| The task of implementing a new construction | | | | clear calendar format with hard date ranges or |
| software package is no easy one. The be | | | | specific dates for each milestone. One of your |
| successful, you need to understand your business | | | | team members needs to be responsible for |
| objectives and how they relate to the new | | | | monitoring your progress along the timeline to |
| software. Only then will you be able to develop a | | | | ensure that the schedule is maintained or that it is |
| plan to match the software with your business | | | | updated to reflect changes. |
| and meet those goals. | | | | TIP: Make sure you have a "Go Live" milestone at |
| The purpose of this article is to explain several | | | | the end - the ultimate goal to work towards. |
| key elements for getting your software up and | | | | Data Conversion |
| running quickly and efficiently. Before beginning | | | | You have two options for converting your data |
| any implementation, read the following tips and | | | | from your old software to the new system: |
| use them to develop a strategic plan that will give | | | | manual and electronic. Ultimately, your choice will |
| you control over the entire process. | | | | depend on what services your vendor offers and |
| Gather a Team | | | | how much of the old data you want to transfer |
| The team of individuals that you pick to execute | | | | over. |
| the software conversion should resemble a | | | | Manual Conversion: This option is exactly as it |
| pyramid - team leader at the top, layers of | | | | sounds - you manually enter the old data in to the |
| support below with varying degrees of | | | | new system. This is time and labor intensive but |
| involvement, and so on. | | | | can be good for companies that only plan to |
| Conversion Lead: The in-house leader of the | | | | transfer a small amount of data. |
| conversion team will be the primary contact | | | | With manual conversion, of course the one thing |
| between your organization and the software | | | | to be aware of is data entry. If you opt for |
| vendor. This is typically the person with the most | | | | manual entry, make sure you have a system in |
| expertise in the area and could be the CEO, CFO, | | | | place to verify the data for accuracy. |
| or even the controller. Their main responsibility is | | | | Electronic Conversion: Electronic conversion of |
| to oversee the entire implementation process and | | | | data has the advantage of being faster and less |
| make sure that things stay on schedule. | | | | human-resource intensive. It is the ideal solution in |
| Top Level Management: The second level of your | | | | many cases, especially for companies with smaller |
| team, these managers will provide the valuable | | | | conversion teams. |
| input needed to ensure that the new software | | | | If your vendor offers electronic conversion tools, |
| performs the necessary tasks for their | | | | you should strongly consider using them. They will |
| departments. | | | | be able to provide you with guidance for |
| End-Users: The final level of your team should be | | | | retrieving data from your old system as well as |
| representatives from the group that will ultimately | | | | giving you a list of acceptable formats for |
| be responsible for inputting data to the new | | | | converting the data. |
| system. Their input will be hugely beneficial in | | | | Data Cleanup: The quality of the data that you |
| identifying ways to use the new software to | | | | transfer will only be as good as the source that it |
| improve the work flow and other company | | | | comes from. As such, you need to make sure |
| processes. | | | | that all your data is clean prior to moving it to the |
| Others: In addition to the core groups, you need | | | | new system. Schedule some time to standardize |
| to be sure that other personnel from other levels | | | | your data, identify missing or duplicate records, |
| of the organization are included. The key is to | | | | delete unnecessary data, test data validity, and |
| make sure that all departments or individuals that | | | | reformat and evaluate corrupted data before |
| will be impacted by the new software have a | | | | transferring it all. |
| voice in the new software implementation | | | | Data Testing: Testing the converted data for |
| process. | | | | accuracy and proper transition is just as important |
| TIP: Consider asking your outside CPA to join the | | | | as cleaning it prior to the conversions. Make sure |
| team as a consultant | | | | you test for accuracy before, during, and after |
| Consult with Your Vendor | | | | the conversion. |
| Of course, the people with the most knowledge | | | | In some sense, you can think of testing after the |
| about making the conversion successful will be | | | | conversion as a dry run for the real thin. Verify |
| representatives at the software vendor. They | | | | its integrity, run some test queries, and compare |
| likely have thousands of implementations under | | | | reports with reports generated by the old |
| their belts and will be able to give you excellent | | | | software for accuracy. |
| guidance throughout the process. | | | | TIP: In large companies with a lot of data, |
| Most vendors have conversion or implementation | | | | consider hiring temporary help to assist with data |
| managers who should be used. Additionally, if they | | | | entry or additional business support during the |
| offer conversion checklists or anything similar, | | | | conversion time. |
| make sure that you use them. | | | | Training |
| Some of their additional resources may cost | | | | After installing the software and converting all the |
| some money, but in most cases they are worth | | | | data, the next step is to properly train your staff |
| the additional investment since they allow you to | | | | to use it. This cannot be stressed enough: do not |
| be up and running sooner than later. | | | | cut any corners with training. All end users need |
| TIP: Ask your vendor for recommendations about | | | | to be formally trained how to use the new |
| where to order checks, forms, and other | | | | system, even those that have experience with |
| paperwork to use with your new software - they | | | | similar packages. |
| know what works best. | | | | Conducting on-site training is the most |
| Develop an Implementation Timeline | | | | advantageous because it allows users to get |
| With the assistance of representatives from your | | | | comfortable with the software in the environment |
| vendor, develop a detailed timeline for the | | | | that they'll be using it in as well as work with real |
| implementation. Begin with a list of all that needs | | | | data. Begin with the basic modules and move on |
| to be done and get input from all members of | | | | from there. |
| your team and the vendor. The more thorough | | | | TIP: Any necessary follow up training can be done |
| your list, the better equipped for success you will | | | | on the phone or via the Internet. It is important |
| be as it will eliminate the risk of things popping up | | | | to offer ongoing training and refreshers so that |
| that weren't planned for. | | | | you can maintain the accuracy of your data. |
| After the brainstorming sessions, it may be helpful | | | | A Working Relationship |
| to develop categories to organize things. For | | | | After you go live with the new software, your |
| example, tasks can be assigned to "pre-install," | | | | relationship with your vendor will not end. Take |
| "during-install" and so on. Remember to plan and | | | | the necessary steps to nurture that relationship |
| account for any hardware upgrades that will be | | | | so that when you run in to problems you will get |
| necessary or beneficial. | | | | the best support you can. Offer to be a |
| The software conversion is an excellent time to | | | | reference for them and attend conferences that |
| evaluate your current account and cost code | | | | are in your area. |
| charting and make any changes that will be | | | | The environment of construction accounting is |
| beneficial. Adding these things to your timeline will | | | | complex. Building a long-term relationship with your |
| force you to consider them and look for ways to | | | | vendor is one of the best ways to ensure |
| improve your processes when the time is right. | | | | ongoing success for your company. |
| The timeline that you develop needs to be in a | | | | |