The Systems Division (SD), made up of the four teams described below, provides direction and support for identified business systems at the University. These include the Student Administration System, based on the Oracle/PeopleSoft "Campus Solutions" product, and the Financial and Human Resources Systems, based on the SAP software, as well as specialised systems for functions such as lecture timetabling, student housing, business intelligence, and the UCT Mobile app. SD also manages user access to these systems and provides technical documentation and information architecture services to the UCT community.

Support channels

Depending on the nature of support required, please use one of the following support channels:

1. Non-ICTS offices providing system training and first level support

In addition to the IT Helpdesk, some larger administrative departments act as the hub for training, first level user support and change/enhancement requests for certain systems. Contact these departments first, and if necessary, they will escalate issues to SD or other parts of ICTS. The hubs include:


Student Administration Systems
For support on student administration systems (including PeopleSoft, RMS, Syllabus Plus, and Handbooks CMS), contact the Student Systems Support Helpdesk:

SAP Finance
Direct all SAP Finance queries and issues to the Finance Helpdesk:

SAP HR
The HR System Support Office (HR SSO) provides support for staff using the HR system. You can find HR policies, links to forms, Employee Self Service, and supporting documentation on the HR website.

  • For support in specific areas, check their contacts page.
  • If you're submitting a development request, please use the SAP07 form.

Research Administration (including Converis eRA system):
Visit the eRA support website for access to research administration user support that includes training, system access requests and logging of issues.

2. IT Helpdesk

If your support request for SD isn't covered by one of the offices above, log a call with the IT Helpdesk using one of these methods:

3. Development requests

For enhancements to existing systems, follow the change request process relevant to that system (see information in section 1 above on system support hubs).

For other requests, such as a new service or a new system (something not catered for at present), or the need to substantially redesign or develop an existing service or system, log a development request.

Teams

Content Architecture

The Content Architecture section is responsible for:

  • planning, developing and delivering complex technical and business content in various media to ICTS and to departments at UCT;
  • presenting courses and seminars on technical and business writing;
  • providing metadata and information architecture services to enterprise content management (ECM) initiatives; and
  • administering, supporting and enhancing three systems: Perceptive Content (previously ImageNow), UCT Mobile and Handbooks CMS.

Consulting services

Content development and quality assurance:

  • Manage, develop and/or review user, technical and business information and communications, including system and user procedures, policies and processes and creating and maintaining online help systems and UCT administrative forms.
  • Set technical and business writing standards.
  • Analyse and survey audiences.

Content analysis and metadata management:

  • Analyse content structure, create templates, design information architecture.
  • Define and manage business metadata as core members of the Metadata Working Group.
  • Test usability of content, systems and websites.

Training and guidelines:

  • Train the Technical and Business Writing course and related workshops and seminars. 
  • Provide on-request training on supported systems (Perceptive Content, UCT Mobile, Handbooks CMS). 
  • Consult on user training and support.

 System administration, support and enhancement:

Systems Portfolio 1

The Systems Portfolio 1 team is focused on supporting the administrative and operational needs of all the University’s student systems, as well as UCT’s enterprise data warehouse. The portfolio consists of three groups: 

Student Systems
This group is responsible for:

  • Stakeholder engagement - in particular liaison with super users.
  • Systems administration and maintenance, in conjunction with the Enterprise Infrastructure Services division.
  • Operations, performance, and support of application systems in productive use by the University, i.e. 
    • PeopleSoft Campus Solutions (Admissions, Student Records, Student Financials and Financial Aid)
    • RMS (Residence Management System)
    • Syllabus Plus (curriculum and exam timetables)

Systems Development
This group undertakes development work in support of PeopleSoft Campus Solutions (Admissions, Student Records, Student Financials and Financial Aid).

BI Development
This group uses SAP Business Objects to build UCT’s enterprise data warehouse and initial reports based on data from a number of business systems, including PeopleSoft Campus Solutions, SAP Finance and HR, and a number of Microsoft SQL–based systems.  

Systems Portfolio 2

The Systems Portfolio 2 team is focused on supporting the administrative operational needs of all the University’s faculties, departments and units. This portfolio consists of four groups:

Business Analysis
The business analysts perform the vital role of investigating new requirements, documenting business processes and systems and assessing solutions to meet business needs.

Microsoft Dynamics 365
This group implements and supports Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions based on the Microsoft Dynamics 365 platform.

Integration
The integration developers build and support the integrations required to share data between the various systems in use at UCT.

SAP
This group delivers support and development services to the Finance, HR and Plant Maintenance users of the SAP Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.

Systems Access

The Systems Access team provides authorisations and security to UCT’s core administrative systems, including:

  • SAP Finance and HR
  • SAP Business Objects
  • PeopleSoft
  • Residential Management System (RMS)
  • Microsoft Dynamics CRM
  • Perceptive Content (previously ImageNow/WebNow).

To achieve this, for these core administrative systems, the team applies the Systems Access Management process that includes support for Systems Audit activities (internal and external), annual external IT audit, as well as Software License management and compliance.

Services:

  • Management access to the University's system(s).
  • Authorisations to required functions for approved persons.