NeSIS eNews - April 2025
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Director's Report
Requesting Information
NeSIS has two RFI's (Request for Information) open to learn more about modern reporting tools and integration tools.
The reporting tool RFI is being issued to identify potential software solutions for improved reporting, workflows, analytics capabilities, and data management practices. We will evaluate reporting solutions supporting our long-term goals that can position us well for future needs. The desired future state objectives include low technical barriers for users, efficient data integration, excellent support model, self-service reporting capabilities, rapid report distribution, streamlined tools and reporting languages, scalable reporting, enhanced reporting services, and resource optimization.
The integration tool RFI is geared toward our learning about options available for flexible, strong, diverse communication protocols, prebuilt application connectors, and various data quality, routing, and orchestration integration flow development and life-cycle management tools. The desired future state objectives include efficient data integration, resource optimization, single platform to handle most use cases, best practice capabilities, low/no code platform for speed of use and learning curve by technical and functional staff, superior monitoring, error handling, and documentation.
Both RFIs are intended to inform ourselves of possibilities as contract renewals arise in the event we determine we would benefit from modernizing our architecture for future strategies. We anticipate vendors and implementors scheduling demonstrations in early summer and we’ll post a schedule for those interested and able to join in learning about these tools.
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Andrea Childress
AVP IT & CIO
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March 2024 NeSIS Award
Saranga Jayaraman has been given a well-deserved NeSIS Award. Saranga has asked for growth and learning opportunities to develop his leadership skills and has stepped up to take on duties to assist with contract renewal tracking, ITS RFC voting and communication, team device orders and priority tracking, and United Way fundraising coordination, and will be assisting soon with develop code reviews. Saranga has a can-do attitude and his initiative to help in so may ways is greatly appreciated.
A big thank you to Saranga!
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Spring Cleaning and Yearly Reminders
It is that time of year when many items are being reviewed to ensure data integrity and good marks on audit reports. Here are a few items and reminders that are particularly relevant this time of year but are good to know all year round.
List of Integrations and Extracts
The STAMP team conducts reviews of various access in preparation of the annual visit by the auditors. More information on the work that they do can be found in last month's eNews. The campuses are also assisting with an audit request project which is identifying all of the integrations, data extracts and third-party systems that interact with NeSIS. Please take a look and add or remove any items that are missing or are no longer being used.
* SC integrations and extracts<https://uofnebraska.sharepoint.com/:w:/r/sites/EnterpriseServices/nesis/nes…>
* NU integrations and extracts<https://uofnebraska.sharepoint.com/:w:/r/sites/EnterpriseServices/nesis/nes…>
Data Clean Up Reports
Many types of clean up reports are run quarterly to ensure proper data management and best practices are being followed. These are shared with the campuses to address and retrain staff as necessary. Many of these reports aid in the 1098T process to ensure students have the data they need and the IRS has clean data. The Spring round of data clean up with just completed prior to the 1098T file submission to the IRS on March 21. Thank you to all that assisted. This document provides an overview of the available queries<https://uofnebraska.sharepoint.com/:w:/r/sites/EnterpriseServices/nesis/nes…> and how to resolve the issues if you would like to run them yourself more often to keep things tidy.
Campus Contact Lists
Contact lists<https://uofnebraska.sharepoint.com/sites/EnterpriseServices/nesis/nesishome…> for projects, teams or other initiatives have been compiled<https://uofnebraska.sharepoint.com/sites/EnterpriseServices/nesis/nesishome…> to help maintain communication with the proper individuals through maintenance cycles, upgrades, issue resolution or troubleshooting needs - or just basic what’s going on information. Please assist the Functional Coordinators in maintaining the lists by letting them know of any turnovers or changes in responsible parties so that we can ensure everyone who needs to know something is communicated with on what is going on with the different modules or products NeSIS manages.
Duplicate ID Prevention and Resolution
Preventing and resolving duplicates is on many people's minds as it is a daily item. A duplicate can be a person record or an external organization record. The person duplicate resolution process has really evolved over the years. There is a duplicate form in Firefly that allows us to track and compare two ids with each other which sends a communication to the group of the findings and decision. Workday/HR was added as a system of record for NEBMED along with SAP/HR (NU/SC), SIS - PSNU and SIS - PSSC. We also have Sunapsis (iGlobal), the international system for students and employees, which receives data feeds from both SAP/HR and SIS for NU.
