CFBS Project Implementation Methodology Overview

Introduction
Clients First Business Solutions has more than 16 years experience implementing ERP
solutions in a wide range of organizations. To date the total number of implementations
exceeds 250. For each of our implementations we follow a methodology that minimizes
risk, keep the project on track and results in a system that meets clients’ needs.
In order to provide our clients with a maximum of control over the project, the Clients
First Implementation Methodology provides very clear stages in the project during which
certain steps must be taken and milestones must be reached -- all in close cooperation
between the Customer and Clients First. Clients First implementation Methodology
occurs in 5 stages:
1. Project Launch
2. White Board Sessions and System Configuration
3. Conferences Room Pilot (CRP)
4. Testing and Training
5. Go-Live
This document will review each of these stages.
Stage 1: Project Launch
During the project launch, the formalities of the project are taken care of. This includes
the setting up of the project organization, assigning the project manager(s) and the start
of the writing of the Project Charter for the project.
• Project Team Composition
For a complete and successful implementation project, composing the right project
team is of key importance. The members of the project team will be closely involved
with the complete setup and configuration of the system and will act as first line
support for the users in the operational stage. Not only should the project team
contain the right people in the right place, the project organization of both the
customer and Clients First will mirror each other where possible. For example, both
organizations must have a project manager assigned to the project. Experience has
shown that a well-balanced project team can achieve better results in a shorter time.
• The Project Charter
The project manager of Clients First writes the Project Charter. The Project Charter
contains all agreements about the implementation project. A Project Charter is
written according to a specific template to ensure all aspects and subjects in an
implementation project or conversion project are covered. The specifics for the
individual project are determined in sessions with the Project Manager of Clients
First and documented in the Project Charter.
Because we execute the implementation in specified steps and stages, the
involvement of the individual project organization members will also be specified for
each step and stage. The Project Charter will contain the budget required for the
activities of the Clients First consultants and project manager. Based on the Project
Charter, the Project Manager will conduct regular meetings to discuss the status and
progress of the project. These meetings will result in a Progress Report which
document the status of the project.

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CFBS Project Implementation Methodology Overview

An important element of project management in our implementation methodology is

a risk analysis of the project by our project manager. A project will always have to
deal with unexpected matters, which may influence the planning, the budget or the
result. Therefore, during the initial sessions with the project manager we will pay
special attention to any identified risks that may influence the project. A ‘realized
risk’ means that the project team must initiate an adjustment in order to be able to
reach the project goals.
The risk analysis will provide the project team with the ability to identify possible
problems and in an early stage decide on the actions to be taken to deal with those
problems and limit their consequences. Although the appearance of the risks may
vary, the project manager can group them by type, which results in an indication
which aspects of the project may be exposed to higher risks, what the consequences
of those risks are and what actions the team should take in case the risk actually
occurs.
Phase 2: White Board Sessions and System Configuration
This stage begins with the Client Project Team training that we call Fundamentals.
The purpose of the white board session is to map, by functional area, the existing
business processes and compare those processes to the new system’s setup
requirements. As we map each process, Clients First works with the client team to fully
explain, and then make, the settings in the software that are needed in the new system.
We fully document these sessions so that all business processes that will be performed
in the new system are standardized.
• Fundamentals Training
The initial step in the White Board Session stage is training the project team in the
basics of our software, using a preliminary installation and a standard administration
setup. This training is the first stage in building the knowledge of the project team in
setting up and using the software.
• White Board Sessions and System Configuration
Once this training is completed, the project team will discuss with the consultant the
main processes within the organization and how they will be set up in the software.
The resulting documentation and flowcharts is the General Workflow.
• Document Required Reports
Besides the General Workflow, the consultant will also do a complete check on the
required management reporting which should be delivered by the system. Using
standardized forms, this will result in a complete set of all required reports in the
system. The standardized forms ensure great ease in building those reports, and
they will also be used to configure the system further.
• Investigate Data Migration / Test Conversion
During this stage, we will conduct initial assessments for any necessary data
migration into the new system. From this Clients First will develop a plan and a
budget for the data migration.

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CFBS Project Implementation Methodology Overview

