Upon receiving the Terra Dotta contract, Terra Dotta will provision two sites: an administrative site and a public registration site (for travelers). A kickoff meeting will be held between the Terra Dotta Senior Implementation Engineer, the functional (Travel Risk) office, and the client IT office. The kickoff meeting will provide the client with an understanding of the overall project from start to finish, and dates for the project will be proposed by Terra Dotta. Resources for how to prepare for the project, in addition to 'next steps' will be provided.

Project Timeline & Preparation

The Terra Dotta implementation project will consist of six different phases. Each phase is for a concentrated amount of time. The project will launch in Week 8, with 2 more weeks of post-launch support provided after.

• Phase 1: Planning (2 weeks)
  • 4, 1-hour planning meetings with the Terra Dotta Implementation Engineer to review:
    • Travel policies and procedures
    • Desired workflows for approvals
    • Desired users for the site
    • Administrative access & settings preferences
• Phase 2: Integration (4 weeks) (begins concurrently with the Planning phase):
  • Configure email forwarding
  • Configure personalized URL, campus login, and data transfer from SIS/HR databases
• Phase 3: Building & Training (2 weeks)
  • Terra Dotta Implementation Engineer builds registration forms and workflows
  • Terra Dotta Project Manager configures AlertTraveler®
  • Regular check-in meetings to:
    • Review developed content
    • Answer any outstanding questions
    • Conduct Training
• Phase 4: Validation (3 weeks)
  Terra Dotta Implementation Engineer will guide client staff through testing of:
  • Authentication/logging in
  • Submitting test travel registrations
  • Reviewing administrative process
  • Verifying SIS/HR data is pulling correctly for test users
  • Content of forms, workflows, approval process, settings, and access points
  • Additional testing outside of the guided meetings with the Terra Dotta Implementation Engineer may be recommended, depending on complexity of what is built
  • Review process for managing a critical situation with AlertTraveler® & full training on AlertTraveler®
  • 1-2 pre-launch meetings with Terra Dotta Implementation Engineer
• Phase 5: Launch (1 week)
  • Go-Live Meeting with Terra Dotta Implementation Engineer to ensure required deliverables have been met to begin using the Travel Registry
  • Begin accepting trip registrations
• Phase 6: Post-Launch (2 weeks)
  • Conduct 2 post-launch meetings with Terra Dotta Implementation Engineer
  • As the implementation project closes at the end of this phase, the client will be prepared to use and administer Terra Dotta site independently, build additional forms/content or configure additional features as desired, and know how to utilize Terra Dotta Support for help if needed.

A successful implementation requires active participation from the client functional and IT offices and timely sharing of deliverables with the Terra Dotta Implementation Engineer. This could include, but is not limited to:

• Links to or electronic files of the existing trip registration process, if any
• Details about the required approval processes for registered trips, if any
• List of needs, requirements, or goals that you want Terra Dotta to address (ex: a special report, ability to collect a specific piece of information)

Who's involved with the implementation

Institution Roles Responsibilities:

• Project Champion:
  • Senior level person with a strong interest in the success of the project.
  • Liaison with other campus departments as needed.
• Primary Admin:
  • Day-to-day owner of the project from "functional" (client) department.
  • Should attend all meetings and training sessions during the implementation project.
  • Should have a moderate level of technology skills.
  • Can be the same person as the project champion.
• Technical Lead:
  • IT leader responsible for facilitating data integration, secure campus login, DNS changes, and other technical requirements.
    Note: For more information about data integration, see SIS/HR/SSO Systems Integration. 

Terra Dotta Roles and Responsibilities:

• Implementation Engineer:
  • Serves as primary liaison with client during implementation period
  • Coordinates online meetings/calls between the Terra Dotta team and client team
  • Provides direct support through project management system, emails, and checkpoint meetings
  • Configures Terra Dotta to meet client’s business needs, leveraging best practices
  • Manages the project, driving all participants to meet milestones and maintain the schedule
  • Works with client’s IT team on the technical integration between Terra Dotta and the SIS, including the Single Sign On configuration
• Account Manager:
  • Ensures information covered during initial contract discussions are conveyed to implementation team
  • Facilitates discussions if any additional services are requested
• Senior Director of Customer Onboarding & Curriculum:
  • Periodically corresponds, as needed, to check on progress and overall status/satisfaction of implementation