System and method for assessing a procurement and accounts payable system

[0001] This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 11/505,576, filed 17 Aug. 2006 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,398,222, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/727,445 filed 3 Dec. 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,110,957, which is a divisional of Ser. No. 09/444,257 filed 22 Nov. 1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,684,191, all by R. F. Barnard, et al. for System and Method for Assessing a Procurement and Accounts Payable System.

[0002] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/444,254, entitled “System and Method for Project Preparing a Procurement and Accounts Payable Process”, Ser. No. 09/444,255, entitled “System and Method for Project Designing and Developing a Procurement and Accounts Payable Process”, Ser. No. 09/444,253, entitled “System and Method for Deploying a Procurement and Accounts Payable Process”, and Ser. No. 09/444,256, entitled “System and Method for Ongoing Supporting a Procurement and Accounts Payable Process” are filed concurrently, are assigned to the same assignee hereof, and contain subject matter related, in certain respect, to the subject matter of the present application. The above-identified patent applications are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] 1. Technical Field of the Invention

[0004] This invention pertains to the implementation of a procurement and accounts payable system or application. More particularly, it relates to a system and method for assessing, preparing, designing and developing, deploying, and supporting a general procurement and accounts payable system using electronic requisitions.

[0005] 2. Background Art

[0006] A services company may be very good at implementing information technology (IT) solutions. However, as customer engagements increase, the ability of company to execute numerous engagements on time and within budget with quality becomes more difficult.

[0007] Today there exist many different software packages that perform project management and classes that teach methodologies for implementing solutions that involve information technology and services. However, there is no process that combines these activities along with an evaluation of a client's general procurement (GP) and accounts payable (AP) system, or application, into one package while providing detailed implementation instructions along with templates for completing the major deliverables required over the course of the project. Templates, may be used herein as an equivalent term for page, form, or document as used in connection with Lotus Notes. In Lotus Notes, a page is a database design element that displays information; a form, like a page, displays information and also can be used to collect information; and documents are the elements that store information in the database. A user is presented a form including fields for entering information. When the user fills out the information and saves it, the information is saved in the data base as a document. When a user opens the document, the document uses the form as a template to provide the structure for displaying the data or information. Fields store data of various types, including text, dialog list, rich text, and so forth.

[0008] Scalability of engagements is a known problem, the most common solution to which is to increase the number of persons involved. Experience has shown that this increase results in customer dissatisfaction due to inadequate gathering of requirements, poorly trained implementation teams, missed schedules, increased costs, and lower quality.

[0009] It is characteristic of general procurement and accounts payable systems that no two are identical, and may differ even within wholly owned subsidiaries of a single corporation.

[0010] Consequently, there is a need in the art for a system and method for evaluating a potential client system and for adapting a general procurement and accounts payable system to the requirements of each of many potential clients. Further, there is a need for a system and method for evaluating a potential client system and for adapting a general procurement and accounts payable system to the requirements of each of many potential clients which can be licensed to third party providers together with a system and method for monitoring and assuring the quality of services provided by those service providers.

[0011] There is a need in the art for an integrated system for assessing, preparing, designing and developing, deploying, and supporting a procurement and accounts payable system using electronic requisitions.

[0012] During project assessment, typically potential customers are contacted and evaluated by a marketing team that then recommends a product solution from their menu. There is no integration of Technical Team Leaders and Transition Management as key components of the installation. There is also limited to no flexibility to customize the product for the customer.

[0013] There is a large body of work on project planning in industry. While they are all more or less adequate, they do not provide the comprehensive integration of the client and supplier teams, Transition Management, and Quality required to accomplish a particular customer's goals.

[0014] Like project planning, project design and development processes are well known in industry. They usually consist of a project manager or team leader that manages the implementation of a project plan and interfaces with the client.

[0015] Deployment or implementation of a project is, again, a very standard operation. As the project plan steps are completed, they are usually held in queue until all necessary activities reach a point where the solution can be “turned on”.

[0016] All projects have close out functions that wrap up the end of the project. However, they do not provide for continuing support across the multitude of functions that have been used to provide the customer with a solution.

[0017] It is an objective of the invention to provide a system and method for evaluating a client's general procurement and accounts payable (GP/AP) system.

[0018] It is an object of the invention to provide an optimized solution for out-sourcing procurement of goods and services.

[0019] It is an object of the invention to provide a system and method for training service providers.

[0020] It is an object of the invention to provide a system and method for managing service providers to assure quality of service.

[0021] It is an object of the invention to provide a system and method for managing a project.

[0022] It is an object of the invention to provide an optimized general procurement and accounts payable system characterized by lower costs, a paperless process, and more comprehensive service with a shorter cycle time.

[0023] A system for assessing a general procurement and accounts payable application of a customer of an enterprise includes a server; a storage device connected to the server; a plurality of team terminals; and a communication link interconnecting the server and terminals. The server is operable for (1) maintaining a database of templates on the storage device describing procedures for assessing the application, and (2) serving the templates to a members of cross functional team operating the terminals for coordinating, recording and tracking team activities with respect to the application.

[0024] A method for assessing a general procurement and accounts payable application includes maintaining a database of templates describing procedures for assessing the general procurement and accounts payable application and operating a plurality of web-enabled user terminals to access via a server the database of templates for coordinating tasks by a plurality of enterprise teams implementing the procedures.

[0025] In accordance with an aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer program product configured to be operable to perform the method of the invention for assessing a general procurement and accounts payable application.

[0026] Other features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0033] FIGS. 5 and 6 also illustrate fields collected in the database and selectively displayed at user terminals of FIG. 1 for each summary and detail task, respectively, of a GP/AP system for a particular customer or project.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 1, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, intranet communication facilities interconnect a plurality of team member terminals 64, zero or more service provider terminals 66, and client (also referred to as customer) terminals 68, and a server 62, preferably a Lotus Notes server.

[0035] Server 62 references and maintains playbook database 70. Database (also referred to as the playbook, or playbook database) 70 is provided for implementing procurement and accounts payable systems. This playbook 70 defines implementation steps and templates for creating the many required deliverables and project management functions. These functions include start and end dates, effort, duration, and so forth. This playbook also provides the steps and templates for training service providers 66 and serves as the repository for completed templates and as a source for auditing the performance of the service providers. As used herein, unless otherwise apparent from the context, system and applications are used to refer to hardware, software, procedures, instructional materials, and so forth, for implementing a general procurement and accounts payable process.

[0036] Also attached to intranet 60 are requisition and catalog (Req/Cat) servers 80. Server 80 functions as a front end server to accounting system server 82, and is connected to a file of vendor catalogs and contracts 72, to a client (customer) host system 74, and through a firewall to SAP servers 82. SAP server 82 is an accounting driver for the procurement and accounts payable (A/P) system of the customer. SAP servers 82 are connected to supplier systems 84, to a customer data warehouse 78, and to customer ledger and accounts payable systems 86, 88.

[0037] During the operational phase of a completed and functioning system, a customer (aka end user, or client) 98 enters requisitions via the intranet to server 80. Server 80 accesses client host system 74 for pricing, reports, etc., and vendor catalogs and contracts 72 to gather information needed by SAP servers 82 to generate purchase orders or requests for quotes (RFQs) to supplier 84, to update data warehouse 78, client ledger 86, and client accounts payable 88 systems. Warehouse 78 stores client data maintained by the supplier of the Req/Cat and general procurement system, which supplier may be the primary enterprise (a primary services organization, such as the IBM Corporation) with control of the design and implementation of the system, or a contractor of the enterprise qualified as a third party service provider.

[0038] In operation, during presales, assessment, preparation, development, deployment and support stages, team members 64, access database 70 via intranet 60 and server 62 to create a playbook including a detailed description of an accounts payable and Req/Cat system for a particular customer (aka client). This description is then used to personalize Req/Cat servers 80 and SAP servers 82 for the customer installation. During operation, a user 98 accesses Req/Cat server 80 via intranet 60 to enter a requisition or to query the status of previously entered requisition. When entering a requisition, Req/Cat responds to end user 98 with a form to complete. Req/Cat 80 accesses SAP server 82 through the firewall with the requisition or request for status. SAP server 82, responsive to a requisition, issues a purchase order or request for quote to supplier 84, and updates accounts payable 88 and ledger 86, as required through the normal procurement and accounting process implemented on behalf of the customer.

[0039] Referring to FIG. 2, various departments and individuals representing team members 64 include business office 120, architecture 122, education and training 124, project manager 126, Req/Cat development 128, business process design 112, electronic data interchange (EDI) 114, application development 116, information technology 130, business controls 132, procurement process 134, transition management 136, SAP development 138, marketing 118, general procurement operations 98, and support management 96. Each of these departments and individuals perform various rolls and functions during the life of the project from assessment through deployment and use, as will be more fully described hereafter in connection with FIG. 3.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 3, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the method of the invention, assessment 101, preparation 102, development 103, deployment 104 and support 105 stages are executed to design, implement, and use a general procurement and accounts payable (GP/AP) system for a customer. Through these stages 101-105, procedures and methods are provided for seamlessly integrating all aspects of a total GP/AP system, including creating an electronic purchase requisition for goods and services with flexible approval functions, through invoicing and payment.

[0041] Further in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a web enabled delivery system.

[0042] Further in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a system and method for auditing service provider activities without being on site.

[0043] High level summary tasks implemented by playbook 70 database include business controls, information technology, SAP, communication, process, testing, configuration, project management, transition management, education and training, requisition and catalog (Req/Cat). Each of these summary tasks, as well as the drill-down (aka subsidiary) tasks implementing the details of each, may be accessed by team members 64 and service provider 66s within the playbook database 70.

