The first few weeks of BAS InSite: ‘Together we’re gaining a clear picture of how this system works’

Published on 03 February 2026

We’ve been using BAS InSite, the university’s new basic administration system, for a month now. The transition to a single integrated platform for all HR, financial and administrative tasks went smoothly, for the most part, but also created a few challenges. ‘It’s not just a technical change; it also calls for people to be adaptable,’ says Wouter Peters, Director of ASSC and the BAS programme director.

Wouter, as the programme director, you’re in charge of this operation. Is it really such a big change?

‘It certainly is, and fortunately we don’t experience a transition on this scale every year. The staff of ASSC and ISSC, and many other people who were involved, have shown what can be done when you combine expertise, teamwork and a sense of responsibility. This is the invisible but essential value of colleagues who work together behind the scenes on creating a modern university.’

How have these first weeks gone, would you say?

‘They’ve gone well, and they’ve also been tough and challenging. It will obviously take some time to get used to the new system, because familiar screens have been replaced by different ones, we’re learning new jargon and the procedures in BAS InSite are very different. And while introducing the new system, we’ve also worked on improving the work processes, in close consultation with one another. At present, of course, we’re finding a few glitches as we start to use the system, and we’re working carefully and systematically on solutions and support. But we’ve seen that many colleagues could already change their personal details, such as adding emergency numbers, after logging in for the very first time. It’s recently also become possible to register leave or submit your expense claims in BAS InSite or via the Pocket App. So right from the start, everyone is experiencing the system themselves: highly intuitive and clearly structured for the many end users.’

‘It will take some time to get used to the new system, because familiar screens have been replaced by different ones.’

What were the challenges when making the transition?

‘The launch actually went more or less as expected. There were a few unforeseen situations, of course, given that the university is a complex organisation. You’re setting up a system for eleven thousand people; faculties and institutes aren’t all organised according to the same uniform structures, and the system won’t be completely suitable in the first instance. With BAS InSite, you’re also giving people space and showing trust that they’ll do their work well, so they now have access to perform procurement activities, which wasn’t the case with SAP. In this context, university staff now have more insight into the suppliers and their orders. And yes, something wasn’t quite right, which meant that too much information was visible. Someone quickly spotted this and reported it to the ISSC’s helpdesk, and it was resolved in a very short time. Fortunately, no malicious use was made of the information, but something like that keeps you focused. And it also makes us think carefully about working with others in a single system, the authorisation of the specific roles in the organisation, and what is visible and why. As a result, in the last few weeks we’ve removed some information from certain search screens, and privacy is now even more guaranteed in the system.’

We’ve been working towards this new system for two years... What can we expect in the weeks and months ahead?

‘The focus is now mainly on making sure that the system works as intended. At present, this means that alerts and problems are resolved as soon as possible, that the standard reports for management information are available, and that other wishes are placed on the list and prioritised for further development later this year. What’s most important is that were doing everything possible to make this intensive period of discovery as short as possible, so that processes become more familiar, actions become faster and users gain a growing sense of control and rhythm. We’re learning every day, and every day things are going better.’

What skills does this new system require of staff members?

‘It’s not just a technical change; it also calls for people to be adaptable. BAS InSite requires a reasonable standard of digital literacy, appropriate for the professionalism and responsibility of our staff members. From what I’m hearing in the corridors, it seems that the actual screens of BAS InSite and the AFAS Pocket app are intuitive and easy-to-use. The system provides enough information, with a clear explanation on the left-hand side of the page and under the round ‘i’ icons. Anyone who needs a more detailed explanation or in-depth information can find it in the knowledge items, which are available via the Helpdesk Portal. At the same time, we also realise that some aspects of the work processes are different, so you need to understand the process and specific terms in order to go through it correctly. Information sessions have therefore been planned to help people learn the right way to do this. There’s room for improvement in all the knowledge management, especially in sharing knowledge with one another, and this is something that’s being given our explicit attention.

‘What’s most important is that we're doing everything possible to make this intensive period of discovery as short as possible.’

We’re very grateful for the dedication and determination of all colleagues who are now making every effort to make BAS InSite successful. Although there’s currently a high workload for the people who use the system a lot, we’re looking forward with confidence to the future, when the system really will simplify the work. Thanks to everyone’s valuable feedback and commitment, we can continually improve BAS InSite, working together to build a more efficient and user-friendly work environment. This joint effort will not only strengthen our team, but will also lay the foundation for sustainable growth and success within the university.’

Where can people find help if they have any questions?

‘In principle, the system shows you the way. However, we’ve prepared certain key groups, such as HR advisers, controllers, HR preparers and managers, and over time they’ll be given all kinds of tips via the knowledge community that’s been set up. It’s important that this expands further in the future, so that we can continue to build and learn with one another. No one has to face a task on their own, if we know where to find each other. Because if you have questions, you can simply follow the right path via Who-What-Where. Together we’re gaining a clear picture of how BAS InSite works.’

What is BAS InSite?

BAS InSite is the basic administration system; it is built on AFAS software and provides a single integrated platform for HR, finance and procurement. It will make our business processes and systems better, smarter and simpler, in line with Leiden University’s ambition for a modern way of working and collaborating.