Stage 3: Conference Room Pilot

The Conference Room Pilot (CRP) process allows users to prototype specific business
processes in the new system. During the CRP, users test the various business
processes and activities in the new system to understand how they will be interacting
with the system to get their work done.
Also during the CRP, user confidence is built and any issues regarding special business
requirements will be discovered and addressed. The client internal project team
members are typically the primary participants in CRP activities.
The CRP Stage also includes:
• Detailing Master Data and Documentation
The project team also works on detailing the master data for the system, setting up
the detailed working procedures and documenting the system in working instructions
during this stage. Another key element during this stage is the preparation and
testing of data migration.
• Execute Trial Conversion
At this point, a full test of the data migration will be executed. Depending on the
results, the conversion scripts or exported data will be adjusted.
Stage 4: Testing & Training
• Integral System Test
The integral test of the system is a very important stage because it allows the project
team to match the different functional area’s processes to the system, make some
final adjustments in the configuration or documentation were needed and finalize any
and all reports and document layouts needed during the daily operations in the
system.
• End-user Training
Once the team completes testing, the system ready for the end-users for their
training. By putting the training in this stage of the project we achieve two goals:
The chances of the having to do a new training because of changes in the
configuration and documentation of the system are minimized. Second, by having
less time between the training and the operational use of the system, less knowledge
will have faded when the users start working in the system.
• System Review and Acceptance
This step is one in which the CFBS project team, along with the client project lead,
reviews all of the system module and security setups to ensure agreement that the
system is properly configured to run the business as planned. This step occurs close
to the Go Live event and serves as a validation of the work performed to date.
Stage 5: Go Live
• Prepare Operational Start
Once the system is accepted, the final preparations for going live can be made.
Although at the end of the project, this stage is vital for a successful ‘Monday
morning’ when the system goes online. Preparing the live stage is an intricate set of
activities during which the closing balance and work in progress have to be

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CFBS Project Implementation Methodology Overview

transferred from the previous system to the new system. In addition, the final data
migrations and conversions take place in this stage. Planning and timing of these
activities is of vital importance to ensure a smooth transition. The experience of the
Clients First project manager and consultants and a detailed activity plan ensure the
project team will be successful in bringing the system online. In addition,
arrangements will have been made to ensure support on site to help the organization
in the first few weeks of operational use.
• Go Live
This is the official 'Monday Morning' when the system goes live. The new system
now will handle all daily operations
• Project Closure and Evaluation
Within 4 weeks after going live, the project we will officially close and evaluate the
project, in joint session, with the project team and the Clients First consultant(s) and
project manager.

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CFBS Project Implementation Methodology Overview

Sample Summary Project Plan

Below is a summary of tasks that will be carried out to ensure a successful
implementation of “Proposed Company. As shown in the high-level plan below, each
task is assigned a responsible party, and each phase is defined by a set of deliverables.
Responsibility for construction of these deliverables is also defined within the plan, as
denoted by an ‘X’ in the corresponding column. “Proposed Company” and the Clients
First team will mutually agree upon the satisfactory completion of these deliverables
prior to signing off on the close of any specified phase.

SUMMARY TASK RESPONSIBILITY COMMENTS AND DELIVERABLES

CLIENTS CLIENT
FIRST COMPANY
Executive Project Steering
Review project scope and
Implementation Manager Committee objectives
Strategy & Project
Complete Functionality
Manager Matrices

Define Project Project Steering
Align project management

Management Protocol Manager Committee methodologies
& Project
Decision making process
Manager
Standard agenda

Standard meeting schedule

Open issues tracking

Project communication
FUNCTIONAL

protocol

Define Team and Project Steering
Define and communicate

Roles Manager Committee Clients First and XYZ
& Project Company roles and
PROJECT LAUNCH

Manager responsibilities
Training Strategy Project Project
Define method of delivering
Manager Manager & training to the end users
Super
Users
Define first-level Project Project
First-Level project plan with
project Plan Manager Manager details on the Elaborate stage

Develop overall project time-
line

Develop project budget

Development Clients First Technical
Assess current system

Architecture Technical Operations architecture and needs for
Assessment Lead MAS500 development
TECHNICAL

environment
Environment Quality Clients First Technical
Ensure that the initial
Assurance Technical Operations environment is optimally
Lead tuned and ready for the
implementation to proceed

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CFBS Project Implementation Methodology Overview

SUMMARY TASK RESPONSIBILITY COMMENTS AND DELIVERABLES

CLIENTS CLIENT
FIRST COMPANY
X X 1. Initial Project Plan
STAGE DELIVERABLES X 2. Project Charter
X X 3. Project Budget
X 4. Completed Functionality
Matrices
X 5. Issues Log
X X 6. Standard Meeting Schedule
& Agenda
Functionality Fit/Gap Clients First Project
Review current business
Team Manager & processes
Super
Map business process to the
Users delivered MAS500
functionality

Execute White Board
Sessions with end users to
verify fit and identify any
gaps in functionality

Where possible, develop
workarounds or re-engineer
FUNCTIONAL

business processes to avoid

WHITE BOARD SESSIONS AND SYSTEM CONFIGURATION

customization if gaps exist

Identify and receive approval
for customizations that need
to be developed in order to
support the proposed
business processes in the
system
Report Analysis Clients First Project
Define required reports
Team Manager & based on business need
Super
Compare standard reports to
Users required business reports