[0044] Referring to FIG. 4, the playbook summary view 400 is illustrated. View 400 includes a title bar 402; pull down menu tabs file 404, edit 406, view 408, create 410, actions 412, window 414, help 416; create a summary task selection button 420, create a detailed task button 422, a folders and views section 424, and a task title display and selection area 426 which also includes a by column 436 and a status column 438 with an entry for each task displayed in area 426. With by category button 430 and all tasks button 432 selected, all tasks 434 is highlighted and display 426 presents a listing of tasks organized by category.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 5, the summary task template 440 presented to the user upon selection of create a summary task 420 is illustrated. As will be described hereafter, there are two flavors of template 440, one for major operations, and one for major steps within each major operation. Referring to FIG. 6, the detail task template 520 presented to the user upon selection of create a detailed task 422 is illustrated.

[0046] Selection of create summary task 420 presents a first summary task template 440 that used to design and describe a high level summary task for one of the playbook operations. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, there are thirteen such high level summary tasks, including assessment, business controls, configuration, education, image, information technology (I/T), marketing, process, project management, requisition and catalog (req/cat), SAP, testing, and transition management. The summary and detail tasks within these high level summary tasks are further organized into five major processing segments: assessment 101, project preparation 102, project design and development 103, deployment 104, and ongoing support 105. A high level summary task provides a summary of the inputs to the task, and of the output (deliverables) after all detailed tasks are completed. There two levels, or templates for summary tasks: one for major operations, the second for major steps within each operation.

[0047] Activation of create a detail task 422 presents to the user a third template 520 which is used to summarize the detailed tasks for each major step of a summary task.

[0048] The first and second templates 440 are almost identical. They include the fields set forth in Tables 1 and 2. Third template 520 contents are summarized in Table 3.

[0049]

TABLE 1
SUMMARY TASK TEMPLATES PART 1
	SECTION 1:	CREATION STATUS
	Category 444:	Categories include education,
		req/cat development, SAP
		development, transformation
		management, architecture,
		procurement process.
	Team 446:	Specific project team responsible
		for this task.
	Offering type 448:	Kind of product being brought to
		client: req/cat only, SAP only, and
		req/cat and SAP.
	Stage 450:	The stages are assessment 101,
		project preparation 102, project
		development 103, deployment 104,
		and support 105.
	Doc owned by 452:	Team 140 owner of document, the
		designer of this one template. The
		teams 140 are those illustrated in
		FIG. 2.
	Doc created by 454:	Author of this one template.
	Dev status 456:	Approval status: first draft, final
		edit, final approval, etc. Only
		owner 452 can change this status.
		Only the owner 452 can approve the
		content of this template (task).
	SECTION 2:	IMPORTANCE BUTTONS
	Education 462:	Represents a combination of things,
		including (1) does someone need to
		be taught how to do this task, (2)
		is it something that should be
		included in the education package
		to the customer.
	Certification 464:	Indicates whether or not an
		implementer of this task (ie,
		service provider) must be
		certified.
	Auditable 466:	Indicates whether or not it is a
		task that Enterprise would be able
		to or needs to audit performance by
		the implementer/service provider
	Milestone 468:	Indicates if this task is a
		critical accomplishment in the path
		of completing the implementation of
		the offering type.
	Critical path 470:	Indicates if this is a task that
		must be completed in order to
		advance to the next task in order
		to complete the offering type, and
		can change during the course of the
		project as tasks are completed and
		the overall environment changes.
	SECTION 3:	IMPLEMENTATION
	Task order 472:	A number assigned to a detailed
		task that shows its order under the
		summary task.
	% complete 474:	An estimate of how complete is this
		task document in its development
		for a particular customer.
	Executed by 458:	Name of service provider (eg.,
		Enterprise, or some Enterprise
		partner).
	Performed by 460:	Technical team responsible for
		doing this task.
	Priority 476:	High, medium, low priority, based
		on whether this task is in critical
		path, and whether or not it needs
		to be done in support of some
		subsequent task.
	Work effort 478:	Estimated time required to complete
		this task.
	Sequence 480:	A number assigned to a summary task
		that shows its order under a higher
		level task.
	Task status 482:	Represents how far the service
		provider has progressed in its
		implementation of this task. This
		is rolled up to Lotus Notes
		database 70 to enable the owner to
		track progress of the service
		providers during the audit phase.

[0050] Table 2 sets forth the template 440 fields which may vary between templates, including those for major operations and major steps within an operation.

[0051]

TABLE 2
SUMMARY TASK TEMPLATES PART 2
	SECTION 4:	SUMMARY TASK DETAILS
	Description 490:	High level summary description
		of major operations or steps.
	Assumptions 492:	What if any assumptions apply.
	Prerequisites 494:	Tasks that must be completed
		before this task can complete.
	Critical success factors 496:	Description of tools,
		techniques, relationships,
		understandings, technical and
		relationship skills and
		commitments, knowledge base of
		team and customer, and so
		forth, needed to accomplish
		this task.
	Deliverables 498:	Expected output of this task.
	SECTION 5:	APPROVALS
	Task approver 500:	Identity of approvers.
	Notification date 502:	Date approvers notified.
	Request approval 504:	Electronic signature of
		approval.
	SECTION 6:	PROJECT REFERENCE
	Comments and dialog 506:	General comments (open
		season).
	Deliverable checklist 408:	Checklist of deliverables.
	Approval status 510:	List of approvers of this
		document and status of their
		approval.
	Edit history 512:	Listing of persons who have
		modified this document during
		its preparation (service
		provider is not allowed to
		change these task
		descriptions.)

[0052]

TABLE 3
DETAIL TASK TEMPLATE
	SECTION 1:	CREATION STATUS
	SECTION 2:	IMPORTANCE BUTTONS
	SECTION 3:	IMPLEMENTATION
	Sections 1, 2 and 3 are the same as for templates 440, with
	the addition of:
	Support resources 524:	People needed to support
		completion of this task.
	Assigned to 526:	Person executing this task.
	SECTION 4:	DETAIL TASK DETAILS
	Description 490:	Description of this task.
	Prerequisites 494:	Tasks that must be completed
		before this task can complete.
	Task steps 528:	Specific detailed steps that
		need to be accomplished to
		complete the task.
	Analysis 540:	A description of what needs to
		be analyzed to come up with
		the right answer for the
		customer. (The resulting
		output will vary depending
		upon the results of the
		analysis—but this document
		doesn't change as a result of
		the analysis).
	Deliverables 530:	Expected output of the task.
	Methodology attachments 532:	Potential attachments, may be
		blank: anything from
		presentation charts, to
		questionnaires, to
		architecture charts—depends
		upon the task.
	SECTION 5:	PROJECT REFERENCE AREA
	Comments & Dialog 506:	Comments.
	Deliverable Checklist 508:	Checklist, attachment listing
		(other than method
		attachments, supra).
	Approval status 510	List of approvers and the
		status of their approval (with
		respect to approval of this
		document, not of the
		implementation of the task,
		which is handled by the audit
		process).
	Edit history 512:	Listing of persons who have
		modified this document during
		its preparation (service
		provider is not allowed to
		change these task
		descriptions.)

[0053] Database 70 at server 62 includes all summary and detail tasks templates which have been completed in a set for a particular customer. An initial set of the tasks listed in Table 4 is provided for each customer, but during project implementation phases 101-105, these are configured or personalized to the customer.

[0054] While many summary and detailed tasks of Table 4 do not appear in the flow chart of FIGS. 3A-3H and 3J-3M, those selected illustrate a flow from start to finish across the five major stages—and form a representative, if not critical, path through them. As shown in FIGS. 3, and 3A-3H and 3J-3M, the transitions between stages 100-105 are, in some instances, blurred and a particular task may be allocated to either or both of two of these stages.

[0055] In each stage, the key to success is the integration through the use of the templates of the groups (FIG. 2) and activities (Table 4, both summary tasks and detail tasks.) Also, an important aspect of the invention is the method provided across the five stages (FIG. 3) for effecting a transition from a legacy process, including hardware, software, work procedures and human resources, to a new process.

[0056] Table 4 is a chart of summary and detail tasks, pursuant to a particular embodiment of the invention, available for presentation in display area 426 of playbook summary view 400 upon selection of button 432. Selection by a user in display area 426 of a task designated with two or three alpha-numeric reference numerals P1, P11, P12, . . . , results in display of a template 440 personalized to the summary task, and selection of a task designated with four or more alpha-numeric reference numerals P111, P112, . . . , result in display of a template 520 personalized to the detail task. A user with appropriate authority may then view, correct, update, approve or otherwise modify the displayed task. The names of the detail tasks set forth broadly the functions or method steps performed in implementing the superior summary task. In Table 4, each summary task is identified in the first column by the stage 100-105 to which it pertains, in the second column by a task identifier P11, P12, . . . , and, for selected tasks, in the third column by the process step (150, . . . , 354 in FIGS. 3A-3H and 3J-3M) to which it pertains. In general (with very few exceptions), a detail task pertains to the same stage 100-105 as its summary task.

