Teammates,
Greetings from Team IPPS-A! Nearly 700K users have logged into IPPS-A and each day we consistently see nearly 100K users with little degradation of service. Additionally, our pay accuracy rates for transactions IPPS-A sends to Defense Joint Military Pay System for Active and Reserve components (DJMS-AC and DJMS-RC) remain consistently over 98% and typically over 99%. But most notably, we continue to see all of you get more comfortable using IPPS-A and, more importantly, sharing what you learn. Thank you for continuing to take care of Soldiers despite the complications of using a new system! You are all doing remarkable! Please share the information below with your teams and Soldiers.
AMPO Processing of Pay Inquiries and Support
The Army Military Pay Offices (AMPOs) are in the process of transitioning to using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) exclusively for pay inquiries. Beginning 17 July 2023, pay inquiries normally taken to the AMPO must be routed via CRM. Additionally, AMPOs will continue to accept DA Form 31s for mobilization/demobilization and for extenuating circumstances that prevent an absence request from being processed via IPPS-A. Please see the attached memo for more information.
Restrictions
We have noticed an increase of questions/posts regarding Suspension of Favorable Personnel Action (SFPA) Removal Personnel Action Requests (PARs), specifically that once the PAR has processed, the SFPA flag remains on the Soldier Talent Profile (STP). We are looking into what may be causing the delay in the update to the STP. As a note, the STP should not be used to validate that an SFPA flag has been removed. Once the SFPA Removal PAR has been completed, the HR professional should validate the appropriate updates have been made to the associated restrictions. The updates to restrictions should not be delayed. Do not wait more than 24-48 hours for the restriction end date to be applied as the process does not take that long. If you notice that the restriction end date is not applied appropriately, HR Pros with the restriction subcategory (SUBCAT) are able to apply the end date. Please submit a CRM case as well with the PAR information so that we can look into what may be preventing these updates.
Validate/Update Racial Ethnic Designation Category (REDCAT)
Per MILPER Message 23-131, all COMPO 1, 2, and 3 Soldiers must review their date of birth, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, education level, and marital status in IPPS-A no later than 30 May 2023 for COMPO 1 and 30 August 2023 for COMPOS 2 and 3. While updating/adding REDCAT data is voluntary please make sure your Soldiers understand that refusal to review their data does not mean that no data will exist in these fields. The current data in these fields was converted from our legacy systems. If Soldiers opt out of even reviewing their data, the data that was converted will still exist, whether accurate or not. Please see the attached REDCAT job aid for assistance.
Self-Service User Guide
I’ve attached the IPPS-A Self-Service User Guide Version 1, see PDF. This document is meant to familiarize Soldiers with the Self-Service Roles and Responsibilities, as well as commonly performed self-service functions within IPPS-A. It provides navigation and descriptions of the Self-Service homepage tiles and associated personnel actions. Each chapter details how to access the commonly-used functions as well as additional training resources such as User Productivity Kits (UPKs) and the IPPS-A User Manual. Overall, it offers simple, step-by-step instructions to help Soldiers use IPPS-A.
Multi-part Surnames Issue
IPPS-A recently pushed an update that appears to have impacted users with multi-part surnames. Users that have surnames that include prefixes separated by a space (for example, De Vries or Van Raalte) were changed so that the prefix is reflected as the user’s first name in IPPS-A. Unfortunately, we did not catch this in time for us to easily determine who was affected. If you find you or your Soldiers were impacted by this error, please follow these steps:
- Select the My Personnel Action Requests tile.
- Screen displays the My Personnel Action Requests page; Members may select Create Personnel Action to begin a PAR.
- Screen displays the Request Details dialog box; Members may enter an Effective Date, choose Action: Personal Information and Reason: Name Change from each drop down, then select Continue.
- Screen displays the Request Data and a navigation listing on the left side of the page; Members may enter an Effective Date, under More Information, enter pertinent PAR notes in the box, and then Save.
- Screen displays the Attachments page, Members may select Add Attachment to add supporting documents, and then Save.
- Screen displays Validate Request page, Members may validate the request, select Validate.
- Screen displays Transaction Summary page, Members may review the Approval Chain and receive alerts of Display Errors/Warnings, and the Submit.
Temporary Billet (Templet)
We continue to see a rise in the number of templets. While I acknowledge that some of this is due to the assignment catch-up and templets required for temporary assignments, the use of templets to create a vacant position is not necessary. A vacant billet is not a requirement to request a replacement. HR Professionals should use the assignment end dates and Year/Month Available To Move (YMAV) to signal a replacement is required. Our team is assessing the feasibility of slotting in accordance with the Global Force Management Data Initiative (GFM-DI).
Multi-Slotted Positions and Past Assignment End Dates
In the Predefined Queries tile, a new query was added titled “Multi-Slotted Positions.” This report shows positions that have more than one person currently assigned. This happens because PeopleSoft logic sees the position as vacant when the incumbent’s assignment end date is in the past. Through the assignments process, HRC, or a unit, is then able to assign another person to that position. These multi-slotted positions will have a direct impact on your authorized strength in some queries and reports. Additionally, Soldiers with assignment end dates in the past will not appear on your Projected Strength Dashboard and possibly other reports and queries. We are making several updates to these reports and to the logic to assist. However, please review your UICs in the Multi-Slotted Positions query and update assignments as required to have only one person in a position. You should also verify the assignment end date for your personnel and make adjustments as necessary to avoid this problem moving forward until the fixes we intend to make get completed.
IPPS-A is Updating
Over the July 4th weekend, we will upgrade IPPS-A to PeopleTools 8.60. We have delayed updating IPPS-A through the Release 3 build duration and, in doing so, have missed out on some key enhancements. Once upgraded, you’ll see new features related to IPPS-A’s overall user interface, search framework, notifications, lifecycle management, integration, security and privacy, and more. Most noticeably, this upgrade will give the system a revamped navigation bar and menu. As the upgrade approaches, we will provide targeted job aids and training as required to support users in the field. To get a sneak peak of PeopleTools 8.60, check out the YouTube video in PDF.
Auto-Deprovisioning
To help mitigate latency issues this past February, we turned off Auto-Deprovisioning upon Permanent Change of Assignment and Permanent Change of Station, PCA/PCS. With the updates that have been made to the access request process and various system tuning, the latency has been resolved. Effective 5 May 2023, elevated users that move units will have their access migrated to self-service access. Upon arrival to their new unit, a new access request will need to be submitted to update their access and row level security, ROWSECCLASS, accordingly.
Known Issues
For updates on IPPS-A issues pertaining to promotions, benefits, assignments, onboarding, and more, please reference https://ipps-a.army.mil/ipps-a-known-issues. This resource includes updates on items we know matter to you, and offers answers to common questions we get from the field.
Resources
We have a lot of great IPPS-A products created by units located on S1Net. On the left-hand side of the IPPS-A landing page at https://www.milsuite.mil/book/community/spaces/apf/s1net/ipps-a, find the SUB-TOPICS column, and click “IPPS-A SOPs/Tools” underneath that. Please feel free to “donate” any IPPS-A SOPs and products that have worked for you team!
Our IPPS-A group on Facebook is a great place to connect with your peers and access real-time updates, dialogue, and answers to your questions. Under the tab labeled “Files,” you will find a lot of helpful resources. To join, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/875398305999928.
And finally, we continue to update the IPPS-A User Manual based on your feedback. Just as we share the regulatory references when answering questions, please also share where in the user manual information can be found when answering questions. Let’s teach each other how to fish!
Thank you.
VR,
COL Eggers
Rebecca L. Eggers
COL, AG
IPPS-A FMD