Strathmore University KFS Implementation

Martin Wanjohi, Strathmore UniversityVincent Ndoloka, Strathmore University

Keiko Takahashi, The rSmart Group

Kuali Days, Tempe, Arizona, USA14th November 2007

Agenda

• Strathmore University• Background to Kuali acquisition• Here comes KFS• KFS Project• Improvements with KFS• Issues • Critical success factors• KFS – SU next steps

Africa

And

Kenya

KENYA•Independence 1963

•42 tribes

•Population 33m

•GDP growth 6%

•Official languages – English, Swahili

•Currency Ksh

Home of the “Big Five”…

Some more images

Mt Kenya

Masai Moran

A glimpse of Nairobi City

Strathmore

University

Strathmore University Background…

• Started in 1961 as a college offering advanced level certificate of education

• 1966 – first college to offer accountancy courses (ACCA)

• 1991 – Professional IT courses are introduced

• 2002 – begins to operate as a University offering business and IT programs

Strathmore University…

• A private University• 5000 students• 300 faculty and administrative staff• 300 part time faculty• 7 faculties, institutes and schools

(Kenya has 7 public and over 10 private universities)

Background to Kuali acquisition…

• Since the 90’s– Pastel Accounting System– In-house developed:

• Fox pro system: for academic records• Library software• Human resources and payroll systems

– Office automation, email, internet– Every member of staff has access to a

computer– 8 computer labs for students

Background to Kuali acquisition…

• After 2002: ICT systems became in-adequate to support University expansion

• New ICT Strategy and requirements for an integrated system to include:– Enhanced ICT infrastructure– Academic Management System– Financial Management System– Library Management System– E-learning application– HRM/Payroll– etc

Background to Kuali acquisition…

• Dissatisfied with Pastel because:– Chart of accounts inadequate– A lot of manual intervention– Reporting very poor– Controls poor– Integration/interfacing problems– No workflow– Not paperless, etc

• Number of systems evaluated based on new requirements

Background to Kuali acquisition..

• Problems with available systems:– The very expensive ones came close, but

• Initial investment including implementation• Licensing and maintenance support• Heavy customization still required• Very much geared to for-profit organizations

– The cheaper ones inadequate

Here comes KFS…

• Idea introduced as a possible candidate

• Stakeholders very skeptical– The very idea of “open source”– Will it meet requirements?– What about implementation?– Who will maintain it?– Who owns it anyway?– “Cheap is never cheap…”

Here comes KFS…

• What turned us around…– Visited IU and rSmart– Came face to face with Kuali user

management, technical people– Kuali being based on a system in use in IU– SU management readiness to take the risk– rSmart involvement provided assurance– Kuali Project and the team– A basement cellar…

The KFS Project…

• 5-6 months• rSmart leadership and support:

– Technical training in Phoenix, AZ– Functional training in Nairobi– A lot of “Skype meetings” weekly– Tight project management, coordination, guidance

and direction• Key user involvement, ownership and focus• Functional and technical capacity• Key strategy – “minimize customization”• A beer or two…

Kuali Training…

Management involvement and support…

A bit of fun at the Carnivore…

Pet without getting killed…

Skype meetings…

Keiko…

and action items

The Kuali Strathmore Team…..

Kevin

Bradley

Vincent

WanjohiRobert

KFS implementation…

• 20 users• GL, Chart of Accounts, Budget• eDocs

– Advance Deposit (AD)– Auxiliary Voucher (AV) – Cash Receipt (CR)– Credit Card Receipt (CCR)– Cash Management Document (CMD)– Disbursement Voucher (DV)– Journal Voucher (JV)– Budget Adjustment (BA)

KFS interfaces…

• Academic Management System (AMS)

• Payroll System

• POS

• Stocks

• Paynet banking system - EFT

KFS SU Environment…

• Server – HP Proliant 380 G5– 2 CPU Duo Core 1.7GHz– 4GB RAM– 300GB Hard disk

• Platform – Debian Linux

• CAS authentication integrated (SU contribution)

Improvements with KFS

• Efficiency– Delays in paying suppliers reduced from an average of 10 days to

less than 2 days (target all payments on time)– Faster preparation of accounts (months to weeks)– Reports: target – use of report writer to make them instantaneous

• Process improvement– Paperless: the problem of moving paper from one desk to the next

eliminated– Business rules: implementing policy within the process e.g.

categorization, restriction and accountability in the use of funds.

• Improved Controls – Segregation of duties embedded into KFS, workgroups– Audit trail (eDocs + attachments + notes)– Clear accountability – Faster execution of responsibility

Improvements with KFS

• Data – timeliness and accuracy:– Up to date balances as work proceeds– Number of JVs significantly reduced

• Improved cash management:– Up to date cash balances (daily. Used to be weekly, even

monthly and not assured of accuracy)– Improved cash flow management

• Work distribution - shift from:– “Thick front end, thick back end” to

“streamlined front end, thin back end”– Concentrate on improving data, processes– Possible re-assignments

Issues…• Technical problems/issues:

– AV did not work initially - resolved later– AMS batch feed did not work – resolved later– Sometimes very slow (problem of garbage collection)

• Functional – #of accounting lines (limited)

• Lack of required modules:– Stocks– POS– Etc

• Delay in availability of critical modules – AR, AP, CAMS…

• Users, management getting used• Auditors

Critical Success Factors

• Management support• User and user management involvement• Strong functional and technical teams (rSmart,

SU)• Project management and coordination• Training – functional, technical (rSmart)• A strong project team (rSmart, SU):

– PM, Functional, Technical

• Communication • Technical assistance (rSmart)

KFS – Strathmore next steps…

• Implement new modules as they become available• Immediate to go live in March 2008:

– Purchases– Accounts payable– Contracts and grants

• Later: KFS Release 3– Capital Asset Management System– Accounts Receivable

• Also– Extend use of KEW beyond financials to make Strathmore

University “paperless”• Other universities already interested in KFS

– Open source concept gaining popularity

Case Study

Evaluation & Planning

Implementation Cycle

Implementation Planning

System Integration

DataMigration

Installation and

Configuration

Operations & SupportImplementation

Assessment

Training Services

Managed Application ServicesCustomization

and Development

RSN Network

Remote Implementation

• Tight project management• Reliance on written communication

– Minutes, process documents, migration documents, etc.

– Puts everyone on the same page – Use of document repository (Sakai)

• Trust• Patience

Nitti-Gritties

• Functional– Chart of Accounts analysis– Integration analysis– Process maps and

workflow analysis– Workflow setup– Data conversion– Migration planning– Training– Post implementation

support (RSN)

• Technical – Training– Interfaces– Beginning balance load– Report conversion– Server setup– Post implementation

support (RSN)

Lessons Learned

• Executive sponsorship• Functional leadership• Right mix of skill sets• Team commitment• Belief in software• Positive attitude - Hakuna matata (No

Problem!)• Post implementation support

KFS – From Evaluation to Implementation 10:30 – 11:45 am

Implementation

COA Fit-Gap KEW Application

Proof of Concept

Questions?