|
1. Involve the
right people
|
| Your accounting software
generates information used throughout most of your organization.
That's why choosing new software shouldn't be delegated
to a single department or manager. |
| Participation across functional
groups will help you select, implement and use the best
possible financial software solution. There are, in general,
five groups of people who should be involved in the selection
process: |
 System Users |
| These are the people who
will use the software daily. They need the software to
be user-friendly, logical and efficient. |
| System Managers |
| Managers supervise the system
users. These system managers must understand the financial
information and reporting needs required by upper management,
and then direct system users about how to effectively
use the system. |
| System Customers |
| Financial information customers
can be found throughout the organization, in every department
and at any level. These people rely on the reports, summaries
and other data generated by the accounting system to make
decisions and other-wise manage their particular group
or department, System customers may not necessarily understand
accounting fundamentals, but they do require the information
supplied by the software. |
| System Sign-offs |
| These are the people who
must give final approval to acquire the system. Typically
this group includes representatives from Information Systems
(IS), accounting and the executive management team. The
company president or CEO may play a prominent role in
selecting the system, or may delegate this task downward. |
| IS Staff |
| Representatives from the
organization's IS staff should be closely involved in
the accounting software selection process and typically
play key roles in the software's installation and ongoing
upkeep. |
| Five mistakes people make when selecting accounting
software |
| Mistake 1:Not doing enough
homework |
| Analyzing and then selecting
accounting software takes time and effort. Information
is critical to selecting the most appropriate system for
your organization. You are already a step ahead of most
people because you're reading this booklet. |
| Mistake 2:Misunderstanding
the benefits of automation |
| Automating accounting and
related functions can save your organization considerable
time and effort. However, computers can never replace
human intelligence, judgment or hard work. |
| Mistake 3: ignoring hard-to-quantify
benefits |
| It's difficult to calculate
possible future gains in terms of increased productivity,
better decision-making and other factors after a new system
has been successfully implemented. The results following
the time-consuming selection and implementation of the
best accounting solution can dramatically increase your
bottom line. |
| Mistake 4: Passing the buck
|
| Top management and other
key personnel within the organization must be involved
in the selection and implementation process. Never rely
solely on a consultant's or input. |
| Mistake 5: Thinking accounting
software is only for accountants |
| Accounting software will
deliver results in the form of critical need-to-know information
to every manager in the company. Don't select a system
that won't provide detailed reporting and other company-wide
information. |
