Re: Updates on Oracle Procurement Support
To: All Faculty
Feb. 23, 2021

Dear Colleagues,
 
As the campus adjusts to the Oracle financial systems launched in January, we continue to listen and respond to users’ feedback. The Procurement team has implemented new training tools and doubled down on efforts to open the bottlenecks that have temporarily slowed the processing of materials and services procurement during this transition.
 
Here are some of the ways we are working to improve the overall procurement process:
 
  • The Center for Business Services and Solutions (CBS2) has designated a team member as the primary point of contact for each school. Specific requests should still be submitted through the General Purchasing Ticket or Oracle however if you have any questions, need assistance, or are having trouble with an order please contact your dedicated team member. These team members will provide backup support to each other and are supported by all of CBS2 to resolve issues or answer questions as they arise:
  • School of Engineering: Stephanie Zuniga, CBS2 customer relationship director and team lead
  • School of Natural Sciences: Carla Hunt, liaison
  • School of Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts: Michelle Escalante, liaison
  • Contact the team by email at [email protected]. Start the email subject with the school’s acronym, i.e. SOE: Question about ordering materials. You also can use the Bobcat Buy help desk phone number – (209) 228-3600 – for support on procurement and travel requests.
 
  • Live training sessions for Procurement on Zoom have been extended and new dates and times are now available to demo entering requisitions in Bobcat Buy and to answer questions. We encourage you and your teams to attend.
  • We are working with schools’ staff to speed up ServiceNow requests as the campus transitions to the new chart of accounts and turnaround times are improving daily. A tip: Providing the project number or full CoA or POET string in a request can help expedite the process and reduce turnaround times.
  • The Go-Live Toolkit has been streamlined to ease access to experts, training and resources.

We are aware that one of the steepest learning curves involves the new financial strings – the Chart of Accounts (CoA) for non-project items and POET for project items. Please contact your CAO or RA to obtain chart string lists that will help expedite processing.
 
Please take advantage of our brief training videos, step-by-step guides and other resources. Use scheduled office hours to get help and ask questions. Most importantly, remember we will continue to respond to your concerns and feedback. With time, these processes will become easier to manage.
 
Sincerely,
 
Kurt Schnier
Interim Chief Financial Officer
 
Kim Groesbeck
Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor / Controller
 
Josh Dubroff
Chief Procurement Officer

Terri Harris
Executive Director, Center for Business Services and Solutions