Applications Administration is responsible for the creation and maintenance of user access to the Oracle Financial and People Soft HR applications through the timely and accurate processing of user security requests. We also provide a high level of customer service and assist University departments with the interpretation and implementation of University system access policies and procedures.

Role of Applications Administration

The Applications Administration department provides end-user access to the following Oracle and Harvard custom applications.

Accounts Payable
Accounts Receivable
Budget Tool
CSMA
General Ledger
Web Voucher / Web Reimbursement
Harvard Data Warehouse (HUDINI, AWS1, AWS2, FinStar, Ad Hoc Reporting)

Services Include:

Provide application access through the maintenance of user accounts, responsibilities, FlexField Security Rules (FSRs) and Web Voucher Approval Groups
In collaboration with Risk Management and Audit Services (RMAS) and the user community, establish, interpret and enforce policies and procedures for end user access to Harvard's financial applications.
Provide consulting and support to all Tubs on the creation and definition of user accounts, responsibilities and security rules that best suit their transactional and reporting needs.

Questions on Harvard's User Security?

End-users with specific questions on user security for the Oracle Applications or financial reports in the Harvard Data Warehouse should contact their Oracle Security Authorized Requestor.

Oracle Security Authorized Requestors with specific questions on user security for either the Oracle Applications or financial reports in the Harvard Data Warehouse should contact their Applications Administrator at appadmin@camail.harvard.edu.

Overview

User Security controls a user’s access to applications, screens, actions, and data in Harvard’s Oracle Financial applications and reporting environments. Applications Administration maintains and supports this user access as well as the underlying security structures (menus, responsibilities, approval groups) based on authorization from Oracle Security Authorized Requestors. Applications Administration grants users access to the following Oracle financial applications at Harvard:

Accounts Payable
Accounts Receivable
Budget Tool
CSMA
General Ledger
Web Voucher / Web Reimbursement

Applications Administration also manages User Security for the applications and environments that make up Harvard’s Data Warehouse, including:

Ad Hoc Reporting
AWS1
AWS2
FinStar
HUDINI

To be able to access to these applications, a user must be assigned:

A User ID - This user ID allows the individual to “log in” to the system itself. Oracle Financial and Harvard Data Warehouse user IDs are based on the unique 8-digit Harvard ID number assigned to employees when they are hired.
A Password - When a new user is set up in these systems, they are given a default password. For information on the algorithm used to create these default passwords, see the User Names and Initial (Default) Passwords section on ABLE at http://able.harvard.edu/other/usernames.shtml. Upon initial log-in, the user will be prompted to create a new password that will secure their access for future sessions. When creating your own unique password, follow the tips outlined on the Harvard’s Risk Management & Audit Services (RMAS) website.
One or more Responsibilities - Responsibilities control what application the user can access and - once in - what they can do within the application. They control what screens the user sees, what choices they may make from those screens, what reports they can run, and, at the lowest level, what CoA segment values they can transact to or report on. Users may have multiple responsibilities to access the various applications such as General Ledger, Budget Tool or Data Warehouse.

How Oracle User Security Requests are processed by Applications Administration

Requests to maintain user security access are submitted to Applications Administration by Oracle Security Authorized Requestors using the standard Applications Administration User Security Request form. The Oracle Security Authorized Requestor e-mails the completed User Security Request form to appadmin@camail2.harvard.edu where it is picked up by an Applications Administrator, validated, and loaded into Oracle. Each working day, Applications Administration e-mails Authorized Requestors with a summary notification listing all of their requests that were processed on the previous day.

The average turnaround time for standard requests is 2 business days. Complex requests or large-scale changes to user access for a tub may take longer. In such cases, Applications Administration will contact the Authorized Requestor with an approximate date by which they can expect their changes to be implemented. In order to ensure the shortest processing time for complex or high-volume requests, Applications Administration encourages Authorized Requestors to contact them prior to submitting the request(s) - in the early planning stages if possible - so that we can make sure we have sufficient resources available to accommodate them.