The document provides best practices and lessons learned from PeopleSoft upgrade projects. In the successes section, it outlines steps taken such as keeping a detailed project plan, leveraging PeopleSoft Change Assistant, and preparing the database server that helped projects be completed on time and on budget. The shortcomings section describes issues such as test scripts not being as usable as expected, environments not being properly defined and managed, and security being migrated twice. The document stresses planning thoroughly, validating assumptions, and having proper tools and processes for testing and deployment.

1. PeopleSoft Upgrades
Best Practices
Tom Reznicek and Patrick Savage
QuestDirect.org

2. APRIL 7-11, 2014
Sands Expo and Convention
Center
Las Vegas, Nevada
QuestDirect.org/COLLABORATE
COLLABORATE 14- Quest Forum is THE source for PeopleSoft roadmaps & news.
It matters where you register! All PeopleSoft education and events run through Quest
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3. Agenda
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Introduction of Speakers and Emtec
Project Success
Project Shortcomings and Solutions
Open Discussion
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4. Emtec… ‘Big enough to do the work, small enough to care’
EMTEC THE COMPANY
EMTEC SERVICES AT A GLANCE
• Emtec has completed more than 1,100 Package Application
engagements, including:
• Serving clients for over 46 years
• 14 locations, including 8 development centers
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• Over 1,000 full-time professionals
• Voted One of the Top 100 Places to Work by Cranes
Chicago in 2012
• Our consultants have an average of 14 years of
experience. Nearly 45% have advanced certifications
200+ Oracle clients with more than 415 engagements
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206 EPM / Hyperion & OBIEE clients and 323 engagements
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186 Microsoft Dynamics and more than 255 projects
• Emtec is a premier provider of SaaS and Emerging
technologies consulting, including 51 Salesforce Clients with
more than 75 engagements, Including Sales Cloud, Service
Cloud and Custom Cloud
• Emtec has performed more than 6.3M hours of application
development and maintenance work ranging from Business
Analysis to Product Development
• Emtec has served more than 565 Infrastructure services
clients where we have:
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5. Upgrade Projects
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Distribution Company
Professional Services
Professional Association
Financial Exchange
Financial Services Company
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6. Project Successes
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7. On Time Within Budget
• Kept a detailed project plan so people knew
what was expected of them and when
• Had regularly scheduled meetings to review
plan, risks, and resolve issues
• Kept upper management involved in project
QuestDirect.org

8. Final Move to Production on Time
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Developed detailed task list for go-live weekend
Leveraged PeopleSoft Change Assistant
Had specific call-in times for progress reporting
Used production like hardware on the final test
move to production to get accurate timing for the
real move to production
QuestDirect.org

9. Latest User Data Security Migration
• Developed method to migrate permission lists
and roles separate from user data
• Created diagrams and client deliverable to
explain security migration plan
QuestDirect.org

10. Trained Two Client Resources
• Resources had PeopleSoft Upgrade experience
but did not execute test scripts
• Allowed upgrade weekend tasks to be split
between 3 people
• Documented manual steps
• Documented common issues and resolutions
QuestDirect.org

11. Reduced Data Conversion Time
(72 hours to 42 minutes)
• Identified slow processes by running Application
Engine tracing and data conversion steps report
• Tech leads tuned slow processes
• Multiple test moves to production
QuestDirect.org

12. Move to Production Completed On-Time
• Used job properties in Change Assistant to record
time, file name, and issues
• Let Change Assistant accept errors (i.e. duplicate
keys) and clean after scripts run
• Created go-live spreadsheet with pre and post steps
• Bypassed some backups saving hours
QuestDirect.org

13. Knowledgeable Team
• Technically strong and larger than previous
upgrade teams
• Two Emtec resources to go to with concerns
• Knowledgeable Emtec PeopleSoft Upgrade
Specialist
• Cyber Source configured without additional Cyber
Source specific consultants
QuestDirect.org

14. Prepared Microsoft SQL Server
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Turned off database logging before scripts started
Monitored database file size
Added memory to database server
Set maximum memory usage on database to
allow for other processes on server
QuestDirect.org

15. Updated/Validated User Guides
• Guides consolidated multiple documents into one
document per business area
• Created process flow diagrams for requisition and
PO entry
• New testing documents for requisition and voucher
approval, GL reports, and other processes
• Created technical check printer setup document
QuestDirect.org

