Software glitches cause IU financial difficulties

As the four-year mark of the PeopleSoft software implementation draws near, some of the expected glitches in the system have surfaced. \nThough those who work closely with the system feel it is, for the most part, working well, several problems came up last fall. Most recently, the Financial Aid Office has had trouble transferring current fall-spring loans over to summer-fall loans. The first type of loan covers the entire school year, while the second allows the student to transfer financial assistance to the following year. \nPeopleSoft is the world's second largest enterprise application provider, according to the company's Web site. IU uses PeopleSoft for financial management, such as financial aid and payroll.\nAndrew Redd, a graduate student who was hoping to conduct such a loan switch, is now faced with a serious problem. When Redd asked the Financial Aid Office to transfer over his loan, a problem was discovered within the PeopleSoft system that would not allow for the loan to be carried over, unlike the old system. \n"I have to go and confirm what was said to me and make sure there is no alternative," Redd said. "Otherwise I will have to start looking for a paid internship or a private lender."\nThe dilemma for the Financial Aid Office will be how to fix the system before students start to plan for next year. Possible options are talking to the government or other federal officials to work something out or going to PeopleSoft and trying to get things to function like before, Redd said.\n"I had heard some mention of a problem related to financial aid, but the feeling was that it wasn't too serious," said Chris Haynes, an associate professor in the computer science department. "It should either be short-lived, or people just aren't working with it right."\nThe Financial Aid Office hasn't been the only department to find glitches in the PeopleSoft system. Many other departments have also come across other types of problems, several of which deal with payroll issues.\n"We have had problems, but very few here in the journalism department. But I have heard of some bigger problems in other departments," Accounting Representative Vicky Myers said. "With such a big implementation there is no way to put it all to use at the beginning. You have to expect problems up front."\nDespite PeopleSoft hitting a few snags along the way, the overall consensus seems to be on the positive. The system has streamlined more of what used to be done, and though it has forced people to think a little further ahead, it seems to be no more or less frustrating than the old system, Myers said. \n"The big picture that I have is that (PeopleSoft) is doing remarkably well on a limited budget without any serious problems," \nHaynes said. \n-- Contact senior writer Brian Janosch at bjanosch@indiana.edu.