System and method for assessing a procurement and accounts payable system6684191Abstract A system for deploying to a client accounting installation a general procurement and accounts payable application specifically configured for the client by an enterprise includes a database server for (1) maintaining on a storage device a database of templates describing procedures for assessing, preparing, developing, deploying and supporting the application, and for (2) serving these templates to team members operating web-enabled terminals for coordinating, recording and tracking team activities with respect to the application while generating a description for adapting a front end server and an accounting system server to the requirements of the client. Claims We claim: Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
TABLE 1
SUMMARY TASK TEMPLATES PART 1
SECTION 1: CREATION STATUS
Category 444: Categories include education,
req/cat development, SAP
development, transformation
management, architecture,
procurement process.
Team 446: Specific project team responsible
for this task.
Offering type 448: Kind of product being brought to
client: req/cat only, SAP only, and
req/cat and SAP.
Stage 450: The stages are assessment 101,
project preparation 102, project
development 103, deployment 104,
and support 105.
Doc owned by 452: Team 140 owner of document, the
designer of this one template. The
teams 140 are those illustrated in
FIG. 2.
Doc created by 454: Author of this one template.
Dev status 456: Approval status: first draft, final
edit, final approval, etc. Only
owner 452 can change this status.
Only the owner 452 can approve the
content of this template (task).
SECTION 2: IMPORTANCE BUTTONS
Education 462: Represents a combination of things,
including (1) does someone need to
be taught how to do this task, (2)
is it something that should be
included in the education package
to the customer.
Certification 464: Indicates whether or not an
implementer of this task (ie,
service provider) must be
certified.
Auditable 466: Indicates whether or not it is a
task that Enterprise would be able
to or needs to audit performance by
the implementer/service provider
Milestone 468: Indicates if this task is a
critical accomplishment in the path
of completing the implementation of
the offering type.
Critical path 470: Indicates if this is a task that
must be completed in order to
advance to the next task in order
to complete the offering type, and
can change during the course of the
project as tasks are completed and
the overall environment changes.
SECTION 3: IMPLEMENTATION
Task order 472: A number assigned to a detailed
task that shows its order under the
summary task.
% complete 474: An estimate of how complete is this
task document in its development
for a particular customer.
Executed by 458: Name of service provider (eg.,
Enterprise, or some Enterprise
partner).
Performed by 460: Technical team responsible for
doing this task.
Priority 476: High, medium, low priority, based
on whether this task is in critical
path, and whether or not it needs
to be done in support of some
subsequent task.
Work effort 478: Estimated time required to complete
this task.
Sequence 480: A number assigned to a summary task
that shows its order under a higher
level task.
Task status 482: Represents how far the service
provider has progressed in its
implementation of this task. This
is rolled up to Lotus Notes
database 70 to enable the owner to
track progress of the service
providers during the audit phase.
Table 2 sets forth the template 440 fields which may vary between templates, including those for major operations and major steps within an operation.
TABLE 2
SUMMARY TASK TEMPLATES PART 2
SECTION 4: SUMMARY TASK DETAILS
Description 490: High level summary description
of major operations or steps.
Assumptions 492: What if any assumptions apply.
Prerequisites 494: Tasks that must be completed
before this task can complete.
Critical success factors 496: Description of tools,
techniques, relationships,
understandings, technical and
relationship skills and
commitments, knowledge base of
team and customer, and so
forth, needed to accomplish
this task.
Deliverables 498: Expected output of this task.
SECTION 5: APPROVALS
Task approver 500: Identity of approvers.
Notification date 502: Date approvers notified.
Request approval 504: Electronic signature of
approval.
SECTION 6: PROJECT REFERENCE
Comments and dialog 506: General comments (open
season).
Deliverable checklist 408: Checklist of deliverables.
Approval status 510: List of approvers of this
document and status of their
approval.
Edit history 512: Listing of persons who have
modified this document during
its preparation (service
provider is not allowed to
change these task
descriptions.)
Database 70 at server 62 includes all summary and detail tasks templates which have been completed in a set for a particular customer. An initial set of the tasks listed in Table 4 is provided for each customer, but during project implementation phases 101-105, these are configured or personalized to the customer. While many summary and detailed tasks of Table 4 do not appear in the flow chart of FIGS. 3A-3M, those selected illustrate a flow from start to finish across the five major stages--and form a representative, if not critical, path through them. As shown in FIGS. 3, and 3A-3M, the transitions between stages 100-105 are, in some instances, blurred and a particular task may be allocated to either or both of two of these stages. In each stage, the key to success is the integration through the use of the templates of the groups (FIG. 2) and activities (Table 4, both summary tasks and detail tasks.) Also, an important aspect of the invention is the method provided across the five stages (FIG. 3) for effecting a transition from a legacy process, including hardware, software, work procedures and human resources, to a new process. Table 4 is a chart of summary and detail tasks, pursuant to a particular embodiment of the invention, available for presentation in display area 426 of playbook summary view 400 upon selection of button 432. Selection by a user in display area 426 of a task designated with two or three alpha-numeric reference numerals P1, P11, P12, . . . , results in display of a template 440 personalized to the summary task, and selection of a task designated with four or more alpha-numeric reference numerals P111, P112, . . . , result in display of a template 520 personalized to the detail task. A user with appropriate authority may then view, correct, update, approve or otherwise modify the displayed task. The names of the detail tasks set forth broadly the functions or method steps performed in implementing the superior summary task. In Table 4, each summary task is identified in the first column by the stage 100-105 to which it pertains, in the second column by a task identifier P11, P12, . . . , and, for selected tasks, in the third column by the process step (150, . . . , 354 in FIGS. 3A-3M) to which it pertains. In general (with very few exceptions), a detail task pertains to the same stage 100-105 as its summary task.
