The FP&M Extended Leadership Team (ELT) meeting held on March 17 featured special guest VCFA Laurent Heller, updates from FP&M Finance about Procure-to-Pay (P2P), as well as an FY22 Budget update.
VCFA Heller
Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration (VCFA) Laurent Heller attended as a guest to kick off the meeting with reflections on the past year during which UW-Madison has seen full activation of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and many “wild curveballs.”
Despite all of the challenges, FP&M never faltered in meeting its mission to provide continued infrastructure support during the pandemic. Vice Chancellor Heller thanked FP&M staff for their work during a critical time including developing health and safety protocols, preparing sites, cleaning, and so much more.
“You folks rose to the challenge. You kept coming in, kept getting it done. Thank you for all the amazing work you’ve done.” VCFA Heller went on to emphasize the importance of taking a little time for oneself. It is okay to pause to rest.
UW’s mission continues despite an overwhelming set of challenges over the past year. FP&M’S work has meant a lot. It really made a difference. Students graduated, courses were conducted, we supported our research mission, we continued our public service purpose. We care about public safety. We made a promise and we delivered on it.
-
- The protocols put in place in the fall were heroic.
- We “moved mountains” and did things that previously seemed impossible.
- We also did what we knew needed to get done.
- We added undisputable value to the community by coordinating with UW System for the BINAX testing.
- FP&M added value by coordinating with Schools, Colleges & Divisions to support space modifications.
- There is light at the end of the tunnel. Vaccinations are really starting to happen and open up for the larger community.
When asked what role he sees FP&M playing in the strategic framework of campus, VCFA Heller stated: “FP&M is the foundation of everything we do. We can’t do this without our infrastructure, which starts with you.”
A great physical infrastructure supports the people in campus buildings and sustainability is fundamental to the university’s values. We will continue to evolve our sustainable practices.
-
- FP&M has done well to become more data-oriented.
- Data is informing priority objectives from a maintenance and a space planning point-of-view.
- FP&M has enhanced its preventive maintenance efforts.
- Investments in FP&M are paying off and we’ve seen a difference in our infrastructure.
- The budget news this year has not been good campus wide but long term, UW should be able to get back on its growth trajectory.
Procure-to-Pay (P2P)
The meeting continued with an update from Dawn Ness, Business Operations and Purchasing Services Director, and Tony Helmke, Chief Finance Officer.
-
- P2P is a UW–Madison project as well as a UW System project that will affect the way we make purchases.
- Go-live date is April 16th
Why is UW making this investment?
-
- Purchasing is decentralized with inconsistent methods that are often paper-based
- Need a central campus repository of all financial information
- Improved user experience, controls, and consistency
- Consistency and common understanding for everyone in how to buy things
- Savings: schools across the campus and system may be buying similar things but on different contracts. Centralizing this process will allow for strategic sourcing that can ultimately save money for UW.
Future of P2P
-
- Invoicing, payments, eCommerce/MD
- Integration to SFS/Peoplesoft
- Will help us transition into UW’s new ERP system
- Will not affect P-card processing at this time
New Security Roles in ShopUW+
-
- Shoppers, Requesters, and Approvers
- Consistent approval routing has been established throughout FP&M
Changes
-
- MDS “MD Numbers” are going away
- Purchases route for approvals will be based on departmental funding string
- Standardization of approval routings based on dollar amounts throughout the system
- Blanket orders will be called Standing Purchase Orders
- There will be a new vendor setup process which requires a 3-4 day turnaround time
- Receipt transactions required for some transactions over $5,000 in ShopUW+
- Training will be important for all. (More to come as training is available on April 5)
- Learn more about BOP/P2P in this video: https://inside.fpm.wisc.edu/2021/03/what-is-bop-getting-to-know-dawn-ness/and at https://atp.vcfa.wisc.edu/p2p/
FP&M’s FY22 Budget
The meeting concluded with Rob Cramer, Margaret Tennessen, and Tony Helmke updating the group on FP&M’s FY22 Budget Proposal, which has been submitted to campus leadership.
COVID-19 response work will continue in FY22 as the university begins to emerge from its current pandemic response and transitions to more normalized operations in Fall of 2021 and beyond.
FP&M identified strategies to protect the gains that FP&M has made in recent fiscal years to meet current requirements for budget reductions that include cost savings and reallocation of carry-forward funds.
-
- Budget Reduction ($3.6 million in base operating funds)
- Some salary savings
- Converted non-salary dollars to salary
- Savings with Conversion, Turnover, Permanent Transfers, One-Time Transfers
- Directors identified potential investments looking forward.
- Targeted investments in FP&M’s Preventive Maintenance program in 2019 and 2020 are starting to pay off (every $1 spent at the right time prevents a $3 bill later).
- Improving the lab renovations process is very much top of mind for campus leadership.
- Budget will be entered by April 16.
- Budget Reduction ($3.6 million in base operating funds)
Rob Cramer thanked FP&M staff for the foundational work that they do every day of the year.
____________________________________________________________________________________
What is the ELT?
The Extended Leadership Team (ELT) at FP&M includes FP&M directors and their direct reports.