CU’s critical universitywide PeopleSoft (PS) applications like Campus Solutions (CS), Constituent Relationship Management (CRM), Finance (FIN), Human Capital Management (HCM) and the Enterprise Portal (EP) are made up of two parts. The application layer is the one faculty, students and staff work in. Like a house, this application layer sits on a foundation that most of us never directly work in called PeopleTools. You need a strong foundation to ensure that your house will start out stable and remain that way for as long as you own it. UIS’s regular maintenance windows are the timeframe set aside to upgrade the foundation with updates to tools like PeopleTools and to upgrade the house with new features.

Each individual PS application is its own unique house and PeopleTools is each house’s foundation, toolbox and homeowner’s warranty rolled into one. Houses also need paint, carpeting, furniture and other features that make turn them into comfortable homes. PeopleSoft Upgrade Managers (PUM) and bundles work like technology stores that offer the new features and functionality. During maintenance windows, UIS applies PUMs and bundles to ensure that CU is able to “keep up with the neighbors” by adding new features and functionality that bring us in line with today’s trending technology environment. We also ensure that the houses stay in repair by implementing bug fixes, regulatory requirements and additional enhancements that are released throughout the year to keep the software up-to-date.

So now, when you’re notified that UIS is performing bundle maintenance or work on PeopleTools and it’s impacting the CS, CRM, FIN, HCM or EP, you know we’re doing important work to keep CU’s application houses on solid foundations!

Refer to the CU Business Calendar for the maintenance window schedule.