TABLE 4
CHART OF SUMMARY AND DETAIL TASKS
Task ID Summary Tasks
Stage Step Detail Tasks
1 FOLDERS AND VIEWS
2 BY CATEGORY
3 ALL TASKS
4 p1 ASSESSMENT
5 101 P11 Perform customer service offering
6 assessment
7 101 P111 174 Perform customer business
8 assessment
9 101 P112 Perform customer business
10 assessment e-Req/Cat
11 101 P113 Develop workshop management plan
12 101 P114 Develop workshop management plan
e-
13 Req/Cat
14 101 P115 Review findings from marketing
15 procurement consulting engagement
16 101 P116 Review findings from marketing
17 procurement consulting engagement
18 e-Req/Cat
19 101 P117 176 Formulate workshop approach
20 101 P118 Formulate workshop approach e-
21 Req/Cat
22 101 P119 Prepare for workshop
23 101 P11A Prepare for workshop e-req/Cat
24 101 P12 178 Introduce recommend service offering to
25 customer
26 101 P121 Present service offering to
27 customer (perform workshop)
28 101 P122 Present service offering to
29 customer (perform workshop) e-
30 Req/Cat
31 101 P123 Formulate proposal approach
32 101 P124 Formulate proposal approach e-
33 Req/Cat
34 101 P13 Create proposal and contract
35 101 P131 Develop and cost proposal
36 101 P132 Develop and cost proposal
e-Req/cat
37 101 P133 Draft and price customer contract
38 101 P134 Draft and price customer contract
39 e-Req/Cat
40 P2 BUSINESS CONTROLS
41 103 P21 Business control requirements
42 103 P211 290 Confirm business controls
43 requireinents
44 103 P212 Confirm separation of duties
(SOD)
45 requirements
46 104 P213 292 Conduct ASCA self-assessment
47 104 P214 Risk assessment
48 104 P215 224,294 Conduct ASCA/business controls
49 review
50 102 P2151 Confirm image production system
51 management strategy
52 P3 CONFIGURATION
53 103 P31 320 Conduct Req/Cat functional detailed fit
54 gap analysis
55 103 P311 Confirm Req/Cat organizational
56 hierarchy
57 103 P312 Define the Req/Cat functional
58 detailed fit
59 103 P313 Resolve functional gaps for
Req/Cat
60 103 P32 324 Configure Req/Cat offering
61 103 P321 Confirm and refine "Ives Team
62 Studio" for code tracking
63 103 P322 Confirm and refine Req/Cat initial
64 settings and organizational
65 structure
66 103 P323 Confirm and refine Req/Cat
67 authorizations
68 103 P324 Refine and validate final Req/Cat
69 configuration
70 103 P33 Customize Req/Cat offering
71 103 P331 Validate and customize Req/Cat
core
72 application change request
73 103 P332 Refine and validate final
74 customization for Req/Cat
75 103 P34 Produce custom Req/Cat programs
76 103 P341 276 Validate and code bridge change
77 requests (SAP and Req/Cat)
78 P4 EDUCATION AND TRAINING
79 102 P41 Develop customer education and training
80 strategy
81 102 P411 Validate customer education &
82 training objectives
83 102 P412 190 Define the training requirements
84 and approach
85 102 P413 Confirm the education & training
86 strategy
87 102 P42 Define system management processes
88 102 P421 Define SAP correction and
transport
89 process
90 102 P422 Define and agree on service level
91 agreement SLA
92 102 P423 Define and administer SAP release
93 control process
94 102 P424 Define Req/Cat transport process
95 102 P425 Define and administer version
96 control process
97 103 P43 192 Define user documentation and training
98 requirements
99 103 P431 Define customer user audiences and
100 requirements
101 103 P432 Confirm user documentation
102 requirements and standards
103 103 P433 Conduct detailed end-user task
104 analysis
105 103 P434 Assess user skills and training
106 needs
107 103 P435 Validate end-user courses and
108 content
109 103 P436 Identify users and course
attendees
110 103 P437 Define and notify training
111 attendees
112 103 P44 Develop user training documentation
113 103 P441 Produce customer specific
end-user
114 documentation
115 103 P442 Confirm training evaluation
116 materials/approach with customer
117 103 P443 194 Setup training system environment
118 103 P444 Validate training logistics
119 103 P445 198 Conduct pilot training with super
120 users
121 103 P446 196 Arrange documentation and
training
122 material production
123 103 P45 Internal (Enterprise, service provider)
124 training requirements
125 103 P451 Identify and organize appropriate
126 internal training
127 104 P46 Conduct end-user training
128 104 P461 Conduct train-the-trainer
sessions
129 104 P462 214,230 Perform training
130 104 P463 212 Conduct new buyer training
131 P5 IMAGE
132 103 P51 Conduct image functional detailed fit
133 gap analysis
134 103 P511 Define the image functional
135 detailed fit
136 103 P512 Resolve image functional gaps
137 103 P52 Configure image offering
138 103 P521 Refine and validate final image
139 configuration
140 103 P522 Confirm and refine image initial
141 settings
142 P6 I/T
143 103 P61 Establish customer network/computing
144 infrastructure
145 103 P611 Confirm component delivery
146 103 P612 Establish network/computing
147 hardware/software architecture
148 infrastructure
149 103 P613 Ready network/computing
environment
150 103 P62 Establish EDI infrastructure
151 103 P621 Establish EDI infrastructure
152 103 P622 Conduct trading partner testing
153 (IT)
154 102 P623 Confirm EDI strategy
155 102 P6231 Setup image system environments
156 103 P6232 Establish cutover checklist and
157 perform pre-cutover activities for
158 image production environment
159 104 P6233 Validate image production support
160 for system management
161 103 P63 Develop reporting infrastructure
162 103 P631 Develop reporting infrastructure
163 (LIS/EIS)
164 103 P632 Develop DataMart extracts
165 103 P633 232 Develop additional reports
166 (customer/operations)
167 102 P64 Perform bridge architecture assessment
168 102 P641 Perform bridge architecture.
