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CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Oregon State University Finance & Administration leaders are implementing a new digital payroll system that will eliminate paper transactions, reduce the existing system's already low error rate and save nearly a half-million dollars in staff time for data entry each year.

The system, provided by Workforce Software of Michigan, provides for online submission of time and leave reports, electronic supervisor approvals and extensive tracking of OSU's more than 200 different employee codes, according to Aaron D. Howell, director of Business Affairs for OSU.

"This web-based system additionally provides improved compliance with policies and regulations, simpler record keeping and better leave administration," said Howell, noting that the system will help reduce the current system's error rate, which is already substantially below the national average.  "The Workforce Software solution is also scalable for the university's expected growth over the long term."

Howell said the new system is highly configurable to accommodate different types of employees and supervisor needs, provide current leave balances and automatic recording of approved leave on the exception time reports, track division of labor for grant reporting and provide Family and Medical Leave Act case management data. It allows for automatic feedback to employees and, in a purchased module to be implemented in a second phase, provides a sophisticated employee scheduler for supervisors.

Campus-wide teams of university personnel and Workforce Software technicians will soon begin work on implementation of the system and expect to bring the system live in fiscal year 2013.

Acquisition of the new payroll system is part of a larger university effort to increase efficiencies and reduce costs within its business operations. Three years ago, the university began implementing a total of seven business centers to aggregate business services that had been widely distributed through dozens of university departments, colleges, offices and divisions. Those centers have helped cut costs and increase efficiencies.

"We believe it is incumbent on the university to be as efficient as possible with the public funding invested here, and this new system will enable us to do even more in that regard," said Bob Nettles, OSU director of Administrative Services.  

A project website has been set up for the campus to get updates on the project, view demos, read FAQ and submit questions or comments: http://oregonstate.edu/fa/time-attendance/.