Dennis Keeling, Chief Executive, SoftComparison.Com Essential advice on: defining your requirements; understanding the different vendors in the business software marketplace; selecting the most suitable solution and common pitfalls to avoid.

1. With over 1,000 applications to choose from
– how can you select the right system?
Dennis Keeling
Chief Executive
Business Software Intelligence Ltd.

2. Background
1983 - formed consultancy
Developed means of evaluating business systems
Financial Times, Daily Telegraph, US Journal of Accountancy, AccountancyAge
BBC ‘The Software Show’, CNN, FT TV, Sky
Author: Thesaurus of Business Software
Consultant – software package selection
Author: Corporate Financial Systems - Ovum
Business Age:- ‘acknowledged as the world’s leading authority on business & accounting systems’
Founder, Chief Executive & President - BASDA,
Business Application Software Developers Association
Formed Business Software Intelligence Ltd
Created www.softcomparison.com - UK’s first software comparison web-site
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3. Clients include:-
Argos, Audit Commission, UK Benefits Agency, British
Waterways, BUPA, BT, Eagle Star Insurance, Eaton, EBRD,
ECC, Eimskip, Equifax, ESB, IBM, Iceland Airways, KPMG,
Laporte, Land Securities, Logica, Microsoft, National Children's
Home, Ovum, Rhone Poulenc, RNLI, Toyota, Unipart,
Whitbread, Yorkshire Water
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4. Current Environment
Tight financial control
Limited IT budgets
Complex legacy systems
Business reorganisation
Rationalisation in the software industry
Move to web-based ‘cloud’ architectures
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5. Reasons for change
Access to management information
Reduction in head-count by replacing manual processes.
Improved office efficiency – reduction in operating costs.
Improved cash-flow – tighter credit control, reduction in stock etc.
eBusiness – eInvoicing, Purchase-to-Pay
Web-site integration to back-office system
Reorganisation – shared services.
Competitive advantage – improved sales.
Statutory – Legal, Regulation, Tax,
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6. Business software market - UK
1,000+ different business applications
Large proportion in ‘maintenance-mode’
Less than 100 enterprise-wide applications (ERP)
Majority are specialist software providers - bolt-ons
Many sell their applications directly
1,000+ software resellers
Many selling ‘suites of applications’
- Access, Iris, MS Dynamics, Oracle, SAP, Sage etc
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7. Why buy specialist applications?
Add new software without upgrading existing systems
Leave existing software applications intact
Leave legacy data intact
Leave existing IT infrastructure intact
Minimum disruption to existing systems
Cost effective - positive ROI
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8. What systems exist?
‘Approved’ bolt-ons
main legacy system supplier
Internet search - Google
Specialist software selection web-sites
Accounting & Finance 365
Evaluation Centre
SoftComparison.com
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9. Specify your requirements
Basic - specialist requirements
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10. Simple comparison
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11. Integration requirements
Packages to integrate with
Accounting System
Invoicing
Fixed Assets
HR System
Web-site shopping cart
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12. Systems requirements
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13. Service requirements
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14. Sizing & Pricing
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15. Vertical Market Specialist Functionality
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16. Selection Process
Prepare specification of requirements - 10 pages max
Send Request For Information (RFI) to selected suppliers - 10 max
Review their replies
Select 2-3 as short-list - reject the others
Review the software applications
Select a preferred supplier
Undertake detailed demonstrations
Carry-out in-house testing
Take up references
Finalise the contract
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17. Software Application Vendors
There are several ways of purchasing software:-
PC Store – off the shelf products – poor support
PC Dealer – specialist knowledge
Reseller – specialist vertical market extensions
Author – only implement own product
Consultancy – configuration & implementation
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18. How to chose the right vendor
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19. Package selection criteria
Dennis Keeling’s Software Evaluation Criteria
Software Author
Product
Functionality
Look and Feel
Flexibility
Integration
Cost
Technology
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20. The Software Author
Company Stability Existing Customers
Length of time in business Similar to you? - size, location, type of
Steady growth, business
New products? full list of customers as references?
Consolidator?
Do the references speak highly of the
UK based? supplier?
Financial Have they had the sort of support you will
Turnover / profit need?
Debt (customer problems) Google search
Analyst / credit agency reports
Share price movement
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21. The Product
Product strategy?
Development or Maintenance mode?
Which Product are we talking about?
Is current version stable or is it full of bugs?
Is this version released?
How many live users?
Is this standard product or heavily configured?
Frequency, ease of use and cost of upgrades
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22. Functionality / Flexibility
Do other similar organisations use this?
Range of modules, templates, portals
Scalability - grow and change with your business?
Can the package fulfil all the requirements?
How much relies on configuration?
What is the risk, cost and effort of required Package customisation
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23. Usability / Integration
Usability
Does it have the right “look and feel”?
Will data entry be an issue?
Try it out with potential users.
Integration
How well will it integrate with existing applications?
Who will undertake the integration?
Reference site with similar configuration.
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24. Cost
Not only Software licenses - but also:-
Database
Hardware & operating system
other integral components - MS Office, Citrix etc.
How easy and quick to implement?
Implementation - Training, Consultancy, Configuration
Ongoing Support & Maintenance - In-house team)
Life Cycle Cost, including upgrades
Cost per seat from ?
Return on Investment (ROI)
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25. Specification of Requirements
Short overview of your specialist requirements
- No more than 10 pages long
- Scope of your project
- Sizing – system - users
- Timescales
- Budget
- send to 10 suppliers
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26. Free Detailed Specification
Free Service – www.SoftComparison.Com
- save your specific capability-grid requirements
- edit your requirements
- select up to 10 suitable suppliers
- e-mail them a link to your specification for a quotation
Free personal service at Softworld
– AF422 - SoftComparison.Com
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27. Summary
1,000 packages to choose from
1,000 suppliers to buy from
As stressful as buying a house
Buyer Beware
Test before you buy
You may need expert help to ensure your
company is making the right decision
If at first you don’t succeed
- your successor will try again.
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28. Contacts
Dennis Keeling – Business Software Surveyor
Chief Executive
Business Software Intelligence Ltd
Tel: 01494 863344
E-mail: dkeeling@softcomparison.com
Software Comparison: www.softcomparison.com
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