The PSFT Connection

Ep 10 - From paper piles to digital power with Jeff Dudas, Sarasota Memorial Health Care

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 17:15:00 -0400

This episode is packed full of insight from Jeff Dudas, ERP expert at Sarasota Memorial Healthcare System. He shares insights into the organization’s journey to transfer paper-based documents and processes to electronic ones using PeopleSoft. The discussion covers the implementation of an electronic project request form to replace a manual, paper-based process, a successful go-live with PeopleSoft grants that eliminated reliance on a third-party Access database, and the organization’s upgrade strategy for PeopleTools 8.62. Additionally, Jeff details a novel AI-powered automation project for non-PO invoice processing, highlighting improved efficiency, user adoption, and change management lessons. Listeners can look forward to upcoming presentations on grants and AI at Blueprint4D, reflecting Sarasota’s commitment to leveraging PeopleSoft innovation for business success.

01:05 Jeff Dudas PeopleSoft Journey

02:02 Project Request Form

11:00 Grants Go Live

17:03 PT 8.62 Upgrade

22:57 AI empowered invoicing for non-PO invoices

29:26 BP4D 2026 sessions

Ep 9 - PeopleTools 8.62 with Rajesh Thiru

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 20:50:00 -0400

In this episode of PSFT Connection, co-hosts Brooke Repine and Stephen Valentine are joined by Rajesh Thiru, ERP Manager at Powers Health, to discuss their experience as early adopters of PeopleTools 8.62. Rajesh Thiru shares insights about Powers Health’s annual PeopleSoft upgrade strategy, their approach to implementing new functionality like the landing page and Fluid Work Centers, and the importance of user collaboration throughout the process. Listeners will also hear about what’s in store for their upcoming Blueprint 4D conference presentation.

01:15 Rajesh Thiru’s Current Role at Powers Health

02:25 Yearly Upgrade Strategy

04:30 PeopleTools 8.62 and the Landing Page Benefits

06:42 Involving End Users in the Process

15:44 Customization Insights

18:45 Updating PTF Scripts for this Upgrade

22:55 Additional Benefits of PeopleTools 8.62

30:25 BP4D 2026 Early Registration Discount

Ep 8 - PeopleTools 8.62 & new Landing Page with Sasank Vemana

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 04:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the PeopleSoft Connection podcast, co-hosts Stephen Valentine and Brooke Repine sit down with Sasank Vemana from Oracle to dive into the latest PeopleTools 8.62 release and its standout features. The conversation centers on the new Landing Page functionality, designed to streamline the user experience and enhance productivity, as well as Customization Insights, which helps organizations better manage and evaluate their customizations. Listeners are encouraged to explore the new capabilities, join the Quest community, and share feedback to help shape future product development.

00:40 Introducing Sasank and his role at Oracle

01:50 New Landing Page – what is it?

05:01 Key features released in PeopleTools 8.62

06:11 Look and feel of new Landing Page

12:18 How to Get Started

14:16 Delivered Landing Page Examples

15:49 Landing Page Modeler Tool

16:53 Resources

21:31 Quest PeopleTools Technology User Group

24:16 Customization Insights

Ep 7 - 2025 Year in Review

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 04:00:00 -0400

As 2025 comes to a close, The PeopleSoft Connection looks back on a year defined by practical learning and strong community momentum. The podcast evolved into a forum where customers, product experts, and peers could share how they are using PeopleSoft functionality to solve real business problems.

Join Co-Hosts, Brooke Repine of Samaritan’s Purse and Stephen Valentine of Milton Hershey School, as they recap the first season that explored how organizations are modernizing their PeopleSoft environments—without over-customizing or over-complicating.

Beyond the technology itself, the conversations emphasized something equally important: community. Listeners heard how starting small can lead to meaningful wins, how peer-led SIGs and working sessions helped us move our projects along, and how channels like Idea Space and focus groups give customers a real voice in the product’s future.

In this year-end reflection episode, Stephen and Brooke revisit key moments from the season, share what they learned along the way, and look ahead to 2026—highlighting upcoming enhancements, Blueprint 4D, and the continued evolution of PeopleSoft.

Fluid WorkCenters & User Experience (1:23)

Key takeaways from the Fluid WorkCenters discussion, adoption lessons, and what’s next with the Work Management Framework.

PeopleSoft Insights: From Data to Decisions (2:15)

Why starting small matters, Workforce Insights as an entry point, and how teams shifted from reporting to analytics.

PeopleSoft Test Framework (PTF) (3:51)

What’s changed since early PTF days, why automation is more achievable now, and the value of community-led working sessions.

Configuration over Customization (5:10)

Page and Field Configurator, change tracking, notifications, and why small configuration changes can drive outsized value.

