The University of Edinburgh is delivering a Service Excellence programme (SEP) aimed at transforming the way Professional Services are delivered.  This is a multi-year strategic programme critical to the future performance of the University. 

The Core Systems Programme is a key enabler for SEP. Its initial scope is to procure and implement a new core ERP SaaS solution covering Finance & Procurement and HR, Payroll & Pensions.

Supporting these areas currently are a set of ageing legacy core systems, a proliferation of satellite applications and a complex set of largely point to point interfaces that do not support the intended or required business processes, have been inconsistently developed and are consequently costly and time consuming to manage and maintain. 

Some actions have been taken to develop an “API framework” to improve the methods used to integrate legacy applications with each other and to enable new services. 

A specific Integration Project has been initiated within the Core Systems Programme.  This document specifies the scope and purpose of that project.

It has three broad aims:

• Document the target set of integrations required for the new Core System to operate.
• Identify the integration requirements (mode, style, pattern) for Core Systems Implementation.  Confirm that these requirements also apply to the wider estate and identify any additional requirements.
• Select and implement an integration middleware toolset.

The project has been running since April 2018.  It was added to the ISG Project website in December 2018, along with other Core Systems projects.