Resource Planning / Budget Workflows Labor Planning / Workflow / FY 26 Guidelines

We are pleased to share that the university is implementing a new budget system beginning this fall.  The new platform, which is named RAPTOR (Resource Allocation Planning Tool for Operational Reporting), creates significant process improvements that streamline and standardize resource planning across campus.

 

RAPTOR will provide a single source of truth for budget and financial data and a unified set of tools for many budget process tasks. It will integrate regularly updated data from Banner, providing accurate information and timely reporting capabilities. It will bring together budget processes that are currently accomplished through several separate practices, including:

 

  • Data entry
  • Request descriptions
  • Reporting
  • Review
  • In-year forecasting
  • Long-term forecasting
  • Labor planning (replacing merit spreadsheets)
  • Budget planning for all indexes (including endowment, gifts, and LU Funds)

 

Frequently Asked Questions Training Sessions & Materials
Project Timeline
Phase I - Fall 2024Phase II - Spring 2025Phase III - Fall 2025Phase IV - Spring 2026
RAPTOR adopted campus wideRAPTOR used for approval processRAPTOR used for off-cycle budget requests; LADL tools availableBudget dashboard and reporting
  • RAPTOR introduction and working / info sessions offered.
  • FY26 Budget requests entered in RAPTOR.
  • Quarterly reporting begins in RAPTOR.
  • Budget data available in Lehigh Administrative Data Lake.
  • FY26 Budget requests reviewed through RAPTOR and discussed at divisional meetings.
  • Provost and VPFA use RAPTOR to approve requests.
  • Labor planning replaces Merit process (spreadsheets).
  • FY26 Revenue and Expense budgets entered in RAPTOR.
  • All off-cycle budget requests go through RAPTOR workflow.
  • 3-5 year budget plans included in resource planning effort.
  • Executive and Budget Office staff have access to budget dashboards and other reporting tools for visualization (in RAPTOR / from LADL)

 

 

 
Resource Planning Comparison
Process ComparisonExisting Resource Planning  ProcessRAPTOR Resource Planning Process

Efficient and decision oriented; Minimize end-user effort

NoYes
Spreadsheet based; various formatsYesNo
Unified approach; streamline effort across campus; streamline user experienceNoYes

Develop, track, forecast and manage budgets/projections through the year

NoYes

Increase transparency, accuracy and confidence in budgets and forecasts

NoYes