Mobile Asset Inventory & Idea Space (5:36)

Real-world use of mobile asset scanning and how customers can influence the PeopleSoft roadmap through Idea Space and focus groups.

Blueprint 4D, Innovator Awards & 2026 Outlook (7:10)

Community challenges, upcoming enhancements, and a call to stay engaged in the year ahead.

Ep 6 - Interview with Tina Thames

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 04:00:00 -0400

This episode brings together the voices of organizations serving communities around the world and the PeopleSoft tools that help them operate with purpose and precision. Stephen Valentine (Milton Hershey School) and Brooke Repine (Samaritan’s Purse) sit down with Tina Thames, Director of PeopleSoft Asset Lifecycle Management (ALM) Product Strategy, to explore one of the most anticipated enhancements of the year: QR-code-based mobile asset tracking and physical inventory.

Opening: Gratitude Month and Mission Work

Stephen and Brooke open with a reflection on gratitude—highlighting the mission-driven work of their organizations, the operational backbone PeopleSoft provides, and the dedicated people behind the scenes who make it all work.

Tina’s PeopleSoft Journey (2:22)

QR Codes & Mobile Inventory: A Game-Changer (3:29)

Decentralizing Asset Ownership (6:12)

Implementation Guidance (10:39)

Idea Space and Customer-Driven Innovation (14:37)

SIG Groups & Focus Groups (18:07)

Looking Ahead: QR Codes Beyond ALM (25:43)

Closing Thoughts (28:00)

Ep 5 - Page and Field Configuration Change Tracking with Joe Willever

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 10:08:00 -0400

In this episode of the PeopleSoft Connection, co-hosts Stephen Valentine and Brooke Repine are joined by Joe Williver, Oracle PeopleSoft Product Manager, for an in-depth discussion on the Page and Field Configurator (PFC) functionality. Joe shares the origins and evolution of PFC, designed to help customers eliminate customizations and streamline business processes by allowing business analysts to easily make display and field requirement changes without heavy IT involvement. The episode explores impactful use cases, including change tracking and notification features, as well as best practices for collaboration between functional and technical teams. Listeners gain practical advice on getting started with PFC, guidance on common pitfalls, and insights into available resources and future enhancements.

00:00 Oracle PeopleSoft Product Manager Journey

04:32 "Component-Based Configuration Explained"

06:55 "Targeted Change Tracking Tools"

10:58 Notification Composer Overview

14:36 Change Tracking and Insights Dashboard

20:04 "Streamlining Configuration with Advanced Options"

22:28 "Change Tracking Tutorial Guide"

24:31 "Sequence Configuration Best Practices"

29:07 "PeopleSoft's Impact and Community Appreciation"

Ep 4 - PeopleTools Test Framework with King County and Hennepin County

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 04:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the PeopleSoft Connection podcast, co-hosts Brooke and Stephen sit down with Jessica Maistrovich from Hennepin County and Jennifer Gilbert from King County—two passionate experts of the PeopleTools Test Framework (PTF). They share their personal journeys improving PTF in their organizations and discuss the supportive, collaborative community that’s been created around using this tool. Listeners will hear tips for getting started, advice on standardization, recent enhancements, and learn about the valuable resources of weekly working sessions and the Special Interest Group (SIG) through Quest. Whether you’re new to PTF or looking to optimize your automated testing, this episode is full of practical insights and encouragement to modernize your PeopleSoft testing strategy.

01:22 PTF is already included with your PeopleSoft investment

04:58 Learning to trust the testing process

11:14 Which script should I create first?

12:52 Weekly working group available

15:16 Monthly Special Interest Group (SIG) available

20:24 Recommendations for standardization

23:10 Noteworthy PTF updates

25:35 Utilize this tool for functionality that is tested repeatedly

27:20 The understated benefits of PTF

Ep 3 - PeopleSoft Insights with North Dakota University Systems

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 04:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the PeopleSoft Connection podcast, co-hosts Brooke Repine and Stephen Valentine are joined by Arul TT and Devin McCall from North Dakota University System. The conversation covers PeopleSoft Insights and the benefits of this embedded analytics tool. Having deployed Insights without consultant help, the guests highlight how to get started with Insights and lessons learned -- making it a valuable listen for those interested in launching PeopleSoft Insights.

01:18 What are PeopleSoft Insights?

