While the central SAP system is being upgraded, SAP and some other purchasing tools such as SAPweb and ECAT will not be available to users. This means that departments, labs and centers need to plan ahead to procure any supplies that are necessary for November 11-15.
The server upgrade is scheduled to begin after the close of business on Wednesday, Nov. 10 and continue on Thursday, Friday and over the weekend. November 11 is an Institute holiday, but MIT will be open on Friday, Nov. 12.
Approved requisitions received in the Procurement Office before noon on November 10 will be processed before the close of business on that day. Requisitions received after noon will be processed after the SAP system has been upgraded and is again available, which is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 15.
Other important information about the upgrade period:
- During the shutdown and upgrade, Procurement will be unable to create purchase orders from either paper or electronic requisitions. However, partner companies Office Depot, VWR and BOC as well as MIT's internal providers will accept paper requisitions on Friday, Nov. 12. The VWR stockrooms on campus will be open as usual on November 12.
- Customers also can order supplies using an MIT VIP Credit Card. (There are more than 1,000 cards in use at the Institute.) Standing blanket orders are another viable purchasing option.
- Walkthrough checks cannot be processed by Accounts Payable or the Travel Office during the upgrade period.
- The Cashier's Office will be open on November 12, but only for necessary processing of cash and services, and temporary receipts will be issued for cash deposits. Any staff who need the SAP deposit slips are asked to return after 3pm on Monday, Nov. 15.
- The journal voucher and credit card verification processes will not be available during the upgrade.
- Reporting processes in SAP will be unavailable from 5pm on November 10 to November 15, but the Data Warehouse will be available as usual.
Anyone with questions may contact either Associate Controller Larry Connelly at x3-2732, or Director of Procurement Diane Shea at x3-8370.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on October 27, 1999.
