In response to a recent Financial Management Services (FMS) Learner Needs Analysis and iProcurement usability feedback from our 2021 Client Satisfaction Survey, FMS recognizes the need for “just in time” training for our user community. To that end, the FMS Financial Learning Solutions team is currently piloting a new software application with a limited number of iProcurement users. The WalkMe in-application learning solution adds a “layer” on top of Oracle iProcurement, providing guidance to help users effectively navigate work processes and access helpful tips and other learning resources. Additionally, insights gained from the pilot are helping the Financial Learning Solutions team to develop plans for expanding WalkMe functionality to other Oracle Financial systems, such as SmartMart Contracts, PCard Verification and Expense Requests. Pending the success of the pilot, funding will be pursued to expand WalkMe to more users and more financial systems.

Benefits of WalkMe

While new employee onboarding training courses delivered via STARS (Stanford Training and Registration System) provide foundational knowledge, offering a mix of in-application and web-based training enables users to leverage self-service training and:

  • Increase their engagement and adoption of financial system features
  • Reduce any potential transaction errors
  • Improve productivity and compliance with policies and guidelines

The WalkMe software offers a suite of in-application training options that will support the user community to complete financial transactions including:

  • Guided Demos: Provides step-by-step instructions so that users can successfully complete any task, end-to-end and in real-time (e.g., setting up iProcurement Preferences, creating non-catalog purchase requisitions, checking out a cart in SmartMart).
  • Helpful Tips: Offers just-in-time support by providing reminders, contextual information on certain processes or forms and links to resources outside of the system such as Fingate or a Stanford Services & Support Portal Knowledge Article. 
  • Notifications: Draws the user’s attention to important announcements that are either informational or require user action.

About the WalkMe Pilot and Participants

A WalkMe pilot phase is currently taking place in the iProcurement area of Oracle Financials systems. During the pilot, FMS will continuously collect user feedback and make real-time improvements to WalkMe learning solutions. 

What’s Next for WalkMe in 2023?

The Financial Learning Solutions team is currently working on new WalkMe solutions to address user challenges in the following areas:

  • iProcurement SmartMart Contract Orders
    • Setting up contract preferences, using messaging/communication tools, interpreting the status of a contract, amending a contract and searching for a master contract agreement.
    • Our initial release included solutions for requesting a contract.
  • Supplier Query & Request Tool
    • Searching the database for active suppliers, activate inactive suppliers, update supplier/payee information, submit a request to add a new supplier/payee and check the status of a new supplier/payee request.
  • Requisition & Purchase Order Query Tool
    • Using the tool to check the status of requisitions and purchase orders, how to upload invoices and verify the status of invoice payments, and how to finally close a purchase order. 

Learn More

Stay tuned to this announcement page for updates on the WalkMe pilot's progress and for links to new resources and materials to support the change. In addition, you can learn more in the following ways:

February 2024

The Financial Learning Solutions team continues to develop WalkMe learning solutions for SU Expense Requests to support users with ground transportation expenses, miscellaneous expenses, and using transaction lines to request reimbursements for expenses paid with personal funds. Please take a moment to try out these new learning solutions and provide your feedback through the WalkMe Stanford Services and Support form, which allows us to keep producing effective WalkMe solutions as well as make continuous improvements that enhance the overall WalkMe learning experience. 

New Helpful Tip: Ground transportation

When Ground Transportation is selected in the Expense Type field, a Helpful Tip displays on the Transaction Line details page that provides users with:

  • A definition of ground transportation expenses and how it should not be used for airfare, car rental or fuel expenses.
  • A reminder to review the Ground Transportation Policy on Fingate to ensure compliance with any applicable policy updates. The Ground Transportation Policy can also be directly accessed from the News & Policy tab of the Learning Support menu. 
Screenshot of ground transportation WalkMe Helpful Tip


New Helpful Tip: Miscellaneous Expenses

A Helpful Tip displays to remind users that the Miscellaneous expense type should only be used for expenditures that are $2,500. The Helpful tip also provides users with a link to How To: Create Expense Report for SU Payees, which provides details on the different types of expenses that can be applied to Miscellaneous Expense Type.

Screenshot of Miscellaneous Helpful Tip


New Guided Demo: Transaction Lines

A new Guided Demo helps users understand how to use transaction lines to enter information about each expense paid with personal funds as well as step-by-step instructions for entering these expenditures. 