08:40 Start with Workforce Insights

09:41 Oracle transition from Kibana to Insights

11:15 OpenSearch Server and Dashboard Server needed

13:11 Real-time Indexing

14:02 Resources to Get Started with Insights

17:35 Data Literacy

18:44 Lessons Learned

20:54 No Impact to Database performance

23:33 Key Takeaways

Ep 2 - Fluid WorkCenters with Valencia Borders from ManTech International

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 18:37:00 -0400

In this episode of the PeopleSoft Connection podcast, co-hosts Brooke Repine and Stephen Valentine chat with Valencia Borders from ManTech International to learn how her team drives innovation within their PeopleSoft environment. Valencia shares insights into ManTech’s strategic approach to staying current with PeopleSoft functionality, leveraging Fluid WorkCenters, and embracing new Oracle-delivered features to streamline processes and enhance user experience. The conversation covers practical strategies for managing change, empowering business analysts, and making the most of user communities like Quest to stay informed about the latest PeopleSoft advancements. Listeners will be inspired to foster a culture of continuous improvement within their own organization.

01:12 Valencia Borders and her PeopleSoft Journey

03:03 About ManTech International

04:59 Strategic Decision to be No More than 3 Releases Behind

06:10 Turning on New Functionality Delivered with PUMs

09:56 Embracing Continuous Learning Culture

12:44 Leveraging Fluid WorkCenters to Streamline Processes

14:07 Integrated Fluid Approvals

15:40 Managing Change from Classic to Fluid WorkCenter

17:39 Related Content in Fluid WorkCenter

21:06 Business Analysts configure Fluid WorkCenters

26:11 Stepping through the Enterprise Components Menu

27:26 Alerts & Notifications in Fluid WorkCenter

30:50 Embracing Delivered Technology

Ep 1 - BLUEPRINT 4D Game Plan

Tue, 27 May 2025 22:02:00 -0400

In this episode, co-hosts Brooke Repine and Stephen Valentine discuss the upcoming BLUEPRINT 4D 2025 conference, happening June 9–13 in Las Vegas, Nevada with a spotlight on the new PeopleSoft Modernization track.

Whether you're a first-time attendee or a seasoned conference-goer, this episode will help you build your BLUEPRINT game plan. They share planning tips and throw out a challenge: Make meaningful connections and bring innovation back to your organization.

01:22 Meet us at BP4D

02:12 What is BP4D and Why should I go?

04:37 The New PeopleSoft Modernization Learning Path

07:47 Opening Keynotes + Conference Layout

15:02 Highlighting Sessions

19:59 Prep Before You Go

22:33 Closing Challenge

Resources:

New PeopleSoft Modernization Learning Path: https://questoraclecommunity.org/events/conferences/peoplesoft-reconnect/learning-path/

2025 Blueprint 4D Session Listing: https://questoraclecommunity.org/sessionlisting?event=a1mUT000003CCdB

Ep 0 - The PeopleSoft Connection Debut Episode

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 04:00:00 -0400

In this debut episode of the PeopleSoft Connection podcast, co-hosts Stephen Valentine, Senior Director of Quality Assurance at Milton Hershey School, and Brooke Repine, Business Systems Analyst at Samaritan’s Purse, introduce themselves and share their PeopleSoft journeys. They discuss how their organizations are leveraging PeopleSoft’s HCM and FSCM modules to streamline operations and support their respective missions. The hosts highlight the value of engaging with the Quest PeopleSoft Community, outline their goals for the upcoming podcast series, and preview topics such as modernization, expert interviews, and networking opportunities at the Blueprint 4D conference. This episode sets the stage for future deep dives into PeopleSoft innovation, best practices, and community connections.

00:00 PeopleSoft Connection Podcast Launch

03:40 Stephen’s PeopleSoft Journey

5:05 Brooke’s PeopleSoft Journey

5:45 Milton Hershey School & Samaritan’s Purse using PeopleSoft to transform lives

11:47 What to expect for this Podcast series

15:40 Value of Quest Community

16:07 Blueprint 4D 2024 Dallas

17:19 Blueprint 4D 2025 Las Vegas

Resources:

Blueprint 4D https://questoraclecommunity.org/events/conferences/blueprint4d/

2025 Blueprint 4D Session Listing: https://questoraclecommunity.org/sessionlisting?event=a1mUT000003CCdB

Quest Oracle Community https://questoraclecommunity.org/

Welcome to The PSFT Connection

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 14:43:00 -0400

The PSFT Connection podcast series, hosted by Brooke Repine and Stephen Valentine, is a valuable resource for the PeopleSoft community. Our mission is to educate and inspire by highlighting the power of community through Quest and showcasing the modern capabilities of the PeopleSoft platform. In addition to conducting engaging interviews with Business Analysts, developers, and other experienced professionals, we’ll also focus on helping BSAs and functional users extract greater value from PeopleSoft by leveraging tools and features that don’t require technical development. Join us as we explore the intricacies of PeopleSoft, share practical insights, and empower users to make the most of this powerful platform.