Every project has to start somewhere, and what better place than 0001.That's the number assigned to a requisition - the first recognition to makeits way through the PeopleSoft system. Starting with FY 04 requisitions,which departments will continue to submit using paper until latesummer/early fall when online requisitons will be rolled out to the campus,the Procurement Office is entering each requisition into the system as ifthey were the individual departments. This will allow Procurement to besure that the system works, become "experts" on requisition entry and beable to train and assist departments as they come online with requisitionentry.

On the surface it doesn't seem like much, a single requisition. However, tocreate a requisition the Finance module must have a list of valid accountnumbers, security established as to who can request and approverequisitions, and the general ledger configured to pre-encumber the amount.

"This is a major milestone for the PeopleSoft project at UMBC," said ClolitaWilliams, assistant vice president for Administrative Services. "As we headtoward 'Go Live' on July 1, it is very encouraging to not only see thesystem working to know that we will be successful. We will get thisfunctionality out to the departments as quickly as we can."

Procurement is a function within the finance module of the new PeopleSoftsystem. Phase I of training on finance and human resources modules have beengoing on since May 19 and will continue through June 30. Approximately 150end-users are involved in Phase I of training.

For more information on PeopleSoft at UMBC, go to www.umbc.edu/peoplesoft.