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9� to <br />MEMO TO: Mayor & Council /D <br />FROM: Don Brager, Finance Director `( ►J <br />DATE: February 25, 1907 <br />RE: Temporary Part-time help for Finance Department <br />Converting from the Consortium to the new computer system is <br />proving to be a more time consuming task than was originally <br />anticipated. In retrospect it is now evident that our original <br />implementation schedule was too optimistic. We did not assign <br />enough staff to work on the conversion of the utility billing <br />system. Conversion of the utility billing system is now a <br />bottleneck in not only the entire conversion, but also in the <br />work flow of the Finance Department. <br />Conversion of an Accounts Receivable system, like utility <br />Billing, is-ac lished by performing rallel runs or <br />running (�!ralell. Running paralell invol es entering; <br />customer information, including balances owed, on the new <br />system and then running both systems until you are satisfied <br />that the new system is working properly. At that time you <br />stop processing on the old system and begin using the new <br />system exclusively. For a time you are doing more than <br />twice your normal work because you are running two systems. It <br />is more than twice the' normal work due to the fact that any <br />differences in runs, for example, posting or customer <br />Payments, must be reconciled. This is the area in which we <br />have been experiencing difficulties. The new system is <br />working properly, however, there are differences between the <br />systems. For example, the timing of when the late payment fee <br />appears on the customer account is different on each system. <br />These differences must be reconciled to ensure accuracy of <br />customer accounts. <br />The reconciliations are very time consuming. We are no longer <br />paralelling but have fallen behind. As time goes by we get <br />farther and farther behind. Thus, it is imperative to catch <br />up and get on to the new system as quickly as possible. <br />While Finance Department staff members have been working very <br />hard on the utility billing conversion they have also accomplished <br />the conversion of the fixed assets, accounts payable, and fund <br />and budget systems. Presently work is underway to have payroll <br />operational by April 1.. All of this has been accomplished in <br />addition to the ongoing tasks of paying bills, meeting payrolls, <br />and other daily activities. Now, however, we are starting to <br />fall behind in several areas. <br />Staff recogniz <br />13 all Departm <br />situation. As <br />clerical staff <br />duties and are <br />memoranda. At <br />ad that this possibility could occur. On January <br />ant heads and clerical staff met to discuss the <br />a result of this meeting various members of the <br />have assumed on a temporary basis, some Finance <br />assisting by typing departmental letters and <br />the same time Finance Department staff members <br />