The PeopleSoft WorkCenter was created back in 2013, but many are just now starting to use them with their 9.2 upgrades. We wanted to give you some of the basics on WorkCenters as they relate to PeopleSoft Financial Management and Supply Chain. Below you will find a brief description of what WorkCenters are, some benefits of using WorkCenters and basic WorkCenter functionalities. We wrap up this post with a list of what WorkCenters have already been delivered, including the image in which they were delivered and how you can use them.*

What is a WorkCenter?

WorkCenters were created as a one-stop shop for key roles within a business process to conduct transactions, take action on alerts and view reports and analytics. The built -in intelligence delivers work to the user and makes multitasking very easy and seamless, without the user losing focus. The users know exactly what their priorities are at any given point and can work toward resolving exceptions and bottlenecks quickly. WorkCenters can be cross functional, highly configurable and deliver personalized content to the users based on their roles and permissions.

Some of the benefits of WorkCenters are that they:

• Provide a central area for you to access key components within Financial and Supply Chain applications.
• Enable you to access various pages and keep multiple windows open while doing your daily work.
• Reduce navigation time and let you accomplish your daily tasks in an efficient manner.

Functionalities of WorkCenters: Pagelet Area and Transaction Area

WorkCenter pages are divided into two general areas: the pagelet area and the transaction area. The pagelet area is a collection of application-defined pagelets that contain links, task lists, and other content. The area itself is part of the PeopleTools framework but the pagelet content is defined by individual product needs. The transaction area can display various items such as a welcome statement, transaction pages and grids, dashboards, or pivot grids.

The pagelet area contains two tabs as well as labels within each that are customizable.

Main Tab

• My Work
  • This is the full “cake” of the WorkCenters while other tabs are additional resources. This tab features links to pages that an end user would need to access on a daily basis. The My Work section can also include exceptions and alerts where the user would need to take some type of action. The My Work section can be personalized by end users by clicking on the Pagelet Settings icon and then selecting Personalize.
• My Links
  • This pre-seeded pagelet allows users to navigate to key functions of the application. Users can personalize this pagelet to include additional internal or external links.

Reports/Queries

• Reports and Processes
  • This pagelet allows users access to reports they have generated and processes they need to run. For example, users can access the Reporting Console so they can have direct access to their process and report outputs.
• Queries
  • This pagelet allows users access to public and personal queries as well as Pivot Grids, PsQueries and PsQuery Manager. The query or pivot grid results are displayed in the right pane of the WorkCenter or in a new window. Query results can be saved to Microsoft Excel.

Now that we have outlined some of the basics of WorkCenters, here are some PeopleSoft Financial Management and Supply Chain WorkCenters that have already been delivered, including the image in which they were delivered and how you can use them.

Delivered WorkCenters in Financial Management and Supply Chain

• General Ledger WorkCenter (delivered in 9.2)
  • Gives general ledger or accounting analysts visibility into the most critical pieces of their job. They will know exactly what they should be working on at a given time including journals that need approval, journals in exception status and Chart of Account Requests. The GL WorkCenter will support the accounting and finance mission of a timely period close.
• Accounts Payable WorkCenter (delivered in 9.2)
  • Enables accounts payable users to work on voucher exceptions and matching errors and to complete their payments-related tasks such as placing scheduled payments on hold and using pay cycle manager. Additionally, users can also monitor supplier-related information such as suppliers pending approval.  Accounts payable users can view and resolve multiple exceptions from the same place and save time and manual effort. This WorkCenter also allows for processing invoices more quickly so that discounts can be recognized and liabilities reduced.
• Grants and Contracts WorkCenter (delivered in 9.2)
  • Enables users to quickly identify and resolve key process exceptions so that awards and revenue contracts proceed unimpeded. This can help streamline contracts and grant processing.
• Time and Labor WorkCenter (delivered in 9.2)
  • Provides a single point of entry for administrators and managers to relevant work areas. Users can proactively monitor critical transactions and handle exceptions.
• ePerformance WorkCenter (delivered in 9.2)
  • Streamlines the performance process and simplifies the user experience for both managers and employees.
• Supply and Demand WorkCenter (delivered in 9.2)
  • This WorkCenter is geared more towards Supply Chain Management, but provides “out-of-the-box” actionable alerts to identify potentially problematic conditions in the Supply Chain, such as orders past shipment date, on hold orders past their shipment date, overdue POs, and more.
• Asset Management WorkCenter (delivered in image 4, enhanced in image 12)
  • Allows users to tailor their views of key data to meet their specific needs. The delivered solution includes new pagelets that operate consistently, with related actions and modal window drilldown capabilities that dynamically change based on the data being viewed.
  • Features an enhancement in image 12 that includes the New Business Unit AP/PO Transactions page to review pending pre-interface AP or PO transaction data, organized by business unit; the New Business Unit Transaction Loader page to review interface transactions awaiting Transaction loader processing, organized by business unit; and the New Pending Journal Generator page review pending Journal Generator transaction data, organized by business unit.
• Treasury WorkCenter (delivered in image 4)
  • Features the Treasury Cash and Deals application and related accounting functions, including Financial Gateway. Depending on how your organization configures the Treasury WorkCenter, users can finalize accounting entries and approve transfer templates, view payments, make changes to a deal portfolio or confirm and approve deals, and manage exceptions such as payments on hold or in error or accounting errors.
• Expenses WorkCenter (delivered in image 10, enhanced in image 13)
  • Provides users with a centralized work area to complete tasks efficiently with reduced navigation. Key components delivered in the Expenses WorkCenter include links to expense exceptions, approvals, time reports, cash advances, expense reports, travel authorizations, and payment information. In addition, users can quickly access queries, reports, and processes.
  • Features an enhancement delivered in image 13 which includes additional pagelets and improvements to the My Work tab. Additionally, the Create and Modify Expense Report page has been enhanced to display a message warning users to apply any outstanding cash advance balances on an expense report. The View Cash Advance page has also been enhanced to display the new Associated Expense Report section that helps users to identify which expense report to process for cash advance reconciliation.

* Please note: This is intended to be a basic highlight of PeopleSoft Financial Management and Supply Chain WorkCenters functionality and a brief record of what has been delivered.