169 integration point interfaces work
170 session
171 102 P642 158 Define bridge architecture
project
172 objectives document
173 102 P65 Validate bridge, EDI, vendor reporting
174 requirements
175 102 P651 270 Develop and manage bridge
176 architecture implementation work
177 plan
178 102 P652 Analyze EDI requirements
179 102 P653 Determine EDI communication
180 environment
181 102 P654 Analyze vendor master data load
182 102 P655 Analyze operational reporting
183 requirements
184 102 P656 Analyze customer requirements for
185 DataMart implementation
186 102 P657 Schedule and conduct weekly
187 interlock meeting
188 102 P658 Vendor lead client analysis
189 102 P66 Set up development/integration
190 environment
191 102 P661 Set up SAP development/integration
192 environment
193 102 P662 Set up Req/Cat system environments
194 103 P67 Set up consolidation/test environment
195 103 P671 Set up SAP consolidation/test
196 environment
197 104 P68 218 Set up production environment
198 104 P681 Convert vendor master into
199 production environment
200 104 P682 Determine EDI tasks for production
201 environment set up
202 104 P683 Execute SAP cutover checklist
203 104 P684 Set up SAP production environment
204 104 P685 Establish SAP batch schedule
205 104 P686 Set up trading partners in
206 production environment
207 104 P687 Vendor lead client deployment
208 103 P688 Establish cutover checklist and
209 perform pre-cutover activities for
210 SAP production environment
211 103 P689 Establish cutover checklist and
212 perform pre-cutover activities for
213 e-Req/Cat production environment
214 105 P69 Refine/execute production support for
215 system management
216 105 P691 234 Perform on-going support
activities
217 for Req/Cat
218 105 P692 Post deployment reporting support
219 105 P693 Develop new bridges and
application
220 extensions post go live
221 105 P694 236 Support new EDI transactions post
222 go live
223 105 P695 Execute system management
security
224 support procedures
225 105 P696 Execute data management support
226 procedures
227 105 P697 236 Execute EDI support procedures
228 105 P698 Execute system management
229 operational support desk
procedures
230 105 P699 Execute system management batch
231 support desk procedures
232 105 P69A Execute system management SAPBI
233 support procedures
234 105 P69B Execute system management master
Project Assessment 101 Referring to FIG. 3 in connection with FIG. 2, project assessment phase 101 follows pre-sales phase 100, during which marketing makes its initial contact with the prospective client, or customer. After initial contact from marketing 118, the main thrust of Assessment Project 101 is to provide an integrated, cross-functional customer solution to the client. An assessment team is led by the Business Office 120, but requires input and participation from the project leaders of Architecture 122, Transformation Management 136, Business Process 112, EDI 114, and Application Development 116. Assessment 101 begins with a complete review of the client's current general procurement and accounts payable processes. This includes debriefing the initial marketing team 118, instructing the project leaders 126, and accumulating all other relevant data available about the client's processes, tools, and organizational structures. The Assessment Team then defines an integrated customer solution that covers technical, educational, and Human Resource issues. The delivery of the Workshop is intended to present an overview of the customer solution, initiate discussions on process analysis and strategic implementation, and confirmation of the solution fit. Specific goals of a workshop phase within assessment stage 101 include the following: (1) Prepare and deliver a presentation to the customer defining the service offering, including any essential documentation on the offering, and a demonstration of the end-user tool(s), as applicable. (2) Collect area specific information and customer requirements on network process sourcing, procurement, accounts payable, and finance; and EDI, I/T, and transition management. (3) Identify high level gaps in each such area. (4) Identify additional high level requirements for new process support, and for conversion requirements, including requirements for commodity structure, account structure, vendor, and contracts. (5) Identify interface requirements, including requirements for HR, cost center, catalogs, ledger, information warehouse. (6) Validate accounting for project, appropriation, contract, job, tax reporting, currency, and check reconciliation. (7) Identify requirements for network, EDI, testing, and application development including new reports, new interfaces, and new features. (8) Assemble a high-level gap analysis. (9) Create a high-level Customer Scope Document. (10) Confirm the recommended solution. At the completion of the workshop phase, the assessment team 106 convenes to develop and cost the final customer solution and proposal. At this time, the members of assessment team 106 assemble, understand, and validate the collected data; review standard proposal options with assumptions and identify items that apply to this client; create a draft of the proposal including scope, risk, schedule, and resources; review the draft with team and other project members to obtain sizing and costing information for each area; compile costing information to add to the proposal; and perform QA review of the system integration, application development, managed operations (including service delivery center (SDC), application IT, and Process Operations) proposals, and of the overall proposal. The resulting proposal is delivered or presented to the client. Final Assessment activities include follow up query responses and, should the proposal be declined, a loss analysis. This loss analysis feeds back into assessment process 101 to improve its overall effectiveness and efficiency. Referring to Table 4, summary tasks pertaining to assessment stage 101 are listed, together with included detail tasks. For each task, a template 440 or 520 is maintained in data base 70, and accessed by team 108 members and others through summary view 400 to track progress (including viewing, updating, sharing, and approving) during this assessment stage 101. Project Preparation 102 Referring further to FIG. 3, project preparation stage 102 sets up the project, initializes detail planning, and models the plan for making the transition from the client's legacy system and process to the new system and process (or, offering). A critical element of this stage is to ensure resources are assigned to transition management 136, both from the project implementation team 126 as well as from the client. During this stage the transition