EPA moves forward on PeopleSoft implementations

The Environmental Protection Agency recently passed the one-year anniversary of its PeopleSoft 7 human resources application, and the agency is working on upgrading the HR module to the Web Version 8.3.EPA’s target date is July 2003 for rolling out the HR, time and labor, and payroll modules from PeopleSoft Inc., said Robert Thorlakson, EPA’s human resource functional staff director. He spoke yesterday at a Washington conference sponsored by the Pleasanton, Calif., company.Even with 13 remote locations, the entire agency was able to go live with PeopleSoft 7’s human resources module on the same date, last July 1, Thorlakson said.EPA used PeopleSoft’s own support staff instead of a third-party integrator to install the client-server PeopleSoft 7 module, he said. His staff sent a snapshot of the agency’s production system to the PeopleSoft laboratory in April to help with the customization of Version 8.3.Just having the personnel data online should increase data integrity, Thorlakson said. EPA’s 18,000 employees will be able to check their own accounts and make a limited number of alterations, such as routine address changes and records of on-the-job training.“People just don’t update their education” in their paper personnel files, he added.Going live last year with PeopleSoft 7 decreased personnel transaction processing time by 50 percent. Thorlakson said he expects that the change to the browser-based Version 8.3 will increase productivity even further.