FAQs

A: UT Works is the new system replacing FAMIS and WORQS and their associated business processes. Powered by AssetWorks, a first-in-class product used by a number of institutions of higher education and government entities, UT Works will support the following functions at UT:

• Capital projects
• Work management
• Facilities asset management
• Warehouse inventory management
• Location inventory management
• Billing and cost tracking
• Customer service

The new system will also provide a collection of mobile applications for iPhones and iPads so that users can easily access UT Works in the field.

Additional modules will be implemented later, including the key control module to replace PPKEYS, the university’s key management system.

A: The FAMIS and WORQS systems represent 20-year-old technologies that have reached their end of life, meaning they need to be replaced since the university can no longer support these tools. UT Works will not only replace FAMIS and WORQS, but as part of this process, we are taking the opportunity to transform the way we support the university, not only through the purchase of best-in-class technology but also by reimagining how we provide our services to the university.

A: A partnership of Financial Business Services (FBS), Business Strategies and Operations (BSO), and Enterprise Business IT Solutions (eBITS) will implement these changes through several stages of work. Other units will become involved as needed, to provide their expertise.

The UT Works implementation will occur across key program phases, as described below.

• Phase 1 will address Maintenance and Asset Management, Billing, Warehouse Management, Mobile, Customer Portal/Intake Management, Capital Planning, and Project Management. With a planned go-live date of Fall 2024. For more information, refer to the Phase 1 Timeline.
• Phase 2 will address key control. Go-live date TBD.
• Phase 3 will address Space Management, Portfolio Planning and Analysis, Sustainability/Energy Management, and Real Estate. Go-live date TBD.

A: The stages below represent the program activities that will occur or have occurred for Phase 1. Certain stages may vary slightly or may be iterative depending on the module undergoing implementation (O&M, CPPM, or Ready).

• Discovery & Planning
• Mobilization – Identify resources, confirm timing, milestones, program phases, and engagement with AssetWorks
• Design – Conceptual training, business process discovery, design, and business needs gathering
• Development – Configure the new system and convert the data
• Testing & Validation – Confirm results and validate the information in the new system
• Launch & Support – Begin using the new software (This is the “Go-live date”) and provide additional support (Hypercare) during the launch

A: We are currently targeting a fall 2024 go-live date, with most of the engagement and training activities happening in the months before the go-live date. The work we do during the design phase will help us validate our target timeframe and inform a more formal timeline commitment. For more information on the timing of activities for Phase 1, view the Phase 1 Timeline.

A: Changes will vary by role:

• Existing FAMIS users will benefit from the improved usability of the new application, which includes dashboards and other at-a-glance tools and quicker, simplified ways to enter and query the data.
• For frontline workers, “GO Mobile” will allow you to access information in the field, use your mobile device’s camera and voice-to-text to document existing conditions quickly, and easily manage timekeeping.
• Improved data quality and standardization will help leaders make operational and strategic decisions based on facts for workload balancing, staffing requests, etc.
• Increased transparency and process standardization will improve the customer experience.

The UT Works Program will tailor training to help individuals address the changes specific to their job function to support users throughout the change process.

A: Preparing the campus for UT Works is a top priority, and there will be several activities intended to help users prepare for the change. These activities include design overview and confirmation sessions, informational sessions, and shop visits. Training will be one of the key activities and will include:

• Just-in-time training will take place starting in late 2023. All users will receive the training they need for their work in the new system shortly before the system launch date for end users (also known as the “go-live” date). We will provide online content, videos, and step-by-step instructions to supplement classroom training and provide a variety of options for different learning styles.
• In addition, each unit will have Change Champions (as described in the Transformation Network below) who will be system experts and serve as part of our commitment to ensure everyone gets trained before the go-live date.
• Training will continue after the go-live date to provide training opportunities for new employees and additional opportunities for those already trained.

A: If you have questions, please email the UT Works program at utworks@austin.utexas.edu. As we near go-live, we will create a more robust support structure to assist the campus users. In addition, we are developing Communications and Transformation Networks (see below) comprised of team members from your units. These networks will help ensure end-users get the right message at the right time and have a way to ask questions to subject matter experts and provide feedback to the program.

A: The UT Works program has established a Communications Network to effectively communicate to the diverse audiences impacted by the implementation. The Communications Network, comprised of team members from your units who already engage in and support your units in internal communications, will provide a mechanism for department-level communication flow.

A: This network consists of Change Champions from your units which will participate in the following:

• Change readiness training
• Consult on change readiness activities and approaches
• Share local issues and concerns
• Become early adopters
• Participate in User Acceptance Testing
• Participating in Pilot Training
• Provide feedback on training curricula and materials
• Assist with campus support in their units

A: Data is one of the greatest assets at the university, and throughout the design sessions, the program team will work with business experts to ensure the successful move of necessary data to UT Works. Details of the data being moved will be discussed as we go through the Design Phase. We currently know that we will migrate inventories to AssetWorks, including assets (equipment records), buildings and rooms, warehouse inventory, and similar datasets where FAMIS is the system of record. 
 

A: After the go-live date, the FAMIS application will be in read-only mode for a few months before being retired. FAMIS data will be available for reporting purposes for a longer period.

A: As we progress the program, more details will surface, emerge, evolve, and become more refined. The UT Works website will be updated with relevant and up-to-date information. For those interested in learning more and keeping current with program updates, visit the UT Works website and subscribe to the newsletter.