to be able to select certain earnings?
14. What types of general (non-benefit) deductions do you have?
15. Do you allow partial deductions or arrears?

16. Are there times when only certain deductions are taken? Please describe your deduction schedule.
17. Describe your process of handling one time deduction overrides.
18. Are employer deductions taken at the same time the related employee deductions are taken?
19. Are medical/dental/LTD/Life Insurance deducted every pay period on the employer’s side?
20. Are there any deductions that are employer related only?
21. Are there any deductions that require any special calculations? If so, please provide the calculation requirements. For example, imputed income calculations for life insurance premiums and employer paid automobiles?
22. Describe the process for paying step up pay.
23. Does the City /County retain any percentages on fees?

Payroll and Human Resources Data
1. Are employees assigned a job code?
2. Are employees assigned to a position? Is the position within a job code?

3. Provide compensation rate tables. Discuss when these rates will change in the future. Do union contracts determine future pay rates?
4. How do you handle pay rate changes in the middle of a pay period? Do you use proration? If so, how is it calculated?
5. Are gross-up paychecks processed in the current legacy payroll system?
6. Do you have a process to calculate “what if” scenarios? Please describe the process in detail.
7. How often do you pay bonuses? Pay Rise? Who processes these payments? HR or Payroll? How is information fed to Payroll?

Accounting
1. Please describe in detail your current General Ledger interface process.
2. What determines your posting period, check or period end date?
3. Describe your payroll accrual process?

Tax Administration
1. In what City /County s and localities does your organization pay taxes?
2. Are City /County and private disability plans being used in the current system?

3. Do you have self-funded alternatives to City /County Unemployment Insurance and City /County Disability Insurance? Do you offer a Voluntary Disability Insurance plan?
4. Are fiscal and calendar year to date tax totals required?
5. Are any tax reciprocities being used in the current payroll system?
6. Do you have special requirements for Taxable Gross Definitions, where taxability for specific earnings and deduction codes are treated differently for the City /County and local level?
7. Provide the City /County and local tax formulas that are used in the current legacy payroll system. Is marital status used in determining City /County tax?
8. Does the current payroll system offer employees additional tax withholding amounts? Federal, City /County and local taxes?
9. Do any employees work in multiple City /County s? Describe how taxes are withheld for the employee.
10. How are new hires W-4 information entered into the system? How is this information maintained? What is the process to change W-4 information?
11. Do you produce W-2 and W-2c’s internally or is this function outsourced? Please describe in detail the W-2 and the W-2c process.
12. Are non W-2 personnel paid through the payroll system?

13. Do you file local, City /County and federal taxes? Are tax payments made internally or externally? What is the quarterly process? What is the yearly process? Please describe each in detail.

Payroll Reports and Inquiries
1. List and provide samples of the reports generated from the payroll system
2. What other reports do IT or other departments produce for payroll?
3. What on-line inquires are presently used?
4. Are there additional informational requirements not being currently met?
5. What are the current interfaces into your payroll systems in addition to those listed previously? Out of your payroll systems? Please list in detail.
6. What would you like to eliminate and/or change in the current Payroll process? Please be specific.

Policies and Procedures
Please provide any policies and procedure manuals and desk references currently being used by the Payroll Department.

Labor and Employee Relations
1. Define the following:
Number of bargaining units.
Number of unions.
Length of contracts and contract end dates
2. Describe how the Client tracks disciplinary offenses in the current HR system.
3. Define any and all disciplinary offenses.
4. Define the steps taken during the disciplinary action process.
5. Define any and all workforce grievances that are part of the current process.
6. Where are employee grievances maintained?
7. Define the standard course of action / steps to follow for each grievance.
Training and Licensing
1. Where are the client’s training courses, programs and licensing currently maintained?
2. Are training classes offered by the Client?
• How many courses are currently being offered?
• Please provide a listing of codes.
3. Are instructors also employees?
4. Is the Client using vendors for training?
5. Please define all the programs currently offered.
6. How is the training program budgeted?
7. How are training costs tracked?
8. How are the training programs offered to employees?
9. Define the criteria needed for an employee to attend training.
Workforce Development
1. Where are employees’ competencies and accomplishments tracked?
2. Define the employee review process.
3. Define the competencies that are currently maintained.
4. Define the accomplishments that are currently maintained.
5. Define the guidelines for evaluating competencies and accomplishments.
6. Does the Client use any type of alpha or numeric codes in ranking an employee’s competency? (If so, please define any and all codes)
Reports/Inquiries
Please define in detail the reports produced for the following:
• HR
• Position Management
• Compensation
• Labor and Employee Relations
• Training and Licensing process
• Workforce Development
• Please define any reports that may be generated that were not addressed above.

Interfaces
Please define the interfaces used for the following:
• HR
• Position Management
• Compensation
• Labor and Employee Relations
• Training and Licensing process
• Workforce Development
• Please define any reports that may be generated that were not addressed above.
Elimination / Changes
1. What would you like to eliminate and/or change within the current HR process?
2. What would you like to eliminate and/or change within the current Position Management process?
3. What would you like to eliminate and/or change within the current Compensation process?
4. What would you like to eliminate and/or change within the current Labor and Employee Relations process?
5. What would you like to eliminate and/or change within the current Recruitment and Applicant Tracking process?
6. What would you like to eliminate and/or change within the current Training and Licensing process?
7. What would you like to eliminate and/or change within the current Workforce Development process?

Policies and Procedures
Please provide any policies and procedure manuals and desk references currently being used by the HR department.