Screenshot of Transaction Line Guided Demo

 

Another screenshot of Transaction Line Guided Demo

 

January 2024

This month, the Financial Learning Solutions team received feedback from a pilot participant letting us know that Helpful Tips are incredibly useful so we are happy to be reporting on the development of additional Helpful Tips in the Expense Requests System (ERS) to help users correctly enter lodging expenses and travel meals. Please take a moment to try out these new learning solutions and provide your feedback through the WalkMe Stanford Services and Support form, which allows us to keep producing effective WalkMe solutions as well as make continuous improvements that enhance the overall WalkMe learning experience. 

New Helpful Tips to support users in accurately entering lodging expenses

When Lodging is selected in the Expense Type field, a set of Helpful Tips displays on the Transaction Line details page to provide users with:

  • A reminder to review the Lodging Policy on Fingate to ensure compliance with any applicable policy updates. The Lodging Policy can also be directly accessed from the News & Policy tab of the Learning Support menu. 
  • Guidance on how to accurately complete the Line Amount and Location fields (see screenshot below). 
Screenshot of Helpful tips to review the lodging policy when lodging is selected in the expense type field
Screenshot of helpful tip for completing the line amount and location field in ERS.

 

New Helpful Tips provide guidance for all travel meal expense types

All Travel Meal Expense Types are now supported with Helpful Tips, including definitions of each Travel Meal expense type. The new Helpful Tips also remind users to :

  • Check the Travel Meals Policy and How To: Create Expense Report for SU Payee on Fingate so the transaction is compliant and correctly completed. 
  • Ensure that the Line Amount field includes the actual amount of expenses incurred and can only be up to the maximum, in accordance with the Travel Meals policy (see screenshot below):
Screenshot of helpful tip showing definitions of travel meal expense types
Screenshot of helpful tip for completing the line amount when using travel meal expense type

 

December 2023

This month, the Financial Learning Solutions team highlights a new Guided Demo and Helpful Tip to support users in completing financial transactions in the Expense Requests system (ERS). We also share a testimonial from a pilot participant on how WalkMe learning solutions provide quick, in-system help. 

New Guided Demo to support users with entering mileage expenses

A new Mileage Help Guided Demo provides step-by-step instructions on correctly entering mileage expenses on expense reports, including the correct Expense Date, and learning what should be included in the Remarks field.

Screenshot of guided demo for entering mileage expenses on expense reports in the expense request system.

New Helpful Tip for certain airfare class expenses

If a First Class or Business Class airfare is selected but the Remarks field is empty, a Helpful Tip displays when the user hovers over Return to List as a reminder to add a justification in the Remarks field to proceed with the expense request. First Class or Business Class are only permissible in certain circumstances. Refer to Policy: Airfare to learn more, which can be directly accessed from the News & Policy tab of the Learning Support menu.

Screenshot of helpful tip to remind them to complete the remarks field on an expense request

 

Positive feedback about WalkMe’s real-time support

We would like to share a testimonial we received from a WalkMe pilot participant who works in the Office of Sustainability, which demonstrates one of the key benefits of WalkMe: providing real-time support to correctly and efficiently complete financial tasks: 

"WalkMe has certainly helped fine-tune some of my questions/answers when completing an ER. And once I understand the process it's nice to be able to turn the bot off or back on again if I need to clarify something. For anyone starting out doing ERs this is an incredible help. I remember when I first started, I opened Fingate and had it side by side to double check that I was doing everything correctly. Thanks!"

The Helpful Tip On/Off functionality was designed and developed as a direct result of pilot participant feedback.

November 2023

This month, the Financial Learning Solutions team continues to highlight new WalkMe learning solutions in the Expense Requests system (ERS) that provide help by:

  • Offering guidance on effectively navigating ERS settings and functions
  • Providing the ability to turn Helpful Tips on or off depending on a user’s preference
  • Supporting policy requirements for Ancillary Airline Fee expense requests

Please note: An Oracle Financials systems upgrade occurred on November 19. See the Fingate news page for the minor changes you may notice. The Financial Learning Solutions team will address any potential WalkMe solution impacts over the coming weeks. Please use the customized Stanford Services and Support form to report any issues that may occur as a result of this upgrade. 

