Understanding Conversion to PeopleSoft Asset Management

You can convert data using any number of methods that are available to you. You may want to generate a custom program after mapping records and fields from the existing database to the new PeopleSoft database; or you can perform the steps that are outlined in this topic, using the application engine processes that are available from Oracle to convert the data.

The general tasks are:

1. Set up the database tables that will store accounting structure and asset information.

2. Transfer data from the existing system to PeopleSoft Asset Management.

No strict rules exist for performing these tasks. The pace and flow of the implementation will be guided by the requirements of your business environment, available personnel resources, and any unexpected events that you may encounter during the process.

If you use the PeopleSoft application engine processes that are described in this topic to convert your data, Asset Management business units and books must be established before you transfer data into the loader tables. The sequence of other table setups are more flexible. You may want to partially complete the conversion before doing some table setup. For example, as you set up the Location table, you can refer to the record layout from your conversion file to determine how many different locations you need to establish and what they should be called. In general, however, you should complete the table setup that provides your system structure to begin building your asset management database. Your table setup must be complete before you can finish converting your asset data. The final conversion step, depreciating converted assets, cannot be carried out until all PeopleSoft Asset Management tables are set up. Setting up the database tables that provide your accounting structure and store asset information is discussed in other topics. Please refer to these for more details of the tasks involved.

Data validation is an important step as you plan and implement the conversion. Before you begin converting asset data from the current system, look closely at the existing data. Depending on the integrity of the source data, your first step should be to validate the existing data before you begin converting. At various intervals of the data conversion process, you will have the opportunity to examine the data. Create checks and balances as part of your conversion plan to test data that is being loaded into the PeopleSoft database.