This document summarizes a case study of a marketing agency selecting a company-wide calendar application. They evaluated options like Google Apps, HyperOffice, and others. They created criteria for evaluation and sent RFPs to vendors. A team trialled options, asked vendors questions, and selected Google Apps which provided the most functionality at the best price without hardware costs. Going through a vendor selection process helped involve users and provided cost savings and improved communication over scheduling meetings and time off.

2. Majority of employees had little or no knowledge of MS Office solutions

3. Majority of employees did not see value of using a global calendar

4. Users were on Mac’s and PC’s

5. Virtual and Internal users – time zone differences

7. Summary of current systems

8. Budget

9. Implementation

11. Live demo

13. Through the process everyone understood why it was important to have a global calendar

14. Evaluation of different solutions culminated in cost savings Results:<br />Bing was able to clearly select the vendor that would provide the most robust solution at the best price - Google Applications. The calendar significantly improved communication and employee scheduling processes – including out of office time, meetings, vacations, and sick days<br />No capital expenditure on the application – the cost was research, installation, and training time<br />The Google Calendar opened the door to the other services offered in Google applications (documents and sites)<br />Lessons Learned:<br />Create a score sheet for each system and a work sheet to evaluate conversion, support and operational risks<br />Clearing understanding that this type of process would take longer than expected since it was a new process to the agency <br />