NYS Comptroller Seal  

Bureau of State Payroll Services

Date: December 19, 2002

Bulletin No. 363

Subject Query Upgrade
Purpose To inform all query users of the query upgrade testing and conversion and to request agency assistance in facilitating these steps.
Affected Employees All PS Query users
Background (State of Query Upgrade and Testing) Query Upgrade Status

To date, PS Query users have:
Renamed the queries they want converted (Refer to Bulletin 328);
Eliminated a private query if a public query also exists.
Sent their priority list of private queries to OSC.

There are approximately 810 priority 1 private queries and 1,500 public queries that must be tested (in the 7.02 version) and converted.

Query Testing Status

Query testing will not begin until early 2003.

OSC will test and convert:

Private queries identified as a number 1 priority by agencies.
Public queries.
Agency Actions Payroll Officers should distribute this Bulletin to all query users in their agency.

It is essential query users immediately eliminate all queries that do not execute or return invalid data. This will ensure queries that are working correctly will be converted in a timely manner.
Query Testing To test a query, OSC will run the query in both the current and the upgraded query versions and then compare them to each other.

Any differences will be noted, and OSC will make corrections to the upgraded version until the same results are achieved in both queries.

If a Priority #1 Private query does not run in testing, OSC will change the name of the query to begin with Z_. Users will be contacted to correct the query within a certain amount of time. OSC will then retest the query.

If a Public query does not run in testing, OSC will change the name of query to begin with Z_. This will indicate to the owners that there is a problem and they must correct it as soon as possible. After it is fixed, the owner needs to change the name to begin with UG_. OSC will then retest the query.
Security If any fields in your query have been relocated to a new table, OSC will ensure that your security class includes that table.
Moratorium OSC will stop converting all queries approximately one month prior to conversion. Agencies will be responsible for converting their remaining queries.
Agency Conversion of Queries OSC will provide agencies with a guide to assist them in testing and converting their non-essential private queries after implementation of the upgraded system.

Users will be identified and given access to a test database where queries can be run and tested.
Assistance Any query users in the local Albany area who would like to assist OSC in testing their own priority 1 private queries and/or public queries at 110 State Street, should contact the Query Help mailbox. Please indicate what days and hours you would be available.
Questions Questions regarding this bulletin may be directed to the Query Help mailbox.