University of Utah Eliminates 200 Hours of Manual Payroll Processing with GT eForms
The University of Utah transformed paper-based HR processes into streamlined digital workflows, eliminating over 60,000 manual transactions annually and reducing processing time by 70%.
Executive Summary
The University of Utah is a large research institution and medical center with over 47,000 employees and 36,000 students. Faced with cumbersome paper-based personnel processes, the university partnered with Gideon Taylor to implement multiple eForms solutions. The implementation of ePAF and additional pay eForms delivered measurable results: elimination of 30,000 paper forms within three months, 70% faster processing, 94% error reduction, and elimination of over 200 hours of manual data entry per pay period.
The Challenge
The University of Utah operated with entrenched paper-based processes across HR and student services. The personnel action form process was particularly problematic. Paper forms required extensive time to complete and collect multiple approvals before reaching payroll. Signatures were inconsistent between departments, frequently missing, and impossible to validate. The payroll team manually entered data into PeopleSoft HCM, consuming over 200 hours each pay period.
Additional pay processing relied on a custom CIP page requiring special security access that the IT team had to manage and maintain. Departments struggled with routing complexity, lost paperwork, and approval delays. The university needed a solution that would eliminate paper, ensure consistent approvals, and integrate directly with PeopleSoft while reducing the burden on payroll staff.
The Solution
The University of Utah has worked with Gideon Taylor eForms since 2008, implementing a comprehensive suite of digital forms. The ePAF implementation replaced paper-based personnel actions with electronic routing and validation. Building on that success, the university partnered with Gideon Taylor to develop an additional pay eForms suite using the latest fluid helium performance technology.
The additional pay suite includes both single-employee and multi-pay forms accessed through a custom portal tile. The multi-pay form features sophisticated validations that prevent funding errors, a clone function allowing users to replicate previous submissions with different earnings codes or dates, and configurable routing that ensures the correct approvers review each transaction.
For leave requests, the university implemented an eForm that connects directly to PeopleSoft’s FMLA component. The leave eForm allows employees to submit requests, supervisors to approve electronically, and the leave team to conduct eligibility checks within the form itself.
“We’ve been excited and very pleased with the product ever since we implemented it,” said Stacy Rigby, Senior Business Systems Analyst at the University of Utah.
The Results
The ePAF implementation eliminated routing of over 30,000 paper forms within three months. Transaction processing time dropped 70%, from two weeks to three days. Error rates decreased 94%. Within six months, overtime and comp hours fell 88%. The vexing problem of lost paper forms disappeared entirely, and the university achieved 100% policy compliance on approval routings.
The additional pay eForms suite eliminated the custom CIP page, freeing IT from security management overhead. Payroll staff no longer manually enter additional pay data except for off-cycle checks, saving over 200 hours per pay period. Approvals became consistent across all departments with automated routing to correct approvers and notifications to pending reviewers.
The University of Utah now processes more than 63,000 eForms annually across hire, change employment status, I-9 with E-Verify integration, additional pay, multi-pay, and leave requests. This volume continues growing as additional forms move from paper to digital workflows.
“The implementation of Gideon Taylor’s ePAF technology has had significant positive impact on the University of Utah. It has proven to be one of the most successful automation projects for Human Resources,” said the university’s HRIS Administrator.
The leave request form has proven particularly valuable for supervisors and employees, enabling much faster submissions than paper forms while giving the leave team better tracking capabilities through query reports. The form routes automatically to appropriate directors and vice presidents for non-health related leaves.
Building on Success
Currently running PeopleSoft 9.2 on PeopleTools 8.60.13 and Image 50, the University of Utah continues expanding its eForms portfolio. The university has forms spanning classic, fluid, and the latest fluid helium performance versions. Additional eForms wait in the queue for implementation as the university systematically upgrades older forms to leverage the latest capabilities.
As the #1 public university in the West according to the Wall Street Journal, the University of Utah demonstrates how strategic automation of administrative processes creates capacity for staff to focus on more valuable work while improving accuracy and compliance.
Ready to transform your HR processes? Contact Gideon Taylor to learn how eForms can eliminate manual work and streamline operations for PeopleSoft for Higher Education.