[0057]

TABLE 4
CHART OF SUMMARY AND DETAIL TASKS
				Summary Tasks
	Stage	Task ID	Step	Detail Tasks
1	FOLDERS AND VIEWS
2	BY CATEGORY
3		ALL TASKS
4		P1		ASSESSMENT
5	101	P11		Perform customer service offering
6				assessment
7	101	P111	174	Perform customer business
8				assessment
9	101	P112		Perform customer business
10				assessment e-Req/Cat
11	101	P113		Develop workshop management plan
12	101	P114		Develop workshop management plan e-
13				Req/Cat
14	101	P115		Review findings from marketing
15				procurement consulting engagement
16	101	P116		Review findings from marketing
17				procurement consulting engagement
18				e-Req/Cat
19	101	P117	176	Formulate workshop approach
20	101	P118		Formulate workshop approach e-
21				Req/Cat
22	101	P119		Prepare for workshop
23	101	P11A		Prepare for workshop e-req/Cat
24	101	P12	178	Introduce recommend service offering to
25				customer
26	101	P121		Present service offering to
27				customer (perform workshop)
28	101	P122		Present service offering to
29				customer (perform workshop) e-
30				Req/Cat
31	101	P123		Formulate proposal approach
32	101	P124		Formulate proposal approach e-
33				Req/Cat
34	101	P13		Create proposal and contract
35	101	P131		Develop and cost proposal
36	101	P132		Develop and cost proposal e-Req/Cat
37	101	P133		Draft and price customer contract
38	101	P134		Draft and price customer contract
39				e-Req/Cat
40		P2		BUSINESS CONTROLS
41	103	P21		Business control requirements
42	103	P211	290	Confirm business controls
43				requirements
44	103	P212		Confirm separation of duties (SOD)
45				requirements
46	104	P213	292	Conduct ASCA self-assessment
47	104	P214		Risk assessment
48	104	P215	224, 294	Conduct ASCA/business controls
49				review
50	102	P2151		Confirm image production system
51				management strategy
52		P3		CONFIGURATION
53	103	P31	320	Conduct Req/Cat functional detailed fit
54				gap analysis
55	103	P311		Confirm Req/Cat organizational
56				hierarchy
57	103	P312		Define the Req/Cat functional
58				detailed fit
59	103	P313		Resolve functional gaps for Req/Cat
60	103	P32	324	Configure Req/Cat offering
61	103	P321		Confirm and refine “Ives Team
62				Studio” for code tracking
63	103	P322		Confirm and refine Req/Cat initial
64				settings and organizational
65				structure
66	103	P323		Confirm and refine Req/Cat
67				authorizations
68	103	P324		Refine and validate final Req/Cat
69				configuration
70	103	P33		Customize Req/Cat offering
71	103	P331		Validate and customize Req/Cat core
72				application change request
73	103	P332		Refine and validate final
74				customization for Req/Cat
75	103	P34		Produce custom Req/Cat programs
76	103	P341	276	Validate and code bridge change
77				requests (SAP and Req/Cat)
78		P4		EDUCATION AND TRAINING
79	102	P41		Develop customer education and training
80				strategy
81	102	P411		Validate customer education &
82				training objectives
83	102	P412	190	Define the training requirements
84				and approach
85	102	P413		Confirm the education & training
86				strategy
87	102	P42		Define system management processes
88	102	P421		Define SAP correction and transport
89				process
90	102	P422		Define and agree on service level
91				agreement SLA
92	102	P423		Define and administer SAP release
93				control process
94	102	P424		Define Req/Cat transport process
95	102	P425		Define and administer version
96				control process
97	103	P43	192	Define user documentation and training
98				requirements
99	103	P431		Define customer user audiences and
100				requirements
101	103	P432		Confirm user documentation
102				requirements and standards
103	103	P433		Conduct detailed end-user task
104				analysis
105	103	P434		Assess user skills and training
106				needs
107	103	P435		Validate end-user courses and
108				content
109	103	P436		Identify users and course attendees
110	103	P437		Define and notify training
111				attendees
112	103	P44		Develop user training documentation
113	103	P441		Produce customer specific end-user
114				documentation
115	103	P442		Confirm training evaluation
116				materials/approach with customer
117	103	P443	194	Setup training system environment
118	103	P444		Validate training logistics
119	103	P445	198	Conduct pilot training with super
120				users
121	103	P446	196	Arrange documentation and training
122				material production
123	103	P45		Internal (Enterprise, service provider)
124				training requirements
125	103	P451		Identify and organize appropriate
126				internal training
127	104	P46		Conduct end-user training
128	104	P461		Conduct train-the-trainer sessions
129	104	P462	214, 230	Perform training
130	104	P463	212	Conduct new buyer training
131		P5		IMAGE
132	103	P51		Conduct image functional detailed fit
133				gap analysis
134	103	P511		Define the image functional
135				detailed fit
136	103	P512		Resolve image functional gaps
137	103	P52		Configure image offering
138	103	P521		Refine and validate final image
139				configuration
140	103	P522		Confirm and refine image initial
141				settings
142		P6		I/T
143	103	P61		Establish customer network/computing
144				infrastructure
145	103	P611		Confirm component delivery
146	103	P612		Establish network/computing
147				hardware/software architecture
148				infrastructure
149	103	P613		Ready network/computing environment
150	103	P62		Establish EDI infrastructure
151	103	P621		Establish EDI infrastructure
152	103	P622		Conduct trading partner testing
153				(IT)
154	102	P623		Confirm EDI strategy
155	102	P6231		Setup image system environments
156	103	P6232		Establish cutover checklist and
157				perform pre-cutover activities for
158				image production environment
159	104	P6233		Validate image production support
160				for system management
161	103	P63		Develop reporting infrastructure
162	103	P631		Develop reporting infrastructure
163				(LIS/EIS)
164	103	P632		Develop DataMart extracts
165	103	P633	232	Develop additional reports
166				(customer/operations)
167	102	P64		Perform bridge architecture assessment
168	102	P641		Perform bridge architecture
169				integration point interfaces work
170				session
171	102	P642	158	Define bridge architecture project
172				objectives document
173	102	P65		Validate bridge, EDI, vendor reporting
174				requirements
175	102	P651	270	Develop and manage bridge
176				architecture implementation work
177				plan
178	102	P652		Analyze EDI requirements
179	102	P653		Determine EDI communication
180				environment
181	102	P654		Analyze vendor master data load
182	102	P655		Analyze operational reporting
183				requirements
184	102	P656		Analyze customer requirements for
185				DataMart implementation
186	102	P657		Schedule and conduct weekly
187				interlock meeting
188	102	P658		Vendor lead client analysis
189	102	P66		Set up development/integration
190				environment
191	102	P661		Set up SAP development/integration
192				environment
193	102	P662		Set up Req/Cat system environments
194	103	P67		Set up consolidation/test environment
195	103	P671		Set up SAP consolidation/test
196				environment
197	104	P68	218	Set up production environment
198	104	P681		Convert vendor master into
199				production environment
200	104	P682		Determine EDI tasks for production
201				environment set up
202	104	P683		Execute SAP cutover checklist
203	104	P684		Set up SAP production environment
204	104	P685		Establish SAP batch schedule
205	104	P686		Set up trading partners in
206				production environment
207	104	P687		Vendor lead client deployment
208	103	P688		Establish cutover checklist and
209				perform pre-cutover activities for
210				SAP production environment
211	103	P689		Establish cutover checklist and
212				perform pre-cutover activities for
213				e-Req/Cat production environment
214	105	P69		Refine/execute production support for
215				system management
216	105	P691	234	Perform on-going support activities
217				for Req/Cat
218	105	P692		Post deployment reporting support
219	105	P693		Develop new bridges and application
220				extensions post go live
221	105	P694	236	Support new EDI transactions post
222				go live
223	105	P695		Execute system management security
224				support procedures
225	105	P696		Execute data management support
226				procedures
227	105	P697	236	Execute EDI support procedures
228	105	P698		Execute system management
229				operational support desk procedures
230	105	P699		Execute system management batch
231				support desk procedures
232	105	P69A		Execute system management SAPBI
233				support procedures
234	105	P69B		Execute system management master
235				data support procedures
236	105	P69C		Execute production support for
237				system management
238	103	P6A		Establish vendor master environment
239	103	P6A1		Establish vendor master
240	103	P6A2		Confirm vendor master
241	103	P6A3		ALE configuration for VLC
242	103	P6B		Establish bridge architecture
243				infrastructure environment
244	103	P6B1	272	Develop detail architecture
245				requirements definition
246	102	P6C	274	Validate system infrastructure
247				requirements
248	102	P6C1	280	Analyze current network/computing
249				infrastructure
250	102	P6C2		Determine network/computing
251				requirements for project
252	102	P6C3		Confirm and begin network/computing
253				component acquisition
254	102	P6C4		Order and delivery of
255				infrastructure components
256		P7		MARKETING
257	100	P71		Participate in marketing procurement
258				consulting engagement
259	100	P711	170	Qualify potential client
260	100	P712		Qualify potential client e-Req/Cat
261	100	P713		Develop assessment statement of
262				work (SOW) e-Req/Cat
263	100	P714		Develop assessment statement of
264				work (SOW)
265		P8		PROCESS
266
267	102	P81	156	Customer process introduction
268	102	P811		Conduct customer introduction to
269				Golden procurement and A/P
270				processes
271	102	P82		Process reviews with customer—
272				procurement and A/P
273	102	P821	344	Review procurement processes with
274				customer
275	102	P822	342	Review A/P processes with customer
276	102	P83		Assess customer impact on internal
277				Enterprise workload
278	102	P831		Identify current and potential
279				supplier catalogs for customer
280	102	P832	340	Perform assessment of customer
281				purchasing business
282	103	P84		Process alignment customer/Golden
283	103	P841		Determine GAPs between customer and
284				golden processes
285	103	P842		Perform process GAP resolution
286	103	P85		BMP process and procedures management
287	103	P851		Codes and procedures
288	103	P852	348	Update and review process
289				management & procedures manual
290	103	P86		Supplier readiness
291	103	P861	210	General supplier introduction
292	103	P862		Manage trading partner—EDI
293				suppliers
294	103	P863	346	Establish ASAP suppliers for
295				customer (ASAP = a SAP supplier not
296				requiring a buyer)
297	103	P864		Manage customer supplier outline
298				agreements
299	103	P865		Customer freight procedures
300	104	P866		Supplier memo mailing
301		P9		PROJECT MANAGEMENT
302	102	P91	180	Initiate project planning
303	102	P911	160	Confirm project scope and
304				implementation strategy
305	102	P912		Confirm project organization and
306				assign resources to roles
307	102	P913		Prepare and validate project plan
308				and procedures
309	102	P914		Establish project team working
310				environment
311	102	P915		Orient project team
312	102	P92	150	Confirm and refine project management
313				standards and procedures
314	102	P921		Confirm and refine issue management
315				plan
316	102	P922		Confirm and refine project
317				documentation
318	102	P923	152	Confirm and refine quality
319				assurance standards
320	102	P924		Create team building plan
321	102	P93		Confirm implementation strategies
322	102	P931		Confirm system configuration
323				standards
324	103	P9311		Customize image offering
325	103	P9312		Validate and customize image core
326				application change request
327	103	P93121		Refine and validate final
328				customization for image
329	102	P932		Confirm CR/PTR process
330	102	P933		Confirm testing strategy
331	102	P934		Confirm production support &
332				operations strategy
333	102	P935		Confirm SAP production system
334				management strategy
335	102	P936		Confirm e-Req/Cat production system
336				management stategy
337	102	P937	282	Confirm network/computing strategy
338	102	P938		Confirm vendor conversion strategy
339	102	P94	162	Prepare project team
340	102	P941		Conduct kick-off meeting
341	102	P942		Conduct project team standards
342				meeting
343	102	P943		Conduct project team training
344	102	P95	352	Define production support plans
345	102	P951		Define system management SAP
346				resource requirements
347	102	P952		Define system management e-Req/Cat
348				resource requirements
349	102	P953		Define production support accounts
350				payable plan
351	102	P954		Define production support CSC plan
352	102	P955		Define production support general
353				procurement plan
354	102	P956		Confirm SAP system authorizations
355				for project team
356	102	P957		Confirm Req/Cat access control list
357				(ACL)
358	102	P958		Define system management image
359				resource requirements
360	102	P96		Initial quality assurance review
361	102	P961		Initial QA review
362	103	P97		Review project status and refine project
363	&104			plan
364
365	103,	P971		Conduct project team status
366	&104			meetings
367
368	103	P972		Conduct steering committee meetings
369	&104
370	101	P98		Obtain customer approval
371	102	P981		Won bid analysis/transition to
372				implementation team
373	102	P982		Won bid analysis/transition to
374				implementation team e-Req/Cat
375	101	P983		Conduct lost bid analysis
376	101	P984		Conduct lost bid analysis e-Req/Cat
377	104	P99		Validate production support
378	104	P991		Validate SAP production support for
379				system management
380	104	P992		Validate production support for
381				accounts payable
382	104	P993		Validate production support for CSC
383	104	P994		Validate production support for
384				general procurement
385	104	P995		Validate Req/Cat production support
386				for system managment
387	105	P996		Validate education & training
388				production support activities
389	104	P9A		Perform go live project office
390				activities
391	104	P9A1		Ensure go live check lists
392				activities
393	104	P9A2		Go/no-go decision for go live
394	103	P9B		Interim quality assurance reviews
395	&104
396	103	P9B1		Interim QA reviews
397	&104
398	105	P9C	244	Post-implementation quality assurance
399				review
400	105	P9C1		Post-implementation QA review
401	105	P9D		Production support review
402	105	P9D1		Confirm production environment
403		PA		REQ/CAT
404	102	PA1		Identify customer responsibilities for
405				Req/Cat
406	102	PA11		Identify country/global
407				administrators & neg. con person
408	102	PA12		Perform country administrator
409				education
410	103	PA2		Prepare and load Req/Cat catalog data
411	103	PA21		Perform Req/Cat catalogue tasks
412	104	PA3		Req/Cat production readiness
413	104	PA31		Confirm Req/Cat for production
414				environment
415	104	PA32		Set up Req/Cat tables in production
416	104	PA33		Prepare Req/Cat production copy
417	104	PA34		Execute Req/Cat go live checklist
418		PB		SAP
419	103	PB1	254	Conduct SAP functional detailed fit gap
420				analysis
421	103	PB11	250	Confirm SAP organizational
422				hierarchy
423	103	PB12		Define the SAP functional detailed
424				fit
425	103	PB13		Resolve SAP functional gaps
426	103	PB2		Produce custom SAP programs
427	103	PB21		Develop and validate SAP custom
428				programs
429	103	PB3	252	Configure SAP offering
430	103	PB31		Confirm and refine implementation
431				guide
432	103	PB32		Confirm and refine SAP initial
433				settings and organizational
434				structure
435	103	PB33		Confirm and refine SAP end user
436				authorization profiles
437	103	PB34		Refine and validate final SAP
438				configuration
439	103	PB4		Customize SAP offering
440	103	PB41		Validate and customize SAP core
441				application change request
442	103	PB42		Refine and validate final
443				customization for SAP
444		PC		TESTING
445	103	PC1	256, 260, 322	Perform preparation activities for
446				testing (both Req/Cat and SAP)
447	103	PC11		Confirm and refine test case
448				templates
449	103	PC12	258, 326	Build comprehensive test plan
450	103	PC13		Develop test environment plan
451	103	PC14		Create test case specifications
452	103	PC15		Build/reuse test cases
453	103	PC16		Determine testing tools
454	103	PC17		Review and validate comprehensive
455				test plan
456	103	PC2	216	Perform comprehensive testing
457	103	PC21		Perform unit test
458	103	PC22	262	Perform component test
459	103	PC23	264, 328	Perform integration test
460	103	PC24		Administer network/computing
461				performance monitoring
462	103	PC25	266, 330	Perform system test
463	103	PC26	220	Perform user acceptance test
464	103	PC27		Perform other required testing
465	103	PC271		Support comprehensive image testing
466	103	PC28		Support comprehensive e-Req/Cat
467				testing
468	103	PC29		Support comprehensive SAP testing
469	103	PC2A		Support comprehensive image testing
470		PD		TRANSITION MANAGEMENT
471	101	PD1	172	Introduce transition management
472				(assessment)
473	101	PD11	172	Develop initial assessment of
474				client
475	101	PD12		Provide transition management
476				workshop presentation
477	102	PD2	154	Model transition management (project
478				preparation)
479	102	PD21		Provide transition management
480				strategy
481	102	PD22		Evaluate cultural impact of
482				solution
483	102	PD23	300	Develop/confirm transition
484				management plan
485	102	PD3		Develop communication plan (project
486				preparation)
487	102	PD31	304	Build/confirm campaign plan
488	102	PD32	302	Update communications trategy
489	102	PD33		Deliver announcement/kickoff
490				communication
491	103	PD4		Initialize transition management (design
492				and development)
493	103	PD41		Create incentive/reward program
494	103	PD42		Assess supplier impacts related to
495				transition management
496	103	PD43		Assess Enterprise support impacts
497				related to transition management
498	103	PD44		Design detail go live
499				material/activities
500	103	PD45	308	Create policy changes
501	103	PD46		Identify/plan for security
502	103	PD47		Detail process transition plan
503	103	PD48	306	Detail human resources plan
504	103	PD49		Detail employee relations plan
505	104	PD5		Ensure transition management activities
506				(deploy)
507	104	PD51	350	Ensure new process management
508				system in place
509	104	PD52	222	Perform client readiness assessment
510	104	PD53		Perform transition management go
511				live activities
512	104	PD54	240	Manage human resources activities
513	105	PD6		Communication (support)
514	105	PD61		Thanks to users/suppliers
515	105	PD7		Validate transition management (support)
516	105	PD71		Monitor human resource issues
517	105	PD72		Assess effectiveness of transition
518				management program
519	105	PD8		Perform post implementation survey
520				(support)
521	105	PD81	242	Administer post go live survey
522	105	PD82		Present and act upon survey
523				findings
524		PE		NOT CATEGORIZED
525	104	PE1	200	Perform go live process activities
526	104	PE11		Allocate buyer codes to commodities
527	104	PE12		Enter blanket orders
528	. . .	PE2		Table template document
529	. . .	PE21		Table template document

