To: Deans, Directors, and Department Chairs
From: Martha Pendergrass, Director of Procurement Services
Dennis Press, Financial Stakeholders Committee Chair
Date: August 31, 2010
As the University undertook a review to modify campus purchasing processes as a cost saving measure, eProcurement (ePro) was identified as an area of potential savings. Therefore, the PeopleSoft eProcurement (ePro) module is being implemented earlier than the other PeopleSoft Financial modules.
NC State University and UNC-Chapel Hill are working collaboratively to implement ePro and the other PeopleSoft financial and human resource systems, sharing resources and expertise. NC State has been using ePro for a decade, which is helping to fast track the ePro implementation at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Purchasing goods through ePro will provide the detailed information needed to negotiate better prices from vendors. It will also allow department managers to see details about their purchases.
ePro will replace the current eCommerce system and part of the current check request system. ePro will be the front-end system, while the current Financial Records System (FRS) will remain in use until PeopleSoft is fully implemented for financial systems. This means, for example, that checks will continue to be paid through the current Accounts Payable system until the PeopleSoft Financial modules are implemented.
ePro will be used for two types of purchases:
- vendor catalog orders (used to order items) and
- the small order process (used to pay the bill after a purchase is made.)
ePro will only be used to purchase goods where the total order does not exceed $5,000.
ePro will be rolled out using a phased implementation, with go-live dates from October 2010 through January 2011. Information sessions, training, and reference materials will be offered to help prepare purchasers and purchase approvers.