PERAC Memo #12 - 1998: Computer Survey

Computer Survey

Summary

PERAC Memo #12/1998 announces a survey of all Massachusetts contributory retirement systems regarding computer hardware, network configuration, and Internet access, intended to help PERAC plan training/conference facilities and better tailor its services to boards' technology needs. Boards using computers must complete and return the survey to Sarah Kelly by March 31, 1998; boards relying solely on manual recordkeeping are exempt from completing the survey but must notify PERAC of any automation plans (or explain why they intend to remain manual).

Full Text

PERAC MEMO #12/1998 M E M O R A N D U M TO: All Retirem ent Systems FROM: Robert F. Stalnaker, Executive Director RE: Computer Survey DATE: March 11, 1997 The Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission (PERAC) is conducting a survey of all Massachusetts Contributory Retirement Systems with regard to a variety of computer related issues. When PERAC moves to its new location, part of our new space will include classrooms for training sessions and conferences. This survey is being conducted so that we can better understand your needs and enhance the services that PERAC provides to you. Please make every effort to complete the survey and return it to Sarah Kelly no later than March 31, 1998. If you need any clarification about the questions that we are asking, please contact Sarah Kelly at Telephone: 617-727-9380, Extension 625 Fax: 617-227-2320 E-Mail: Sarah.Kelly@state.ma.us If your board is relying on manual record keeping practices, you do not need to complete the survey. However, please advise PERAC as to whether you have any plans to automate your operations. If you do not plan on automating, please provide some insights as to why manual methods will continue to be used. RETIREMENT BOARD 1 COMPUTER SURVEY HARDWARE How many personal computers are being used by the staff members of your retirement board? _____ Please provide the name of the manufacturer(s) of your personal computers and the speed and type of processor for each: Number of this Type Manufacturer Type of Processor Speed For Example : 2 Dell 486 66 4 Compaq Pentium 200 MHz Are these personal computers the exclusive property of the retirement board and used only by the retirement board staff? YES ___ NO ___ Are there staff members who do not have access to a computer? YES ___ NO ___ If yes, it is because: They do not need a personal computer to do their jobs? ___ Cost is prohibitive? Other? Are the personal computers at your office part of a Local Area Network (LAN) and/or a Wide Area Network (WAN)? LAN: YES NO ____ WAN: YES_ NO ____ For Your Information: (LAN =A computer network limited to the immediate area, usually same office or same building or floor of a building.) (WAN) = A network of computers that covers a larger area) Are the computers that are used by retirement board staff members linked to computers in other offices: Town Treasurer? ___ Custodial Bank? ___ Software Maintenance Vendor? ___ Other: _____________________________________________________________________ RETIREMENT BOARD 2 INTERNET ACCESS Do the personnel of your retirement board have access to the Internet via retirement board computers? _____ YES NO Is Internet access restricted to a particular person or persons? _____________________ What Internet Browsers (software packages that read and display Web pages) are being used in your office? Netscape Navigator ___ Windows Explorer: _____ Other: _____ Has Adobe Acrobat Reader Software (can be downloaded from the Internet at no cost) been loaded onto your personal computers so that you can read PDF files(Portable Document Format) on Internet Web Sites? _____ YES NO Who is your Internet Service Provider (provides a high-speed dedicated communications line to the Internet)? __________________________ If Internet access is not currently available, is it planned for the future? If so, when? If Internet access is not available and not planned, why not? Cost Need More Technical Assistance ___ Not perceived to be Necessary Access would violate Office Policy? Describe the configuration of the PC(s) through which you access the Internet? Quantity of This Type of PC Type of processor and its speed Size of Monitor Operating System Speed of Modem For Example 2 Pentium 200mhz 17 inch Windows NT 36.6 kb Does your board maintain a home page on the Internet? YES NO If yes, What is your Address?___________ _________________________________________________RETIREMENT BOARD 3 ELECTRONIC MAIL Do the personnel of your retirement board have access to electronic mail via retirement board computers? YES ____ NO ____ If yes, what electronic mail package do you use? _________________________ Do you use electronic mail to communicate with: Retirement board personnel? ___ Other town offices? PERAC? If electronic mail access is not available and not planned, why not? Cost? ____ Need More Technical Assistance? ___ Not perceived to be Necessary? ___ Access would violate Office Policy? ____ SHRINK-WRAPPED SOFTWARE What Word Processing application do you use? Microsoft Word: ____ Word Perfect: ____ Other: _________________ What spreadsheet software do you use? Excel: _____ Lot us: ____ Other: _________________ Are there other applications that you have found particularly helpful?

