We are currently moving our web services and information to Canada.ca.

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat website will remain available until this move is complete.

Canadian International Development Agency


Archived information

Archived information is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject à to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please contact us to request a format other than those available.

Archived

This page has been archived on the Web.

Annex D

Monitoring report
Human Resource Electronic Support System (SAP)
Canadian International Development Corporation

March, 2006

Background

During the completion of a CIDA organizational design and monitoring risk assessment conducted in January, 2006, the Agency Electronic Support System (SAP) was identified as a “high risk” issue for the agency. The report of this assessment clearly identified that the “quality of data in SAP is not reliable” making it “very difficult to obtain reliable information”.

It was determined that a monitoring exercise of SAP was required to identify measures needed to ensure accurate information is available to system users.

It is noted that this situation had been observed in a previous audit review conducted in 2004.

Process

The Monitoring Officer reviewed background documentation on the SAP system, followed by a number of interviews with users. Those interviewed included system users from the program side, both management and at the data input levels (two interviews), personnel responsible for SAP systems (one interview) as well as user personnel , both staffing and classification, from the personnel group (4 interviews)

Detailed interview notes are not a part of this report as clearly, from the information provided to the Monitoring Officer, the issue of “reliability of data” in the system has already been identified.

Observations

The report of January, 2006 entitled “Organizational design and classification monitoring risk assessment” stated:

“The data in SAP is inputted electronically from many difference sources and the human resource system team does not have the expertise to monitor the quality of entries related to Human Resources activities. The quality of data in SAP is not reliable and, as a result, organizational charts are not reliable either. Many managers have created their own stand alone organization chart in their organizations which does not reflect reality. In these conditions, it makes it very difficult to obtain reliable information to conduct reviews in order to assess the health of the Organization and Classification Program within the Agency.

There are many reorganizations taking place in the Agency and the Organizational Design Specialist, Organization and Classification Advisors and managers cannot rely on SAP data to assist them in their analysis. In addition, SAP database should be the source for producing organizational charts required when conducting such organizational design reviews but the link does not exist and a different system is used to produce the charts.

The lack of reliability SAP data has made it difficult to conduct effective organizational and classification analysis and to produce reports for Senior Management. This is creating an additional workload for the OCDS because they have to create their own report template and manually collect and screen the required information”.

The following are further comments by this Monitoring Officer:

  1. There are problems with system control (who can input data) and the data reliability and a blueprint is available on how to correct deficiencies. This should be implemented.
  2. System presently deletes historical data if changes are made. For audit and monitoring purposes and this is unacceptable. This deleted historical data needs to be retained.
  3. Clear procedures are needed (ie only classification personnel can authorize reporting relationship changes) to ensure the accuracy of the system.

A full work plan had already been developed, dated September 26, 2005, entitled “SAP HR Improvement Project (SHIP)” a copy of which is attached. This Monitoring Officer cannot improve on this project work plan however I offer the following comments from system users obtained in March, 2006 during the completion of this monitoring report in order to reinforce the need for this project to move ahead. It is considered to be critical to human resources operations for the Agency.

“ the present information in the [SAP] system and its accuracy [September, 2005] is so questionable that HR personnel no longer trust it and prior to staffing any position, staffing personnel send an email to classification requesting confirmation that the level of the position and its reporting relationship is correct”

“each time a request is received for information on departmental population of groups and reporting relationship, HR personnel have to pull the classification file to verify rather than referring to information on the system”.

Recommendations

  1. A working group, as identified in the SAP HR Improvement Project (SHIP) should include representatives from HR (classification and staffing), from the SAP systems administration group, from IMTB (technical hardware and software specialists) and from a program organization. This will assist in ensuring that all concerns are addressed.
  2. A senior management “champion” should be named to ensure that the project moves forward at a timely pace and that the necessary resources are available as required.
  3. Open lines of communication to all those involved should be encouraged in order that CIDA personnel know that this project is a priority and is moving forward.
  4. Once any required system changes have been made, this information must be communicated, in writing, to all users with any necessary training being provided.

Frank Longo
Monitoring Officer
March 12, 2006



Date modified: