Team Members
Sponsor - Vicki Cook, VP of Finance
Value Stream Manager - Chris Ruszel, Assistant Controller
Team Members – Peggy Shinn, Gail Reeves, Michelle Autry, Sara Budzik, and Bonnie
Shumaker
Project Purpose
To increase timeliness of travel reimbursements to employees and students
To eliminate wasted time from rework due to errors and missing information
Project CharterProject:
NMC Travel Reimbursement ProcessInitiation
Date:
November 01, 2014
Sponsor/ Leadership Panel:
Vicki Cook, Vice President of Finance
Value Stream Manager (Person most
directly responsible for the project area):
Chris Ruszel, Assistant Controller
Team Members:
Chris Ruszel, Peggy Shinn, Gail Reeves, Michelle Autry, Sara Budzik, and Bonnie Shumaker
Purpose of Project:
To increase timeliness of travel reimbursements to students and employees. To eliminate wasted
time from rework due to errors and missing information.
Metrics and Targets (What metrics do
you anticipate changing after the project,
what are your goal numbers?):
Fewer errors and time spent by business office staff and travelers on completing forms and follow-
up questions. Reduce wait time for reimbursement.
Project Scope (Beginning and end
points of the project):
From time traveler completes professional development request and/or PO to final check/direct
deposit payment to employee and closing of PO.
Parameters (Processes that must be
followed, constraints, etc.):
Meet IRS travel allowable costs guidelines
Little to no budget for software, technology, equipment, or additional staff
Deliverables (Tangible outputs of the
project):
Current state value map
Future state value map
Implementation plan
Standardized work plan
Updated/revised travel policy and procedures
Timeline, including target
completion date:
Current state map – 12/9/2014, 5S Project 1/13/15, Standardized work plan 2/10/15, Future state map
3/17/2015, implementation of new processes by 5/1/2015
Updates (How often will leadership be
updated?):
Monthly updates through August 2015
Travel Metrics 3-month sample of travel reimbursements yielded:
Average time for traveler to turn in voucher = 12.64 days
Average time for Business Office to review = 4.89 days
Average time from review to payment = 1.64 days
Total average time from travel to payment = 19.17 days
47% of travel reimbursements contained errors
Mapping Observations
Procedures – outdated and unclear
Forms – too many, cumbersome, do not address all possible travel expenses, multiple authorizations needed, confusing
Request for reimbursement– requests for unallowable expenses submitted, wrong per diems, no authorizations, no maps or agendas provided, using credit cards for meals, large time lapse from date of travel to date received in Business Office
Mapping Observations
Review by Business Office – only 1 person doing this task on off payroll weeks, progress slows depending on # of errors on request forms, looking up per diems and maps to complete travel request required
Special considerations – CIE requires PO’s, student travel advances, international exchange rates, exceptions for certain areas
Areas of Focus
Standard work and job aids for Business office staff to review reimbursements
Review CIE process of using PO’s
Provide one place for travelers to find fillable forms
Reduce number of forms and make error proof
Clarify and communicate travel polices
5S Project-Kick Off MeetingKick off Meeting Agenda – NMC Business Office 5s Improvement Project
Meeting Objective: Clarify project scope and identify needed resources. Decide on timeline and next steps.Who: Team Members: Chris Ruszel, Dori Creighton, Alan Holcombe, and Shayrrl McCreadyWhen: Monday, January 5, 2015 2-3 PMWhere: Business Office work table
Agenda1. Discuss 5S principles
2. Clarify project purpose and scopea) Do walk through and take picturesb) Identify red tag area for holding
3. Decide what resources & supplies are needed for project
4. Outline next steps, assignments, and due dates
5. Identify future improvement projects
5S Project – Current State
Supply room is a distance from workroom, causing wasted time from going back and forth for supplies
Supply room overstocked in some items and understocked in other items
Unused space above counter in workroom which could be used for supplies
Many old, unused supplies and decorations taking up space
Boxes being stored in cubicle
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