Accessing information and completing tasks related to human resources and finance at DePaul have officially transitioned from PeopleSoft to BlueSky, a cloud-based system that offers employees improved self-service, increased mobile access and more customized data for decision making.While DePaul's human resources and finance data are no longer operating through PeopleSoft applications, the university will still be using PeopleSoft for other data needs within the university.
“For example, Campus Connect, which is built on top of PeopleSoft's Campus Solutions system, will not be going away," explains Bob McCormick, vice president of Information Services. In fact, employees will have the option of going through Campus Connect to access BlueSky. The other option is to go directly to mybluesky.depaul.edu.
The implementation of BlueSky is an exciting moment in DePaul's history.
“This investment in DePaul's information infrastructure enables us to carry out our core business functions more efficiently and provides a sustainable solution for our data into the future," says Sherri Sidler, interim executive vice president for DePaul.
Given the scope and the complexities of converting parts of a 20-year-old, customized system, the project was no easy undertaking—and would not have been possible without the dedication of a team from the areas of Information Services, Finance and Human Resources. Working closely with Drivestream, a certified Oracle implementation partner, DePaul's BlueSky Team went above and beyond to bring this new system to the university.
“What the DePaul team has been able to accomplish in just over 18 months is commendable," says Stephanie Smith, vice president for the Office of Human Resources. “The conversion to BlueSky was a massive undertaking before the emergence of the global pandemic. The team didn't miss a beat and continued to make progress with BlueSky while also learning to work under entirely new conditions."
In addition to the work of getting the new system up and running, the BlueSky team has developed detailed training that is available online and through virtual in-person training sessions. In addition to training, the BlueSky help tool offers robust on-screen support to guide users through the system. The BlueSky help tool effectively eliminates the need to memorize or research how to complete various tasks or transactions.
As with all of our university technology systems, employees can find support for BlueSky through DePaul's Help Desk. Additional information about BlueSky can be found at bluesky.depaul.edu.