New Action Bot helps users navigate ERS

An ERS ActionBot, which can be opened from the ERS homepage, provides opportunities to learn about the ERS homepage, ERS table icon functions, and offers step-by-step guidance on how to create an expense report for an SU Payee (see screenshot).

Screenshot of ActionBot for guidance on ERS homepage.

 

Users can now turn ERS Helpful Tips on and off based on preference

A new Helpful Tips button gives users the ability to show or hide all Helpful Tips on the ERS homepage. With one click of the Helpful Tips “Off” button users can hide all ERS homepage Helpful Tips. To show all Helpful Tips again, simply click the Helpful Tips “On” button.

Screenshot of helpful tips off button

 

New example text for Ancillary Airline Fee supports policy compliance

Example text has been added to the Remarks field for the Ancillary Airline Fee to explain what is an acceptable use of this expense type. The example text helps users to include all pertinent information to ensure compliance with business expense policy before submitting the expense request (see screenshot).

Screenshot of example text for Ancillary Airline Fee

 

October 2023

This month, the Financial Learning Solutions team would like to highlight new WalkMe learning solutions in the Expense Requests system (ERS) that provide help by:

  • Offering guidance on creating an SU Payee expense report
  • Searching for a payee in the system
  • Providing justification for an out of policy mileage expense

These solutions, described in detail below, provide “just in time” contextual information to better understand the ERS work processes by offering efficient self-service, in-system training to complete financial tasks.

New Action Bot helps users create an SU Payee expense report

To help users who may be new to creating expense reports, a new Action Bot chat interface provides in-system training so that this task is completed correctly and efficiently the first time.

Screenshot of action bot for creating an SU Payee expense report.

 

New Example text helps you search for payee

Example text has been added to the Payee field to help users quickly find a payee in the Oracle system. The text demonstrates the best way to enter the payee information for this task. 

Screenshot of example text for the payee field in the expense request system.

 

New Helpful Tip reminds users to provide Overage details

Although the university’s policy is to use ground transportation for round trips of 350-miles or less, it may be allowable to go over that mileage amount in certain circumstances. The Helpful Tip reminds users to complete the Reason for Overage field to include an explanation when the mileage exceeds university policy. 

Screenshot of helpful tip to complete the "reason for overage" field in the expense request system.

 

September 2023

This month, the Financial Learning Solutions team is highlighting WalkMe learning solutions in the Requisition and Purchase Orders Query tool that provide help for:

  • Understanding the status of purchase requisitions and purchase orders
  • Finally closing purchase orders

These solutions support risk mitigation best practices for managing purchase orders and provide “just in time” contextual information to better understand work processes.


New Guided Demo

Guided Demo has been added that offers step-by-step instructions for Finally Closing a purchase order (PO). It is a good practice to Finally Close eligible purchase orders to reduce risk and support accurate financial reporting. Refer to Topic Overview: Purchase Orders for more information on the criteria for Finally Closing a PO. 

Screenshot of Guided demo of Finally Close information

 

 

New Helpful Tips

Two Helpful Tips have been added that provide a few of the different statuses of a requisition in the Requisition Approval List and a definition of the “Incomplete” status on the PO Authorization field. This real-time support helps users to quickly understand any actions required based on the different statuses. 

Screenshot of helpful tips of requisition approval list status definitions.

 

Screenshot of helpful tip of the definition of incomplete status on the PO authorization field.

 

July 2023

This month, the Financial Learning Solutions team finalized the development of 60 WalkMe learning solutions and a few new solutions are highlighted below that are now available in the Requisition and Purchase Orders Query tool and the Learning Support menu.

Highlighted Solution for Requisition and Purchase Orders Query tool

  • ActionBots are chat interfaces that guide users through key tasks. A new Requisition and Purchase Orders Query tool ActionBot enables users to perform a few tasks including checking the payment status of an invoice (see screenshot below).
Screenshot of AcionBot chat in Requisition and Purchase Orders Query

 

  • The “Ineligibility Help” Launcher provides details on why a PO cannot be Finally Closed such as there are still invoices that need to be paid (see screenshot below).
Screenshot of ineligibility help launcher

 

Highlighted solution for the Learning Support menu

  • FinLearning has updated the Learning Support menu to include an interactive search. Users can now search in the menu for resources and information on Fingate or in the Stanford Administrative Guide. Type a search word or phrase and press Enter on the keyboard to search (see screenshot below).
Screenshot of interactive search in Learning support menu

 

June 2023

Highlighted Solution for Non-Catalog Requests in iProcurement

  • There is a Guided Demo in Non-Catalog Requests that provides automated support when certain Non-Catalog Request Types must be entered in the SmartMart Contracts system.
Screenshot of Guide Demo in Non-Catalog Requests in iProcurement

 

May 2023

This month the Financial Learning Solutions team is highlighting existing WalkMe learning solutions available for SmartMart Contracts and Catalog Suppliers as well as for various tasks in iProcurement, including My Receipts for purchase requisitions. 