activities required for a smooth migration from the old client process and system to the new service offering are modeled. The result is a detailed transition management plan that is specifically designed for the client. Stage 102 tasks and deliverables include the following: (1) Perform analysis on the client HR environment, including organization structure and relationships, labor relations, management, administration, and end user roles and responsibilities, and the general HR environment. (2) Develop and approve the detailed transition management and communication plan. (3) Update the client specific transition management strategy. (4) Define the quality assurance (QA) process required to assure that a project conforms to documented standards and meets documented requirements. The purpose of this task is to confirm the quality assurance standards between Enterprise and the client, and identifies the tasks that are to be audited by the Enterprise Technical Center. The QA review is a beneficial process for the project as it timely recognizes potential risk areas and reduces the possibility of project delays while achieving faster implementation, attaining low cost and increasing the customer's level of confidence. Deliverables of the QA review task include the following: (1) Confirm and refine quality assurance standards with the customer. (2) Confirm that technical requirements can be met. (3) Confirm that business and financial measurements can be met. (4) Confirm that the proposal is complete and the required processes have been followed. (5) Establish QA schedule for the project. Integration of all critical Enterprise and client team members provides the glue to assure a smooth project. By completing the detailed tasks within project preparation stage 102, the recommended implementation standards, procedures and strategies for the project are shared with the technical and business functional members of the project team as well as with the customer. All team members have input in this process, and understand the basic procedures, once they have been agreed to. These procedures, documented in summary and detail task templates listed in Table 4, include the following: Configuration Standards CR/PTR Process Testing Strategy Production Support and Operations Strategy SAP System Management Strategy Req/Cat System Management Strategy Network Computing Strategy Vendor Conversion Strategy Project Design and Development 103 Referring further to FIGS. 3, project design and development phase 103 provides and documents in a database of templates referred to as a Playbook, the business controls, transformation management, and SAP and Req/Cat customization required for an integrated approach to a complete customer solution. During this stage 103, business controls 132 provides a comprehensive process that identifies key control points and establishes detailed procedures to assure a quality installation. The deliverables include documentation, separation of duties, sensitive programs, logical access control, logging (audit trail), change control for tables, change control for programs, system testing, input controls, processing controls, error handling controls, output controls, balancing and reconciliation, vital records and disaster recovery, records management, reports, local area network (LAN), and country specifics, as described below: (1) Documentation: an assessment of the quality and completeness of existing program documentation and a determination of the degree to which programs could be efficiently reconstructed if they were destroyed. (2) Separation of duties: the duties of the programmer, computer operations, and user groups are reviewed to ensure that separation of duties problems do not exist. No one individual can control activities within a process (or any event in a string of events) in a way that permits errors of omission, or commission of fraud, theft, etc., to go undetected. (3) Sensitive programs: controls must be in place to prevent unauthorized modification and/or use of the application. (4) Logical access control: while programs are generally controlled by a site procedure, application data has a formal access control mechanism. (5) Logging (audit trail): a logging mechanism is established to ensure the audit trail is correct. (6) Change control (tables): a change control system is put in place to evaluate, justify and control changes to tables. (7) Change control (programs): a change control system is put in place to evaluate, justify and control changes to programs. (8) System Testing: system testing procedures are effectively planned and carried out to ensure that controls are successfully tested and documented. (9) Input controls: to insure accuracy and completeness of information entering an application. (10) Processing controls: controls are applied for entry of data into the computer application system that ensure accuracy and completeness of data during computer processing. (11) Error handling controls: controls for error handling and reprocessing of transactions. (12) Output controls: output controls ensure the integrity of the output data from conclusion of computer processing to delivery to the user. (13) Balancing and reconciliation: verifies that procedures to reconcile output to input are effective. (14) Vital records and disaster recovery: disaster recovery is designed to provide for the continuity or rapid system restoration of a business process immediately following a natural or man-made emergency or disaster. (15) Records management: verify that information is managed with sound business practices and controls. (16) Reports: verify that reports are distributed properly. (17) Local Area Network (LAN): Refer to ITCS 201, "Security Standards for Local Area Networks and Distributed Computing." (18) Country specifics: verifies that any questions particular to this specific country are completed. Req/Cat is a requisition and catalog product designed, developed, and maintained by Enterprise for use in systems such as those developed in this stage 103. SAP is an financial and accounting package which an enterprise or company may license for its own use and for its customers. SAP configurators that customize package programs to fit the needs of the client are provided for use during design and development stage 103. All other installations of SAP are "off the shelf", with the client changing its internal structures to fit SAP requirements. Transition management is the most overlooked part of any implementation process. It is critical to address the corporate culture and personality at the earliest contact. Strategic and tactical plans may then be developed that guide the implementation through "Go Live" and for an agreed period