implementing costpoint 7 from gcs premier: planning for ... implementing cp7 from gcs.pdf ·...

Implementing Costpoint 7 from GCS Premier: Planning for SuccessPresented by: Cambridge Systematics, Inc. and Lexell

Blue, LLC

Karen Nocito, Controller

Candace S. Macomber Tobin, CFO

Kelly Nighland, Lexell Blue LLC

Agenda

12/4/20142 ©2014 Deltek, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Selecting the right team members

Data requirements gathering

Building the RFP

Vendor interviews

Lessons learned

So you are ready to change….


Ask the critical questions

What does the company, not just accounting, need from a new system?

Who should be involved in the selection process?

What do we want to accomplish?

How do we get company-wide buy in on the selected solution?

Consider organization chart


What is your company culture

CS has consultant firm mentality

Project reporting critical element for CS

Consider the size of the team in relation to the company

Cross functional team best option for selection process

Selecting the right team


Diversity brings great perspective

Creates ownership in decision, champions through out company

Results in understanding and forgiveness during implementation

CS roles in selection team

Executive sponsors – Chief Financial Officer and Chief of Consultant

Operations

Team Leads – Controller and CS Consultant specializing in client

implementations

Project Manager – IT Business Analyst

Team members – mix of corporate service and business line consultants

Clearly define the responsibilities of each role

Discuss at team kick off meeting

Each team member needs to be accountable

CS Software Selection Team


CFO COO

Controller

Senior

Systems

Analyst

Sponsors

Team Leads

Mktg

Director

IT Sys

Architect

IT Bus

Analyst

PA MgrAR Mgr

GL Mgr

FHWA

Program

Manager

Bus Line

Ops

Manager

Project

Manager

Systems

Analyst

Software

Systems

Analyst

Data requirements


Identify the user community

Understand the needs of the various groups

Use variety of techniques to gather data

Individual interview with company executives

Group interview by function

Mix interview team to gain perspective

Survey says!

Engage staff across the company

Give staff a chance to be heard

Keep it short and to the point

How do you

want to access

financial

information?

Do you track

project expenses

outside of acctg

system?

How often do

you submit an

expense

report?

What other

financial

systems have

you used?

Is the current

information you

get usable?

Data requirements


Assemble data by logical grouping

CS grouping of data

Master data

Journal entries

Budget

Payroll / Leave tracking

Timesheet & labor cost accumulation

Purchase order and accounts payable

Project / Job Cost System

Invoicing and Accounts Receivable

User interface / Dashboard (non-accounting staff)

Timesheets and expense reports

Use for RFP process

Building the RFP


First introduction to potential vendors

Introduce your company

Clearly lay out the process and your expectations

Establish clear deadlines

Building the RFP


Functional requirements

Include core functional needs

Internal controls

Required functions

Incorporate data gathered

Do not be shy about the volume

CS had 366 items

Make is easy to respond

Include table in excel or word

Reviewing RFP responses


Everyone reads!

The team was assembled for unique perspectives

Create an Evaluation Scorecard

Points assigned based on need

Selecting vendors for interview


Report on average scores

Assemble team to discuss

Limit interviews to reasonable number (CS selected 3)

Eliminate obvious low scores

Accept obvious high scores

Discuss mid-level scores

Interview with vendors


Establish a presentation agenda

Share with vendors

Share with evaluation team

Consider “must see” points

Allow appropriate time

Team should be physically present if possible

Schedule one a day

Quick debrief after each session

Share initial thoughts

Establish initial ranking

Team meeting after last presentation to select vendor

Lessons learnedUnderstand your data


Assumptions will be made by sales team

Condition of data

Ease of convertibility

Standard conversion for GCS to CP7

Projects

Accounts

Suffix

Divisions

CP7 much more robust, what else do you want to convert?

Employee numbers

Vendor numbers

Accounts used consistently year to year

Changes in account\suffix\division usage will affect conversion

Lessons learned


Implementation kick-off is critical

Establish rapport with software consultants

Establish realistic calendar

Ensure implementation calendar fits your company calendar

Your data conversion specialist is your best friend

Engage early, preferably in person if possible

Keep communication channels open

Arrange regularly schedule meetings

Successful data conversion is critical to implementation success

Meet our data conversion specialist, Kelly Nighland

Data Migration Overview


Determine which Identifiers will be

changed other than Acct, Org and

Project

Such as Employees, Vendors,

Labor Cat Codes, Leave Types,

etc.

GCS data analyzed and templates

provided for mapping of identifiers

How much history do you want

converted?

Complete your Costpoint design

Establish CONFIGCP – configure

Costpoint database with Settings,

Orgs and Accounts, Financial

Statements, etc

Mapping templates are completed

Test Conversion 1

Create database called

TESTCP1

Apply mappings and

crosswalks to GCS data

Export and load the data into

Costpoint

Run scripts for pre-

determined updates

Reconcile and validate the

data as of the date the copy of

the data was made

Test the data

Determine which data should

be moved to CONFIGCP

Pool setup, Customers,

PAGs, billing formats, etc

Data Migration Overview (continued)


Test Conversion 2 – Dry run of Go-live

New set of GCS data analyzed and

mapping files appended

Create database called TESTCP2

(refreshed from CONFIGCP)

Export and load the data into

Costpoint

Run scripts for pre-determined

updates

Reconcile and validate the data as of

the date the copy of the data was

made

Fully integrated test (includes Time

and Expense and Payroll)

Determine which data should be

moved to CONFIGCP

Live Conversion

Create database called

DELTEKCP (refreshed from

CONFIGCP)

New set of GCS data

analyzed and mapping files

appended

Export and load the data

into Costpoint

Run scripts for pre-

determined updates

Reconcile and validate the

data as of the date the copy

of the data was made

Process Flow

Complete Costpoint

Design

GCS Mapping templates populated

Establish CONFIGCP

Test Conversion 1

Update CONFIGCP

Test Conversion 2

Update CONFIGCP

Go Live!

Post Go Live Support

Data Flow

DELTEKCP

TESTCP2 CONFIGCPGCS

TESTCP1

ACCTS ORGS

Best Practices and Time Savers Have an internal PM to partner with your external PM

Identify stage gates in the project plan and identify the criteria required to pass

Don’t rush the design – take the time upfront rather than change as you go

Have a test plan which includes a fully integrated test with all applicable systems

Keep the mapping templates in the exact format provided

Someone be designated the “owner” of the mapping files

Setup a “CONFIGCP” database as your gold database – continually update this

during testing and use it as the baseline for each test and the live system

Reconcile JSRs to PSRs and Billing before you go live

Prepare Org Acct Rules in a spreadsheet and stick to the rules!

First Conversion will highlight areas of cleanup needed – expect to clean it up

Lessons learned


Implementation is a full time job

Consider additional resource needs to get the “day job” done

Request implementation budget with varying levels of support

Minimal consultant involvement

Significant consultant involvement

Best practice

Expect the unexpected

Include a contingency budget

Potential for additional data conversion time

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate


Engage the entire company in the process

Intranet

Internal social media

Humor

Questions?


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