In the course of planning, selecting, installing, implementing and operating an information management system, a broad range of services is required. MicroAccounting Systems (MASI) offers our clients many of these services, and most clients elect to use MASI for the full range of services we offer. The client may request that MASI provide the services, they may elect to use their own personnel or a third party, but someone must perform these tasks for the implementation to be successful. The degree to which client personnel are used typically depends on the size and complexity of the client organization and the resources committed by client management.
In any case, the client must provide its own in-house "System Administrator" who is ultimately responsible for the implementation and daily operation of the computer system, and is the person with whom MASI coordinates most of its services. (See the MASI white paper "Seven Elements in a Successful System.")
Before system decisions can be effectively made, client top management must formulate its business strategy and then decide the level of commitment they will make to their information system supporting that strategy. This commitment will depend on the company's industry, its competitive situation, its management philosophy and other factors.
For example, in companies where customer service is the key differentiator between the client company and its competitors, the system can provide "front-line" employees with a full range of information immediately upon request, while their customer is on the phone or on-line. In other companies, or in situations where immediacy of information is of less value to their people, the system might be used more as a transaction processor, a back-office accounting system, or a repository of history.
We help clients formulate their information systems strategy in the following ways:
During the initial planning cycle, our sales and implementation consultants provide many of these planning services at no charge. On an on-going basis, these services, which often include network and configuration recommendations, are provided by MASI Team Leaders, MASI Consultants, and MASI management personnel, depending on the client situation and level of need.
Once the general system direction is established, the specifics of the client's system must then be developed. The complexity of this task depends on the size and scope of the client's operation, e.g. whether the company has single or multiple operations and other such considerations.
In many cases, the built-in design of the selected software package (either Microsoft Navision or AddonSoftware) provides much of the infrastructure needed by the client for the processing of transactions, and the task centers around the optimum utilization of the software by the client and the methods for data retrieval for reports, management planning, and analysis.
In cases of multiple manufacturing plants, feeder plants, multi-state operations, and other complex businesses, the design of the system can require a top-level professional team and considerable time to develop.
Some clients engage a consulting firm to help them with these services. If MASI is selected as the software provider, we work closely with the client (and consultant, if appropriate) during this process, and prepare a "Pre-Implementation Plan" document for the client describing our recommended design. This work, which involves interviews with key client personnel, is spearheaded by a MASI Implementation Consultant, working with the appropriate MASI team along with the client System Administrator and implementation team.
For virtually all clients, "pre-packaged" software omits some important functions needed in their company, either in transaction processing or desired reporting and analysis, resulting in a need for additional program development. This service is one of the most valuable offered by MASI, because it enables clients to take advantage of reasonably-priced packaged software for most business functions and still get the customized systems they need for optimum efficiency and profitability.
A software development project can consist of several steps (depending on its required functionality):
We are sometimes called on to develop significant systems for applications very specific to the client's operation, to integrate with the basic pre-developed software. In these situations we first look for "add-ons" that a third party has already developed, because if one is available it will typically be more cost-effective and sometimes more robust, yet completely supportable by MASI.
In cases where we are assigned a large software development project, we and the client together prepare the specification, describing the objectives it must achieve and generally how the client would like the system to work. Then a MASI Consultant (usually a developer) finalizes the design document, estimate the cost, after which one or more MASI developers perform the programming and unit testing, and then work with the client to test it in a pre-production environment.
The difference between software maintenance and software development (as described in the above section) is largely the scope of each project. In the case of software maintenance, the software application already exists either in the form of the standard package or one that has been developed and is in use by the client. The maintenance task is to add a feature, change a report, or some other task.
The steps in a maintenance project are the same as those in a software development project, but are usually much shorter in duration. For example, the design and specification steps are typically done by client (user) personnel, and the remaining steps are usually short. However, all the steps are still required, and must be done thoughtfully and with high quality.
The project management function facilitates the implementation of the system (or new application), and includes the following responsibilities:
The project manager keeps the project moving and on schedule, overcoming whatever resistance and obstacles that arise. In clients with multiple operations (and even multiple departments), this task can require a significant time commitment, and includes coordination with all other parties involved in the project.
MASI always assigns an experienced Project Manager to every new system implementation project. The MASI Project Manager will work closely with the client's System Administrator in all phases of the project.
User training is vitally important to the success of the system. MASI provides a wide variety of training, during initial implementation and on an on-going basis.
We provide "training" classes at MASI facilities, and "implementation assistance" at the client site.
The amount of training required by a client depends on many factors, including the complexity of the function, the number of people to be trained, their commitment to learning, their level of competence in their job function, the number of client locations to receive training, the number of applications, and other factors. It is important to understand that while MASI provides training, it is the responsibility of the client to learn.
Where possible, MASI trainers use prepared and proven training materials, including checklists, training outlines, hand-outs, user manuals, demonstration data, and other aids.
In the implementation of a new system, it is necessary to convert master files and sometimes unfinished transactions from the old system to the new. Master file records must be transferred, including customer and vendor name and address information, inventory master files, bills of material, and employee master file information. In addition, unpaid accounts payable and receivable invoices, general ledger balances, payroll balances, and other such data must be moved to the new system.
In some cases, clients also choose to enter historical information, such as sales history (by customer, by product line, etc.), purchase order history, serial number history, etc.
Data may be entered either directly, by manually keying in the appropriate data, or transferred electronically from the old system to the new, and then converted into the new database using a set of custom-developed programs. The choice of manual entry versus electronic transfer typically depends on the volume of data, the perceived value of the data, and the comparative costs.
Clients often choose manual data conversion (using temporary employees for data entry) for situations with a manageable volume of data to be converted. MASI also offers electronic/ programmatic data conversion for clients who wish to transfer large volumes of data into the new system.
In a typical MASI system installation, we provide the initial installation of the items purchased from MASI. This service includes loading the purchased software in the system, properly configuring the disk storage for client operation, and the physical delivery and installation of the equipment to its selected location at the client's office.
Also, MASI typically connects existing peripheral equipment (PCs, printers, etc. that they already have) to the new equipment. We provide this type of system integration and consulting services in both network and host-based configurations.
MASI maintains "hotline" support, or telephone support, for critical situations, for client questions, for application related or technical questions, and other unplanned client system-related needs. In most cases, a client will work with the same support person for long periods of time - usually several years - so that the MASI support person becomes intimately familiar with the client environment and is very effective. We never outsource support to another state or another country, or even another company.
We analyze the results of our support processes on a regular basis, and we use this service to help us continuously improve our software, our programming services, our training, and our support.