Implementation
The most critical aspect to the success of a new system is the implementation process. This is the time between when you sign a contract to buy the software and the time in which you “go live” or enter live transactions into the system. We take your success very seriously and see it as our responisibility to make the transition as smooth as possible. The following briefly describes the process and what to expect during this critical time.
Configuration Call
The configuration call is a discussion between the VISCO Implementation
Manager and the new VISCO Customer. As a newly signed VISCO customer,
you may have as many people involved as is necessary for this conversation, but
keep in mind that the conversation often takes as many as three hours to
complete.
The format is more conversational than formal checklist. It serves as an
introduction of your current business processes to your Implementation Manager.
A manager will ask a series of questions about basic setup for the system and
specific customer terminology. It’s VISCO’s first step towards making the system
fit the customer through configuration (additional steps during VIS
implementation focus on data management, user setup, accounting integration,
reporting and document formatting).
Questions during a configuration call might include –
1. How do you refer to your products? Do you call them “parts”, “products”,
“items” or some other variation of the typical product identifier?
2. In what ways could you envision grouping customers for reporting purposes?
Some current customers group them by region, by rating, and many others.
You can use some standard groupings we have, or choose your own.
3. Do you want Invoice Numbers to be generated automatically by our system, or
defined by the user?
The areas covered during the configuration are:
• Basic Maintenance: Product, Customer, Vendor Files
• Purchasing Questions: Ship From Locations, Terms, Manufacturers etc
• Sales Questions: Salespeople, Sales Documentation, Customer Pricing, Sales
Processing
• Logistics Questions: Vessels, Voyages, Logistics documentation provided and
received
And, to a lesser degree…
• Accounting Questions: Invoice Info, Batching, etc. (a separate accounting
integration discussion occurs prior to implementation)
Pilot Period
Once the system has been configured, it will be made available for
users to become acquainted with as well as for training purposes. During this time,
the integration with accounting will be turned off.
Training
The training period varies based on your group’s needs, but we find
that an allocation of 4 hours per user is generaly sufficient. The actual breakdown of class time can be determined later. VISCO Web Service training is provided remotely, but if you prefer, onsite training can be provided at additional cost. It’s important to note that support will be available throughout the pilot period as necessary.
Go-Live
Once configuration, training, and the pilot period have been completed,
the accounting integration will be turned on and you will go-live with VIS.
Full time phone and e-mail support are available from that point forward as long as the customer is curerent on their support contract.
