The Ohio Administrative Knowledge System (OAKS) successfully implemented the first phase of the landmark project that will forever alter how Ohio’s state agencies and employees do business. Since December 18, 2006 the state has operated on a new payroll system that creates a paperless process from input to payday.

The state payroll and electronic fund transfers for more than 65,000 employees were processed with only minor issues during this first deployment. Every state employee received their pay as scheduled. Minor issues were quickly resolved and the appropriate adjustments made to prevent inaccuracies in the future. The successful implementation made strides in calming anxiety of state employees who will use the system. The OAKS program management office (PMO) is confident that future releases will be just as trouble-free.

This first phase of OAKS was to implement the Human Capital Management (HCM) components. These elements include core human resources, payroll, base benefits, time & labor, ePay, and Enterprise Performance Management (EPM). The ePay portion of this system allows state employees to access their own payroll records online. 

The program management office gives credit to the planning, preparation, testing and coordination among 28 cabinet-level agencies and more than 105 State of Ohio government organizations for this successful implementation of phase one. A second phase is scheduled for March 2007, which will allow state employees to access benefits information online and also register for benefits electronically during the state’s open enrollment period in May.  The first financial components of the system, phase three, will roll out in July 2007, marking the half way point for full system implementation.

OAKS is expected to be fully implemented by July, 2008, with full functionality to include recruitment, performance measurement and year-end billing as well as grants management, assets management and budgeting.

OAKS is an online enterprise resource planning application similar to many used by large private sector companies, to consolidate their business operations for efficiency and cost-savings.  For the State of Ohio, OAKS will replace numerous outdated and fragile computer systems which have been in use for 30 years or more.  

For more information about OAKS contact: OAKS.Communications@oaks.state.oh.us