Delta 2006: Support -- Glossary

Accessory technologies: Technologies that complement the PeopleSoft systems but are not included in them. Examples: Web browsers, data warehouses, workflow systems.

Application: Another term for a software program. Word processing and spreadsheet programs are applications, as is PeopleSoft.

"As-is" process mapping: Capturing in graphics what a current process looks like. Understanding is enhanced by collecting other relevant data such as how frequently the process occurs, and who is involved.

Benchmarking: The process of identifying, learning, and adapting outstanding practices and processes from any organization, anywhere in the world, to help an organization improve its performance. Benchmarks are numbers, ratios, performance indicators that help answer the question, "What needs improvement?"

Check box: A set of boxes next to a list. You can select one or multiple items from list by clicking on the corresponding boxes.

Client/server: A distributed system model of computing that brings computing power to the desktop, where users (clients) access resources from servers.

Design phase: The early phase of a project in which the team creates a vision, determines specific objectives and requirements, develops new processes, and decides how technology will be used to support the objectives.

Drop-down arrow: A downward pointing arrow located at the right of the active field. When you click on it, a list appears. You select one item in a list by highlighting the appropriate option.

Effective dating: As new rows of data or comments are added to a student's file the PeopleSoft system adds a date and time stamp along with the identity of user that made the entry. A new entry of this type does not over-write any previous entries.

Enter: You save your changes when you hit the Enter key. Use only when you have completed your changes for the entire panel group.

Favorites: Bookmarked panels that you use often. They are similar to bookmarks for the Internet.

General Ledger: The General Ledger provides the structures departments use for recording income and expenses. The basic building block of the General Ledger is the chart of accounts--the data the system needs to capture on any given transaction.

Go-Live: Implement or turn on a new system for end-users to process real data. Go-live is often used in association with a date, as in, "Our planned go-live for Admissions functions is September 1, 1999."

GUI (usually pronounced GOO-ee): Stands for "graphical user interface" to a computer, rather than pure text, like a DOS interface. Elements of a GUI include such things as: windows, pull-down menus, buttons, scroll bars, iconic images, and the mouse. A system's graphical user interface (GUI) along with its input devices is sometimes referred to as its "look-and-feel." The GUI is familiar to most of us today in either the Mac or the Windows operating systems.

Implementation phase: Once a project design is finalized, the focus shifts to understanding the impact on people (e.g., will we need to revise job descriptions), technology (e.g., how do we make PeopleSoft work to handle these requirements), policies and procedures (what do we need to change to implement these new processes and systems), and data conversion (how do we convert data from the current systems to the new systems).

Legacy: Applications and data that have been inherited from languages, platforms, and techniques earlier than current technology. AIMS, FRS and HRS are DePaul's legacy systems.

Online Library: The help manual you will use from your computer if you have problems using PeopleSoft. You can access the library through F1 or Help > Current Window.

Operational visioning: A very high level description of what the new business process will look like, including a list of critical objectives for that process. An operational vision will be developed for each process to be reengineered.

Panel: A page where you can view or input information. Often referred to as a screen in other programs.

PeopleSoft: The company that produces the administrative software systems DePaul is installing as part of Delta 2006. You will also hear the software itself referred to as PeopleSoft.

Process: A set of linked activities that create a result. Example: hiring an employee.

Radio buttons: A set of circles beside a list. You select one item in the list by clicking on the corresponding circle.

Recent: A shortcut to the panels you have just used. Located under Go, the path will open the panels you used most recently.

SATRNO: DePaul's practice database, where staff who have been through more extensive training can practice their skills.

SQL (structured query language): A standard interactive and programming language for getting information from and updating a database. Queries take the form of a command language that, for example, lets you select, insert, update, or find out the location of data.

Vanilla: Original default settings established by PeopleSoft before customization to meet any DePaul-specific needs.

Workflow: Automation of moving documents and data between people in a process.