Navigating the computer systems used for financial work at MIT just got a little easier, thanks to the new Quick Reference Guide on the web.
The guide has a page describing each of the major systems, including COEUS, the Data Warehouse, Labor Distribution System, MITSIS and WebSIS, NIMBUS, Roles Database, SAP and SumMIT Payroll. It also includes an overview chart with details about each system, such as whether it's the system of record, when it receives data, how to become an authorized user and how to get help.
Production of the Quick Reference Guide was a collaborative effort between the editorial board of the "Financial Systems Update," an online newsletter published by the Financial Systems Services, and MIT's Administrative Advisory Committee (AAC), a group of administrators from departments, labs and centers as well as central administrative offices. Earlier this year, the AAC distributed a list of "hot button" issues they felt had a major impact on their work. The guide represents the collaborative response to one of those issues -- improving the consistency of MIT financial data and computer support by providing consolidated information about support services.
The guide will probably be most useful to new employees, but even seasoned administrators will have occasional use for a document that shows "the big picture." The editors are considering a printed version of the guide, but would like community feedback on the web edition first. Users are encouraged to send e-mail comments to fss-eboard@mit.edu.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on October 4, 2000.