16. Minor Post Go-Live Issues
• Extensive testing:
– Leveraged existing test scripts by updating menu
navigation and business process changes for version 9.1
– Last round of testing done on production hardware
– End users involved in system and user acceptance
testing
– Testing “Cheat Sheets” were created for users
QuestDirect.org

17. Went Live On-Time & Within Budget
• Managed issues with Excel worksheet, included
owner and resolution
• Assigned close action, which identified resolutions
required for production and how to apply to
production
QuestDirect.org

18. Functional Ch. 2 & 6 Steps Completed
Quickly
• Functional users completed Ch. 2 tasks to reduce
the number of transactions processed
• Wrote SQL statements to perform validation
checks before conversion
• Identified Ch. 2 & 6 steps that had to be
performed for A in test moves to production
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19. Project Shortcomings and Solutions
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20. Test Scripts Not as Usable as Thought
• Review test plans and scripts upfront in project
• Existing data and business processes that were
not fully documented
• Review any work already done
QuestDirect.org

21. Canadian Payroll Customization Removed
and Later Re-Added
• Verify removal of customizations with the
business
QuestDirect.org

22. Differing Data Conversion Hours
• Ensure final test move has as much in common
with eventual go-live as possible
• Should have ensured three data conversion
processes were able to run error-free prior to golive to accurately gauge run time
QuestDirect.org

23. Applied Large Maintenance Pack Taking
Longer in Production
• Keep more careful track of how much time it takes
to apply large Maintenance Pack post-upgrade so
more accurate estimate could be made
QuestDirect.org

24. Initial Upgrade Pass Overlaid Delivered
V9.1 Objects with V8.9
• Confirm initial upgrade pass is correct
• Confirm filter that removed non-customizations is run
• Confirm compare report is configured properly
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25. Go-Live Move to Production Fell Behind
in Day 2
• Escalate issues faster when processes run behind
schedule
• Document how performance issues will be investigated
and have required tools ready
• Do not apply new patches after last move to production
• All hand-offs should be done by phone call and e-mail
QuestDirect.org

26. Identified PM Areas for Improvement
• Keep checklist from RFP to make sure everything
taken care of
• Some deadlines missed by project phase
• Assign 1-2 people to check with everyone
regarding environment restarts and refreshes
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27. Longer Testing Than Estimated
• Test check printing earlier for MICR and signature fonts
• Test nVision reports earlier in process
• Have Hyperion environment refreshed and ready for
PeopleSoft testing
• Test credit card transactions through to Cyborg
• After initial install, test system while consultants on-site
• Test on same operating system (64 bit) as production
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28. Open Billing and Payable Transactions in
Database from 2001
• Identify open transactions early in upgrade
process and clean up transactions before go-live
• Run Ch. 2 tasks to identify open transactions to
clean up
QuestDirect.org

29. Environments Required and Migration Path
Not Communicated
• Define environments and naming at the start
• Define migration path and how environments will
be validated and kept up to date
• Do not build test environment too early in upgrade
• Define how performance issues will be debugged
and have proper tools installed on database
QuestDirect.org

30. Wrong Initial Move to Production
• Confirm the “Initial Alter Audit” is complete before
starting to use an environment
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31. Application Engine Jobs Run Manually
Instead of Running Change Assistant
• Install PeopleSoft Change Assistant on Windows
Admin Server
• Workstation version does not allow for automatic
processing of application engine jobs
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32. Security Migrated Twice and Custom Objects
Built Twice
• Apply the security after migration of custom code
• Build database objects after migration of custom
code
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33. Knowledge Transfer Not Completed between
1st Team and Current Emtec Team
• Document what was completed by first team and
what will need to be completed by second team
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34. Managing Competing Projects
• Fully understand scope prior to engagement
• Assign dedicated resources that are not part of upgrade
• Need detailed testing plan and approach that would
provide fully configured environment prior to testing
• SWAT teams worked well when engaged
• New Linux Security took several weeks to implement
• Server storage issues but no determination of root cause
• Needed better escalation points for Tech Ops
• Architecture diagram needed more detail
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35. Thank you for listening.
Questions?
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