The most common answer is “we want to be live January 1.” The second most common response is “when our work slows down.” Generally, both are reasonable time frames to consider going live. However, understanding the value and adding an efficiency and information tool to your company is considered equally as important. Let’s take a closer look at when is REALLY the best time to implement new construction management software.
January and April Implementations
Truth be known, a January 1 “go-live” date is the best for most construction companies, especially for those who do their own payroll in house. A January 1 target date means it is best to evaluate software in September/October and make a decision by November. This then allows 6-8 weeks for implementation, data conversion, and comfortably go-live.
For companies in the Midwest (where Software Consultants is located), the second most common go-live date is April 1, which coincides with the typical Midwest busy construction season. Going “live” for the busy season would require a proper software assessment in January/early February to allow proper implementation time to go live April 1 and before the busy season. Getting payroll details or balances caught up is an easy task and important for proper job and year end reporting.. April 1 allows for a quarter cut off and the company and staff are ready for vast improvements for their upcoming workload. Also, an electronic conversion of payroll, open AP, open AR and open jobs makes April 1 popular as well.
Keys to a Successful Implementation
After purchasing construction software, the key steps to a successful implementation process are:
- Software download provided to client
- Kickoff planning meeting between consultant & client
- Sage University Online training review & recommended sessions
- Detailed implementation checklist & plan provided to client
- Scheduling of one on one training sessions with certified consultant
- Electronic data conversion (vendors, customers, employees, etc…if applicable)
- Payroll & miscellaneous testing
- Construction & system reporting review
- Order checks (if applicable)
- Enter balances (manual/electronic)
- Go Live!
- Work with Sage Support & certified consultant as needed
Upon review of when our clients actually went live with new systems, we found the following characteristics:
- Most contractors felt that the summer or fall months would be the least desirable time to go live given it is the busiest time for the construction industry (the exception would be companies with a service department).
- About 75% of those that planned to go live January 1 actually did. The other 25% went live February 1 instead because the holidays and vacations slowed them down a bit.
- The majority of clients felt it was more important to have a quality implementation over a speedy one.
- 90% of new implementations used electronic data conversion tools for bringing in vendors, customers, employees, etc…automatically.
See Also: Do You Really NEED Construction Software? …
25 Years of Implementation Experience Says …
Having installed over 1,000 construction systems over the past 25 years, Software Consultants has dealt with many scenarios. Most have found that evaluating construction software in October/November and planning a go live date for January 1 is ideal (especially for those doing their payroll in house).
It is also important to note that some new clients felt they should run parallel systems but none actually did and that the electronic conversion tools and import of balances for key items made the entire implementation much easier than anticipated.