thereafter. The purpose of transition management steps of the design and development stage 103 is to provide guidance to the development team members as they work with the client to institute policy changes that might be introduced as part of the implementation of the new process and system. Necessary changes to the legacy system are identified and a plan developed to announce and introduce changes in policy. Policy change includes key business rules that are part of the management system for purchasing and procurement. They may be associated with approval levels or procedural changes in the new system. The target is not the day to day operation but management decision and support systems that might be affected. The areas addressed include: Measurements (old and new) Management system Approval levels Supplier contacts and contracts Reward systems Incentive Plans Security Employee and user changes All of these areas require strategic and tactical planning that includes the following steps: (1) Identify the current (legacy) system or process and compare it to the new process or system to be implemented to identify gaps. (2) Develop specific recommendations for gaps between the legacy and the new system or process, identifying the level of sensitivity and whether or not action is required as part of the transition. (3) Determine the announcement and transition (or, cut over) date for each action identified. (4) Design a communications plan to build the message and media for communicating the changes to affected parties. (5) Design a process transition plan to ensure the elements of change are integrated into the overall plan for the process. (6) Determine how the policies must be modified according to new standards and procedures (7) Determine what new policies and procedures will be implemented as part of the process and system. Finally, integration of the above design and development stage 103 process steps along with the technical teams involved allow the delivery of a cross-functional solution under one unified and managed plan. Project Deployment 104 Referring again to FIG. 3, project deployment phase 104 uses the Playbook to improve deployment of (1) quality, or application systems control and auditability (ASCA), (2) transition management, and (3) integrated project management systems and procedures. 1. Quality (ASCA) A business controls team provides dedicated resources throughout the life cycle of the project. During the project development stage 103, this team has planned and executed an ASCA self-assessment that has covered an extensive list of technical, business, financial, and client issues. In this deployment stage 104, its members are responsible for managing an independent audit that will cover the same areas. The independent auditors then issue an acceptance position that is required before the client can "Go Live" with the new system and process. Deployment stage 104 activities include: (1) Create the project plan for ASCA Review preparation activities. (2) Determine which Enterprise organization will conduct the ASCA and business controls review. (3) Prepare all ASCA documentation required for the review. (4) Prepare all sub-process overviews and descriptions of process flow. (5) Ensure the test plan includes those elements of the ASCA checks required to ensure business controls, separation of duties, and authorization matrices, data integrity and security. (6) Create, update and complete all required documents of understanding (DOU's) & service level agreements (SLA's). (7) Ensure the separation of duties matrix (SOD) is current at time of final review. (8) Review all testing and obtain test approvals. (9) Ensure all approvals have been obtained and signed approval forms available for ASCA Review. These include approvals for process ownership, ASCA requirements, self-assessment and system cutover. 2. Integrated Project Management During this deployment stage 104, project manager 126 has the task to validate and confirm that all checklists and status are acceptable prior to Go-live. This includes the readiness of all aspects of the project, and once satisfied, a review is conducted and the customer's formal sign-off for Go-live is obtained. Status transition management and client readiness assessment and confirmation activities include verification that: (1) No critical open issues exist in any area. (2) All relevant aspects of readiness have been included in the status check. (3) Network and computing performance testing is complete. (4) System test is complete. (5) User acceptance test is complete. (6) System management production environment Go-live checklist is complete. (7) Any needed CR's and PTR's have been generated. (8) Production support is in place. (9) Supplier readiness is reviewed and accepted. (10) Service provider readiness is confirmed. (11) Enterprise GP readiness is confirmed. (12) Review of the compiled check information is completed. (13) Customer sign-off on the Go-Live decision is obtained. 3. Transition Management A transition management team prepares for the deployment, or "Go Live" of the client solution. During this deployment stage 104 in the project, virtually all technical problems are resolved and systems configured. The client is now ready to deploy and the human factors must be aggressively managed to assure a smooth transition from the legacy systems to the improved client solution. Transition management activities within deployment stage 104 ensure that organization, measurements, management, support, and labor relations functions are developed, explained, reviewed, understood, in place or on schedule, as appropriate. (1) Organization: organizational changes for Go-Live, updated communications plans, feedback mechanism for persons displaced by changes in organization, and the new organization. (2) Measurements: changes in measurement system, plan to cut over to the new measurements, and communications explaining the new measurements, including how they are derived, how they are used and their importance to the business. (3) Management: changes in management or management responsibilities, communications explaining the changes in management structure, and why it is important to the clients' organization, the management chain and path for escalation of issues, normal business reports and their use. (4) Support: support structure for both client and technical support. (5) Labor Relations: activities associated with the loss of a job role, plan to notify the affected people, communication plan for providing information to remaining employees on the reasons for the changes and for fostering support for the new process. Integration of the cross-functional teams to accomplish the deployment of the customer solution is