Q&A: The new CU Resources portal

A redesigned CU Resources area is scheduled to debut in the employee portal next week, marking the first step in a modernization process that will provide employees with increasingly individualized alerts, information and tools related directly to their jobs, benefits, professional development and more.

Get to know the CU Resources area and its new upgrade a little better with these five questions and answers:

What’s new to the portal’s CU Resources area?

When the CU Resources area debuts, users will see new features and information. Here are a few new features:

• Tablet-friendly design: Previously, the portal didn’t play so well with iPads or tablets. The new mobile-friendly design means CU Resources tools may be accessed on the go and on a variety of devices. (Did we mention you can win an iPad by visiting the portal? More on that in future articles.)
• New design: The portal’s modernized look includes a new layout, color scheme and icons. This is another reason the portal will play nice with tablets.
• News and announcements: This tabbed news area will present employee alerts, news and information, as well as CU Connections. News will be tailored for each CU campus.
• Rotating window: This rotating window will highlight major news, important deadlines, employee perks and deals, as well as programs to enhance your work and personal life.
• Favorites: Some say you shouldn’t play favorites. The CU Resources area’s creators disagree. This feature allows you to tag your favorite portal tools for fast access when you need it.
• Quick links: Find the most-used portal links in a prominent box on the right side of the page, for easy access.
• Social network integration: What’s going on at CU this instant? See a digest of CU Twitter feeds to find out what’s happening across the CU system.

What will stay the same?

Employees will still have access to all the current applications, and can find them in the dropdown navigation on the left of the page. The reorganized menu makes finding applications more intuitive.

The menu includes:

• Personal Information: Employee Profile, Ethnicity and Direct Reports
• Payroll and Compensation: Pay Advice, Leave, Benefits Summary, W-4, W-2 and Direct Deposit
• Training: Training Summary, Start SkillSoft, SkillSoft Resources and Professional Development
• Business Applications: Employees only will see the business applications needed to do their jobs. These may include Concur Travel and Expense System, CU Markeplace, DARS Boulder, DARS Colorado Springs, DARS Denver, ePERS, ePERS SPA, ePERS Supervisor, eComm, Finance, Fiscal Cert and Assessment, HRMS, ISIS – Campus Solutions, ISIS – CRM, Jobs at CU Apply-Search Job, Jobs at CU Department Recruitment, Singularity DM and Voluntary Fiscal Assessment.
• Reports: Public Folders, My Folders and Other Reports
• Help / Support: SupportWorks, Self Help and UIS Helpdesk

What will the new CU Resources look like?

To see a video sneak peek of the new area, visit the portal project blog at curesources.wordpress.com.  Follow the project blog to have updates sent directly to your email.

Who designed the CU Resources area?

The CU Resources area was developed by an in-house team of programmers from UIS, with content input from a working group with representatives from UIS, Employee Services, Office of University Controller and others.

What’s coming next?

This redesign builds the foundation for ongoing improvements to CU Resources. More features will be added on the portal in 2014. Future upgrades will allow employees to receive increasingly personalized information as well as new tools, charts and functionalities to help streamline many work tasks.

Have an idea for something you would like to see in CU Resources? Please leave a comment on the portal project blog at curesources.wordpress.com.