Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) has developed a central database system that replaces many manual processes and streamlines many other administrative procedures. The history of the Central Database Project is provided, and major accomplishments are described. These improvements have increased CCE\u27s ability to comply with state and Federal regulations and with human resources policies. Daily operations are improved with easier access to data and analysis and administrative overhead is controlled, allowing staff to focus on program development and delivery. Finally, the improved technological capacity should increase technological credibility

Applebee, Glenn

Grantham, Deborah G

Josey, Curtis Verne, Jr

Stoquert, Elizabeth F

English

Clemson University: TigerPrints

The Journal of Extension Volume 48 Number 4 Article 26 8-1-2010 Cornell Cooperative Extension Gains Efficiencies and Increases Capacity with a Central Database Deborah G. Grantham Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell University, dgg3@cornell.edu Curtis Verne Josey Jr Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell University, cvj3@cornell.edu Elizabeth F. Stoquert Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell University, efs24@cornell.edu Glenn Applebee Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell University, gja4@cornell.edu This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. Recommended Citation Grantham, D. G., Josey, C. V., Stoquert, E. F., & Applebee, G. (2010). Cornell Cooperative Extension Gains Efficiencies and Increases Capacity with a Central Database. The Journal of Extension, 48(4), Article 26. https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/joe/vol48/iss4/26 This Tools of the Trade is brought to you for free and open access by the Conferences at TigerPrints. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Journal of Extension by an authorized editor of TigerPrints. For more information, please contact kokeefe@clemson.edu. August 2010Volume 48 Number 4Article Number 4TOT3Return to Current IssueCornell Cooperative Extension Gains Efficienciesand Increases Capacity with a Central DatabaseDeborah G. GranthamAssistant Directordgg3@cornell.eduCurtis Verne Josey, Jr.Database Project Managercvj3@cornell.eduElizabeth F. StoquertFinance Specialistefs24@cornell.eduGlenn ApplebeeExecutive Associate Directorgja4@cornell.eduCornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell UniversityIthaca, New YorkAbstract: Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) has developed a central database system that replaces manymanual processes and streamlines many other administrative procedures. The history of the Central DatabaseProject is provided, and major accomplishments are described. These improvements have increased CCE'sability to comply with state and Federal regulations and with human resources policies. Daily operations areimproved with easier access to data and analysis and administrative overhead is controlled, allowing staff tofocus on program development and delivery. Finally, the improved technological capacity should increasetechnological credibility.IntroductionCornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) is a large organization of 56 Associations in New York State counties,several hundred faculty on the Cornell University campuses, and CCE Administration based on the Ithacacampus. The Associations are autonomous local agencies with formal financial and programmatic ties toCornell University and with their county legislature. There are approximately 1,700 Association employeesstatewide.The Associations receive services from Cornell University, through CCE Administration, and in turn deliverlocal research-based programming. For example, CCE Administration processes New York State funding forthe Associations and bills for some services provided by Cornell via a monthly bill, the "Cornell bill."Cornell Cooperative Extension Gains Efficiencies and Increases Capacity with a Central Database08/30/10 06:18:191/3Administration and the Associations were conducting many operations manually and on paper, or in local,Association-maintained databases. Local data then was delivered via a number of methods to campus. Manyfinancial and human resources analyses were very difficult to perform on the existing, outmoded databasestructures. Security is a growing issue, as databases aged simultaneously with increasing security risks.Accountability standards are making new demands on our ability to report on data for such purposes as equalemployment and program opportunity. Finally, even storage space for paper records is becoming a problemon campus.More sophisticated and powerful database systems were becoming critical to manage increasingly complexfinancial procedures and far larger volumes of data.MethodsIn 2007, a project description was developed, based on interviews with Association Executive Directors andbookkeepers and with CCE Administration financial and human resources staff. A database project managerposition requiring both database design and implementation skills and business processes savvy was filled.The project manager spent some weeks becoming familiar with CCE business systems, on and off campus.An advisory committee of users in CCE Associations and Administration followed the Cornell ProjectManagement Methodology (Cornell Project Management Methodology,<http://projectmanagement.cornell.edu/>, 2007) to identify and prioritize goals and tasks within the databaseproject and develop a time line.Development focused