Developing a Business Case

Carol JohnsonLawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Travel ManagerApril 14, 2002

What I hoped to find at LBNL…

Products that were “best in class” and “user friendly”…

That produce desired results on the front and back ends…

And sometimes exceed expectations

What I found was …

Well, something like this…

Specifically• Manual Voucher Process

– Multiple Forms– Multiple Systems

• Travel Reporting System Issues– System Outdated– Data Integrity Questioned

Our Vehicle Is Not

• “Best in Class”

• “User Friendly”

• Producing Desired Outcomes

• Exceeding Expectations

The Desired State

An End-to-end Solution•Authorization

•Budget Information

•Voucher

•Audit

•Payment

•Data

The Approach

Fact Finding• Map the Process• Document Effort• Determine Costs• Share Information• Identify

Opportunities

What Did We Learn?

Existing Pre-approval

Traveler obtains

cost estimates.

Traveler completes

ESD's travel request

form and routes for

approvals.

Calls Maritz.

On-line.

Program lead

approves?

Form is routed to

Div is ion Of f ice (DO).

Contacts traveler for

additional information.

Form

complete?

Do creates Travel

Authoriazation (TA).

DO TA forw ards

to Budget Analyst

for s ignature and

tracking costs.

TA is returned

to DO for

processing.

DO makes

copy for

traveler.

Original TA is sent

to Central Travel

Of f ice.

Traveler

goes on trip.

See Central Travel

Of f ice Flow Chart.

DO sends a copy

of TA to traveler.

Yes

No

No

Yes

Total cycle time = 5 days

Need to travel.

Existing Expense Reporting

Traveler returns

f rom trip.

Traveler completes

Expense Report

(ER); prints and

routes for s ignature.

Div is ion

Of f ice (DO)

approves?

(DO) forw ards ER to

Program Lead (PL)

for approval.

ER is returned to traveler

to provide additional

information.

PL

approves?

ER is returned

to DO.DO makes

copy of ER.

ER is forw arded to

Central Travel Of f ice for

processing

See Central Travel

Of f ice Flow Chart.Copy of ER sent to

traveler.

NoNo

Yes

Yes

Cycle time = ????

What Did We Learn?

The Journey Begins

Formation of the Team– ISS– Travel– Divisions– Finance– Internal Audit

Ready, Set . .

Establishing the ItineraryFormation of a Plan

– Determine Our Needs– Identify Solutions– Evaluate Systems– Develop Business

Case– Procurement– Development– Implementation

Agenda

Justify the Trip

• Improve Efficiency– Eliminate

Redundancy

• Save Time– Reduce Effort

• Save Money– $300K in 1st year

Choosing the Vehicle

• Familiarity with Government Travel• CONUS/OCONUS Rates• Best Match for LBL Systems• Best Match for LBL Processes• Best Price

Standard FeaturesFeatures:• Split Costs• CONUS/OCONUS• Make Changes• Check Status• Web Based• Delinquency

Reminder

Custom Options

• LDAP – Single sign-on

• HRIS – HR Data• Maritz - Tickets• USBank - Expenses• Projects - Approval• GL/AP - Financial

Gelco Pre-approval

Need to travel.Traveler obtains

cost estimates.

Calls Maritz.

On-line.

Approval.Traveler completes

Travel Authorization.Database.

Total cycle time = 5 minutes

Gelco Expense Reporting

Database.Voucher from Travel Authorization.

Payment.

Total cycle time = 24 hours

Budget Time

Activities Calendar’01 Sep – ProcurementOct – Installation, Demonstrations, Admin Training Nov –Technical development’02 Jan – Specs for Customization Mar – New Version installedApr – Specs for Customization’03 Jan – System Testing Mar – Acceptance TestingMay - Division PilotJun – Lab roll-outAug - Shut down legacy system

Are We There Yet?• Lab-wide System Implementation

• Travel Office Becomes Help Desk

• Continue Developing System

• Follow-up Assessment