NextGen FAQs

The GA NextGen Project is the Next Generation ERP, a new, cloud-based software solution to replace the PeopleSoft TeamWorks system. It will be tailored to work for the state’s new remote workforce and offer streamlined, paperless processes and procedures. NextGen will offer more modern functionalities like online vendor bill pay, data monitoring that offers real-time analytics, a statewide learning management system and a streamlined contract management platform.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a set of common business practices and a software system that implements core business practices across an organization. A complete ERP system combines business functions (finance, procurement, budget, payroll and HR) across an organization’s main resources – its people, money, information and assets – and provides decision makers with real-time enterprise information.

By implementing a new cloud-based ERP solution and transforming the processes that support the state’s business, NextGen will help ensure decision makers have access to data that is accurate and timely, standardize common business processes across agencies and improve service delivery.

 

Business requirements have evolved over the past 20 years, and Georgia now requires modern services to meet those needs. The age of the current system has made it costly to maintain.

Newer systems offer more business solutions and centralize services into one platform. A new system will provide an ease of workflow, ease of processing and standardized procedures across the enterprise. It will also open Georgia’s workforce to additional skilled employees who can support the system.

• Single integrated platform to minimize third-party contracts and integrations with simplified data models
• Improved service levels will increase employee effectiveness by automating manual processes
• A new user-centric design that will be intuitive and enable efficient access to information by multiple device types
• A modern talent management platform that will help the state attract and retain skilled labor via centralized tools for recruiting, onboarding, performance reviews, succession planning, career development and learning management
• Increased information security through implementing security best practices to ensure compliance with industry, state and federal regulations to protect the privacy of employees, workforce and stakeholders
• Enhanced reporting and workflow automation with self-service capabilities and built-in analytics that will enable leadership to spend less time finding numbers and more time on strategies and solutions
• Modern records storage by moving paper processes to a digital format, eliminating unnecessary and manual processing of physical paper

The governor and Georgia General Assembly have shown their financial support for the NextGen project by allocating an investment of $50 million in the State Fiscal Year 2023 budget.

The SFY 23 budget provides $50 million in funding for the NextGen ERP project.

Project oversight is provided through the Technology Empowerment Fund Committee, Georgia Technology Authority and NextGen Executive Sponsor Council. For more information on project governance, click here.

All state agencies are invited to participate in this project. To get involved, email us at [email protected].

Changes will be communicated first through your points of contact, leadership and the subject matter experts your agency identified. Additionally, regular newsletters will be disseminated to those same groups with monthly updates on the project. Once the software is closer to the implementation phase, system users will be informed about the new system through a myriad of communications that may include emails, flyers, newsletters, webinars, etc.

The timeline for the NextGen project is expected to span about four to five years. For detailed steps of the project timeline, click here.

The timeline is comparable to other state government ERP implementations of this scale. Properly preparing employees for NextGen is crucial to an effective transition at and beyond go-live (e.g. training, user adoption, understanding, etc.).

Software as a Service – A model of software delivery that includes both infrastructure and application services

This is a requirement for preparing statewide reports, including the State of Georgia's Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR). The ACFR is prepared based on reporting Standards issued by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). GASB recently issued Standard 96 relating to Subscription Based Information Technology Arrangements (SBITA), that establishes uniform reporting requirements for SBITAs. Time tracking will allow the State to calculate the true cost of implementing our new cloud-based Enterprise Resource Planning system and meet the SBITA reporting requirements.  Click here to download more details on timekeeping rules and regulations. 

Agencies that complete timesheets using the TeamWorks Time & Labor system, will create the following Combo Codes in the system for their employees to designate their hours spent on NextGen activities. (Note: Additional Combo codes can be created in each category, but at a minimum these three categories must be used) 

 

Timekeeping Combo Codes

 

Agencies that do not use the TeamWorks Time & Labor system, can use the spreadsheet templates provided below. 

Individual Timesheet Template  

Employees will use this document to report any hours spent on the NextGen project. 

 

Organizational Summary Template  

Each organization not on TeamWorks Time & Labor, will use this document to compile the data from the Individual Timesheets submitted for their organization. This summary document must be submitted to the State Accounting Office at least quarterly. 

 

The NextGen Project Team has reached out to each agency’s designated Point of Contact (POC) to ensure timekeeping measures have been implemented and communicated to affected employees. To contact your organization’s POC, click here.

Email us at [email protected] and include the word “timekeeping” in the subject line of your message.