ASA(ALT) utilizes the DPAS PA module to perform Total Package Fieldings (TPFs).  The Supply Category Material Code (Sply Cat Mat Cd) is required, this field initially appears when receiving an asset into the PA module when entering data such as the NSN; however, is not visible in the asset’s record afterwards.  

Army is requesting that DPAS make this field visible in the asset’s record in the PA module, on the BASIC screen, for our management purposes including but not limited to queries, reports, etc.

 

Visibility of this code in the asset’s record ensures compliance with DoD and Army policy in that only equipment meeting the criteria as accountable property is recorded in the APSR (PA module). The presence of this code in the asset’s record enables the ability to establish and execute internal controls validating this policy requirement and audit readiness

 

This process will allow us to better manage our equipment within DPAS and support our TPF mission, as well as meet OSD/Army Policy.

 

Frequency: Daily

 

The Role Request as part of the DPAS WM access request process has inefficiencies in that the the packages get rejected for an incorrect LP, Region, Site, or Warehouse names. Rightly so, but this greatly delays the process by recycling the requests to start from the beginning. The IO /AIO has final approval to grant roles, so ultimately it should be up to them and should be accessible within the system as long as the DPAS Role training is complete, cyber-awareness training requirement met and SAAR approval process completed. The DPAS Role Request form itself may be worth improving to cut down waiting time due to emails that address errors and rework for errors that could be avoided from simple process improvement.

 

1) Automate the assignment of Roles in DPAS via an internal LP request to an IO/AIO or process that generates an email to the person(s) controlling the LP / Region / Site / or Warehouse requested to notify them to review their request.
*Side note-automated Online SAAR form using digital signatures may also be worth pursuing.

 

Mission Critical:

The time savings of emails, status requests, and rework for all involved in the DPAS access request would take out the frustration of the process because it would remove the ability to make errors.

 

Benefits:

This is the first impression of the DPAS user to the DPAS System and if this becomes is relatively quick and painless, the user may perceive the system itself in the same way.  I cannot tell you how many people get frustrated with the initial inefficiency and immediately assume the product to be bad too, which in my opinion is NOT the case.

 

Frequency: Daily

 

Users:

The DPAS modernization / tech refresh effort has changed the DPAS model of a single database source to a database per microservice model.  With this change, there is a need to having monitoring tools to ensure synchronization is occurring.  The tools need to compare the sync data the source of truth data.  When the data is not in sync, the tools need to systematically report the condition to the DPAS administration team in order to have the issue resolved in a timely manner.  As the number of synchronizations grow in number, it's no longer feasible / economical to perform the checks manually.

 

Create a process that will monitor all of the DPAS synchronization processes.  The tool should support easy setup of new sync processes and the removal of sync processes that are no longer used.  The UI should provide for the user set the each sync process as active/inactive, and set the frequency of the check, what job to run to perform the check, the auto correction routine to run (auto/manual) when an issue is  encountered.  When the resync is set to auto, the system when it encounters an issue, should run the auto sync without user intervention.  When set to manual the, the UI should provide for kick-off of the sync when user permissions grant that access.  There should be a log file maintained of each sync check, datetime run, status of the (failed to run/ran to completion),and the results (in balance/out of balance). The log file should also contain the  re-sync that was performed, how they were run (auto or manual), when they were run, status and the number of rows that were re-synced. Upon successful re-sync, the system should auto run the  sync process to ensure the system did come back into balance.   There needs to be so checks to ensure these processes do not go into an eternal cycle of validating, re-sync, validating, re-sync due to a bug in one of the processes, a permission issue, or when the users are very active with the system being out of sync as soon as it is re-synced.  There also needs to be a reporting mechanism. The tools need to be able to report out balances that are encountered where the system is not set to re-sync, and when an auto sync does not bring the system into balance.  It is  recommended a summary of the day's  results be included in the DPAS daily  status report, and there should be a UI that enable the user to view the log files.

 

This changes is required due to the new architecture. It will provide systematically validation that the system is functioning as it should.

 

This will correct current deficiencies and help development teams identify and enhance the processes that are deficient as well as being able to identify issues prior to them resulting in help desk tickets.

 

Frequency: Daily

 

Asset POC code was previously added with a feature flag which needs to be removed.

 

Remove the database objects.  Remove unused system settings: AssetServiceOnline from the admin.system_settings table.

 

This SCR is a technical change which does not impact the user screens.

 

Frequency: Daily

 

DPAS currently utilizes several methods to inbound/outbound DLMS transactions.  These methods are commonly nested in close proximity to the Logistics process.  As a result the maintenance and enhancement can be more difficult and increase risk with impacting the process itself when DLMS updates are required to be made. To address these issues, DPAS is separating the DLMS processing from the logistics process.  This SCR is migrate the DLMS 947I Inventory Adjustment to the DLMS Micro Service that has been created.