[0058] Referring to FIG. 3 in connection with FIG. 2, project assessment phase 101 follows pre-sales phase 100, during which marketing makes its initial contact with the prospective client, or customer.

[0059] After initial contact from marketing 118, the main thrust of Assessment Project 101 is to provide an integrated, cross-functional customer solution to the client. An assessment team is led by the Business Office 120, but requires input and participation from the project leaders of Architecture 122, Transformation Management 136, Business Process 112, EDI 114, and Application Development 116.

[0060] Assessment 101 begins with a complete review of the client's current general procurement and accounts payable processes. This includes debriefing the initial marketing team 118, instructing the project leaders 126, and accumulating all other relevant data available about the client's processes, tools, and organizational structures. The Assessment Team then defines an integrated customer solution that covers technical, educational, and Human Resource issues.

[0061] The delivery of the Workshop is intended to present an overview of the customer solution, initiate discussions on process analysis and strategic implementation, and confirmation of the solution fit. Specific goals of a workshop phase within assessment stage 101 include the following:

• [0062] (1) Prepare and deliver a presentation to the customer defining the service offering, including any essential documentation on the offering, and a demonstration of the end-user tool(s), as applicable.
• [0063] (2) Collect area specific information and customer requirements on network process sourcing, procurement, accounts payable, and finance; and EDI, I/T, and transition management.
• [0064] (3) Identify high level gaps in each such area.
• [0065] (4) Identify additional high level requirements for new process support, and for conversion requirements, including requirements for commodity structure, account structure, vendor, and contracts.
• [0066] (5) Identify interface requirements, including requirements for HR, cost center, catalogs, ledger, information warehouse.
• [0067] (6) Validate accounting for project, appropriation, contract, job, tax reporting, currency, and check reconciliation.
• [0068] (7) Identify requirements for network, EDI, testing, and application development including new reports, new interfaces, and new features.
• [0069] (8) Assemble a high-level gap analysis.
• [0070] (9) Create a high-level Customer Scope Document.
• [0071] (10) Confirm the recommended solution.

