BUSINESS OPERATIONS SURVEY

	Business Operations Survey
University of Colorado at Boulder

This survey is about CU-Boulder's financial and human resource operations. It will help the offices of Planning, Budget and Analysis and Accounting and Budget Services look at PeopleSoft systems, at off-line processes, and at all campus business operations. Employees who have any administrative responsibilities (not only those who perform transactional tasks) in the areas of accounting/finance, accounts payable, budget, human resources, payroll, purchasing/procurement, and/or travel are asked to take this survey.

The survey contains 11 questions and should take 10-30 minutes to complete. Some questions require only a click of the mouse to indicate a response. Other questions require that you type your response into a text box. Skip all questions that do not apply to you and your work. When you have answered all applicable questions, submit the survey by clicking on the SEND button. Please submit your response by September 24, 2002. Your responses are anonymous unless you provide your name at the end of the survey.

Remember to TAB or use the mouse to move between responses.

DO NOT use the ENTER key while doing the survey. The Enter key will submit and send the survey.

1. In the course of doing your job, whether or not you use PeopleSoft, how do you spend your time?

Respond using a scale of 1 - 5.
Select 1 to indicate an area that is not a part of your job.
Select 3 to indicate your secondary job duties.
Select 5 to indicate your primary job duties.
The job areas are listed in alphabetical order.
Remember, don't use the enter key until you're ready to submit.

ACCOUNTING and FINANCE n/a 1 2 3 4 5 primary job duty

Examples: doing monthly FOPPS reconciliation, preparing on-line journal entries, requesting ChartField changes, collecting fees

and preparing cash receipts, handling petty cash or change funds, booking and collecting accounts receivable, administering

inventory, dealing with service center finances, accounting for departmental property, administering PERS, working with tuition

waivers, working with shadow systems, etc.

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE n/a 1 2 3 4 5 primary job duty

Examples: identifying correct person with whom to work at Accounts Payable, tracking where a payment is in the process,

getting timely invoice payments, getting voucher copies, correcting errors in payment amount or FOPPS-account combination to

which payment is charged, etc.

BUDGET n/a 1 2 3 4 5 primary job duty

Examples: developing budget requests, doing budget - actual variance reporting, understanding and using budget information from

financial reports, preparing on-line budget journal entries, completing spread sheets to set up auxiliary fund and renewal and

replacement fund budgets, etc.

HUMAN RESOURCES n/a 1 2 3 4 5 primary job duty

Examples: working with the hiring process, doing employee performance planning and evaluation, creating new positions,

changing existing positions, determining funding for positions, changing employee data, etc.

PAYROLL n/a 1 2 3 4 5 primary job duty

Examples: time collection and entry, leave reporting, pay adjustments, record keeping, grad student appointments, etc.

PURCHASING and PROCUREMENT n/a 1 2 3 4 5 primary job duty

Examples: identifying the correct purchasing method to use, navigating the on-line panels, recording and removing encumbrances,

administering the ACARD process, making small dollar (< $3000) purchases, making large dollar (> $3000) purchases, etc.

TRAVEL n/a 1 2 3 4 5 primary job duty

Examples: obtaining a travel authorization #, obtaining a travel advance, getting proper approvals, purchasing tickets, requesting

reimbursement for travel-related expenses, etc.

OTHER:

Are there other business process not previously listed that you perform in the course of your job?

If so, please list the process, then rank it on the 1-5 scale used above

n/a 1 2 3 4 5 primary job duty

2. Question #2 focuses on problems you face when working within the areas from Question #1.

Respond using a scale of 1 - 5.
Select 1 to indicate an area with which you experience no problems.
Select 5 to indicate an area with which you experience severe problems.
Make one selection for each topic.
Remember, don't use the enter key until you're ready to submit.

ACCOUNTING and FINANCE no problems 1 2 3 4 5 severe problems

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE no problems 1 2 3 4 5 severe problems

BUDGET no problems 1 2 3 4 5 severe problems

HUMAN RESOURCES no problems 1 2 3 4 5 severe problems

PAYROLL no problems 1 2 3 4 5 severe problems

PURCHASING and PROCUREMENT no problems 1 2 3 4 5 severe problems

TRAVEL no problems 1 2 3 4 5 severe problems

OTHER:

no problems 1 2 3 4 5 severe problems

3. Question #3 expands upon the responses you provided in Question #2.

Describe some of the problems you encounter when working in each process.

Feel free to include anything causing you problems such as off line processes, etc.
The text box will scroll to accommodate longer responses.
Please provide examples.
It is not necessary to provide a response for each topic.

ACCOUNTING and FINANCE: What are some of the problems you have managing departmental finances and why?

Please provide examples.

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE: What are some of the problems you have managing accounts payable and why?

Please provide examples.

BUDGET: What are some of the problems you have managing the departmental budget and why?

Please provide examples.

HUMAN RESOURCES: What are some of the problems you have managing faculty and staff processes and why?

Please provide examples.

PAYROLL: What are some of the problems you have managing faculty, staff, and student payroll processes and why?

Please provide examples.

PURCHASING and PROCUREMENT: What are some of the problems you have buying services, supplies, equipment, and why?

Please provide examples.

TRAVEL: What are some of the problems you have administering the travel process and why?

Please provide examples.

OTHER: Are there business process not previously listed that present problems in the course of your work?

List these processes and describe some of the problems you encounter. Please provide examples.

4. With whom do you typically work (departments and/or specific individuals) to resolve the problems

noted in Question #3?

5. What other resources (Web sites, manuals, etc.) do you find helpful in resolving problems?

6. Other than additional staff support, describe potential solutions to streamline your job, make your job

easier, make your job more efficient, etc.

7. What tasks do you do in your current job that you believe are a waste of time, a duplication of

effort, etc? For example, Department XYZ completes a task which is then re-done by the Dean's

Office.

8. What business processes and operations work especially well for you?

Please explain and provide examples.

9. When you first began your job, how did you learn about the rules, regulations, and processes associated

with your job responsibilities?

For example, did you
- read process manuals
- attend structured training classes
- receive instruction from a co-worker or supervisor, etc.
Please identify both the process, (Accounting/Finance, Accounts Payable, Budget, Human Resources, Payroll, Purchasing and Procurement, Travel, Other) and the the information source.

10. How do you stay current on the rules, regulations, processes, etc. associated with your job

responsibilities?

11. Please comment on any other areas of concern not addressed previously in this survey.

May we follow up with you? Your responses will be kept confidential, even if you say yes. yes no

If you answered "yes", please indicate your e-mail address.

Name optional

THANK YOU for taking the time to respond to this survey.

Summary results will be posted on the Planning, Budget and Analysis Web site.