Implementation Process

We would suggest the following actions in advance –

1. Decide on who will co-ordinate the InterAcct installation in your office, and therefore be the "System Manager". There also needs to be an assistant for that person (in their absence).

2. Have everyone involved read the "Products & Services" agreement, plus download from our web site the relevant InterAcct PowerPoint documents, plus read the InterAcct 36 page booklet (standard and optional features).

3. Consider whether you will want to export/import your existing database records (eg. customers, prospects, suppliers, products). Export your data files to MS-Excel to determine the data quality.

4. Print out examples of your existing reports and forms used.

5. Obtain a graphic file of your company’s logo image.

The agenda for this first meeting is normally –

1. Management Meeting – overview the process

2. Load down software to the computer server and each work station

3. General Overview for staff (normally about 30 minutes)

4. Getting Started – creating the classification tables (eg. list of Employees, etc.). System Manager + Assistant only ?

5. Adding Masterfile records – prospect/customer names, suppliers/creditors/sub contractors, stock (products, materials) items

6. Review any data file as to the suitability for importing into InterAcct – the likely ‘goodness of fit’ and expected time/costs, ‘risks’ involved.

7. Prepare a To-Do list of activities to complete

This is the essential part of the Operator Training, and is really the only sensible alternative to "Parallel Processing" (running the old and new systems side by side).

The "Walk-Throughs" must be thoroughly completed before you could even consider setting a Live Start Date.

1. This training is best done ‘face to face’, either in InterAcct’s offices, or yours (or On-Line).

2. You will save on travel time/costs by doing the training in InterAcct’s offices – but the choice is yours.

3. It is also possible that some training sessions could be done On-Line (over the Internet) – typically smaller training topics.

The walk-through of each process/transaction involves the following steps -

1. We will show you how to input data into all the relevant files (for a process/transaction), at least once.

2. We will explain the numerous software "fine-tuning" options available to you to speed up and simplify the data entry.

3. This may also involve skipping or removing unnecessary fields and menus from the display – or maybe changing the descriptions of fields/menus into your own terminology. That is what we call "cosmetic software changes". All done in a matter of seconds normally.

4. We will print out all reports associated with each process. Changes to the standard report layouts can be noted in pencil – and possibly changed at a later date – so as to not disrupt the training process.

5. Then, we will hand the keyboard over to each Operator to be trained, so that they can repeat the data entry process.

6. It is possible that a walk-through will ‘flush out’ the need for further database/report personalisation. If minor, this may be done on the spot, or held over to the done later (possibly done On-Line).

Any additions or changes to the InterAcct database can normally be made very quickly, and without the normal disruption and costs associated with software modifications.

1. Bigger software changes will normally be the subject of a separate written cost estimate and your prior approval.

2. Obviously, if any software errors are identified in the standard InterAcct package, they will be rectified promptly and free of charge – under the terms of the "Products & Services" agreement.

3. After each software change, an "Initial Test" is normally done to pick up any obvious software errors. Those are then remedied – before handing the new software over to the customer.

4. The main point to consider is that NO exhaustive software testing is normally performed (because of the time/cost restraints) by the Programmer.

5. It is therefore imperative that you copy such software changes/additions into your InterAcct Training system, and thoroughly test those changes for yourself – with your own sample data.

6. Finding bugs later in your "Live" system may not cause major problems, but it is still something to be avoided if you can.

7. If you actually find a situation where there is a software error or omission in the personalised software, then you will only pay for the time/costs associated then rectifying it (thus saving costs considerably).

After you have been using InterAcct for a month or two, a lot of the search enquiry files, and reports start to become more useful (showing your results).

1. Housekeeping tasks – checking files, re-organising them, and sensible backup procedures.

2. Running the "End of Period" General Ledger update process – checking the in-balance position and date ranges of transactions.

3. It is therefore a good time for a final training session to show (Management) how they can search & retrieve information easily, plus where all the interesting analysis enquiry files (key performance indicators) are shown.

4. Running some of the Executive Reports at this time is a good idea too

5. You would also typically run the standard financial reports too.

6. Given that you would be already using all the "essential" processes and transactions within InterAcct by now, it is a good time to review what additional features of InterAcct could be used in the future – by whom – and by what date.

7. In other words, prepare another To-Do list of future planned ways to fully utilise InterAcct to control costs better and generate more revenue !!