facilitated by use of the system and data base structure of the preferred embodiment of the invention. Ongoing Project Support 105 Referring further to FIG. 3, project support stage 105 enables project teams, all of which have continuing responsibilities with the client after "Go Live", to provide the required ongoing support. As with all other stages, integration of the teams through the use of the systems and methods provided by the invention, including transition management systems and methods, is greatly facilitated. It is a characteristic of the preferred embodiment that each of these areas has specific predetermined plans, actions and responsibilities, and these are audited and tracked through a GP/AP development and deployment system. During support stage 105, transition management 136 delivers an approved detailed questionnaire with quality questions in a logical format that allows end-users to express their opinion and provide information that meets the survey objective. Support stage 105 includes a plan for communicating the survey results to the participants and taking action in response to the survey results. This stage also incorporates a continuing education plan for training new employees as well as continually updating the material so that reflects the latest version of the application. The survey in stage 105 is structured to determine the end users' perception of the new system, system ease of use, response time from both the system and CSC (Customer Service Center), and customer knowledge level of processes and product. Results of the survey are compiled and presented to the client and Enterprise Management Teams along with action plans, time tables, expected results for approval, and implementation. A Lessons Learned document is reviewed with the project team and appropriate adjustments made for future engagements. Project Manager 126 provides a quality function task after "Go Live". This task aims at checking the implementation of the EPS Offering to determine if anything needs special attention or focus. It is also the formal sign-off on the final delivery of the implementation by the customer. Its deliverables include: (1) Customer accepts delivery of the EPS general procurement offering implementation and signs off. (2) Action list on issues and CR/PTR's, if applicable. (3) Formal transition of operational responsibility to operations 98 and support management 96. (4) Preliminary business benefits evaluation. The Req/Cat and SAP technical teams 128, 138 provide ongoing reviews and improvements to the client's process through the CR and PTR processes. These are formalized, documented processes with management controls to attain cost, schedule, and customer objectives. As part of the new business process, support center 94 is established to provide long term assistance in any area of the application solution. This includes communication of feedback, real time application assistance, and special requests for problems concerning data. It is the planned integration of these multi-functional teams that provides an innovative solution to the customer. Representative Path Implementation of Assessment Stage 101 Referring to FIG. 3A, a series of steps illustrating an exemplary critical path through assessment stage 101 will be described. Qualify potential client step 170, which actually pertains to pre-sales stage 100, is based on use of the detail task template P711, selected portions of which are set forth in Table 5. In step 172, using detail task template PD11, a customer transition assessment is performed. In step 174, using detail task template P111, a customer business assessment is performed. In step 176, using detail task template P117, the workshop approach is formulated. In step 178, using summary task template P12, the recommended service offering is introduced to the customer. In step 180, using summary task template P91, project planning is initiated and the project manager assigned. While these steps 170-180 represent a path through the assessment stage 101, other summary and detail tasks designated in Table 4 as pertaining to stage 101 are typically included in the initial set of templates for this customer, and are also used as they are determined to be applicable. Selected fields of the template P711 for stage 100 step 170 are represented in the detail task template of Table 5. Some field entries are dynamic and changeable during the course of assessment stage 101. The templates are also editable for a particular project, and do not necessarily continue during use to conform to the original format. Referring to step 170, once a potential client is identified, this client must be qualified for an offering(s) before continuing further. Information is gathered from the client or other sources about the client to determine if they are generally a match for one of the offerings. Telephone conferences or meetings may be held to gather/confirm this information and to confirm that the potential client wishes to progress towards an engagement. In step 170, the marketing team accesses template P711 in the course of qualifying a prospective customer for the assessment stage. Template 170 provides, either directly or by way of links, other documents, instructions, flow charts, and checklists for guiding and documenting the work of the marketing team through the steps for doing so. Those steps are performed by multiple people within the team and are as follows: 1. Offering interest is communicated to BPM Opportunity Manager by Sales/Client. 2. Client information is gathered (from sources; client phone calls, etc.) by BPM Opportunity Manager. Marketing Materials--Offering Information Client Qualification Questions/Tool Pre Assessment Data Collection Pre Assessment Questions Pre Assessment Spend, Tax, and Budgets 3. Opportunity Manager completes initial qualification form. 4. Opportunity Manager forwards `qualified` client interest to S&P Marketing Rep. 5. S&P Marketing Rep makes client contact to pursue assessment SOW, capture assessment scope details. 6. S&P Marketing Rep confirms client interest and forwards client assessment scope information to process, IT, and consulting reps. The deliverables resulting from step 170 include the following: Qualified client Client background information Marketing Materials--Offering Information Client Qualification Questions/Tool Pre Assessment Data Collection Pre Assessment Questions Pre Assessment Spend, Tax, and Budgets Initial Qualification Form Request for Assessment SOW (provides Assessment scope) An attachment including either a blank template or an example from a previous offering is linked to template P711 for each of the above deliverables for use by members of the team executing this step 170.