Document reports to be
developed and prepare
specifications
Data Conversion Clients First Project
Identify all data elements
Analysis Team Manager, that must be converted from
Super legacy system and solidify
Users and strategy for migration
Technical
Confirm amount of history to
Team be converted and manual vs.
TECHNICAL

automated conversion
methods

Perform data mapping and
technical specifications
Interface Analysis Clients First Project
Confirm required interfaces,
Team Manager, inbound vs. outbound,
Super frequency and required fields
Users and
Perform data mapping and
Technical technical specifications
Team

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CFBS Project Implementation Methodology Overview

SUMMARY TASK RESPONSIBILITY COMMENTS AND DELIVERABLES

CLIENTS CLIENT
FIRST COMPANY
Develop Detailed Project Project
Develop detailed project plan
Implementation Plan Manager Manager o Technical project
plan
o Testing project plan
OVERALL

o Training project
plan
o Production
readiness project
plan

Review project plan with
Management Team
X X 1. Final Fit/Gap
STAGE DELIVERABLES recommendations
X X 2. Functional specifications for
data conversions,
interfaces, reports and
X customizations
3. Technical specifications for
data conversions,
interfaces, reports and
customizations
X X 4. Updated project plan
X 5. Initially configured system
Develop Final System Clients First Project
Complete the final functional
Configuration Team Manager and system configuration based
FUNCTIONAL

Super Users on outcome of fit/gap

workshops

Develop Extract NA Technical
Develop routines to extract

CONFERENCE ROOM PILOT

Programs for Team data from XYZ Company

Conversions legacy system
Develop Automated Clients First NA
Develop routines to convert
TECHNICAL

Data Conversion Team data from legacy system

Routines

Develop Clients First NA
Develop all required

Customizations Team customizations
Develop/Modify NA Technical
Modify/develop new reports
Reports Team as necessary

Finalize Test Scripts NA Project
Finalize test scripts for

Manager & integration testing and end
OVERALL

Super Users user acceptance testing

Develop End User NA Super Users
Develop materials for use in

Training Materials delivering end user training

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CFBS Project Implementation Methodology Overview

SUMMARY TASK RESPONSIBILITY COMMENTS AND DELIVERABLES

CLIENTS CLIENT
FIRST COMPANY
X 1. Configuration specifications
STAGE DELIVERABLES X 2. Updated technical
specifications
X X 3. Test Scripts

Unit Testing (Intra- Clients First Super
Test standard processes

Cycle Testing) Team Users
Verify access to converted
data and entry of new data
FUNCTIONAL

Test individual modules and

units of code on the database

Inter-Cycle Testing Clients First Super
Test integration of modules

Team Users by executing full business
processes in the software

End User Training Clients First Super
Lead sessions with end users
Team Users to demonstrate how they will
execute their job functions in
the new software
TESTING AND TRAINING

Data Conversion Clients First Technical
Test individual data

Testing Team Team conversion loads

Customization Testing Clients First NA
Test customizations (if

TECHNICAL

Team required)

Stress Testing Clients First Project
Execute a test plan that

Team Manager, includes running through
Super system transactions with a full
Users and data load to ensure that
Technical system is tuned and
Team performance will be
acceptable at cutover
System/Integration Clients First Project
Execute test scripts
Testing (User Team Manager,
Resolve issues
OVERALL

Acceptance Testing) Super
Ensure all functionality works

Users and together using test scripts
Technical developed in the Engineer
Team stage

X 1.
STAGE DELIVERABLES X 2.
X X 3.
X 4.
X 5.
X 6.
X 7.
Training database
Training manuals
Communications Plan
Working Software (End User
signoff on UAT)
Working Interfaces (End
User signoff on UAT)
Working Data Conversion
Routines (End User signoff
on UAT)
Working Reports (as
identified)

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CFBS Project Implementation Methodology Overview

SUMMARY TASK RESPONSIBILITY COMMENTS AND DELIVERABLES

CLIENTS CLIENT
FIRST COMPANY
Train the Training Unit Clients First Super
Provide final Q&A to Super
FUNCTIONAL

Team Users Users

Functional Production Clients First Project
Ensure that all issues and
Readiness Team Manager & design flaws discovered
Assessment Super through testing phases have
Users been resolved, or a
reasonable workaround exists
Technical Production Clients First Technical
Evaluate system performance
Readiness Technical Operations prior to cutover
Assessment Lead
Execute performance
optimization plan
GO-LIVE

GO LIVE Clients First Project
Execute data conversions at

Team Manager & close of business
TECHNICAL

Support
Perform test transactions on

Staff the system to ensure
readiness for cutover

Release final production
software to end users

Production Support Clients First Super
Application Management

Team Users
Continuous Business
Improvement

Project Review
X 1. Production Readiness
STAGE DELIVERABLES Report
X 2. Final production software
X 3. Final Project Review Report

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