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Policy #: 7006
Subject: Datatel Software Change Management
Group: Institutional
Approved by: President
Approval date: June 10, 2003
Effective date: June 10, 2003
Revised:
Administered by: Director of Computing Services

1 - POLICY

A change to a Datatel administrative system will only be made when

a. alternative solutions, including changes in office procedures, have been explored and have been determined to be unsuitable,
b. the change does not affect Datatel's processing logic or flow of data, and
c. the change is necessary for the continued effective use of the administrative system.

When these conditions are satisfied, a change may be made in accordance with the following procedures.

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2 - CHANGE MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES
2.1 Purpose
 

Change management procedures minimize the risk associated with making a change and ensure that the change

  1. is properly authorized,
  2. is made in a timely manner,
  3. effectively uses Computing Services resources, and
  4. is tested and documented prior to implementation.
   
2.2 Initiation
  A change request may be made to the Applications Manager, Computing Services, by any user of the Datatel suite of products. The Requestor will describe the change and the reason for it, and will specify the date by which the change is required.
   
2.3 Change Request Documentation
  If after consulting with the Requestor to explore alternative solutions the Applications Manager concludes that the conditions in section 1 of this policy have been satisfied, the Applications Manager will document the request on a Datatel Software Modification form
  1. identifying Requestor, the request date, the Datatel application and/or module affected and the person or persons who must approve the change

  2. describing the change and the reason for the change; and

  3. summarizing the impact the change will have on the system

.

 
2.4 Approval
  The Datatel Software Modification form must be approved by
  1. in the case of the Datatel CORE system, the heads of all offices affected,

  2. in the cases of the Financial Management System and the Accounts Receivable and Cash Receipts modules within the Student System, the Controller,

  3. in the case of the Student System, except the Accounts Receivable, Cash Receipts and Campus Organization modules, the head of Student Services,

  4. in the case of the Benefactor System, the Vice President External Relations, and

  5. in the case of the Campus Organization module of the Student System, the Dean of Students.

In addition, any change which will alter the source code in the Datatel system will be presented to the Information Technology Steering Committee for its advice before the change is made.
   
2.5 Software Modifications
  The Applications Manager will assign an approved change request to a senior analyst and to a programmer or junior programmer.

The senior analyst will develop the software modification specifications. If the change affects Datatel supplied code the senior analyst will make a backup of the original Datatel code and move a copy of the code to the custom development area.

The programmer will make the required change in the custom development area, do appropriate unit and system testing and complete the Datatel Software Modification form.

The Senior Analyst will review the change to ensure that the change was made in accordance with programming standards and that the changed system functions as required, and will review the documentation to ensure that it is complete.

The Senior Analyst will then make the changed system available in the test area for review by the Requestor.

Any problems discovered by the Requestor will be directed to the Senior Analyst who will ensure that appropriate modifications are completed.

   
2.6 Change Request Sign-off
  Once the Requestor and the senior analyst approve the change, the senior analyst will provide the Applications Manager with the documentation.

The Applications Manager will review the documentation, approve the change and present the change to the person approving the request.

Once the person approving the request has also approved the change, the change will be made available in the live system.

 
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3 - Authorizations and Approvals

Authorizations and approvals must be in writing and may be given by email.
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Maintained by the Office of the Vice-President (Administration)
June 10, 2003