TABLE 5
DETAIL TASK: QUALIFY POTENTIAL CLIENT
CREATION STATUS
Category: Project Management
Team: Marketing
Offering type: Req/Cat, SAP, Req/Cat&SAP
Stage: O. Pre-Sales
Doc owned by: J. M.
Doc created by: J. M.
Dev status: Edit 2
IMPORTANCE BUTTONS
Education: Yes
Certification: Yes
Auditable: Yes
Critical path: Yes
IMPLEMENTATION
Task order: 1
% complete: 80%
Executed by: Enterprise
Performed by: Marketer
Priority: High
Work effort: Days
Sequence:
Support Resources: Accounts Payable Analyst, Assessment
Team, Customer, Procurement Analyst,
Project Manager
DETAIL TASK DETAILS
Prerequisites:
Client expresses interest in an offering; or an Enterprise
client rep/exec indicates their client may have an interest.
Request is routed to the Opportunity Manager for initial
qualification.
Task steps:
1. Offering interest is communicated to BPM Opportunity
Manager
2. BPM Opportunity Manager gathers additional client
information (from sources; client phone calls, etc.) using
3. Opportunity Manager completes Initial Qualification Form.
4. If the opportunity is not qualified, transfer interest /
client potential to alternate offering or respond to
Enterprise Client rep that client doesn't suit any
Enterprise offering.
5. Opportunity Manager forwards `qualified` client interest
to S&P Marketing Rep together with completed forms.
6. S&P Marketing Rep makes client contact to pursue
Assessment SOW, capture Assessment scope details
7. S&P Marketing Rep confirms client interest and forwards
client / Assessment scope information to Process, IT, and
Consulting reps. At this time, the S&P Rep will request an
Assessment SOW be built.
Methodology attachments:
Opportunity Management Process Flow ->
Marketing Materials -- Offering Information ->
Client Qualification Questions / Tool ->
Pre Assessment Data Collection ->
Pre Assessment Questions ->
Pre Assessment Spend, Tax, and Budgets ->
Referring to step 172, a transition management team accesses template PD11 in the course of performing a customer transition assessment, the objective of which is to obtain understanding of the prospective client's business and HR operation and infrastructure. A transition management questionnaire is linked from template PD11 and is used to target specific areas to provide insights to the client's operation in the following key areas: Business Organization/Structure Business Processes Measurements Management Systems HR Considerations. Template PD11, a sample of which is provided in Table 6, provides, either directly or by way of links to other documents, instructions, flow charts, sample questionnaires, report models and checklists for guiding, coordinating and documenting the work of the transition management team through the steps for doing so.
TABLE 6
DETAIL TASK: DEVELOP INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF CLIENT
CREATION STATUS
Category: Transition Management
Team: Transition Management
Offering type: Req/Cat, SAP, Req/Cat&SAP
Stage: 1. Engagement Assessment
Doc owned by: C. L.
Doc created by: O. F.
Dev status: Approved
IMPORTANCE BUTTONS
Education: Yes
Certification: Yes
Auditable: No
Critical path: No
IMPLEMENTATION
Task order: 1
% complete: 100%
Executed by: Service Provider
Performed by: Communications Manager
Support Resources Customer, Project Manager
Priority: High
Work effort: Days
DETAIL TASK DETAILS
Description:
Initial Assessment:
Within the Assessment stage, the prospective client will be
asked to complete questionnaires from different disciplines
These completed questionnaires will allow the Enterprise TC to
obtain understanding of the prospective clients business and HR
operation and infrastructure. The transition management
questionnaire will target specific areas and is intended to
provide insights to the clients operation in the following key
areas:
Business organization / Structure
Business Processes
Measurements
Management Systems
HR Considerations
Note: Please see the recommended "Transition Management
Questionnaire" included as an attachment.
Analysis:
Once the prospective client has completed the questionnaire,
analysis activities must take place. It is imperative that the
responsible team member participates in this activity to gain a
better understanding of the complexity and customization
required in the transition plans and programs as well as
customizing the Transition Management presentation for the
workshop.
Consideration must be given to each aspect of the workshop
presentation. Adjustments should be made to the workshop
presentation based on the prospective client's unique situation
and will include:.
Human resources changes
Changes in roles and responsibilities
Organized Labor / Union activities
Organizational impacts
Suppiler relationships
Changes in individual roles and responsibilities
Management System / Measurement System Changes
The objective is to get an early identification of those key
areas where change will take place and make sure they are
recognized with an action plan through the strategy and
transition management plan.
