The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a major public research university founded in 1890, located in Norman, Oklahoma. With over 20,000 undergraduate students across three Oklahoma campuses and additional study abroad locations, OU maintains a complex HR environment requiring sophisticated workforce management solutions. As a long-time user of Gideon Taylor’s ePAF™ and Paperless I-9/E-Verify solutions, OU had established experience with GT eForms for complex process automation.https://gideontaylor.com/gt-eforms-for-peoplesoft/
THE CHALLENGE
During their Taleo implementation planning, OU discovered a critical gap: neither Taleo nor PeopleSoft provided delivered functionality for creating and managing position descriptions. This presented several significant challenges:
- No native integration between recruiting system and core HR platform
- PeopleSoft Forms and Approval Builder tool lacked enterprise-level functionality
- Need for complex business process automation beyond simple form creation
- Requirement for dynamic form behavior, field validation, and intelligent routing
- Manual processes creating inefficiency and potential compliance issues
The University evaluated PeopleSoft’s delivered Forms and Approval Builder tool but quickly realized it was insufficient for their enterprise-level requirements. They needed sophisticated automation capabilities that could handle complex, dynamic workflows while maintaining seamless integration between their recruiting and HR systems.
THE SOLUTION
OU partnered with Gideon Taylor to leverage GT eForms™ technology for creating a comprehensive Position Description eForm solution. The implementation included:
Dynamic Form Intelligence:
- Forms that respond dynamically to user input
- Fields and segments that hide/display based on business requirements
- Auto-population capabilities for improved efficiency
- Active data validation during form completion
- Intelligent prompts restricted to relevant choices based on job, position, or department
Advanced Workflow Automation:
- Complex routing requirements triggered by form data and conditions
- Custom approval workflows tailored to organizational hierarchy
- Integration with existing ePAF™ infrastructure
- Automated notifications and status tracking
Technical Integration:
- Seamless integration between Taleo recruiting platform and PeopleSoft HCM
- Custom setup table for position description data storage
- Web service integration for automated job posting creation
- Optimized lookups and auto-population features
User Experience Enhancements:
- Intuitive interface guiding users through complex processes
- Support for extensive text fields accommodating detailed position descriptions
- Streamlined workflow from position description to job posting
- Reduced manual effort and potential for errors
IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS
Gideon Taylor worked closely with OU’s HR and IT teams to design and implement the solution. The process involved:
- Requirements analysis to understand complex business rules and workflows
- Technical architecture design for Taleo-PeopleSoft integration
- Custom form development using GT eForms platform
- Integration testing and workflow validation
- User training and change management support
- Go-live support and ongoing optimization
The implementation leveraged Gideon Taylor’s extensive experience in designing intelligent, automated solutions while ensuring the solution could adapt to future requirements and process changes.
RESULTS AND OUTCOMES
The Position Description eForm solution delivered transformative results for OU:
Process Innovation:
- Created functionality that didn’t exist in either Taleo or PeopleSoft
- Eliminated manual position description management processes
- Enabled automated job template generation through Web service integration
- Provided framework for future process automation initiatives
Operational Efficiency:
- Streamlined position description creation and management
- Reduced time and effort required for job posting creation
- Improved accuracy through intelligent form validation
- Enhanced compliance through consistent approval routing
System Integration:
- Achieved seamless data flow between recruiting and HR systems
- Eliminated data silos and manual data transfer processes
- Provided foundation for expanded integration capabilities
- Enhanced overall system architecture and functionality
Business Value:
- Cost-effective alternative to extensive system customization
- Rapid deployment compared to traditional development approaches
- Scalable solution accommodating organizational growth and change
- Enhanced user satisfaction through improved process efficiency
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
“GT eForms provided a framework and toolset to rapidly and cost-effectively develop functionality that didn’t exist in either Taleo or PeopleSoft. But it’s not just the tool. Gideon Taylor’s partnership and expertise in assessing the business process requirements and designing a solution that could accommodate our complex requirements was a key factor in our success.”
– Paul Arcaroli, Assistant Director for Human Resources, University of Oklahoma
“The solution is ground-breaking. We were able to create sophisticated automation that neither our recruiting system nor our HR platform could deliver on their own.”
– University of Oklahoma Implementation Team
KEY BENEFITS DELIVERED
- Ground-breaking integration between Taleo recruiting and PeopleSoft HCM
- Dynamic, intelligent forms with complex business rule automation
- Streamlined position description management and job posting creation
- Cost-effective solution avoiding expensive system customizations
- Scalable platform accommodating future process automation needs
- Enhanced user experience through intuitive, guided workflows
- Improved data accuracy and process compliance
- Foundation for continued innovation in HR process automation