The Get to Green (G2G) project, one of the lab’s Improving How We Work (IHWW) programs, will wrap up at the end of the fiscal year, delivering enhanced access, reporting, tools, and overall operational excellence to the lab’s financial community.
As the project enters its final weeks, here are updates on individual G2G efforts:
Primary Reconciliation and Month-End Reporting/Cumulative Balance
The G2G team delivered a Workday Financial (WDF) system-generated cumulative trial balance submission at U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-specified accounting levels and the monthly cumulative balance directly from WDF in a format accepted by the DOE’s Standard Accounting and Reporting System (STARS). DOE has reviewed and approved the submission, completing these milestones, which were critical to the success of the G2G program.
Data Quality
The Data Quality team is preparing the process for making overhead allocations at the detail level (purchase order, expense report, etc.) available to the laboratory. The team met with the Business & Information Services solution development team to collaborate on the necessary tools. The Data Quality team also worked with the directorate financial community to collect requirements to implement the overhead allocation effort.
All outstanding baseline unpaid invoices have been cleared and a process is in place to prevent recurrence of these types of unpaid invoices. Invoice processing has been improved, and Financial Management & Procurement Services (FMPS) will continue the effort moving forward.
User Experience
The User Experience team is ready to open access to financial data to financial users across the laboratory for smoother collaboration within and across directorates. This broader access will require cost center managers to read and acknowledge a data privacy statement on an annual basis, acknowledging the sensitive nature of the data they access. The statement has been deployed from Workday, and once each user completes the Workday action, they will be given data access across cost centers.
Documentation and Training
The Documentation and Training team successfully piloted the new Optimizing Workday Financials for Cost Center Managers training course on Aug. 22. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive. One participant wrote, “I have a new perspective on the Workday reports. I can reduce my time on searching for expenses. I am recommending this class to all my co-workers.”
The schedule for additional class sessions (likely starting in November) will be set in September, with instructions for registering to follow.
Process Analysis
The Process Analysis team has completed the G2G phase of the project and delivered project recommendations to FMPS leadership. The team identified 16 potential projects to improve the accounts payable and procurement processes. These process improvements are currently being evaluated by FMPS leaders, and plans for addressing the improvements will be included in the future program roadmap.
Go to Gold
The process of transitioning from G2G to a new “Go to Gold” initiative has already begun. This multi-year FMPS initiative will continue to focus on taking Argonne’s financial management and procurement services to best-in-class. As G2G matures into Go to Gold, it embodies a commitment to continuous improvement that is central to all the IHWW programs.
The laboratory thanks the G2G teams, Argonne’s extended financial community, and all the collaborators and supporters that have made G2G a success so far.