OX SYSTEMS provides services for all system change phases and we strongly recommend that you use a fully trained implementation team provided by the software reseller.
However, how do you choose?
Many young and expanding businesses are inexperienced at selecting new systems. When faced with a series of 'sales pitches' from various software resellers, it is difficult to make the right choice. At OX SYSTEMS we see things from your perspective - from your side of the desk.
Full consideration needs to be given to the requirements and investment. It is unwise to make a snap judgement based on sales presentations; a full requirements analysis is critical to a successful implementation and the roll out of a new Management Information system.
Through all stages maintain an Issues Log.
Needs and Requirements Analysis
The business, or accounting, system is the spine of the company. If designed well it will incorporate all business records, both financial and communications. Reporting and retrieval of information should be a build design requirement. Having information at your fingertips is critical to customer satisfaction and good decision making. A lot of management and staff time is either saved or wasted as a direct consequence of the system you choose. Good systems can make businesses, bad ones can break them.
more ... Needs and Requirements Analysis
Budget & Timescales
A financial model may be necessary for a cost – benefit analysis.
Ensure the Budget covers all aspects.
Identify benefit & savings.
more ... Budget & Timescales
New System Evaluation & Selection
The broad requirements of a new system should be decided at Board level having drawn from recommendations and requests from all departments. The system selection process should then be regularly monitored by the Board to ensure the requirements are met.
Each department should list its requirements, carefully differentiating between the 3 categories: critical, highly desirable and ‘nice-to-have’. Be prepared for compromise – particularly if this means that the company will have to change the way it operates.
more... New System Evaluation & Selection
 | Process Design
Appoint a team to design new processes. It would be unusual for existing practices to migrate unchanged from one system to another. Indeed, process change is a main drive for a software change.
Ensure that departmental managers or team leaders are involved in the design. Not only does this ensure that their requirements are met, it also gives them an early opportunity to see the new software first hand, and then be well placed to train their own staff. more ... Process Design |
Implementation
Technical: Initial installation and setting up of the new system is mainly the work of the IT Department or a senior member of the Finance Dept.
Take On: An important element of the implementation is the setting up in the new system of customers, delivery addresses, suppliers, products, stock locations, chart of accounts, pricing tables, units of measure and other relationships. Following this the open balances and transactions can be added, ie. customer balances, supplier balances, general ledger balances, stock count, open sales orders and open purchase orders.
Settings: Every business system has settings. These are choices (ie. flags to be set) made from the design process, eg. “Allow customer discounts: Yes or No”, and “Allow sales when stock in negative: Yes, No or Warn”.
Testing: Testing is a critical phase of implementation. Take every step to ensure that everything is tested and problems eliminated well in advance of Go-Live. Test all the Take-On data, and all transaction types. Test reports, stationery, reconciliations and resulting balances. Test that the staff have been trained.
more ... Implementation
| Training
Training is critical: everyone agrees this in principle. However it is frequently the victim of trimming the new system budget.
The cheapest training budget involves training key staff, preferably department heads or team leaders, then giving them responsibility to train their own staff. Depending on the lead time to Go-Live, and the accessibility and ease of use of the new system, experienced team leaders may be able to self teach; most even prefer it.
OX SYSTEMS conducts all training on the client’s site.
more ... Training
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Reports Build
The Reports Build process is critical to the successful launch of a new accounting system.
Reporting, or lack of it, is frequently the reason for a system change in the first place, yet it often drops down the priority list as the main go-live date draws near.
more ... Reports Build
Go Live
The Go-Live date should be chosen carefully. Many companies in a fixed reporting cycle choose a year end. This coincides with the normal catch up and tidy up cycle normally required for published financial accounts and audits.
more ... Go Live
Post-Live Evaluation
Have all the objectives been achieved? If not, what is the resolution? Are management and staff aware of there unfinished tasks? Does the Implementation Team continue to meet? Does the Implementation Director continue to report to the Board?
more ... Post-Live Evaluation