first on central CCE Administration processes that serve the statewide CCE system.The first major accomplishment in 2007 was completion of a new Oracle budget database and interface,including improved reports and analysis capabilities, for CCE Administration.Major accomplishments in 2008 were: 1) migration of the CCE budget to the new system; 2) an on-lineannual Smith-Lever (Federal Formula Funds) reporting system; 3) an on-line Federal Retirementmanagement system; 4) an on-line Association salary improvement system that updates directly from theCornell University data warehouse; 5) the "Cornell bill" on-line; 6) an annual plan of work on-line reportingsystem; and 7) on-line Association year-end reporting system. All applications are available from a singlelaunch page and have consistent navigation. Data entry is via secure on-line processes and direct queriesbetween databases. If necessary, a secure electronic dropbox or ftp access is provided. Access to the databaseapplications is controlled and secure and the server is hosted and maintained by Cornell InformationTechnologies, minimizing past security concerns.In addition, CCE collaborated with the Cornell University Agriculture Experiment Station to build a newFederal Formula Fund (FFF) pre-proposal submission site. The CCE Central Database Project followed onthat by creating a new FFF pre-proposal review and funding decision database and interface. Thepre-proposal site was launched in October, 2008 and the review site in January, 2009.ResultsThe CCE Central Database Project has streamlined processes that were primarily manual in the past, freeingstaff for other tasks. For example, the central budget database interacts with the University General Ledgersystem (GL) using a template that uploads directly to the GL. Reporting capabilities combine the budgetdatabase with university data warehouse information. This has saved per year approximately 18 hours ofbooking budgets and 16 hours of budget analysis and reporting.Cornell Cooperative Extension Gains Efficiencies and Increases Capacity with a Central Database08/30/10 06:18:192/3Federal Retirement contributions are monitored each payroll period. CCE Administration staff compared onepayroll to the previous one by examining paper copies and reading each entry manually. The new systemautomatically acquires electronic payroll statements each pay period. Standard electronic reports allow quickreview of the contributions and deductions and changes or discrepancies are flagged. Federal statements,approximately annual, are now electronic, compared to the previous system of typing the reports on a paperform. This single change has reduced staff time spent on this task by a minimum of 1 month per year.Many manual processes are dependent on paper forms and mail or courier services. The 56 Associationsreceive a monthly bill and statement, and accompanying documentation from Cornell. The volume of thetransactions made it difficult to deliver monthly bills and statement to Associations in a timely manner.Packets that were misplaced had to be copied and re-mailed to the Association. The new system posts the billand supporting documentation on-line within a few days of the end of each month. Association bookkeepersview the bill on-line and can return to it as needed. CCE Administration is saved the step of compiling 56paper packages and shipping them to the Associations. A minimum of 15 hours of staff time, 2,500 sheets ofpaper, 56 manila envelopes, and the associated mail services has been saved each month.FFF pre-proposals are now reviewed on-line, which saved the time of approximately eight administrativeassistants working for 2 full weeks to print, copy, collate, and mail the pre-proposals to the reviewers,equivalent to approximately 4 months full time equivalent, in addition to saving supplies and postage.Reviewers submit rankings and comments on-line. The funding decisions database interfaces with the CCEbudget database, allowing for effective tracking of funding decisions (for example, amounts and percent offunding awarded to integrated projects).These improvements have increased CCE's ability to comply with state and Federal regulations and withhuman resources policies. Daily operations are improved with easier access to data and analysis andadministrative overhead is controlled, allowing staff to focus on program development and delivery.Finally, the CCE system has improved technological capacity and therefore technological credibility.ReferencesCornell Project Management Methodology. (n.d.). Retrieved August 18, 2010 from:http://projectmanagement.cornell.edu/Copyright © by Extension Journal, Inc. ISSN 1077-5315. Articles appearing in the Journal become theproperty of the Journal. Single copies of articles may be reproduced in electronic or print form for use ineducational or training activities. Inclusion of articles in other publications, electronic sources, or systematiclarge-scale distribution may be done only with prior electronic or written permission of the Journal EditorialOffice, joe-ed@joe.org.If you have difficulties viewing or printing this page, please contact JOE Technical Support.Cornell Cooperative Extension Gains Efficiencies and Increases Capacity with a Central Database08/30/10 06:18:193/3

Cornell Cooperative Extension Gains Efficiencies and Increases Capacity with a Central Database

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Cornell Cooperative Extension Gains Efficiencies and Increases Capacity with a Central Database

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