[0072] At the completion of the workshop phase, the assessment team 106 convenes to develop and cost the final customer solution and proposal. At this time, the members of assessment team 106 assemble, understand, and validate the collected data; review standard proposal options with assumptions and identify items that apply to this client; create a draft of the proposal including scope, risk, schedule, and resources; review the draft with team and other project members to obtain sizing and costing information for each area; compile costing information to add to the proposal; and perform QA review of the system integration, application development, managed operations (including service delivery center (SDC), application IT, and Process Operations) proposals, and of the overall proposal.

[0073] The resulting proposal is delivered or presented to the client. Final Assessment activities include follow up query responses and, should the proposal be declined, a loss analysis. This loss analysis feeds back into assessment process 101 to improve its overall effectiveness and efficiency.

[0074] Referring to Table 4, summary tasks pertaining to assessment stage 101 are listed, together with included detail tasks. For each task, a template 440 or 520 is maintained in data base 70, and accessed by team 108 members and others through summary view 400 to track progress (including viewing, updating, sharing, and approving) during this assessment stage 101.

[0075] Referring further to FIG. 3, project preparation stage 102 sets up the project, initializes detail planning, and models the plan for making the transition from the client's legacy system and process to the new system and process (or, offering).

[0076] A critical element of this stage is to ensure resources are assigned to transition management 136, both from the project implementation team 126 as well as from the client. During this stage the transition activities required for a smooth migration from the old client process and system to the new service offering are modeled. The result is a detailed transition management plan that is specifically designed for the client. Stage 102 tasks and deliverables include the following:

• [0077] (1) Perform analysis on the client HR environment, including organization structure and relationships, labor relations, management, administration, and end user roles and responsibilities, and the general HR environment.
• [0078] (2) Develop and approve the detailed transition management and communication plan.
• [0079] (3) Update the client specific transition management strategy.
• [0080] (4) Define the quality assurance (QA) process required to assure that a project conforms to documented standards and meets documented requirements. The purpose of this task is to confirm the quality assurance standards between Enterprise and the client, and identifies the tasks that are to be audited by the Enterprise Technical Center.
  The QA review is a beneficial process for the project as it timely recognizes potential risk areas and reduces the possibility of project delays while achieving faster implementation, attaining low cost and increasing the customer's level of confidence. Deliverables of the QA review task include the following:
• [0081] (1) Confirm and refine quality assurance standards with the customer.
• [0082] (2) Confirm that technical requirements can be met.
• [0083] (3) Confirm that business and financial measurements can be met.
• [0084] (4) Confirm that the proposal is complete and the required processes have been followed.
• [0085] (5) Establish QA schedule for the project.

[0086] Integration of all critical Enterprise and client team members provides the glue to assure a smooth project. By completing the detailed tasks within project preparation stage 102, the recommended implementation standards, procedures and strategies for the project are shared with the technical and business functional members of the project team as well as with the customer. All team members have input in this process, and understand the basic procedures, once they have been agreed to. These procedures, documented in summary and detail task templates listed in Table 4, include the following:

[0087] Configuration Standards

[0088] CR/PTR Process

[0089] Testing Strategy

[0090] Production Support and Operations Strategy

[0091] SAP System Management Strategy

[0092] Req/Cat System Management Strategy

[0093] Network Computing Strategy

[0094] Vendor Conversion Strategy

[0095] Referring further to FIG. 3, project design and development phase 103 provides and documents in a database of templates referred to as a Playbook, the business controls, transformation management, and SAP and Req/Cat customization required for an integrated approach to a complete customer solution.

[0096] During this stage 103, business controls 132 provides a comprehensive process that identifies key control points and establishes detailed procedures to assure a quality installation. The deliverables include documentation, separation of duties, sensitive programs, logical access control, logging (audit trail), change control for tables, change control for programs, system testing, input controls, processing controls, error handling controls, output controls, balancing and reconciliation, vital records and disaster recovery, records management, reports, local area network (LAN), and country specifics, as described below:

• [0097] (1) Documentation: an assessment of the quality and completeness of existing program documentation and a determination of the degree to which programs could be efficiently reconstructed if they were destroyed.
• [0098] (2) Separation of duties: the duties of the programmer, computer operations, and user groups are reviewed to ensure that separation of duties problems do not exist. No one individual can control activities within a process (or any event in a string of events) in a way that permits errors of omission, or commission of fraud, theft, etc., to go undetected.
• [0099] (3) Sensitive programs: controls must be in place to prevent unauthorized modification and/or use of the application.
• [0100] (4) Logical access control: while programs are generally controlled by a site procedure, application data has a formal access control mechanism.
• [0101] (5) Logging (audit trail): a logging mechanism is established to ensure the audit trail is correct.
• [0102] (6) Change control (tables): a change control system is put in place to evaluate, justify and control changes to tables.
• [0103] (7) Change control (programs): a change control system is put in place to evaluate, justify and control changes to programs.
• [0104] (8) System Testing: system testing procedures are effectively planned and carried out to ensure that controls are successfully tested and documented.
• [0105] (9) Input controls: to insure accuracy and completeness of information entering an application.
• [0106] (10) Processing controls: controls are applied for entry of data into the computer application system that ensure accuracy and completeness of data during computer processing.
• [0107] (11) Error handling controls: controls for error handling and reprocessing of transactions.
• [0108] (12) Output controls: output controls ensure the integrity of the output data from conclusion of computer processing to delivery to the user.
• [0109] (13) Balancing and reconciliation: verifies that procedures to reconcile output to input are effective.
• [0110] (14) Vital records and disaster recovery: disaster recovery is designed to provide for the continuity or rapid system restoration of a business process immediately following a natural or man-made emergency or disaster.
• [0111] (15) Records management: verify that information is managed with sound business practices and controls.
• [0112] (16) Reports: verify that reports are distributed properly.
• [0113] (17) Local Area Network (LAN): Refer to ITCS 201, “Security Standards for Local Area Networks and Distributed Computing.”
• [0114] (18) Country specifics: verifies that any questions particular to this specific country are completed.

[0115] Req/Cat is a requisition and catalog product designed, developed, and maintained by Enterprise for use in systems such as those developed in this stage 103.

[0116] SAP is an financial and accounting package which an enterprise or company may license for its own use and for its customers. SAP configurators that customize package programs to fit the needs of the client are provided for use during design and development stage 103. All other installations of SAP are “off the shelf”, with the client changing its internal structures to fit SAP requirements.

[0117] Transition management is the most overlooked part of any implementation process. It is critical to address the corporate culture and personality at the earliest contact. Strategic and tactical plans may then be developed that guide the implementation through “Go Live” and for an agreed period thereafter. The purpose of transition management steps of the design and development stage 103 is to provide guidance to the development team members as they work with the client to institute policy changes that might be introduced as part of the implementation of the new process and system. Necessary changes to the legacy system are identified and a plan developed to announce and introduce changes in policy. Policy change includes key business rules that are part of the management system for purchasing and procurement. They may be associated with approval levels or procedural changes in the new system. The target is not the day to day operation but management decision and support systems that might be affected. The areas addressed include:

[0118] Measurements (old and new)

[0119] Management system

[0120] Approval levels

[0121] Supplier contacts and contracts

[0122] Reward systems

[0123] Incentive Plans

[0124] Security

[0125] Employee and user changes

All of these areas require strategic and tactical planning that includes the following steps:

• [0126] (1) Identify the current (legacy) system or process and compare it to the new process or system to be implemented to identify gaps.
• [0127] (2) Develop specific recommendations for gaps between the legacy and the new system or process, identifying the level of sensitivity and whether or not action is required as part of the transition.
• [0128] (3) Determine the announcement and transition (or, cut over) date for each action identified.
• [0129] (4) Design a communications plan to build the message and media for communicating the changes to affected parties.
• [0130] (5) Design a process transition plan to ensure the elements of change are integrated into the overall plan for the process.
• [0131] (6) Determine how the policies must be modified according to new standards and procedures
• [0132] (7) Determine what new policies and procedures will be implemented as part of the process and system.

[0133] Finally, integration of the above design and development stage 103 process steps along with the technical teams involved allow the delivery of a cross-functional solution under one unified and managed plan.

[0134] Referring again to FIG. 3, project deployment phase 104 uses the Playbook to improve deployment of (1) quality, or application systems control and auditability (ASCA), (2) transition management, and (3) integrated project management systems and procedures.

