1. Using Automatically Generated Reports to Increase Workflow Accuracy
C. Allan Lockett
Associate Registrar
Roanoke College
Presented at SACRAO: Oklahoma City
February 8, 2016
Using Automatically Generated Reports to Increase Workflow Accuracy

2. Details about this Presentation:
Presentation Description: Describes how the Roanoke College Registrar’s Office uses automated reporting— via Entrinsik Informer— as a check on workflows.  
Two chief intentions of this enterprise:
Highlight irregularities, inaccuracies and significant changes to student data that were initiated the previous workday/workweek.
Automatically deliver pertinent information to constituencies across campus.
Three Selected goals of this enterprise:
Increase efficiency.
Streamline pertinent information to campus partners.
Foster a collaborative work environment, both intra-office and inter-office.
My Supreme goal of this enterprise:
To better the student experience.

3. Presentation Agenda: 1). Consideration of key questions.
2). Roanoke College as an example.
3). Discussion on rationale: Theory/best practices.
4). Discussion on the automated reporting process.
5). Brief overview of reporting tool.
6). Examples of automated reports.
7). End summary/Questions/Comments.

4. Think… about your role at your institution
About tasks for which you are primarily responsible for performing.
About tasks for which you play a supporting role in completing.
About tasks for which others are responsible but directly impact your work.
About any tasks for which you think you neither have a role in completing nor think that they affect your work.
How information is communicated: (intra-office, inter- office, intra-department, inter-department, intra-division, inter-division, intra-institution, etc).

5. A Few Facts about Roanoke College:
Private, co-educational, 4-year liberal arts college located in Southwest Virginia.
Approximately 2,000 full-time students.
36 majors, 57 minors and concentrations and 8 pre-professional programs.
5 major divisions + Office of Information Technology
Academic Affairs.
Admissions and Financial Aid.
Business Affairs.
Resource Development.
Student Affairs.
Student Information System: Ellucian Colleague (UI 4.4)
Reporting tool: Entrinsik Informer (v4.5.2 Build )
Examples of other software employed include Akademos, Blackboard, Equitrac, Maxient, Moodle, OnBase, PyraMed and StarRez.

6. Think… OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED! My Job Title: Associate Registrar
Examples of Primary Functions:
Degree audit, WebAdvisor registration, reporting, assessment, Web information, Veterans’ enrollment certifications.
Committee assignments and Supervision.
Secondary/Supporting Functions:
Where/How to begin?
Can be a difficult question to consider, indeed.
Keep asking questions.
Job description contains 30 separate, detailed entries. Including…
OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED!

7. Rationale/Theoretical Foundation— Sustainable Education:
A Systems-level, Ecological Framework
The institution as part of the greater ecological system.
Ecological management and the learning organization.
Goal: “Create learning communities where functional, critical, and creative competencies are valued…[where all participants] are both learners and collaborators in the learning process.”1
Systems theory is central to such a practice.
A system cannot be understood simply through looking at its
individual and discrete parts.
Requires a holistic examination of the interrelationships
throughout the system, ultimately leading to an understanding
that all of our individual actions compound into patterns of
interrelationships within the system.2
Institutional Data Management
Improving the management of institutional data through avenues
such as:
Data standards.
Integration.
Protection
Governance. 3
Medrick, R. (2013). A pedagogy for sustainability education. Journal of Sustainability Education, 5. Retrieved from
Saxena, S., Scharmer, O, & Schuyler, K. (2014). Connecting inner transformation as a leader to corporate and societal change. In Schuyler, K.G., Baugher, J.E., Jironet, K., & Lid-Falkman, L. (Eds.). Leading with spirit, presence, & authenticity (Kindle locations ). Retrieved from
Educause Review, January/February 2016, p. 12.

8. Ecological Management through Automated Reporting
Focus on using automated reporting functionality to promote cooperation and collaboration within and between offices, departments, divisions, and the greater institution.
Big question: How can this be accomplished?
First step: Develop automated reports that check intra-office workflows.
Requires an acquired understanding of one’s daily tasks.
Examples may include registration changes, hiatus updates, changes to veterans’ enrollments, student restrictions, etc.
Determine the frequency with which such reports should be generated (ex: hourly, daily, weekly, etc.).
Second step: Think critically about how reporting is used intra-office.
Key questions include: What’s the story behind the output? (In other words, are there trends? Consistencies?); How can reports be further tailored?
Consider the degrees to which the reported output can be useful in other areas across campus.
Examples of ways in which pertinent information can be gathered:
Use committee assignments to learn from others.
Employ surveys.
Use analyses as a determinant— Such as SWOT.
For my purposes, notions of timeliness and data integrity serve as driving forces.
Third Step: Create and schedule automatic reports.

9. Brief Overview of Entrinsik Informer Functionality (Slide 1)
Key Points Concerning Report Template:
Title/Description.
Mapping (initial file).
Filter (specific criteria).
Columns = Desired output.
Sorts.
Sharing.
Formatting Sample.

10. Brief Overview of Entrinsik Informer Functionality (Slide 2)
Key Points Concerning Exporting Results:
Excel.
PDF.
Live Excel.
Saved-List.

11. Brief Overview of Entrinsik Informer Functionality (Slide 3)
Key Points Concerning Analytics/Charting:
Charting.
Analytics.
Download
Options.
Graph options.

12. Automated Reporting – Intra-Office
Question: In what ways does automated reporting check our workflows?
Example 1): A daily generated report that captures changes in a student’s anticipated graduation date:
Logic:
Report Schedule:
Output:

13. Automated Reporting – Intra-Office (con’t)
Question: In what ways does automated reporting check our workflows?
Example 2): A weekly generated report that captures registration updates for students who receive veteran’s benefits:
Logic:
Report Schedule:
Output:

14. Automated Reporting – Inter-Office (Ex:A; part 1)
Question: In what ways does automated reporting deliver pertinent information to constituencies across campus?
Example 1): A daily/weekly generated report that captures changes in student hiatuses:
Logic:
Report Schedule:
Output (excel):

15. Automated Reporting – Inter-Office (Ex:A; part 2)
Question: In what ways does automated reporting deliver pertinent information to constituencies across campus?
Example 1): A daily/weekly generated report that captures changes in student hiatuses:
Sample Correspondence:

16. Automated Reporting – Inter-Office (Ex:B)
Question: In what ways does automated reporting deliver pertinent information to constituencies across campus?
Example 2): A daily generated report that displays new student registrations:
Logic (2-part report):
Report Schedule:
Output (excel):

17. End Summary: Combining theory with practice
The demographic diversity within the university community (i.e. staff, students, faculty) is in itself a microcosmic society.
All of our individual actions compound into patterns of interrelationships within the system.
It is important that we think critically about our individual roles as we seek out specific ways in which we can better ourselves by empowering those around us.
By increasing efficiency, streamlining pertinent information and collaboration, automated reporting is a simple yet powerful tool that can be used to better the student experience.

18. Thank you!
The End.