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    Key Dates & Freeze Periods

    Key Dates & Freeze Periods

    As the FST Program team prepares for the go-live of Oracle and Orbit in July, the team has identified key transactions and processes that will be impacted by the transition period from our legacy systems to Oracle and Orbit. Throughout this period, the main goal is to minimize disruption to daily operations by ensuring a seamless transition to our new systems. Data from our legacy systems will be translated and moved into Oracle and Orbit, ensuring data integrity and continuity of operations. The FST Program team will be conducting extensive testing and validation processes during this time, which is why it is critical that no changes or transactions are completed.  

    In the coming weeks, information and detailed instructions will be shared with impacted users around these key deadlines and freeze periods. Apart from email communications directly to impacted users, this page will provide a comprehensive guide outlining the crucial milestones, timelines, and freeze periods essential for a smooth transition to Oracle and Orbit. To review commonly asked questions regarding these key dates and freeze periods, review the FAQ page of the Intranet.

    To stay informed of key deadlines and transaction freeze dates, we encourage you to attend FST Focus sessions, which begin on April 12. Details will be posted on the FST News & Events Page.

    Key Dates and Freeze Periods for Finance
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    Key Milestones/ Freeze Dates Business Transaction/Activity

     4/30/24

    Last Day to Submit Request for Non-Sponsored or Non-Capital Project Account Creation in FAS

    • Beginning May 1, 2024, new non-sponsored and non-capital project accounts will no longer be created in FAS.

    • No new accounts can be requested in the month of May and June. 

     5/10/24

     Unit Mapping Freeze Begins

     7/2/24

    Oracle is Live

    • Beginning July 2, 2024, new chart of accounts values will be created in Oracle.

     7/8/24

    Last Day to Submit FY24 Equipment-Related Entries/Corrections

    • Fixed assets department is asking that any FY24 equipment (subaccounts 6100-6999) related entries/corrections being done via Accts be submitted by Monday July 8th
    Key Dates and Freeze Periods for Grants
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    Key Milestones/ Freeze Dates Business Transaction/Activity

     5/28/24

    Last Day to Submit Advance Account Request / Setup Clinical Trial Advance Accounts

    • If awards are expected in June, you have until Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at 5 p.m. to submit an advance account request. View details about how to request an advance account on the Award Setup page of the University Research Administration website.

    • For questions and set up of clinical trial advance accounts, please reach out to the Office of Clinical Research, Clinical Trial Financial Group at clinicresearch@bsd.uchicago.edu.

    • After this deadline, there will be no after-the-fact FAS account set up.

     5/31/24

     Last Day to Create New FAS Accounts and Awards

    • Due to the freeze in FAS, new awards and clinical trial contracts received after May 31, 2024, that do not have an advance account will not be available for spending in FAS.

     6/27/24 - 7/1/24

    Planned AURA Downtime

    • Beginning at 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 27, all AURA modules will be down to make necessary updates related to Oracle integration and Entity/Organization updates. AURA will be available at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, July 2.

     7/2/24

    First Day to Create New Projects and Awards in Oracle

    • Beginning July 2, 2024, new awards and projects will be created in Oracle.

    • Please note that there will be account creation delays extending through July as we clear out the backlog of awards and modifications received in June. The goal will be to be up-to-date by July 31, 2024. Consider requesting an advance account if you anticipate an urgent need in July.
    Key Dates and Freeze Periods for Procurement & Payments
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    Review the following information below based on your role, the systems you use today and the transactions you complete. For frequently asked questions, review the Procure to Pay Lifecycle and Key Dates & Freeze Periods sections on the FST FAQS page.

     

    Key Milestones/ Freeze Dates Business Transaction/Activity

     5/30/24

    GEMS Card Application and Modification System Shutdown

    • If you miss the deadline, you will have to wait to apply for a new card or make modifications to existing cards until Concur is available on July 8, 2024.