1. Quality (ASCA)

[0135] A business controls team provides dedicated resources throughout the life cycle of the project. During the project development stage 103, this team has planned and executed an ASCA self-assessment that has covered an extensive list of technical, business, financial, and client issues. In this deployment stage 104, its members are responsible for managing an independent audit that will cover the same areas. The independent auditors then issue an acceptance position that is required before the client can “Go Live” with the new system and process. Deployment stage 104 activities include:

• [0136] (1) Create the project plan for ASCA Review preparation activities.
• [0137] (2) Determine which Enterprise organization will conduct the ASCA and business controls review.
• [0138] (3) Prepare all ASCA documentation required for the review.
• [0139] (4) Prepare all sub-process overviews and descriptions of process flow.
• [0140] (5) Ensure the test plan includes those elements of the ASCA checks required to ensure business controls, separation of duties, and authorization matrices, data integrity and security.
• [0141] (6) Create, update and complete all required documents of understanding (DOU's) & service level agreements (SLA's).
• [0142] (7) Ensure the separation of duties matrix (SOD) is current at time of final review.
• [0143] (8) Review all testing and obtain test approvals.
• [0144] (9) Ensure all approvals have been obtained and signed approval forms available for ASCA Review. These include approvals for process ownership, ASCA requirements, self-assessment and system cutover.
  2. Integrated Project Management

[0145] During this deployment stage 104, project manager 126 has the task to validate and confirm that all checklists and status are acceptable prior to Go-live. This includes the readiness of all aspects of the project, and once satisfied, a review is conducted and the customer's formal sign-off for Go-live is obtained. Status transition management and client readiness assessment and confirmation activities include verification that:

• [0146] (1) No critical open issues exist in any area.
• [0147] (2) All relevant aspects of readiness have been included in the status check.
• [0148] (3) Network and computing performance testing is complete.
• [0149] (4) System test is complete.
• [0150] (5) User acceptance test is complete.
• [0151] (6) System management production environment Go-live checklist is complete.
• [0152] (7) Any needed CR's and PTR's have been generated.
• [0153] (8) Production support is in place.
• [0154] (9) Supplier readiness is reviewed and accepted.
• [0155] (10) Service provider readiness is confirmed.
• [0156] (11) Enterprise GP readiness is confirmed.
• [0157] (12) Review of the compiled check information is completed.
• [0158] (13) Customer sign-off on the Go-Live decision is obtained.
  3. Transition Management

[0159] A transition management team prepares for the deployment, or “Go Live” of the client solution. During this deployment stage 104 in the project, virtually all technical problems are resolved and systems configured. The client is now ready to deploy and the human factors must be aggressively managed to assure a smooth transition from the legacy systems to the improved client solution. Transition management activities within deployment stage 104 ensure that organization, measurements, management, support, and labor relations functions are developed, explained, reviewed, understood, in place or on schedule, as appropriate.

• [0160] (1) Organization: organizational changes for Go-Live, updated communications plans, feedback mechanism for persons displaced by changes in organization, and the new organization.
• [0161] (2) Measurements: changes in measurement system, plan to cut over to the new measurements, and communications explaining the new measurements, including how they are derived, how they are used and their importance to the business.
• [0162] (3) Management: changes in management or management responsibilities, communications explaining the changes in management structure, and why it is important to the clients' organization, the management chain and path for escalation of issues, normal business reports and their use.
• [0163] (4) Support: support structure for both client and technical support.
• [0164] (5) Labor Relations: activities associated with the loss of a job role, plan to notify the affected people, communication plan for providing information to remaining employees on the reasons for the changes and for fostering support for the new process.

[0165] Integration of the cross-functional teams to accomplish the deployment of the customer solution is facilitated by use of the system and data base structure of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0166] Referring further to FIG. 3, project support stage 105 enables project teams, all of which have continuing responsibilities with the client after “Go Live”, to provide the required ongoing support. As with all other stages, integration of the teams through the use of the systems and methods provided by the invention, including transition management systems and methods, is greatly facilitated. It is a characteristic of the preferred embodiment that each of these areas has specific predetermined plans, actions and responsibilities, and these are audited and tracked through a GP/AP development and deployment system.

[0167] During support stage 105, transition management 136 delivers an approved detailed questionnaire with quality questions in a logical format that allows end-users to express their opinion and provide information that meets the survey objective. Support stage 105 includes a plan for communicating the survey results to the participants and taking action in response to the survey results. This stage also incorporates a continuing education plan for training new employees as well as continually updating the material so that reflects the latest version of the application.

[0168] The survey in stage 105 is structured to determine the end users' perception of the new system, system ease of use, response time from both the system and CSC (Customer Service Center), and customer knowledge level of processes and product. Results of the survey are compiled and presented to the client and Enterprise Management Teams along with action plans, time tables, expected results for approval, and implementation. A Lessons Learned document is reviewed with the project team and appropriate adjustments made for future engagements.

[0169] Project Manager 126 provides a quality function task after “Go Live”. This task aims at checking the implementation of the EPS Offering to determine if anything needs special attention or focus. It is also the formal sign-off on the final delivery of the implementation by the customer. Its deliverables include:

• [0170] (1) Customer accepts delivery of the EPS general procurement offering implementation and signs off.
• [0171] (2) Action list on issues and CR/PTR's, if applicable.
• [0172] (3) Formal transition of operational responsibility to operations 98 and support management 96.
• [0173] (4) Preliminary business benefits evaluation.

[0174] The Req/Cat and SAP technical teams 128, 138 provide ongoing reviews and improvements to the client's process through the CR and PTR processes. These are formalized, documented processes with management controls to attain cost, schedule, and customer objectives.

[0175] As part of the new business process, support center 94 is established to provide long term assistance in any area of the application solution. This includes communication of feedback, real time application assistance, and special requests for problems concerning data.

[0176] It is the planned integration of these multi-functional teams that provides an innovative solution to the customer.

[0177] Referring to FIG. 3A, a series of steps illustrating an exemplary critical path through assessment stage 101 will be described. Qualify potential client step 170, which actually pertains to pre-sales stage 100, is based on use of the detail task template P711, selected portions of which are set forth in Table 5. In step 172, using detail task template PD11, a customer transition assessment is performed. In step 174, using detail task template P111, a customer business assessment is performed. In step 176, using detail task template P117, the workshop approach is formulated. In step 178, using summary task template P12, the recommended service offering is introduced to the customer. In step 180, using summary task template P91, project planning is initiated and the project manager assigned.

[0178] While these steps 170-180 represent a path through the assessment stage 101, other summary and detail tasks designated in Table 4 as pertaining to stage 101 are typically included in the initial set of templates for this customer, and are also used as they are determined to be applicable. Selected fields of the template P711 for stage 100 step 170 are represented in the detail task template of Table 5. Some field entries are dynamic and changeable during the course of assessment stage 101. The templates are also editable for a particular project, and do not necessarily continue during use to conform to the original format.

[0179] Referring to step 170, once a potential client is identified, this client must be qualified for an offering(s) before continuing further. Information is gathered from the client or other sources about the client to determine if they are generally a match for one of the offerings. Telephone conferences or meetings may be held to gather/confirm this information and to confirm that the potential client wishes to progress towards an engagement. In step 170, the marketing team accesses template P711 in the course of qualifying a prospective customer for the assessment stage. Template 170 provides, either directly or by way of links, other documents, instructions, flow charts, and checklists for guiding and documenting the work of the marketing team through the steps for doing so. Those steps are performed by multiple people within the team and are as follows:

• [0180] 1. Offering interest is communicated to BPM Opportunity Manager by Sales/Client.
• [0181] 2. Client information is gathered (from sources; client phone calls, etc.) by BPM Opportunity Manager.
  • [0182] Marketing Materials—Offering Information
  • [0183] Client Qualification Questions/Tool
  • [0184] Pre Assessment Data Collection
  • [0185] Pre Assessment Questions
  • [0186] Pre Assessment Spend, Tax, and Budgets
• [0187] 3. Opportunity Manager completes initial qualification form.
• [0188] 4. Opportunity Manager forwards ‘qualified’ client interest to S&P Marketing Rep.
• [0189] 5. S&P Marketing Rep makes client contact to pursue assessment SOW, capture assessment scope details.
• [0190] 6. S&P Marketing Rep confirms client interest and forwards client assessment scope information to process, IT, and consulting reps.
  The deliverables resulting from step 170 include the following:

[0191] Qualified client

[0192] Client background information

[0193] Marketing Materials—Offering Information

[0194] Client Qualification Questions/Tool

[0195] Pre Assessment Data Collection

[0196] Pre Assessment Questions

[0197] Pre Assessment Spend, Tax, and Budgets

[0198] Initial Qualification Form

[0199] Request for Assessment SOW (provides Assessment scope)

An attachment including either a blank template or an example from a previous offering is linked to template P711 for each of the above deliverables for use by members of the team executing this step 170.

[0200]

TABLE 5
DETAIL TASK: QUALIFY POTENTIAL CLIENT
CREATION STATUS
Category:	Project Management
Team:	Marketing
Offering type:	Req/Cat, SAP, Req/Cat&SAP
Stage:	0. Pre-Sales
Doc owned by:	J. M.
Doc created by:	J. M.
Dev status:	Edit 2
IMPORTANCE BUTTONS
Education:	Yes
Certification:	Yes
Auditable:	Yes
Critical path:	Yes
IMPLEMENTATION
Task order:	1
% complete:	80%
Executed by:	Enterprise
Performed by:	Marketer
Priority:	High
Work effort:	Days
Sequence:
Support Resources:	Accounts Payable Analyst, Assessment Team,
	Customer, Procurement Analyst, Project
	Manager
DETAIL TASK DETAILS
Prerequisites:
Client expresses interest in an offering; or an Enterprise client
rep/exec indicates their client may have an interest.
Request is routed to the Opportunity Manager for initial
qualification.
Task steps:
1.	Offering interest is communicated to BPM Opportunity Manager
2.	BPM Opportunity Manager gathers additional client
	information (from sources; client phone calls, etc.) using
3.	Opportunity Manager completes Initial Qualification Form.
4.	If the opportunity is not qualified, transfer interest/
	client potential to alternate offering or respond to
	Enterprise Client rep that client doesn't suit any
	Enterprise offering.
5.	Opportunity Manager forwards ‘qualified’ client interest to
	S&P Marketing Rep together with completed forms.
6.	S&P Marketing Rep makes client contact to pursue Assessment
	SOW, capture Assessment scope details
7.	S&P Marketing Rep confirms client interest and forwards
	client/Assessment scope information to Process, IT, and
	Consulting reps. At this time, the S&P Rep will request an
	Assessment SOW be built.
Methodology attachments:
Opportunity Management Process Flow ->
Marketing Materials—Offering Information ->
Client Qualification Questions/Tool ->
Pre Assessment Data Collection ->
Pre Assessment Questions ->
Pre Assessment Spend, Tax, and Budgets ->

[0201] Referring to step 172, a transition management team accesses template PD11 in the course of performing a customer transition assessment, the objective of which is to obtain understanding of the prospective client's business and HR operation and infrastructure. A transition management questionnaire is linked from template PD11 and is used to target specific areas to provide insights to the client's operation in the following key areas:

• [0202] Business Organization/Structure
• [0203] Business Processes
• [0204] Measurements
• [0205] Management Systems
• [0206] HR Considerations.