 

Implement the DLMS 947I with the DLMS Micro Service, with dedicated DB, and implement required changes within the logistics processes.

 

DLMS Modernization

 

Reduces the Time/Cost of performing maintenance and enhancement, as well as improves the process' efficiency.

 

Frequency: Hourly

 

DPAS has an format edit capability for the input of contract numbers based upon the Contract Type (9th position of the contract nbr) with its PA/MU Contract AUD.   Several of the current contract type edits are not sufficiently restrictive to prevent the user from entering an ill-formatted contract nbr.

 

Review the current contract types and edits within the FAR/DFAR to the edits DPAS currently has.  Update the system to match where it does not match.

 

It is known that several contract types do not have edits strict enough to prevent the user from entering an incorrect Contract Nbr for the type.  When the user enters a Contract Nbr incorrectly for a specific contract type, PIEE GFE will reject the Loan.

 

Reduces the possibility of having  Loan transactions rejected by PIEE GFP.  Improves the data quality within DPAS.

 

Frequency: Daily

 

Users: -

There is currently no capability to generate a "deleted" users inquiry / report by group.  This has to be accomplished via database script.  Propose this functionality be given to internal Sec Officers/Help Desk Admins in the app as well as to IOs who currently have the User Access Inquiry role assigned.

 

Provide the capability for IOs, and other security personnel to be able to query the system for a single user, by Group, and date range of user that have been removed from the system.  The query should be able to be exported to MS Excel and PDF formats.  The results returned will be based upon the user's account access that is performing the inquiry (IO, enterprise, etc).

 

This improvement has been requested by a number of Information Owners to aid them with their audit reviews.

 

This will assist the organizations as well as DPAS Security and the Help Desk to have ability for deletion history and audit compliance.

 

Frequency: Weekly

 

Currently Information Owner (IO) and Alternate (AIO) appointment emails are processed manually.  With IO-AIO appointments now tracked in DPAS, proposing an automated email be sent from the system.

With Information Owners and Alternates (IOs/AIOs) now tracked in the DPAS Admin module, it is recommended that DPAS send emails for new appointment creations, updates or deletions as they are processed.  The emails would include any pertinent information and would replace the need for manual emails.

This improvement will reduce the workload of the DPAS Security team.  As the DPAS user base increases, there is a need for increased automation.

 

This change will eliminate the need for DPAS security team to manually generate /send emails when an account update has been completed.

 

Frequency: Hourly

 

When accounts load, it's possible for a CTR expiration date not to load properly on the account due to the different date formats that may be used on the 2875.  During manual review if the date doesn't load on the account, it could be missed.  Proposing a notification be sent to DPAS Security (and any other internal parties needed) if the user is a CTR and doesn't have an expiration date listed on the account.

 

With the incorporation of additional IO functions within DPAS, there is a need for Security to have a Dashboard that displays the different open actions that require support from the DPAS Security Team.  A dashboard action showing contractors without an expiration date would be one of those actions.  Clicking on the action should display the contractors in a view with a hyperlink to go directly to the account to enable update and possibly incorporate a multi-select update within the view to enable all the contractors that support a contract that expired and was replaced by a new contract / contract date to be updated at once.  

 

With the increased number of users and additional security functions being incorporated within DPAS, there is a need for improved visibility of security actions.

 

Contractor accounts with no expiration date listed on the account can be addressed more quickly.

 

Frequency: Daily

 

The DPAS system's security is based upon a tier structure that is aligned to the business layer of the application supported.  For example:  In WM, the tiers are LP, Region, Site and Warehouse.  The IO's security forms for these 4 tiers are based upon the organization's business's name for those tiers.  As DPAS is currently designed, the business names aligned with a tier can be changed without the IOs or DPAS Security being notified.  Organizations must be able to modify the business name to support reorganizations / realignments.  As an example:  LP 1 has a region called "East".  Management decides it would better reflect what it supports if it is renamed to "Atlantic".  When the name changes, the IOs and DPAS Security must work in concert to adjust the security forms to match the name change.  The proposed improvement is to provide the IO and DPAS Security with a notification whenever there is a name change / realignment.  The notification could be via an email. Another option might be to add  these tier changes to the DPAS Security dashboard where they can track the open action to have the forms updated until.  Once the updates have been made, they can close the action.

The DPAS system's security is based upon a tier structure that is aligned to DPAS business layer. Security forms are based upon the tier's business's name.  For example:  In WM, the tiers are LP, Region, Site and Warehouse.  With a notification, DPAS Security can work with the IO to receive a new roles form to add additional access or delete the account if no longer required.

As the DPAS customers and users increase there are more changes occurring that require improved tracking.

 

Accounts with no available access can be addressed more quickly.

 

Frequency: Monthly