Prerequisites:
The prospect has been qualified by marketing and the decision is
made to pursue this as an opportunity for EPS services offering.
Client Questionnaire (Transition Management)
During this period the client will be asked to participate and
respond to questions from several disciplines From a transition
management perspective, this same process will be used to gather
initial information to help frame the first view of the client
transition management needs. The questionnaire is intended to
assist with the customization of the TM presentation at the
client workshop. In addition it will help update the strategy
for the client and frame the specific transition management plan
for the client.
The process for managing the client questionnaire is as follows:
Contact the project manager or workshop coordinator to ensure
the transition management questionnaire is included in any
consolidated client questionnaire package that is being used.
If the assessment is being managed by the Enterprise Consulting
Group (ICG), contact the engagement manager and ensure the
transition management questionnaire is part of their engagement
material. You should require that they have the document
completed as part of their deliverables.
Work with the project manager or workshop coordinator to
determine who in the client account is responsible for HR and
ensure that person will respond to the questionnaire. The
client HR person responsible for responding to the questionnaire
will respond with the client view of changes that will impact
the various populations affected by the implementation. This
will primarily be process users, administration, direct
management of the process at the client location. The HR
representative from the client must be able to properly reflect
the roles and responsibilities of the affected areas within the
client as well as respond to questions relative to client
culture, behavior, and management system.
Review the questionnaire to ensure all questions are applicable
to this client. If any questions are not applicable, they may
be deleted prior to deliver to the client.
Provide the questionnaire to the client and be prepared to
respond to any inquiries for clarification. It should take only
a few days for the client to complete this questionnaire and
return to you. Set a target date of three working days for
return of the questionnaire.
Analysis:
Receive the completed questionnaire from the client and review
for omissions. It may be necessary to visit with the client to
ensure understanding.
Document any unique circumstances that might be identified by
the client. If there are activities within the client account
that will make the transition more difficult, it should be noted
here. These might be things like, recent plant / location
closing, downsizing, layoffs, re-organizations, labor issues,
recent job role changes, etc.
It will be useful to use the workshop presentation as a
reference guide when analyzing the questions. Since the
workshop presentation will be customized to reflect the client
environment, it will serve as a checklist to ensure the analysis
covers all affected areas. This will ensure all aspects of the
client transition management issues are addressed and a plan in
place to manage..
Deliverables:
Updated Workshop Presentation on Transition Management
Methodology attachments:
Sample Initial Client Questionnaire ->
Sample Workshop Presentation ->
Step Checklist:
Use the following to track completion of each step:
Client Questionnaire (Performed by Comm. Mgr.)
Step Status Description
1. Contact the project manager or workshop
coordinator to ensure the transition
management questionnaire is included in
any consolidated client questionnaire
package that is being used.
2. If the assessment is being managed by the
Enterprise Consulting Group (ICG), contact
the engagement manager and ensure the
transition management questionnaire is
part of their engagement material.
3. Work with the project manager or workshop
coordinator to determine who in the client
account is responsible for HR and ensure
that person will respond to the
questionnaire.
4. Review the questionnaire to ensure all
questions are applicable to this client.
5. Provide the questionnaire to the client
and be prepared to respond to any
inquiries for clarification.
Analysis (by Communications Manager)
1. Receive the completed questionnaire from
the client and review for omissions
2. Document any unique circumstances that
might be identified by the client.
The Initial Client Questionnaire presents a spread sheet to be completed which asks for the following for each of several categories of expenditures: total spent, total spent via purchase order, total spent via blanket purchase order, total spent with core suppliers, total number of invoices, number of manual invoices, number of automated invoices (EDI), total number of suppliers, number of invoices paid via electronic funds transfer (EFT). The categories include marketing and advertising, information technology, third party maintenance, telecom equipment, facilities, human resources, business resources, with each of these including several more detailed line items. Also, a link is provided to a human resources questionnaire to be completed. A sample questionnaire is set forth in Table 7.
TABLE 7
SAMPLE HUMAN RESOURCES QUESTIONNAIRE
Human Resources
The following questions should be answered and the results used
to determine specific actions. These actions may include
changes / actions for inclusion in the communications plan, the
transition management plan or both.
The firm's human resources department must play a critical role
in the development of this document and the actions that are
developed as a result of this analysis. HR must be in agreement
with any action taken.
Affected Individuals
How many users (requesters / approved) will be affected by the
implementation
Identify numbers affected by:
Department
Function
Responsibility (requestor / approver)
Identify the key roles that will be affected by the
implementation:
By Department
By Function
To what degree will the role change for those individuals
affected by the implementation?
To what degree will the responsibilities change for those
affected by the implementation?
By Department
By Function
By Requestor
By Approver
What jobs / tasks (if any) will be eliminated as a result of the
implementation?
What has been the business response to job eliminations in the
past?
What jobs / tasks (if any) will be added as a result of the
implementation?
Organization
What changes in organization structure will occur due to the
implementation?
Illustrate a "before and after" picture.
Provide details of all changes and include new roles /
responsibilities.
What changes in reporting structure will occur due to the
implementation?
Illustrate a "before and after" picture.
Provide details of all cha | ||||||