Austin ISD Enhances Security with New ERP
Austin ISD is taking great strides to protect our teachers, staff, students and families from cyber threats.
That’s why the district is bringing online a new Enterprise Resource Planning system–or ERP–a type of software that organizations use for day-to-day operations. For Austin ISD, this includes recruiting, hiring, time tracking, absence management and more.
Implementing the ERP entails the consolidation of many systems currently being used across the district into one–the ERP.
As a result of this consolidation, Austin ISD accomplishes having a system in place that is simple, standard and secure.
Our staff is currently working to deploy this system across the district with an expected launch date as early as this July. Our goal is to make this transition as smooth as possible for the Austin ISD community. If you’d like to learn more, please send us an email at erp@austinisd.org. We also invite you to connect with us via Let's Talk.
FAQs
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What is the ERP?
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Enterprise Resource Planning, or ERP, is a type of software that organizations use for day-to-day operations, such as finance, budget and employee compensation management. The ERP consolidates systems including student, budget and employee information/data. This means all essential organization functions are within one main system.
Austin ISD selected Frontline Education as its public education vendor for the ERP. Bringing online this new system provides AISD with one that is simple, standard and secure.
Our staff has worked for the last eighteen months to assess, design and deploy this system across the district. Our goal is to make this transition as simple and efficient as possible. Feel free to email erp@austinisd.org for more information.
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Why is AISD changing systems?
- There are many reasons but the three main ones are to achieve:
- Simplification. To ensure processes are easier by streamlining systems, processes, and user access to information.
- Standardization. To make systems consistent and equal by redesigning systems and processes to align with best practices in K12 public education.
- Security. To ensure systems and processes provide the highest degree of security and protection of district information.
- There are many reasons but the three main ones are to achieve:
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Why were the Kronos Time clocks replaced with new time clocks?
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As the district moves towards a more holistic ERP solution, instead of individual products within each campus, we found that our Kronos clocks no longer supported our goal of offering a single integrated platform. We retired the Kronos clocks and implemented new time clock devices to work with the new ERP Frontline services.
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Additionally, Kronos clocks will remain operational through June. When staff return for the new school year in July and/or August, hourly employees will use the new time clocks, which will go live on July 1. To help us prepare for the new system, we ask that leave requests not be submitted in Kronos after June 30. Additional information and training materials will be distributed closer to the July 1 launch date. Any absence after July 1, 2023 will need to be entered in the new ERP system.
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What are some of the benefits of tracking employee time with the new time clocks?
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With the time and attendance tool, K-12 organizations can electronically capture employee time, easily approve timesheets, automatically apply unique payroll rules, and streamline the payroll process.
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This means that Austin ISD will be able to do the following
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Save hours spent managing employee time
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Eliminate the need for spreadsheets or paper timesheets
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Improve compliance with labor laws and bargaining agreements
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Increase accountability and control labor costs
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Ensure accuracy when running payroll
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Enhance security for every campus and the district
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How do the new time clocks and tracking employee time with the Frontline Absence & Time system help your district save money
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Labor costs can take up 70-85% of the overall budget for a standard school district. On top of that, the average organization loses 1.2% due to payroll errors/inaccuracies resulting from inaccurate timesheets or mistakes made by manually entering data into systems. The ERP solves these problems by electronically capturing employee hours, automatically calculating and processing payroll rules, and integrating with the district’s payroll system.
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Are biometrics (thumbprints) required to clock in/out on the new time clocks?
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No. Biometrics are not required. Although you may notice a thumbprint feature on the new time clocks, this method will not be utilized.
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Will I be able to log in with my existing district credentials?
- Yes. We are working with our vendor Frontline Education to keep the same login for all the applications.
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What does semi-monthly payroll mean?
- Semi-monthly means that all AISD employees will receive paychecks on the 15th and the last business day of each month, which is 24 paychecks per school year for everyone. The good news is, instead of having to wait until the end of each month to receive our entire paychecks, now we get paid every two weeks! If the 15th or the last business day of the month falls on a weekend or bank holiday, the pay date will be on the preceding business day. Most importantly, this will not affect anyone’s annual pay.
Dates to remember:- July 14: All Central Office and year-around staff receive their first semi-monthly paycheck.
- Aug. 15: All staff returning to campuses in August (teachers, teacher assistants, counselors, and librarians) receive their first paycheck.
- Semi-monthly means that all AISD employees will receive paychecks on the 15th and the last business day of each month, which is 24 paychecks per school year for everyone. The good news is, instead of having to wait until the end of each month to receive our entire paychecks, now we get paid every two weeks! If the 15th or the last business day of the month falls on a weekend or bank holiday, the pay date will be on the preceding business day. Most importantly, this will not affect anyone’s annual pay.
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Why are we changing our payroll to semi-monthly?
- The main reasons are to provide consistency and security for all AISD employees. With everyone receiving paychecks at the same time, regardless of their position or pay grade, that consistency and security is easier to maintain.
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When does the ERP go into effect?
- Our staff is currently working to deploy this system across the district with an expected launch date as early as this July 2023.
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How does this change impact families?
- Bringing the ERP online is expected to have little to no impact on families.
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How will I be notified when the ERP is launched?
- ERP communications will be included in the Family Newsletter as well as on this ERP webpage.
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Will switching over to the ERP delay any processes involving enrollment?
- No. To enroll for the 2023–24 school year, please be sure you have an Austin ISD Portal account. Visit the Austin ISD Portal to create one or log in. We will launch the new unified enrollment system in early fall 2023 and more information will be forthcoming as we approach the transition.
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Will the way I log in to the parent portal change?
- No. Families will continue to access the portal in a fast and secure way. ERP communications will continue to provide updates.