Highlighted Solutions for SmartMart Contracts and Catalog Suppliers

  • There are Guided Demos currently available in SmartMart Contracts that will help users conduct a simple and advanced search for existing contracts. There is also a Guided Demo to support users in setting up SmartMart Favorites for SmartMart Catalog Suppliers.
screenshot of Guided Demos in SmartMart Contracts and Catalog Suppliers

 

Highlighted Solutions for My Receipts

  • This Guided Demo provides users with assistance to receive their items from the My Receipts page in iProcurement.
Screenshot of Guided demo of my receipts page in iProcurement


Highlighted solutions for completing and submitting a purchase requisition

  • Helpful Tips offer reminders and other contextual information for certain fields or processes, for example to override a tax category on the Edit and Submit Requisition page when completing and submitting a purchase requisition. 
Screenshot of helpful tips to override a tax category on the edit and submit requisition page when completing and submitting a purchase requisition.

 

April 2023

New solutions for Supplier Query and Request tool:

Helpful Tips offer reminders and other contextual information for certain fields or processes. New Helpful Tips to support you in requesting a supplier or visitor payee include:

Definitions to help distinguish between a supplier or visitor payee:

screens of definitions to distinguish between a supplier or visitor payee


Reminders to check if a supplier or visitor payee is already active in the Supplier Query and Request system before making a new request:

screenshot of  solution to ensure requesters check if a supplier or visitor payee is already active in the Supplier Query and Request system before making a new request


Guidance for writing an effective and complete Payment Request Description:

screenshot of tips to ensure Payment Request Description includes all required information


Validation Help Tips provide real-time feedback on fields before form submission, helping catch potential issues before they impact your request. 

Directing requests to pay Stanford employees to the appropriate payroll process if they enter a @stanford.edu email address in the Payee Email field:

Screenshot of tip to direct requesters to pay Stanford employees through payroll

 

March 2023

New Solutions for SmartMart Contracts

  • Helpful Tips offer reminders and other contextual information for certain processes. There are new Helpful Tips to support you in searching for a contact and using the communication center.
  • Launchers provide quick summaries of terminology and definitions related to the contracts process. Check out the new Launcher available for contract status definitions (see screenshot below).
  • Guided Demos provide step-by-step instructions to assist  users with successfully completing any task, end-to-end. A new Guided Demo titled, Change Contract Notifications, can help you to quickly and efficiently change your contract notification settings in real-time. 
Screenshot of contract status definitions


Learning Support Menu Improvements

As part of our continued efforts to improve the overall WalkMe experience, we added Notifications that appear when you log in to iProcurement (see screenshot below), and also a Notifications tab to the Learning Support menu so you can stay up to date on Purchasing and Contracts news that impacts the Oracle Financials system. 

Screenshot of Notifications tab


November 2022

How We Are Responding to Your Feedback

The Financial Learning Solutions team has received 50 WalkMe support requests since launch with a majority being requests for corrections or suggestions for improvements. Helpful Tips are being refined based on pilot participant feedback. The WalkMe Get Help menu was recently updated so that it can be moved anywhere within iProcurement using a click-and-drag functionality.  This WalkMe solution was also renamed from Get Help to Learning Support to better clarify its purpose. 

