Program Overview

Over the years, campuses across the Universities of Wisconsin have relied on outdated, disconnected technology and supplemental systems to complete vital administrative processes and tasks. This has created security risks, limits our access to reliable data, increases staff burden, and hinders the UWs from fulfilling their mission.

The Administrative Transformation Program aims to reverse this trend.

ATP is dedicated to standardizing finance, human resources, and research administration business processes and implementing Workday and Huron Research Suite, integrated, cloud-based technology systems, at all UW universities. The end result will be a more resilient administrative environment that advances the UWs’ mission of research, teaching, and outreach.

To make this possible, ATP is guided by those who know best: UW universities’ dedicated faculty and staff. We work closely with subject matter experts from all UW universities every step of the way, from business process redesign through validation, implementation, and support.

Scope

To help move the Universities of Wisconsin into the future, ATP will implement new, best-in-class technology and retire many of the on-premises systems we use now.

Workday Implementation

Workday graphic logo

Workday will replace Shared Financial System (SFS) and Human Resource System (HRS) at all UW universities. ATP will implement 17 Workday modules to manage HR, finance, and select research administration processes across the UWs:

  • Human Capital Management (HCM)
  • Financial Management (FIN)

Get to Know Workday

Huron Research Suite Implementation

Huron Logo Graphic

Select modules of the Huron Research Suite will be implemented to manage pre- through post-award research administration functions. The Research Administration Modernization Project (RAMP), a project within ATP, will implement the following modules according to the varying needs of campuses across the Universities of Wisconsin:

  • Grants & Agreements (G&A)​
  • Employee Compensation Compliance (ECC)​
  • Export Control​
  • Financial Forecasting

Get to Know Huron Research Suite

Business Process Standardization

More than an opportunity to simply update our systems, the Workday and Huron Research Suite implementations also allow the Universities of Wisconsin to redesign and standardize essential HR, finance, and research administration business processes across units, departments, and schools. Learn about our approach to business process standardization.

Benefits of ATP

The implementation of standardized processes within Workday and Huron Research Suite promises to bring numerous benefits to all UW universities. Key improvements include:

  • Streamlined and simplified administrative functions
  • A better user experience for administrative staff
  • More trustworthy data to inform decision-making
  • Reduced risk related to audits and information security

Moving Forward Together

All Universities of Wisconsin will transform business processes and introduce enabling technology in a single implementation phase, as part of a plan called the unified approach. This approach is expected to deliver program benefits, including streamlined business processes, better data transparency, and improved cybersecurity, to all UW universities simultaneously.

To execute the unified approach successfully, ATP will adhere to the following guiding principles.

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UW-Madison's needs must be met.

Given UW–Madison’s size and intricacies, it is critical for the success of ATP (across the UWs) that UW–Madison’s specific needs are met. Therefore, the Universities of Wisconsin Administration (UWSA) and UW–Madison will provide project leadership to encourage and balance input from all campuses while remaining focused on UW–Madison’s specific and critical needs. If System resources are not available at the level needed, this may cause delays, but UW–Madison will be able to move forward with implementation on their campus.

Collaboration and strategic alignment.

Success of any transformation and ERP project is predicated on strong collaboration and alignment of all parties involved. This will be even more critical in the unified approach. UW–Madison and Universities of Wisconsin representatives will be dedicated to working collaboratively across all areas of the program, to ensure the program’s success for all parties — not just those they represent.

Campus benefit realization.

Current human resource, finance, and research management systems are obsolete, distributed, and hosted on premises. All UW universities must instead benefit from modern, cloud-based, integrated administrative systems.