FAQs

Project Horizon is a university-wide initiative to transform Indiana University’s financial operations. It will strengthen IU’s financial organizational structures, create shared services, and prepare IU for future enterprise-wide technology solutions (ERP) — ensuring financial processes are simpler, more consistent, and better aligned with the university’s mission.

Project Horizon aims to deliver consistent, high-quality financial services to students, faculty, and staff by streamlining university-wide finance processes and establishing a clear, consistent operating model. Through aligned policies, modern technology, and leveraging scale, the initiative will clarify finance-related roles across colleges, campuses, departments, and administrative units; strengthen internal controls and compliance; and create opportunities for Finance and Procurement by defining career paths, development and leadership advancement.

An enterprise resource planning system, commonly known as an ERP system, supports an institution’s core administrative functions — such as finance, purchasing, and HR — by providing shared data and consistent processes across departments. Its purpose is to enable efficient operations, strong controls, and informed decision-making.

At many universities, including IU, these functions are supported by legacy ERP systems (e.g., Kuali Financials) designed primarily for transaction processing and compliance, often supplemented by multiple connected tools. Modern ERP solutions consolidate these capabilities into a single, integrated platform, with greater emphasis on usability, integration, and timely information that reduces manual effort and better supports decisions.

This project is just beginning the assessment on if we should consider moving to a new ERP system.

IU’s current financial processes are outdated, fragmented and not standardized. Reviews by internal and external experts confirm that IU can and must operate more efficiently.

To create a more modern and streamlined approach to managing IU’s financial operations, Project Horizon will establish clearer structures, shared services, and future-ready systems, allowing faculty and staff to focus more on teaching, research and student success.

Every IU campus will be part of this project. Faculty and staff working with finance will notice the earliest impacts, but the benefits of consistency, efficiency, and improved support will extend across the entire university community.

This project is designed to make financial work easier, clearer, and more consistent for employees. By using staff input to identify duplication, clarify roles, and improve processes and tools, Project Horizon will reduce unnecessary complexity and support more efficient ways of working. Over time, this will allow employees to spend less time navigating inconsistent processes and systems and more time on higher-value, business partner work that supports Indiana University’s mission and long-term success.

Training and resources to guide faculty and staff will be provided through each stage of the process.

The project launched in late 2025. Visit the Project Horizon Timeline page to learn more about what’s next. Campus leaders and financial teams will provide updates before each milestone, so faculty and staff know what to expect.

PricewaterhouseCoopers (commonly known as PwC) was selected as IU’s consulting partner for this project. They will administer the activity analysis survey to employees who perform financial tasks. It will map financial activities across the university to create a comprehensive inventory of work, and benchmark IU’s organizational structures and processes against peer institutions.

The analysis will identify strengths, duplication, and opportunities for improvement; inform future organizational design, including shared services; and support IU’s readiness for future systems, including a modern ERP and emerging technologies.

An activity analysis is a structured, process-focused review of financial work across Indiana University that documents what tasks are performed, where they occur, and how they vary by unit.

In early 2026, employees who perform financial duties — regardless of role or unit — will receive an activity analysis survey administered by PricewaterhouseCoopers, IU’s consulting partner for this phase of Project Horizon.

The survey is not a performance evaluation; it is a process-focused tool to help identify duplication, streamline work and inform future organizational and system improvements.

The Voice of the Customer (VoC) Survey is a structured feedback tool designed to gather input on how the finance and procurement function is experienced across Indiana University. Leadership (faculty and staff) who interact with or receive finance services — regardless of role or unit — will be invited to participate. It focuses on service delivery, communication, timeliness and overall effectiveness.

The survey will help identify what is working well, where challenges exist, and where improvements to service models, processes, roles, and systems may be needed as part of Project Horizon.

Administered by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), IU’s consulting partner for this phase, responses will be collected confidentially and reported in aggregate to inform data-driven improvements across the finance and procurement function.

IU will provide communication, education and leadership resources at every stage. Campus financial leaders will work closely with deans, faculty, and staff to ensure they are supported and understand the changes.

The Budget Model Redesign is an important part of Project Horizon in support of IU’s broader financial transformation. Launched in 2023 and scheduled for completion in 2027, the Budget Model Redesign initiative will modernize IU’s long-standing Responsibility Center Management framework to create a more transparent and predictable approach to resource allocation. By refining the University Administration assessment and developing campus-specific models, it strengthens financial sustainability and strategic planning.

While the Budget Model Redesign focuses on how resources are allocated, Project Horizon focuses on how financial operations and reporting are structured. Together, they will build a more efficient, transparent, and data-informed financial environment for Indiana University.

Please send questions or feedback to vpcfo@iu.edu.