When a duplicate has been identified and a decision has been made about which ID to keep, we need to work with our campus teams to ensure all records are on the same NUID. This includes the HR systems as well as the student information systems and, as of 2019, Sunapsis. Since it receives data from HR and SIS, if that data is dirty in those systems, it is also in Sunapsis. The Sunapsis team needs to be alerted so they can clean up their system as well when the NUID to keep is decided on.
Information is available in SharePoint about duplicates along with step by step guides on the entire process - from identifying the duplicates, making a decision on which one to keep and the clean up process:
* NUID Dup ID Processes<https://uofnebraska.sharepoint.com/:f:/r/sites/EnterpriseServices/nesis/nes…>
* External Organization Org ID Processes<https://uofnebraska.sharepoint.com/:f:/r/sites/EnterpriseServices/nesis/nes…>
Communications/Notifications Best Practices
* Be aware of content contained in Communications/Notifications about a student (person) sent either internally to staff or externally to students themselves.
* Consideration should be given each time a communication/notification is drafted to ensure that you are not sharing too much information that could cause concern if found in the wrong hands or if a communication/notification were to be sent in error.
* Data Stewards should be aware of data elements that are being shared or provided in communications/notifications to ensure the safety of the student's identity or data.
* Too many data elements could be revealed if shared by mistake to another person or in the case of a compromised account.
* It is important that we are aware of what data elements are being communicated and to whom the potential issues if in the wrong hands.
Query Building Best Practices
* Queries should be built in a non production environment (DEV, TST or QA), thoroughly tested/validated and then migrated up to PRD.
* If an issue with a query is found in PRD, migrate it down to QA and fix and validate there and then migrate back to PRD.
* Public queries which are named appropriately can be migrated by users using the Query Migration Automation too<https://uofnebraska.sharepoint.com/:w:/r/sites/EnterpriseServices/nesis/nes…>l.
* The automated query move tool has limited availability during PeopleTools upgrades due to the fact that you can't use it to migrate queries between instances that are at different PeopleTools levels. If you need to move a query and are unable to, email nesis.query(a)nebraska.edu<mailto:nesis.query@nebraska.edu> to have it moved.
* Private queries will need to be requested to be migrated by emailing nesis.query(a)nebraska.edu<mailto:nesis.query@nebraska.edu> . Include the query name and what environment the query is in and what the destination is (not all moves need to be to PRD) - Example: Query name – from environment x to environment x . Please allow 24 hours for response time
User Checkout/Role Checkout in PRD Best Practices
* When checking out a role or user in PRD, checkout reasons should be inclusive of details that would assist if ever an auditor needs additional information or troubleshooting is required
* Reasons for checking out a role should be specific:
* Adjust enrollment for NUID, Course, Term
* Verbiage changes on eform: NBX_NEW_EFORM
* Add or Remove Workflow contact: Workflow IC UNX Visiting, NUID and/or email@campus
NeSIS and Sailpoint Test email password
* Emails from our non-production systems (DEV, TST, QA, etc.) are sent to a test email server. To validate processes that send emails, you will need to log into those servers to review those emails.
* The password to these servers is changed quarterly to increase security. There is an easy way to obtain so you shouldn't be storing it on your computer or shared with others.
* Visit Accessing Test Emails<https://uofnebraska.sharepoint.com/:u:/r/sites/EnterpriseServices/nesis/nes…> for the form to fill out to receive the password and information on accessing the servers.
Project Intake Form
* The form <https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/d4bc77292ff6492d83c445df58b65481> is to inform NeSIS of campus initiatives, projects, new software or to request assistance with projects and the like so that we can have it on the radar and to ensure we have support available
Training and Support
* The Training and Support area in Sharepoint<https://uofnebraska.sharepoint.com/sites/EnterpriseServices/nesis/nesishome…> has compiled tutorials, webinars, documentation and resources that has something for everyone to explore. Please look and share with others in the office, especially those new to the team.