[0207] Template PD11, a sample of which is provided in Table 6, provides, either directly or by way of links to other documents, instructions, flow charts, sample questionnaires, report models and checklists for guiding, coordinating and documenting the work of the transition management team through the steps for doing so.

[0208]

TABLE 6
DETAIL TASK: DEVELOP INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF CLIENT
CREATION STATUS
	Category:	Transition Management
	Team:	Transition Management
	Offering type:	Req/Cat, SAP, Req/Cat&SAP
	Stage:	1. Engagement Assessment
	Doc owned by:	C. L.
	Doc created by:	O. F.
	Dev status:	Approved
IMPORTANCE BUTTONS
	Education:	Yes
	Certification:	Yes
	Auditable:	No
	Critical path:	No
IMPLEMENTATION
	Task order:	1
	% complete:	100%
	Executed by:	Service Provider
	Performed by:	Communications Manager
	Support Resources	Customer, Project Manager
	Priority:	High
	Work effort:	Days
DETAIL TASK DETAILS
	Description:
	Initial Assessment:
	Within the Assessment stage, the prospective client will be asked
	to complete questionnaires from different disciplines These
	completed questionnaires will allow the Enterprise TC to obtain
	understanding of the prospective clients business and HR
	operation and infrastructure. The transition management
	questionnaire will target specific areas and is intended to
	provide insights to the clients operation in the following key
	areas:
	Business Organization/Structure
	Business Processes
	Measurements
	Management Systems
	HR Considerations
	Note: Please see the recommended “Transition Management
	Questionnaire” included as an attachment.
	Analysis:
	Once the prospective client has completed the questionnaire,
	analysis activities must take place. It is imperative that the
	responsible team member participates in this activity to gain a
	better understanding of the complexity and customization required
	in the transition plans and programs as well as customizing the
	Transition Management presentation for the workshop.
	Consideration must be given to each aspect of the workshop
	presentation. Adjustments should be made to the workshop
	presentation based on the prospective client's unique situation
	and will include:.
	Human resources changes
	Changes in roles and responsibilities
	Organized Labor/Union activities
	Organizational impacts
	Supplier relationships
	Changes in individual roles and responsibilities
	Management System/Measurement System Changes
	The objective is to get an early identification of those key
	areas where change will take place and make sure they are
	recognized with an action plan through the strategy and
	transition management plan.
	Prerequisites:
	The prospect has been qualified by marketing and the decision is
	made to pursue this as an opportunity for EPS services offering.
	Client Questionnaire (Transition Management)
	During this period the client will be asked to participate and
	respond to questions from several disciplines From a transition
	management perspective, this same process will be used to gather
	initial information to help frame the first view of the client
	transition management needs. The questionnaire is intended to
	assist with the customization of the TM presentation at the
	client workshop. In addition it will help update the strategy
	for the client and frame the specific transition management plan
	for the client.
	The process for managing the client questionnaire is as follows:
	Contact the project manager or workshop coordinator to ensure the
	transition management questionnaire is included in any
	consolidated client questionnaire package that is being used.
	If the assessment is being managed by the Enterprise Consulting
	Group (ICG), contact the engagement manager and ensure the
	transition management questionnaire is part of their engagement
	material. You should require that they have the document
	completed as part of their deliverables.
	Work with the project manager or workshop coordinator to
	determine who in the client account is responsible for HR and
	ensure that person will respond to the questionnaire. The client
	HR person responsible for responding to the questionnaire will
	respond with the client view of changes that will impact the
	various populations affected by the implementation. This will
	primarily be process users, administration, direct management of
	the process at the client location. The HR representative from
	the client must be able to properly reflect the roles and
	responsibilities of the affected areas within the client as well
	as respond to questions relative to client culture, behavior, and
	management system.
	Review the questionnaire to ensure all questions are applicable
	to this client. If any questions are not applicable, they may be
	deleted prior to deliver to the client.
	Provide the questionnaire to the client and be prepared to
	respond to any inquiries for clarification. It should take only
	a few days for the client to complete this questionnaire and
	return to you. Set a target date of three working days for
	return of the questionnaire.
	Analysis:
	Receive the completed questionnaire from the client and review
	for omissions. It may be necessary to visit with the client to
	ensure understanding.
	Document any unique circumstances that might be identified by the
	client. If there are activities within the client account that
	will make the transition more difficult, it should be noted here.
	These might be things like, recent plant/location closing,
	downsizing, layoffs, re-organizations, labor issues, recent job
	role changes, etc.
	It will be useful to use the workshop presentation as a reference
	guide when analyzing the questions. Since the workshop
	presentation will be customized to reflect the client
	environment, it will serve as a checklist to ensure the analysis
	covers all affected areas. This will ensure all aspects of the
	client transition management issues are addressed and a plan in
	place to manage..
	Deliverables:
	Updated Workshop Presentation on Transition Management
	Methodology attachments:
	Sample Initial Client Questionnaire ->
	Sample Workshop Presentation ->
Step Checklist:
Use the following to track completion of each step:
Step Status	Description
Client Questionnaire (Performed by Comm. Mgr.)
1.	Contact the project manager or workshop
	coordinator to ensure the transition
	management questionnaire is included in any
	consolidated client questionnaire package
	that is being used.
2.	If the assessment is being managed by the
	Enterprise Consulting Group (ICG), contact
	the engagement manager and ensure the
	transition management questionnaire is part
	of their engagement material.
3.	Work with the project manager or workshop
	coordinator to determine who in the client
	account is responsible for HR and ensure
	that person will respond to the
	questionnaire.
4.	Review the questionnaire to ensure all
	questions are applicable to this client.
5.	Provide the questionnaire to the client and
	be prepared to respond to any inquiries for
	clarification.
Analysis (by Communications Manager)
1.	Receive the completed questionnaire from
	the client and review for omissions
2.	Document any unique circumstances that
	might be identified by the client.

[0209] The Initial Client Questionnaire presents a spread sheet to be completed which asks for the following for each of several categories of expenditures: total spent, total spent via purchase order, total spent via blanket purchase order, total spent with core suppliers, total number of invoices, number of manual invoices, number of automated invoices (EDI), total number of suppliers, number of invoices paid via electronic funds transfer (EFT). The categories include marketing and advertising, information technology, third party maintenance, telecom equipment, facilities, human resources, business resources, with each of these including several more detailed line items.

[0210] Also, a link is provided to a human resources questionnaire to be completed. A sample questionnaire is set forth in Table 7.

[0211]

TABLE 7
SAMPLE HUMAN RESOURCES QUESTIONNAIRE
	Human Resources
	The following questions should be answered and the results used
	to determine specific actions. These actions may include changes/
	actions for inclusion in the communications plan, the
	transition management plan or both.
	The firm's human resources department must play a critical role
	in the development of this document and the actions that are
	developed as a result of this analysis. HR must be in agreement
	with any action taken.
	Affected Individuals
	How many users (requesters/approved) will be affected by the
	implementation
	Identify numbers affected by:
	Department
	Function
	Responsibility (requestor/approver)
	Identify the key roles that will be affected by the
	implementation:
	By Department
	By Function
	To what degree will the role change for those individuals
	affected by the implementation?
	To what degree will the responsibilities change for those
	affected by the implementation?
	By Department
	By Function
	By Requestor
	By Approver
	What jobs/tasks (if any) will be eliminated as a result of the
	implementation?
	What has been the business response to job eliminations in the
	past?
	What jobs/tasks (if any) will be added as a result of the
	implementation?
	Organization
	What changes in organization structure will occur due to the
	implementation?
	Illustrate a “before and after” picture.
	Provide details of all changes and include new roles/
	responsibilities.
	What changes in reporting structure will occur due to the
	implementation?
	Illustrate a “before and after” picture.
	Provide details of all changes and include new roles/
	responsibilities.
	Management Systems
	What changes will be implemented in the management system as a
	result of the implementation?
	What changed in measurements will be implemented as a result of
	the implementation?
	Labor structure
	Is there an active labor organization within the business?
	If the answer to this is yes, the local management labor
	relations team must be involved in the development of the
	assessment. They should take the lead on any activity/changes
	that might affect their relationship with the labor union. As
	the representative of the firm, the management labor relations
	team will be addressing the following areas and are responsible
	to develop a plan to deal with any/all labor relations issues
	that might arise as a result of the implementation.
	Are the workers affected by the above changed represented by a
	labor organization?
	What is the schedule for contract negotiation?
	What affect (if any) will the implementation have of current work
	rules?
	What affect (if any) will the implementation have on roles/
	titles/responsibilities covered under the current collective
	bargaining agreement?
	What actions are needed to manage any required changed in the
	current collective bargaining agreements?
	Supplier Relationships
	How many suppliers will be affected by the implementation?
	What changes will occur to the supplier base as a result of the
	implementations?
	Identify those suppliers that will no longer be engaged after the
	implementation
	Identify any contractual relationship with supplier that must be
	altered/severed.
	Ensure the business legal department is engaged with any case of
	having to break a contract. The (the legal department) will
	manage any elements that might potentially be litigious.
	Identify any changes in roles/responsibilities or suppliers as
	a result of the implementations
	Is the relationship with the suppliers more on a personal basis
	rather than a business (arms length) basis?
	How will be process change relative to the supplier/buyer
	interaction?
	What buyers will be affected by the implementation and how will
	their roles/responsibilities differ from before the
	implementation?