     6/3/24–6/7/24

     Suspension Period for the GEMS and Procurement Card Programs

     6/7/24–7/2/24

    Non-Catalog Requisitions and Some Catalog Suppliers Frozen in BuySite

     6/8/24

    Existing GEMS Card and Procurement Card Reinstated for Purchases

     6/17/24

    Last Day to Submit Expense Reports in Concur

    • If you miss the deadline, any GEMS card transactions that are unreconciled will be recorded and remain in subaccount 9913 until Concur becomes available on July 8, 2024.

     6/19/24

    Last Day to Approve Expense Reports in Concur

    • If you miss the deadline, any out-of-pocket expenses on an expense report that is not fully approved will not be reimbursed. To seek reimbursement, you will be required re-submit an expense report when Concur is available on July 8,2024.

    • June 19 is a University holiday. It is recommended that you complete expense report approvals by June 18.

    6/21/24

    Last Day to Submit ePayment Request and Obtain Authorized Signer Approval

    • If you miss the deadline, any ePayment transactions that are not fully approved will not be processed and paid. To seek payment, you will be required to submit a transaction in Oracle after July 2, 2024.

     6/21/24–7/2/24

    All Remaining Catalog Suppliers Frozen in BuySite

     6/24/24–7/7/24

    Concur Unavailable

    • The travel online booking tool will not be available during the Concur shutdown. Travelers may contact Fox World Travel for assistance at (888) 209-7881 or (773) 693-1908. The agent-assistance fees will apply.

     6/25/24

    Last Day for Suppliers to Submit BuySite Invoices via EasyAccess

     6/26/24

    Last Day for Catalog Suppliers to Submit BuySite Invoices via cXML

    6/27/24

    Deadline for All Campus Invoice Approvals in BuySite

    • Note: If not fully approved, invoices will not be paid and will have to be resubmitted in Oracle after July 2, 2024.

    7/1/24

    eShipGlobal Planned Downtime

    • eShipGlobal will not be available on its direct website or BuySite on July 1, 2024.

    • You are encouraged to use the carrier’s website directly for any shipment that must be released on this day.

    • Note: Any resultant invoice received for these shipments will need to be processed on an ATF smart form.

    7/2/24

    Procurement Channels Available in Oracle

    • All requisition submission and approval (catalog and non-catalog) and payment requests will occur in Oracle Cloud ERP’s Procurement module. 

    7/8/24

    Concur Available for Card Application/Modification, Expense Report Submission/Approval, & Cash Advance

     

    Procurement and Payments Calendar

    Key Dates and Freeze Periods for HR
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    Key Milestones/ Freeze Dates Business Transaction/Activity

     5/28/24

    Last Day to Create Contingent Workers in Workday

    • Contractors who will need access to Oracle need to exist in Workday by May 28, 2024.

    • If you miss the deadline, contractors will not have accounts in Oracle nor will they have SSO configured to login.

     6/24/24-6/30/24

     Workday Business Process Staffing Transaction Freeze

    • From June 24 until June 30, there will be a Workday staffing process freeze. Review the table below for details about which business process transactions are impacted by the freeze.

    7/1/24

     Workday is Available

     

    Workday Business Process Transactions

    Impacted By the Freeze Allowable During the Freeze
     

    The following transactions may not be completed in Workday between June 24 and June 30:

    • Add Additional Job

    • Assign Costing Allocations

    • Change Job

    • Change Organization Assignments

    • Change Compensation

    • Contract Contingent Workers

    • Create Position

    • Create Subordinate Organization

    • Edit Position

    • Edit Position Restrictions

    • End Additional Job

    • End Contingent Worker Contract

    • Hire

    • Job Requisition

    • Job Requisition Change

    • Manage Period Activity Pay*

    • One-Time Payment

    • Terminations

    *Period Activity Pay is subject to additional clean up rules.  All Period Activity Pay that crosses the fiscal year-end will need to be split into two transactions for the fiscal years.

    The following actions may continue without interruption between June 24 and June 30:

    • Accessing Workday

    • Accessing Reports and Dashboards

    • Employee Self-Service Transactions

    • Approving Time

    • Approving Time Off

    • Entering Time

    • Entering Time Off

    • Workday Learning Training

    Communications:

    Previous FST Focus Sessions:

    Helpful Links

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