Technical readiness: Browser and hardware requirements
HRMS is a web-based system—only a web browser (e.g., Internet Explorer, Netscape) is needed to access the system, unlike BFS, which requires a Citrix client. Since many browsers are available in the industry and not all of them are supported by PeopleSoft, the HRMS vendor, we would like to provide the campus with some browser guidelines.
First, as an Internet-based application, HRMS serves three categories of users: heavy users (power users), light users, and self-service users.
- A heavy user's job includes entering, requesting, and updating data. Transactions are submitted frequently.
- A light user submits, requests, or updates infrequently, a few times a day.
- A self-service user requests and updates his or her own personal data or visits services such as job listings infrequently. (Self-service components of HRMS will go live later in 2002.)
HRMS power users will have the best experience with Internet Explorer (IE) 5, 5.5, or 6, especially on a Windows-based workstation, though the Mac workstation is also supported. All three versions of IE deliver a similar user experience. Therefore, the HRMS Steering Committee has accepted IST's recommendation that heavy and light users of HRMS use IE.
Hardware recommendations
PeopleSoft recommends an 800 mHz and above PC for a power user. A faster CPU increases screen painting speed and provides the most responsive user experience. There is probably little or no noticeable improvement in using a PC faster than 800 mHz for this application, but an 800 mHz CPU PC delivers a much better user experience than a 250 mHz PC.
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- Tips for browser configuration
(excerpted from copyrighted PeopleSoft documentation) - 6/20/02: Updated information on browsers
- 7/5/02: Macintosh Q & A