Innovations

GCA Documents Processes—Others Follow Their Lead

by Karen Long and Karl G. Kraber

Following a successful pilot launch of the ProCarta process documentation software in Grant & Contact Accounting in autumn 2004, additional Financial Management departments will move forward with process documentation. Student Fiscal Services, Payroll, Financial Services, Treasury and Financial Accounting will be the next departments to use ProCarta to document critical internal processes. They will participate in training for implementation and use of the ProCarta program during April.

The journey to use ProCarta began with the recommendation of this software after a review of other similar products at the time. Last autumn Karen Long took on process documentation as part of the planned GCA reorganization. To be sure that ProCarta was the best choice, she corresponded with various clients of ProCarta as references, and also asked for informal proposals from a local consulting company that provides web and technical writing services.

GCA decided that the ProCarta program would serve their purposes best (that is, document the procedures within all major processes by the Jan 1, 2005 timeline for the GCA reorganization). The last hoop was to have the program reviewed for “connectivity” with Nebula and to be sure that there were not similar capabilities already at UW. When it was determined that there were no similar capabilities available, the software was purchased and the process documentation began.

The software provides a web-based, one-stop reference portal for policies, desk procedures, related web pages, spreadsheets, forms and any other information necessary for FM staff to perform the documented process.

Note: the term “process documentation” has two meanings. Process documentation can mean the creation of flow charts that documents the steps of the process. This is a visual representation of the process. The second use of the term (used here) is the documentation of the procedures (text) that constitute all or major portions of the process.

As we document our existing processes, we will also set the stage for on-going process improvement efforts, cross-training within departments, and identifying the knowledge and skills currently residing in desk manuals, word and excel documents, binders, and Financial Management brains!

A kickoff meeting is scheduled for the morning of Monday, April 11th. Kristin Findley will demonstrate the process documentation created in GCA, and Martin Goldberg from ProCarta will provide an overview of the design process for members of each department who volunteered to learn how to use the software. By the end of April, all departments should have draft process documentation in place and be ready to move forward to document all of Financial Management's critical processes.