EIS is very dependent on electronic resources to sustain its functionality. This quarter we look at the backup system used for power outages.

The UNT HR department recently adopted a new paradigm for HR staff to query EIS data. Rather than having one staff person responsible for all query requests, there is a "super user" in each HR area that received extensive training on the use of PS Query 8.9 to prepare them for their new responsibility. These users are supported by HR staffer, Tony Mitchell, who has IT experience. Tony is referred to by HR staff as the "PS Query super-super user".

There has been some confusion lately regarding whether or not Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) is a supported browser for using EIS. Oracle/PeopleSoft has confirmed that IE7 is supported, so UNTS users upgrading to IE7 need not be concerned.

For more information regarding supported browsers, please see the "Browser Requirements" section on the myUNT portal home page at http://my.unt.edu/.

The University of North Texas System (UNTS) is upgrading from PeopleSoft’s Financials 8.4 to version 9.0. This upgrade gives UNTS new and enhanced functionality and allows for continued support from Oracle/PeopleSoft of the Financials applications until 2012. Some of the new features will enhance reporting capabilities and make use of newer XML technology. PeopleSoft is also delivering new features to enhance performance, including system monitoring and the ability to archive older transactional data to free up valuable data storage space.

The project is a collaborative effort between UNT and HSC administrative functional support areas and UNT’s Computing and Information Technology Center (CITC). The upgrade team consists of several CITC technical teams and functional representatives supporting financial reporting and accounting, budgets, E-procurement, purchasing and payments, assets, grants and projects, as well as the support of multiple UNTS internal departments and external entities that interface with the Financials system.

UNT has implemented an emergency information system for the campus community that is supported with data from EIS. The messaging system is named Eagle Alert and allows UNT administrators to quickly contact students and employees by phone about emergency situations affecting the safety and well being of people on and around the campus. The system also can send text messages to cell phones if a person grants the system permission.

The Eagle Alert system only notifies currently enrolled students and employees of the University of North Texas and the UNT Dallas Campus (Systems Center) - former students and employees do not receive messages. The UNT Health Science Center is expected to go-live on February 29th with a similar system named Red Alert.