__________________________________________________RETIREMENT BOARD 4 RETIREMENT BOARD APPLICATIONS Membership Accounting Investments Payroll (for retirees) Other Application (if applicable) Other Application (if applicable) Name of Vendor * Version/ Release Level (Date of Last Upgrade) Language Used to Create Application Location of Application** *If application was developed in-house, please note that outside vendors were not used **Is the application on a personal computer, or a Macintosh, or a mini - computer or a mainframe? If you are using TACS software, do you have the Windows version or the DOS version? Do you plan on upgrading from DOS to Windows? YES ___ NO ___ If yes, when? ____________ What electronic media do you use to transmit files to PERAC? ____3 (1/2) inch diskette ______5(1/4) floppy diskette ______tape Could you use another method for file transfer? _____Zip Drive _____Electronic File Transfer (example: via the Internet or as E-Mail attachments) If such methods were available to you, would you prefer to use them? ____ MAINTENANCE FEES Name of Vendor Telephone Number Hourly Rate Monthly Rate Annual Rate Hardware Software _________________________________________________________RETIREMENT BOARD 5 QUALITY OF SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE & SERVICES Poor Adequate Good Telephone Response to Questions Problem Solving Skills? Timeliness of response from identification of problem to installation of revised program Are upgrades well tested and documented Quality of written documentation Quality of training OTHER SOFTWARE ISSUES Do you find your retirement board applications easy to use?

Do your retirement board applications include enough built-in cues and controls so that opportunities for data entry errors are minimized?

Do you have ad hoc reporting capabilities so that the retirement board staff can generate new reports and queries on an as needed basis, without seeking help from your software vendor?

Are there additional features and functions that you would like to have incorporated into your retirement board applications?

_________________________________________RETIREMENT BOARD 6 YEAR 2000 COMPLIANCY ISSUES During the past 25 years, many computer systems (operating system software as well as applications) have been designed so that date fields utilize just two digits to designate the year. At the turn of the millennium, these systems will not be able to correctly interpret the year "00" unless they are redesigned to incorporate four-digit fields to designate the century. The Year 2000 date change is most likely to cause problems in the following areas: age determination, sorting by date, comparisons, century derivation, unique number generation, and leap year determination. Does your retirement board have a staff member assigned to handle Year 2000 issues? YES NO If yes, what is that individual's name? ___________________ Has your software been surveyed to determine whether or not it is Year 2000 compliant? YES ____ NO ___ Are all applications that were created in-house Year 2000 compliant? YES NO ___ Are all applications that were developed for you by outside vendors Year 2000 compliant? YES NO ___ Do you feel that you have sufficient information about the impact of Year 2000 on computers and applications? YES NO ___ COMPUTER EXPERTISE Do you attend seminars offered by your software vendor? YES _____ NO ____ Do you attend user group meetings with people from other retirement boards who use the same software that you do? YES _____ NO __ Do the personnel in your retirement board have sufficient computer expertise or easy access to computer expertise to make optimal use of the technology available to them? YES _____ NO __ Do you believe that members of your staff would benefit from attending computer classes? YES _____ NO __ If YES, which courses would be most beneficial? Word Processing Spreadsheets Use of your retirement board software (TACS, etc.) Other: __________________________ _________________________________________________________RETIREMENT BOARD 7 PERAC's ROLE Please identify the ways in which you believe PERAC could help you to address computer related issues?