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By Curt Finch
Commons Mistake In Buying Timesheet Software
Don’t fall for a deceptive demo. You have the power to demand that any vendor absolutely, completely prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that their solution will solve your company’s specific business problem. You deserve a detailed demonstration that uses your employee list, your customer list, your project list, your company’s logo, your color scheme, and that shows you reports on your data that will prove to you that your business problem is solved. If a vendor can't make you 100 percent certain that the solution will work for your specific business needs, then walk. Period. Canned demos are designed to deceive. Don't believe them. By the way, this process alone will take more than two days if your problem is complicated. Don’t believe those instant rollout claims.
What To Ask Vendors: “Can you absolutely prove to me that you will solve my business problem, using my employees, departments, projects, etc., and then show me the reports I need to see? Can you provide references of clients that have successfully integrated your product with my accounting system, my project management system and my payroll service provider?” If the vendor can quickly configure the software during a demo for you and show you that it really meets your needs, then he probably can do it quickly after it’s installed at your company as well.
Consider SaaS
If the software is 100 percent Web-based (and it better be if you want to avoid obsolete technology and installation problems on every machine in your company) then you are able to run it from any server on earth. Some timesheet software companies deliver their technology via only one of two different models: installed at your location or software that is rented. The software runs on their site. This approach is called software as a service (SaaS). Since most timesheet software is primarily Web-based these days, there is no reason a provider can’t do both, is there?
SaaS allows early rollouts, server protection and easier upgrades. In an "early rollout," the vendor lets you temporarily use the SaaS site while your IT shop deploys the machine purchased for your local installation. "Server protection" is the process of sending a backup to the vendor in case your local installation fails. Thus, the vendor can get your system up on his site instantly. SaaS vendors allow easier upgrades because they can provide you with a test site during the upgrade process that requires no hardware purchases on your part.
What To Ask Vendors: “What sort of backup generator do you have in case of a power outage at your SaaS site? Where is it hosted? How many connections to the Internet does your SaaS site have? How much does server protection cost? Can I rollout on your SaaS servers and later transfer the data to my own servers? Where are SaaS backup tapes stored? What kind of security and fire suppression capabilities exist at the hosting site?”
Not Just HR
When payroll executives implement time and attendance systems to automate payroll, they often miss the chance to facilitate greater profitability throughout the entire company. These executives are, of course, payroll experts. They are usually not experts at project accounting or billing automation.
The time data they collect, if collected appropriately, can also be used to automate project management, project costing, project tracking and project estimation improvement, as well as for internal, external and reverse billing automation. Most payroll and HR executives know little about these subjects, but increasingly, they are being asked to rise to new challenges.
This goes back to that requirements gathering portion of the timesheet software selection process. Bring in R&D managers, marketing folks, and A/P people. Have a selection team. It’s harder, but it will unleash profitability that you didn’t know you had available.
You deserve to be 100 percent positive that the timesheet software you is the right choice for you, and is capable of early rollouts, server protection, and simple upgrades. You have the right to demand a tailored demo with your company’s information. Be sure that you understand the degree to which the vendor’s solution is browser based. You probably need a solution that does more than just payroll--although payroll might be the first step in a phased implementation strategy.
If you’ve done a good job of requirements gathering and your chosen provider can include services people to get it rolled out correctly for you, and if you’ve checked references thoroughly, timesheet software can make enormous profitability increases in your company by automating payroll, billing and most of all project cost accounting.
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