Business Services improves efficiency, consistency for service centers

UB has launched Blue Services, powered by iLab, a web-based software tool to support service center operations. This tool enables the university to track equipment usage, process work order requests and bill for services in a consistent manner.

The system is integrated with UB’s financial systems, allowing for automated billing and improving efficiency and consistency for service centers and their customers. Prior to Blue Services, service centers tracked usage and routed invoices to users to manually enter account information.

“We introduced a centralized billing system to make processes more efficient, consistent and transparent,” explains Laura Hubbard, vice president for finance and administration. “This exciting change simplifies operations, strengthens oversight and ensues a smoother experience for everyone.”

The goals of Blue Services are to:

• Create a platform for departments to view all instruments and services available across campus.
• Establish calendars and workflows for resource scheduling and service requests.
• Provide a tool allowing service centers to manage customers and account receivables.
• Automate billing, invoicing and payment posting through integration with the university’s chart of accounts.
• Improve record-keeping and reporting.

This is a multi-year project that uses a wave approach to ensure that each service center has the functionality it needs. The pilot, which began in summer 2024, is now in its fourth wave onboarding service centers across the university. Every eight weeks, three or four new centers will be onboarded into the system.

Wade Sigurdson, director of the Confocal Microscope and Flow Cytometry Facility, was part of the first wave that onboarded multiple service centers from the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

“The iLab representative who facilitated our training did a fantastic job,” Sigurdson says. “They were very understanding of our needs, extremely experienced in the system and a pleasure to work with. And most importantly, they’re willing to adapt our system to the unique needs we identify as we continue to onboard additional users across the university.”

The project is sponsored by Beth Corry, associate vice president and controller, Division of Finance and Administration, and led by Jennifer Pesany, assistant vice president, Financial Management; Ashley Butcher, director of cost accounting, Financial Management; and Lilly Damin, project coordinator, Business Reporting and Systems.

“The future of Blue Services is all about simplicity, transparency and efficiency,” Corry says. “This is just the beginning. Business Services is committed to continuously improving how we support the campus community.”

To learn more and explore FAQs, visit the Blue Services website.