Azim Premji Foundation upgraded their PeopleSoft HCM, ERP, Campus Solutions, and Interaction Hub systems

The Azim Premji Foundation is a not-for-profit organization with a vision to contribute towards a just, equitable, humane, and sustainable society. Our work is focused on India.

Our undertakings include:

• Transforming education: Committed to improving the quality of education for millions of children across India through capacity-building programs for teachers, school leaders, and education officials.
• University for social impact: Established the Azim Premji University, dedicated to developing leaders and thinkers to address societal challenges in education, health, and sustainability.
• Philanthropy at scale: Backed by Azim Premji's commitment of nearly two-thirds of his wealth, making it one of the largest philanthropic initiatives in the world.
• Health: Through a comprehensive and collaborative approach, we improve community health practices and access to quality healthcare for vulnerable households.
• Inclusive and empowering vision: Dedicated to building a just, equitable, and humane society by addressing the root causes of social and economic inequality.

PeopleSoft footprint

The Azim Premji Foundation uses PeopleSoft ERP, HCM, Campus Solutions, and Interaction Hub. In 2024, we embarked on a journey of modernization and simplification of our PeopleSoft systems with the goal of providing a better experience for our users and lowering the cost of maintaining our systems.

The drivers for the upgrade were:

• Extended Oracle support and security - PeopleSoft 9.2 is under Oracle’s continuous innovation model, ensuring regular updates without major upgrades.
• Enhanced user experience (fluid UI and mobile access) - Staff, faculty, and students can access the system on any device, improving accessibility and efficiency.
• Improved compliance and regulatory updates - Frequent Oracle-delivered updates help meet changing statutory and legal requirements.
• Significant reduction in customizations - The latest PeopleSoft 9.2 images come with several new features that eliminate the need for costly customizations. This makes future updates easier and reduces total cost of ownership.
• Process automation and increased productivity - Features like WorkCenters, activity guides, and Approval Workflow Engine automate routine tasks. Reduces manual workload for HR, finance, and student services, improving overall efficiency.
• Cloud integration and future readiness - Offers REST API-based integration with modern cloud applications and AI tools. Ensures seamless integration with Oracle Cloud, learning management systems (LMSs), and other systems.
• Cost savings on maintenance and infrastructure - Running an outdated version incurs higher maintenance, IT effort, and security patching costs. PeopleSoft 9.2 supports Oracle Cloud Infrastructure , reducing on-premises hardware dependency and lowering costs.
• Easier upgrade path and reduced downtime - Oracle’s PeopleSoft Update Manager (PUM) allows selective updates, eliminating the need for disruptive major upgrades. Ensures smooth, phased implementation without affecting critical university operations.
• Competitive advantage in higher education - Modern ERP capabilities enhance student, faculty, and staff experience. Ensures the institution remains competitive by offering best-in-class digital services.

In conjunction with the SmartERP team, the upgrade to ERP 9.2 Image 49, HCM Image 48, Campus Solutions Image 30, and Interaction Hub Image 17 was completed between February and August 2024.

What we see because of this upgrade:

• Improved user experience and mobility (fluid UI) - Faculty, students, and administrators get a modern, intuitive, and mobile-friendly experience with the fluid UI. Personalized homepages, dashboards, and navigation make it easier to access and complete tasks on the go.
• Reduced manual work and increased automation – Streamlined workflows, reducing reliance on emails and spreadsheets. Improved approvals in finance, procurement, HR (leave management), and student enrollments.
• Retired customizations - By leveraging delivered functionalities (Budget Upload and AM Upload), the student fee calculation process was automated across multiple campuses, careers, and programs.
• Improved absence management - Bulk calendar and calendar group creation for the financial year.
• Advanced student lifecycle management (Campus Solutions) - Improved online admissions integrations, fee payments, and academic advisement enhance student satisfaction. Automated graduation tracking and streamlined student services (scholarship application and approval process).
• Better compliance and audit readiness – Delivered features of transactional level auditing have been enabled on AP, AR, AM, and GL.
• Seamless integration with cloud and external systems - Reduces IT dependency by enabling plug-and-play integration with third-party applications.
• Cost savings and IT optimization - PeopleSoft Update Manager (PUM) reduces IT maintenance costs by enabling selective updates. Optimized infrastructure support for the cloud lowers hardware and operational expenses.

Future plans

• Expansion in healthcare with third-party integrations to PeopleSoft.
• Addition of new campuses and colleges across the country for various programs and plans.
• Addition of business units due to expansion in education and other sectors.
• Implementation of strategic sourcing, supplier contracts, and few more modules for a better tendering process.
• Removal of customizations and continued adoption of delivered capabilities such as amortization and custom uploads.
• More fluid transactions and email-based approvals.