[0212] In step 174, the assessment team accesses template P111 in the course of performing a customer business assessment, the objective of which is to assess the client's commodity profile, pricing and process flow and allow the service provider or Enterprise to determine the best course of action relative to the structure of the offering and better understand the client's buying profile and inputs and outputs. Template P111 provides, either directly or by way of links to other documents, instructions, flow charts, sample questionnaires, report models and checklists for guiding, coordinating and documenting the work of the assessment team through the steps for doing so. Table 8 illustrates selected fields from template P111 Perform Customer Business Assessment.

[0213]

TABLE 8
DETAIL TASK: PERFORM CUSTOMER BUSINESS ASSESSMENT
CREATION STATUS
	Category:	Process
	Team:	Assessment
	Offering type:	Req/Cat Implementation Only, e-Req/Cat
		Implementation Only, SAP
		Implementation Only, Req/Cat&SAP
		Implementation, Assessments
	Stage:	1. Engagement Assessment
IMPORTANCE BUTTONS
	Education:	Yes
	Certification:	Yes
	Auditable:	Yes
IMPLEMENTATION
	Executed by:	Service Provider
	Performed by:	Assessment Team
	Support Resources:	Accounts Payable Analyst, Customer,
		Network Specialist, Marketer,
		Procurement Analyst, Project Manager
DETAIL TASK DETAILS
Description:
This set of steps will assist with analysis and assessment of the
clients commodity profile, pricing and process flow. It will also
allow the service provider/Enterprise to determine the best
course of action relative to the structure of the offering and
better understand the client's buying profile and inputs and
outputs.
This set of activities results in gathering client information,
analyzing the data and documenting recommendations to improve the
client's sourcing & procurement business practices. An
additional deliverable is input to development of a proposal to
provide this client with S&P BPM outsourcing
In one alternative for performing the assessment, the prospective
client will be asked to complete questionnaires from different
disciplines. These completed questionnaires will allow the
Enterprise TC (Assessment Team) to obtain understanding of the
prospective client's business, operations and infrastructure.
The objective is to get an early identification of those key
areas where change will take place and make sure they are
recognized as a gap—either to current client practice or to the
standard offering.
Prerequisites:
The prospect has been qualified by marketing and the decision is
made to pursue this as an opportunity for EPS services offering.
Acceptance by client of Assessment SOW (optional, not fee-based
if answering an RFP)
Task steps:
Conduct a non-production buy analysis
Purchase order file data collection (corporate sources)
AP file data collection
Validation of findings
If the process or IT personnel are not directly supporting (not
on the assessment team): Participate in weekly teleconference
with assessment team to determine the path the engagement is
heading and provide guidance and respond to questions from the
assessment team
Conduct Site Visits as required to gain first hand knowledge and
assist with analysis
interviews
process review
data collection
Contract/Service Review—detailed data collection specific to
contract composition/standards, process to establish and current
‘special/extended’ agreements with supplier
Perform a strategic commodity assessment on the specified subset
of commodities (from the SOW scope)
Review universal market basket
Review inputs, outputs and process flow to determine
applicability of replacing paper invoices with images
Review and perform operational/cost analysis
sourcing and procurement process review—includes Obtain client
team roles/responsibility matrix for understanding and analysis
of how the client uses their resources for procurement and look
for opportunities to improve efficiency at the client location.
AP process review-
procurement cost data collection—budget & full-time
Equivalents (FTEs)
AP cost data collection—budget & full-time Equivalents (FTEs)
ensure cost data includes IT support, software licenses,
hardware, storage cost etc
validation of findings
Analyze completed questionnaires < if the send questionnaire;
receive client provided data alternative is used. this is an
alternate method to working hand-in-hand with a client core team
to compile information in the same areas. the questionnaires
here would be the general set of questions -->
profile2.doc/profile2.lwp and busass.123>
Document any unique circumstances that might be identified by the
client. If there are activities within the client account that
will make the transition more difficult, it should be noted here.
System Application Support—Obtain support information—
resources, annual expense (in-house, subcontracted, outsourced).
Where possible, gather the following information for elements of
I/T that will affect Req/Cat, SAP or Image. These should be
reported separately for easier use by specific teams.
Enterprise Architecture
Vendor master base
Network infrastructure
Current desktop footprint standard(s)
Human Resources Application
Ledger Application
Accounting Application
Information Warehouse or operational data repository
Approval mechanisms for Requisitions and POs
Account to commodity relationships
Source of info for tax rates
EDI
Deliverables:
Current Process Model
A hierarchical representation of the existing activities of the
enterprise, or a portion of it, showing the interactions among
those activities, including the movement of data between them.
The model is both a textual and graphical representation of those
functions and processes within the boundary of the project. The
textual portion consists of the process names and descriptions,
descriptions of the activities that make up each process, and any
related comments. The textual portion also describes the
information and physical things flowing in and out of each
process. The graphical representation consists of diagrams of
the flows entering and leaving each process.
Current Information Technology Architecture
A graphical representation of the existing
applications/datastores and platforms that support the
enterprise, or a portion of it, showing the interactions among
those applications, including the movement of data between them.
Recommended improvement actions
Methodology attachments:
Sample Initial Client Questionaire ->
Profile2 (for details to answer question 9)->
Sample Workshop Presentations->

[0214] In step 176, the assessment team and project manager access template P117 in the course of formulating a workshop approach, the objective of which is to provide guidance in developing the business case associated with this engagement and assist with the preparation of different business options based on the results of the assessment. Template P117 provides, either directly or by way of links to other documents, instructions, flow charts, sample questionnaires, report models and checklists for guiding, coordinating and documenting the work of the assessment team through the steps for doing so. These steps include (1) assembling a Customer Business Assessment Information and review, (2) determining the most appropriate offering to be developed for the client, (3) confirming business processes high level fit to recommended offering, (4) validating and documenting business reasons for investing in workshop, (5) reviewing with project management for critique and approval to proceed, and (6) validating Recommended Service Offering during workshop. The deliverable is a business CAS standard documentation template.

[0215] In step 178, the assessment team, accesses summary template P12 in the course of introducing a recommended service offering to the customer. The tasks described in this segment guide the service provider to present the final offering to the prospective client and guide the development of the business case for the project office and team. Template 178 and its subsidiary detailed templates provide, either directly or by way of links to other documents, instructions, flow charts, sample questionnaires, report models and checklists for guiding, coordinating and documenting the work of the assessment team through the steps for briefing the customer on the suggested offering, identifying and confirming client gaps to the standard offering, providing a high level customer scope document, completing the business case document, and drafting a document of understanding (DOU). Guidelines for the approver of this step, as for others, include the following: (1) Is the process documented as it is currently being performed? (2) Are the SAP actions and steps documented correctly? (3) Is the document complete? (4) Has the standard process been communicated or is there a plan to communicate it? (5) Are the metrics identified from the customer's point of view? (6) Are users trained or is there a plan to train them?

[0216] In step 180, which may positioned as a final step in the assessment stage or as an initial step in the project preparation stage, the project office accesses template P91 and its subsidiary detailed templates in the course of initiating project planning, including assigning a project manager. After the Engagement Assessment stage has been concluded, actual detailed planning for the realization of the project can be initiated. Based on the findings in the Assessment, the scope and general size and effort required for implementing the EPS offering for the customer is known, and can be broken down into a manageable project and resource plan including budgets. Once the plan has been developed and the resource requirements are known, the project team member qualifications can be determined both from the Customer and the service provider organizations. Once the team members have been identified and the project plan mapped out in detail and the project infrastructure has been validated, the project is introduced to the assembled project team prior to conducting the official kick-off meeting for the project. Summary task template P91 and its subsidiary detailed task templates provide, either directly or by way of links to other documents, instructions, flow charts, sample questionnaires, report models and checklists for guiding, coordinating and documenting the work of the project manager and assessment team through the steps for doing so, including (1) confirming the project scope and implementation strategy, (2) confirming project organization and assigning resources to roles, (3) preparing and validating project plan and procedures, (4) establishing project team working environment, and (5) orienting the project team. A check list is provided listing the deliverables and their status for tracking of these steps, including a realistic project plan and budget is signed off by the customer based on the assessment, the project team members are identified and committed based on requirements for qualifications, the project infrastructure, all inclusive, is agreed upon and established, and the project is communicated and bought into by project team members from both the service provider and the customer.

[0217] It is an advantage of the invention that there is provided a system and method for evaluating a client's general procurement and accounts payable (GP/AP) system.

[0218] It is an advantage of the invention that there is provided an optimized solution for out-sourcing procurement of goods and services.

[0219] It is an advantage of the invention that there is provided a system and method for training service providers.

[0220] It is an advantage of the invention that there is provided a system and method for managing service providers to assure quality of service.

[0221] It is an advantage of the invention that there is provided a system and method for managing a project.

[0222] It is an advantage of the invention that there is provided an optimized general procurement and accounts payable system characterized by lower costs, a paperless process, and more comprehensive service with a shorter cycle time.

[0223] It will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In particular, it is within the scope of the invention to provide a computer program product or program element, or a program storage or memory device such as optical wire, tape or disc, or the like, for storing information readable by a machine, for controlling the operation of a computer according to the method of the invention and/or to structure its components in accordance with the system of the invention.

[0224] Further, each step of the method may be executed on any general computer, such as an IBM System 390, AS/400, PC or the like and pursuant to one or more, or a part of one or more, program elements, modules or objects generated from any programming language, such as C++, Java, P1/1, Fortran or the like. And still further, each said step, or a file or object or the like implementing each said step, may be executed by special purpose hardware or a circuit module designed for that purpose.

[0225] Accordingly, the scope of protection of this invention is limited only by the following claims and their equivalents.