Why this workshop?
Paperless projects are not new. Companies of all sizes have been trying to get rid of paper throughout their enterprise by implementing document management and imaging technologies. The problem, however, is that the focus of those initiatives is usually on the technology itself, and the results are well known: the system is not used, the users are unhappy, the IT department gets constant requests for modification to the application, and the costs mount.
In order to start on the right foot with any paperless implementation, you need to create a Solution Design. More than a document, the Solution Design helps you to develop a clear roadmap to implement a paperless project.
Instead of the usual series of lectures, you will have the opportunity to interact with other participants dealing with the same issues and obstacles. The workshop facilitator will guide you through a proven methodology for creating a solution design and give you the opportunity to learn what other companies are doing and how they are approaching their paperless implementations.
We designed this workshop with the senior executive in mind. If you don’t have time to sit through powerpoint slides and want to focus on actions that will translate into immediate results then this workshop is for you.
The Solution Design
The difference between a successful project and a failed one can usually be found in the original underlying plan. What will be done, who will do it and how it will be carried out are all details that are too important to be left for later. The solution design is your overall project plan for paperless implementations that delineates what your current situation is, what will be changed, how it will be done, and who is responsible.
A Solution Design is usually comprised of two different elements: the Business Design and the Technical Design. Understanding the differences and how to approach each element of a solution Design is key to getting your project on track. After this workshop you will have the tools to be able to effectively use the Solution Design and all its elements.
About the 7 steps methodology
The “7 Steps” is a proven process for getting your
paperless project started and a way to arm yourself with tools
that will allow you to plan, execute, monitor and control your
paperless implementation. We will explore in detail each step
and relate that to your business processes.
Using the 7 steps you will be able to:
Understand the problem
- How to identify the underlying problems in your business
processes
- Why the executive view of business processes is often
unrelated to the user view and how
to correct that
- The importance of getting everyone to discuss the areas
for improvement
Identify goals and requirements
- How to identify the goals that you are trying to achieve
with your implementation
- How your project will impact the corporate goals
- What part of your business process you should focus on first
How to measure success
- Map you current processes
- Identify all your current steps
- Locate bottlenecks and identify their impact on cash flow,
time in a department,
and overall processing costs
- Assess overall performance of the process and identify areas
for improvement
Design a paperless solution
- Create a blueprint for your paperless project
- Pinpoint areas in your various departments that will benefit
from the solution
- Identify and prioritize areas for implementation
Calculate ROI
- Identify and differentiate between hard and soft savings
- Allocate costs and savings for each step in the process
- Understand how other companies built their ROI and identify
areas you should
focus on
Document your solution
- What should be included and excluded in the Business Design
- How the Business Design helps to build consensus and get
buy-in for a paperless
project
- Key things to consider when assigning roles and responsibilities
Kick-off implementation
- How the Business Design leads to the Technical Design
- Pitfalls to avoid when doing the Technical Design
- Creating an implementation plan that takes into consideration
the business process
and the technical
requirements
- Ensuring that there are measurable
results for your
project
Skills You Can Apply
In this workshop you will gain valuable skills you can apply right away in your own organization, like:
- How to plan paperless projects: What is a solution design, the difference between a Business Design and a Technology Design, and how to utilize them for your advantage.
- How to identify the underlying problems of a particular process: the techniques that you can use to map out your process and identify areas for improvement.
- How to involve all stakeholders: the steps you can take to ensure everyone is involved and are on agreement as to what needs to be done and when.
- How to control the project: the best way to utilize the solution design as your guide stick to monitor and control the project throughout its implementation.
- How to improve your procure-to-pay process: the key steps you need to take to ensure the paperless implementation will improve the way you process the purchasing, receiving, and payables.
The Learning Method
The way this workshop is structured will allow you to learn by different methods:
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Hear the facilitator talk about each step and how they fit into the big picture of a paperless implementation
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See examples of companies that went through this process and what results they had
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Discuss with other participants how each step applies to their own industries and environments, what they see as problems and the solutions they have come up with
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Practice, by using the workbook provided, creating your own solution design
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Write down action items to be followed-up on as soon as you get back to your office
By the end of the day, you will have a complete understanding of what actions you should take to go paperless in your accounts payable department and how to use the Solution Design to your advantage.
The Workbook
More than interacting with other executives and learning from best practices, you will have a complete workbook that you will take with you at the end of the workshop. This workbook was carefully prepared to not only contain all materials presented during the workshop (including case studies, spreadsheets, and process flows) but will also contain the exercises you worked on during the sessions.
As your companion throughout the day, the workbook will server as your first solution design. Your notes, exercises, action items, everything you need to get started will be at your hands.
A USB drive containing all materials discussed, including ready-to-use spreadsheets and templates, will also be provided to you at no charge.
Learning from Best Practices
Nothing is better than seeing what others have already accomplished
and learning the pitfalls and successes of each specific organization.
You will have exclusive access to best practices that will help
you:
- Identify problems in your daily business process
- Optimize your purchasing process
- Reduce errors in Purchase Orders and Requisitions
- Accelerate your customer service response time
- Understand the technical jargon behind paperless
projects
- Control your payables cycle and improve your cash
flow
- Calculate the Return on Investment from paperless
solutions
- Select and
evaluate solution providers
This is a unique opportunity to review best
practices, discuss how they apply to your specific organization
and learn what others in the field are doing.
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