Data Conversion=Zero Tolerance for Errors
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Converting information and data from the Legacy system to the Banner system isn’t an easy task if your goal is 100% accuracy. Members of TIGERi’s HR/Payroll team gathered in July to learn the skills necessary to ensure an effective and smooth data conversion. The TIGERi system, powered by Banner, must contain the correct name, job title, campus address funding sources, and all pay related information to ensure university employees are paid correctly.
TIGERi’s data conversion also involves redefining data elements to accommodate new functionality or different needs for information within the Banner system. The way data is organized often changes over time from one application to another. Data migration is necessary to update inefficient or outdated practices and systems to improve services for students, faculty and staff.
Advances in technology make it possible for ISU to do things and access information in ways that were not feasible in the past. The purpose of the TIGERi project is to bring all services together in an integrated online environment, making it faster, easier, and more efficient to conduct business at the university.
Data conversion is similar to importing information from an Excel document to a Microsoft Word document. The user must ensure that all the data from Excel is correctly and exactly migrated from Excel to Microsoft Word. A conversion problem is apparent in the following example--if Excel column A says “Robin” and Colum B says “Blue Egg” before converting and then after the conversion Microsoft Word column A says “Robin Blue” and Column B says “Egg.” Information in the sample Excel and Microsoft Word analogy was not transferred appropriately and needs to be reviewed to see where the issues are.
It is essential that information converted from Legacy into Banner must correctly and accurately match or paycheck problems will ensue. It would not be acceptable to pay a university employee less than their current wage or send their paycheck to the incorrect address.
“Data conversion is a process that must be completed accurately to ensure everyone’s information is correctly transferred from Legacy to Banner system. Our goal is to achieve 100% accuracy with a zero tolerance policy for errors.” observes Ray Ludwig, HR/Payroll team lead. “Students, faculty and staff interact with HR/Payroll on a daily basis; the data conversion process touches everyone and must be done properly.”
This is the first of many data conversions for the HR/Payroll module. “Alice Arambarri, Information Technology (IT) System Analyst and Kevin Larson, backup Analyst for HR/Payroll module are busy behind the scenes helping the team achieve an effective and smooth data transition,” says Ludwig. “The data that can be converted by our IT staff saves the project team many hours of work that would otherwise have to be done manually and takes away from our ability to focus on reviewing the data for accuracy.”