Popular WalkMe Learning Solutions

WalkMe provides us with anonymized data to help the Financial Learning Solutions team see which WalkMe solutions are receiving the most engagement, which include:

  • Learning Support: A majority of pilot participants use this WalkMe solution to access helpful references and policies. 
  • Validation Messages: This solution is helping users complete critical tasks like properly formatting start and end dates on non-catalog requests. 
  • Guided Demos: The most frequently used Guided Demos are the SmartMart Exit button and the iProcurement Save Cart.
How WalkMe Solutions Are Answering Common iProcurement Questions

One of the main reasons for piloting the WalkMe software is to provide the university community with an in-application training option to help users efficiently complete their financial transactions.  Here are a few ways WalkMe learning solutions are helping users navigate common work processes - watch the demo videos (in full screen mode, no sound) to see some of these WalkMe solutions in action:

  • Receive support with submitting a contract request using an action bot on the SmartMart home page (demo video)
  • Set up iProcurement preferences, including Deliver-To Location (demo video) and Approvers, quickly and easily
  • Get help with deleting a purchase requisition with a Guided Demo, which provides step-by-step instructions for any task
WalkMe Pilot Early Results and Outcomes

Participant feedback is helping the Financial Learning Solutions team to enhance the effectiveness of current WalkMe learning solutions. Early results indicate that in-application training is solving common iProcurement challenges that typically would have resulted in support requests to the Financial Support Center. 

There are close to 850 WalkMe pilot participants that were selected for this initial WalkMe pilot based on a diverse set of criteria including iProcurement usage (infrequent to frequent), roles, business unit or school, and years of service with the university. The pilot participants were identified using this criteria over a one-year period during the 2021 calendar year, and updated in March of 2022. Participants include requisition preparers and approvers and usage was defined as completing and submitting an iProcurement purchase requisition that was generated from Amazon Business, SmartMart Catalog Supplier or a non-catalog requisition.

Pilot participants are submitting their feedback through a customized Stanford Services & Support portal form that is accessible only through the WalkMe software within iProcurement. The  Financial Learning Solutions team will use pilot participant feedback to provide assistance with the WalkMe application, improve the WalkMe solutions in real-time, and gather input for future WalkMe enhancements.

In July, FMS hosted information sessions for WalkMe pilot participants that included a project overview, a review of pilot participant expectations and a WalkMe software demo. 

Currently, FMS can only accommodate a limited number of pilot participants. In the future, there may be an opportunity for additional pilot participants to join. If you would like to be added to a WalkMe pilot participant waitlist, please complete this form

Resources and Support

If iProcurement usage is not anticipated during or beyond the WalkMe pilot phase, should you participate?

iProcurement usage is required to participate in the pilot in order to provide feedback to the Financial Learning Solutions team. If you don’t anticipate using iProcurement during the pilot, please complete and submit the WalkMe pilot participant opt-out form as it will support the Financial Learning Solutions team to identify other potential participants who may be interested. You can also submit the out-out form during the pilot if your iProcurement usage changes and you no longer need to log in to iProcurement. 

How does WalkMe Work?

To take advantage of WalkMe’s functionality a web browser extension needs to be installed. The extension enables WalkMe to “read” the iProcurement page you are on and provide in-the-moment training and advice based on what you’re seeing and clicking in iProcurement. 

How will the WalkMe software extension be installed?

The WalkMe web browser extension will be automatically installed by Stanford University IT (UIT) using a central administration tool and will only be active when you use Oracle iProcurement. WalkMe will not be active for other websites or applications outside of Oracle iProcurement, and the extension is not installed within the Oracle Financials system and will not affect or impact the Oracle Financials system in any way.

When will the pilot participants start seeing the WalkMe solution in iProcurement?

Pilot participants will be able to see the WalkMe solution in iProcurement in early August. We will send a confirmation email to pilot participants when the automated browser extension installation is complete and provide a link to a support request for help if needed.

What are the WalkMe supported browsers?

On Mac computers, WalkMe for iProcurement is only supported by Firefox. On Windows computers, WalkMe for iProcurement is only supported by Firefox and MS Edge. If you do not have administrative rights on your machine, contact your local IT department to download the WalkMe extension (and Firefox if needed).

Will the WalkMe browser extension have access to my data? Are there privacy concerns I should be aware of?

The Financial Learning Solutions team is following University IT privacy standards. No personal identifying information is being captured or stored by WalkMe. University IT has also worked with the Financial Learning Solutions team on the implementation to ensure that all WalkMe users are authenticated using their SUNet ID.

What happens at the end of the WalkMe pilot phase? Will I lose my WalkMe access? 

Pilot participants will not lose their WalkMe access at the end of the pilot. Toward the end of the pilot, the project team will provide instruction on how to continue to provide your feedback on WalkMe.

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