Implementations

Getting a new system?  Be prepared!  There are quite a few factors involved in a successful implementation.  

Project Management:  Knowledge of the project itself is critical.  Do you know the steps, timeline, risks and costs?  How about the skillset and size of the project team?  Who are the stakeholders?  The decision makers?  We know!

Functional Knowledge:  Tax laws, labor laws, healthcare reform...  It's tough to keep up!  Add in the countless vendors, systems and versions...  It's nearly impossible!  Unless, of course, it is your job to know all of these things.  This is our job!

Technical Knowledge:  Let's face it, unless your title contains the letters "IT," the technical part of any project can be overwhelming.  Having an understanding of system requirements, interfaces, systems of record and databases is essential.  We understand all of this!

Testing:  Is extensive testing really necessary?  YES!!!  Unity testing, acceptance testing, system testing integration testing, regression testing - all phases of testing are absolutely necessary.  It may seem tedious, but testing now means you won't have to fix it later.  The most important part of testing?  The test scripts!  They must encompass all features and functions being implemented.  Do you have the expertise to manage this?  We are testing experts!

Training:  While vendors offer generic training classes on their systems, they rarely understand the uniqueness of each client.  Wouldn't it be nice if someone could tailor the training to your needs?  We can teach you!

The best way to describe this type of project is trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.  Nothing is simple.  First you must decide which system to keep.  Will history be converted?  How long will the former system be accessible?  Then you need to standardize codes across all companies.  Are there any conflicts?  Be careful if you are converting history!  Then you have to determine which policies are changing.  Don't grandfather too many!  Next, the employees must be considered.  Which employees will be converted?  Have they ever worked for the company whose system was selected?  In other words, do they already exist in the database?  How will transfers be handled?  Other items to address are reports, interfaces, benefits, benefit accruals, calculations, qualifiers and general ledger to name a few.  This may be the most challenging project, and it is easy to overlook some tasks.  Unless, of course, you've done this many times before, like we have.

A successful interface is the result of the perfect mix of technical and functional knowledge.  The vendor requesting the interface will provide detailed specifications - which fields to include, acceptable field and file formats, transmission methods, scheduling, etc.  However, the developer must also understand how data are related and how changes in the system may affect the outcome - the functional stuff.  Have you ever thought an interface was correct only to find months later that it isn't working as expected?  That's usually the result of data being mapped incorrectly!  Also, if you are working with multiple systems, you probably have multiple interfaces.  They may not be directly related, but I can guarantee that they impact one another.  Do you have a resource that understands both the technical and functional aspects of your system?  We do!

At Amabile Consulting, we understand the uniqueness of each client and tailor our training classes the same way we build systems: with individual clients’ specific needs in mind. Our training is designed to teach our customers exactly what they need to know about their specially created systems and nothing they don’t.