This guideline is meant for the ERP project implementation champions within the company using Wavelet EMP and for Wavelet.biz consultants implementing the ERP projects.

Successful Wavelet EMP implementation would requires both the implementation consultants and the users to work hand in hand and follow the guidelines below as closely as possible.

The following checklist will help to ensure a project is properly managed, and to ensure smooth implementation of Wavelet Enterprise Management Portal.

1. Requirements Gathering and Feasibility Study

2. 1. Gather information about operations

   2. 1. How does the point of sales work? Outline the step by step sequence and possible scenarios of the work flow at the point of sales.

      2. What customer information need to be captured?

      3. Are the customers categorized into certain grouping, and do they get special treatment of privileges

      4. What are the payment methods accepted?

      5. How many inventory Stocks, merchandise and other goods for sale. Services and packages are included as well. item codes are there?

      6. Do they use serial number?

   3. List down the short coming or disadvantages of the existing software the company is using

   4. 1. The primary objective is to ensure the new ERP implementation successfully overcome most if not all of the disadvantages of the previous system used by the company.

      2. Provide the wish list

   5. List down the missing modules or features and functionality in Wavelet

   6. 1. Do not include every features and functions in the old system, only take note of the features that are actually used

   7. Obtain the organization chart of the company, and list down the tasks perform by each of the role A "role" is used in the Wavelet EMP to define permissions. Once the role permissions are configured, it works like a template where various users could be assigned with this role. Each user can have only one role at any time., for example:

   8. 1. The job scope

      2. The features and functionality relevant to this role A "role" is used in the Wavelet EMP to define permissions. Once the role permissions are configured, it works like a template where various users could be assigned with this role. Each user can have only one role at any time.

      3. The reports needed for this role A "role" is used in the Wavelet EMP to define permissions. Once the role permissions are configured, it works like a template where various users could be assigned with this role. Each user can have only one role at any time.

   9. Identify the bottle necks and key challenges, typical problems faced by most companies with their old software systems are:

   10. 1. Not able to keep track of their inventory correctly

       2. No effective and transparent reporting resulting in poor collection from the debtors

       3. Not able to motivate the employees effectively by using the system to calculate commissions etc

       4. Data corruptions and synchronization problems when updating the database

       5. Duplication of inventory item codes, customer records across different outlets for franchises and chain stores

       6. Duplication of work and inefficient work flow due to limitations of the old system

   11. Identify the budget for the entire ERP implementation

   12. 1. This is to ensure the scope of implementation fits into the budget constraint, and customizations required are kept within the scope of implementation.

   13. Conflicting Requirements

   14. 1. It is normal for users of a software application to request for features and functionality. More often that not, what the cashiers want may differ from what the manager wants, and that may again be different from what the bosses want.

       2. Sometimes, the requirements may conflict against the business logic or software logic. For example, a user may want a feature to allow edit the amount of a receipt generated even though the transaction has been reconciled in bank reconciliation, and has been used to settle or knock off some invoices. Without following the proper steps to correct the previous error or mistake, force edit of the receipt will break the integrity of the database. This kind of requirements are common for users who have not used a full fledge ERP system because everything was flexible without the constraints of data integrity and business logic to be maintained.

1. Gap Analysis, Goal Settings and Functional Specifications

2. 1. The purpose of performing gap analysis is to identify the effort required. This is extremely important to determine the price, the time required, implementation team size and various other resources

   2. Differentiate the must-have requirements from the nice-to-have requirements

   3. List of detailed features and functionality in a table that can be sorted by estimated effort (in man-day), stake holder (requested by), urgency, importance, priority etc, look through this list of requirements and ponder about the work around. Frequently, intelligent work around could be identified after a few round of brainstorming sessions. These work around could leapfrog the project implementation by leaps and bounds. It also reduce the implementation cost, and shorten the implementation time line.

