Monday, March 31, 2014

Case Study: PeopleSoft Custom Time Entry - Introduction

This is a case study that follows our build of a custom front-end for PeopleSoft's Rapid Time Entry Process. This project is not yet completed, but while implementing what we thought would be a simple process we have encountered some interesting problems. This blog topic follows our experience as we work through the project. It will show dead-ends, why they were dead-ends, and how we backed out and refactored the process.

The custom process will replace a custom VB/ASP .NET application. We want to retain the ability to enter time through a page for a single employee for a pay period, but eliminate the need to maintain a program outside of PeopleSoft. Delivered behavior for storing to Reported Time changed in HCM 9.1 and may change again in HCM 9.2. We want to attach to the delivered Rapid Time Process to eliminate our need to modify the VB code with each upgrade. It will also allow us to take advantage of built-in features such as scroll and buffer management, row-level security and field and record validations.

This diagram below shows the original vision. An Employee's Time is loaded from Reported Time (TL_RPTD_TIME), edited in the Time Entry Page, and then converted to either Punch or Elapsed Time formats that can be fed through the delivered Rapid Time Entry Process back to Reported Time.  




Some additional requirements:
1.     Time Entry is by Employee and Employment Record (EMPLID/EMPL_RCD)
2.     The page presents only one week at a time for editing, but the operator can move through weekly by Previous/Next Action or by entering a date that falls within the desired weekly period.
3.     Time may be added. Existing Time may be Deleted or Edited.
4.     The operator must save changed data as they move out of a weekly period, but the data will not be submitted until a Submit Actions is selected.
5.     Security will be applied:
a.      An employee can add/delete/update only in the current Pay Period
b.     Employees can only modify time entered in the Time Entry Page. They cannot modify Clock time.
c.      The employee’s Managers can modify Clock Time and Previous Period Time.

Next: Delivered Rapid Time Entry vs. HS Time Entry