Colorado State University: Cost of Kuali

1. Colorado State University
Total Cost of Kuali
Colorado State University attracts significant
research funding and conducts world-class
research in infectious disease, atmospheric
science, clean energy technologies, and en -
vironmental science. Despite these success-
es, the university’s systems to support financial
management and administration of research
had become an obstacle. Colorado State
University (CSU) sought a new financial system
that would enhance, rather than constrain,
the strong research capabilities of the univer-
sity.
When Troy Fluharty, Director of Business and
Financial Services, first heard of the Kuali
project, he expected that others on campus
would hear of it as well. Mr. Fluharty’s initial
impression was that the Kuali Financial System
would not suit CSU’s needs, and he planned
a trip to Kuali Days to gather information to
support this conclusion. That trip did not go
as planned. As Mr. Fluharty learned about the
system, the project approach, and the proj -
ect community, he became convinced that
the Kuali Financial System offered the func-
tionality to meet CSU’s complex sponsored re-
search accounting and reporting needs.
At that point the path ahead was not clear.
The university had used an RFP process to se-
lect its student system, but given the commu-
nity source approach of Kuali, an RFP would
not provide further insight. CSU needed to
assess the Kuali Financial System’s ability to
meet its functional needs, with broad campus
engagement in the evaluation. Additionally,
CSU needed to understand how to transition
from its current system, Information Associates’
FRS.
When CSU made the decision to implement
the Kuali Financial System, cost was a key
consideration. Mr. Burns explains: “We believe
that our selection of Kuali saved us millions of
dollars in licensing and implementation fees.
Some of the savings has been re-invested in
our staff, and that investment stays within our
institution and continues to provide benefit.
The financial savings in this economic climate
are important to us and to our constituents.”
Colorado State University’s key requirements
for the new financial system included:
• Multi-year budgeting for long-term
research projects
• Online workflow and tracking to
increase transparency of financial
approvals
• Document attachments to provide
context for financial reviews and
audit trails
• Ease-of-use that would allow prima-
ry investigators and departmental
leaders to easily input and review
financial information

2. "We believed that
we saved mil-
lions of dollars by
implementing
the Kuali Finan-
cial System," says
Patrick Burns,
Chief Information
Officer, "Through
the course of our
project, we shifted
budget dollars be-
tween line items,
but the project
has run right on
budget." .
Implementation Budget
Data Conversion
rSmart provided the methodology and converted data
from the legacy system to the Kuali Financial System.
• Converted the chart of accounts and all as-
sociated legacy data
• Developed key system interfaces to Human
Resources, Accounts Payable and Purchasing
System Configuration
rSmart provided expertise in configuring the Kuali Finan-
cial System to meet Colorado State’s needs.
• Reviewed options and impacts with CSU staff
• Iterated through training and configuration
to ensure that CSU staff could make informed
configuration decisions
• Completed and documented final system
configuration
Testing
rSmart employed test automation tools and continuous in-
tegration tools to streamline testing and improve reliability.
• Developed test plans and scripts
• Completed initial system testing
• Trained lead users on testing processes
Budget Item
Kuali
Financial System
Kuali Research
Administration
Total Budget
Technical Staff $1,345,000 $720,000 $2,065,000
Project Managers $138,000 $230,000 $368,000
Hardware &
Support Software
$350,000 $100,000 $450,000
Travel $165,000 $55,000 $220,000
Consulting $275,000 $240,000 $515,000
Kuali Foundation
Membership
$50,000 $50,000 $100,000
Total $2,323,000 $1,395,000 $3,718,000
Modification Development
rSmart developed new functionality in alignment with
community models, allowing contribution back to the
Kuali community.
• Identified community members with similar
needs
• Facilitated collaborative development
• Programmed needed modifications
• “Packaged” modifications to ease sharing
Risk Mitigation
rSmart provided flexible resource loading as institutional
needs changed.
• Completed unplanned system modifications
• Provided hands-on training and validation for
technical resources using new technologies
and skills
• Addressed issues
• Provided essential expertise to assist both in
analysis and development
How did rSmart assist Colorado State University in its implementation of the
Kuali Financial System?