   4. List of reports to be generated

   5. List of printable formats for invoices, cash sales, purchase orders, delivery orders etc

   6. Designing the screens or user interface for functionality and features that are not already in the system.

   7. Hardware requirements

   8. 1. Hardware includes servers, computers, printers, bar code scanners, cables etc

   9. Third party software requirements

   10. 1. Ensure all  required third party software applications e.g. mozilla web browsers, Java Runtime Environment, VPN clients (if VPN is to be implemented) are taken into considerations

   11. Infrastructure

   12. 1. Local Area Network

       2. Wide Area Network

       3. Server hosting etc

   13. Officially signing off functional specifications, requirements and project scope

1. Project Planning and Schedule

2. 1. Implementation Committee

   2. List of milestones and yardsticks

   3. Training and Knowledge Transfer

   4. Migration and transition from old system to new system

   5. Payment schedule

   6. Action plan for everyone in the team

   7. Support and Maintenance Plan

   8. Contingency plan

   9. Event calendar - filled with milestones, yardsticks, meetings, testing, payments, beta testing, user acceptance test, and project sign off

1. Project Monitoring and Control

2. 1. Project Meetings

   2. 1. Regular scheduled meeting

      2. Meeting minutes to be produced

      3. Actions and results from previous meetings to be discussed and reviewed

      4. Future action plans to be scheduled and work delegated to the respective person in charge.

      5. Prioritization of the outstanding tasks to ensure functions related to operations are resolved first.

   3. Progress Reports

   4. 1. Ideally, progress report to be produced once a month

      2. Progress is compared against the scheduled activities

      3. Milestones with problems are highlighted with detailed descriptions on the problems

   5. List of Outstanding tasks

1. Beta Testing / Feedback and Enhancements

2. 1. All features and functions developed should be tested by the users. Upon testing, users are required to fill in the User Acceptance Test Form.

   2. As not all users feedback has to be fulfilled according to users' suggestions, project manager will have to filter out the list, and suggest work around for modification to the system that may break the logic within the same module, or across other modules.

   3. An estimated date of completion will be given to the users on when the modifications could be completed, and schedule is made for the next round of testing.

1. System Goes Life - Soft launch

2. 1. Training on various modules is to be provided to different department within the company. Some project managers find it easier to train the users by establishing SOP (Standard Operating Procedures).

   2. All system configurations i.e pc center, cash books, chart of accounts (GL Code), inventory locations, branches, card payment configurations should be done.

   3. Import and export of item master, customer records and supplier records.

   4. Create opening stock, opening Account Receivables and Account Payables, and then knock off the outstanding supplier invoices by "One Time Supplier" (to create the opening stock).

   5. Ensure all cash book balances are correct using Cash Book adjustments

   6. Cashiers will start issuing bills using the Point of Sales, and all stock transfers and goods received should be recorded into the system.

   7. During this parallel run period, all collections and payments to the supplier should be recorded as well to ensure the Account Receivable and Account Payable are constantly updated.

   8. Account department should try to generate the Profit and Lost Statement, and observe all transactions generated by the system in the General Ledger or Journal Transaction Listing.

1. Full Implementation

2. 1. Entire operations are using the Wavelet Software.

   2. All accounting entries should be automated and integrated tightly with the operations.

   3. Senior management in the company should be able to analyze the management reports generated within Wavelet

   4. Account department should not function as data entry department anymore to record copy transactions into the Journals. Account department should be providing support to the operations, and function as internal audit department to detect fraud, take care of account payable and finance.

1. Post Implementation Review

2. 1. Post mortem is important to ensure lesson and experience learn during the implementation will be incorporated in future implementation for continuous learning and improvement.

   2. A report should be produce on areas of hiccups, and how it could be circumvented.

1. On going support and maintenance

2. 1. Data backup and contingency plan should be in place

   2. Users should be assigned an account manager, and support email / telephone number made known to the users.

   3. Service level agreement should be discussed to ensure realistic expectations from the users.