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Jean Padrnos
Lead Functional Coordinator
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Wrapping up Alliance 2025
Well, that’s a wrap on Alliance 2025! After an incredible time at the conference, we’re all back at our desks and diving back into the daily hustle. It was fantastic to reconnect with some familiar faces from Nebraska, including Steve Booton, Melissa Clanton, Matt Schill, Christy Tilford, and Michaela Grube. We also saw former NeSIS team members Daniel Brown, now with Michigan State University, and Denise Goin, now with Siera Cedar, and Mason White, former Peru State employee, represented the University of Maryland!
During the conference, I had the chance to attend several insightful sessions and walked away with some valuable takeaways. Here are a few highlights I’m excited to share:
* Oracle’s AI Ambitions: Oracle is serious about leading the AI charge. They’ve been in the game for a while, and they’re ramping up their efforts.
* Classic Plus Style Sheets: Big news – Oracle is investing in improving the Classic Plus Style Sheets, meaning the system’s look and feel will be getting a sleek, more fluid upgrade.
* Campus Solutions Updates: Oracle isn’t slowing down on Campus Solutions Student. They’ve got a lot on the roadmap, and we’re still looking at a solid 10 years of support on this product.
* Pro Tips: I picked up some neat tips and tricks for Equation Engine and PS Query that I’m eager to apply.
As a HEUG Ambassador, I had the privilege of attending the New Attendee Reception, which was such a great opportunity to meet fresh faces joining the HEUG community. It was fun, informative, and a perfect reminder of the value of being part of HEUG. Here’s a snap of some of the amazing HEUG Ambassadors!
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All in all, the conference was a huge success, and I’m feeling recharged and ready to implement everything I’ve learned. Time to get back to work!
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Shareen Thewke
Functional Coordinator, Financial Aid
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Welcome, Taylor Kimbrough!
We’re excited to introduce Taylor Kimbrough as the newest member of our team! Taylor brings nine years of experience at the UNL Registrar’s Office, having worked in several roles, most recently as the Degree Systems Management Coordinator where she contributed to the UNL Stellic Implementation. She also spent significant time as the Registrar System and Student Records Coordinator, managing security access and helping with student records. While working at UNL, Taylor earned both her BA and MBA.
Outside of work, Taylor enjoys spending time with her family—husband Ryan, daughter Natalie (10), son Griffin (3), and their dog Lucy. A sports enthusiast, she loves cheering on the Huskers, KC Chiefs, and Detroit Tigers. Recently, Taylor has been diving into some fun new hobbies, including baking sugar cookies and quilting. On top of all that, Taylor just bought her first home, so she’s eager for all homeowner tips, tricks, and advice!
We’re thrilled to have her on board and look forward to the great energy and expertise she’ll bring to our team!
Upcoming Events
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Wednesday, April 2 - Wednesday, April 23
QANU/SC Open for PT 8.61 Testing
Friday, April 10
9am - Admissions Shared App PT8.61 Testing - QA
Monday, April 7
3pm - Campus Community Meeting
4pm - Admissions Team PT8.61 Testing- QA
Tuesday, April 8
9am - SC Financial Aid Team Meeting
10:30am - SR Team Meeting
1:30pm - Integration Team Meeting
4pm - Campus Community Team PT 8.61 Testing - QA
Wednesday, April 9
9am - Student Records Team PT 8.61 Testing - QA
10:30am - NU Student Financials Team Meeting
Thursday, April 10
9am - Enterprise Tools/Dashboard Team Meeting
Thursday, April 10 - Friday, April 11
QANU/SC Load Testing
Monday, April 14
2pm - Enterprise Tools Team PT 8.61 Testing - QA
Tuesday, April 15
9am - Financial Aid Team Meeting
10am - Financial Aid Team PT8.61 Testing - QA
Wednesday, April 16
9am - Admissions Team Meeting
9am - Student Records Team PT8.61 Testing - QA
10:30am - Student Financials Team PT8.61 Testing- QA
Wednesday, April 23
NOON - Signoff to move PT8.61 → PRD
Friday, April 25
8pm - PRDNU/SC - Apply PT8.61
Saturday, April 26
Approx. 10am - Campus validation of PT8.61 in PRDNU/SC
TDB - Signoff to open PRDNU/SC
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