The second stage seeks clarification of the initial vanilla pricing. It also aims to obtain a planning estimate of any enhancements required to rectify the gaps identified from the low scoring criteria. The revised pricing model is based on detailed requirements provided and the shared learning gained during the product demonstrations and questioning sessions. Finally the internal project cost estimates are added to the cost model. This cost model is intended to provide sufficient detail to establish a project budget.
The budget will be revised at the end of the vendor functional analysis activities discovery process , where more detail about the requirements is known in order to gain a firm price or potentially a fixed pricing arrangement for the approved enhancements. The challenge for management is to decide which initiatives will take the company successfully forward into the new age and to determine which initiatives underway deserve continued support. This software evaluation process provides management with a sound proposal to debate.
The debate centres around making an informed decision on which solution provides the best functional fit taking into account the cost of the options assessed and the effect product short falls will potentially have on realising the project benefits.
For example, the sample evaluation in Figure 9 illustrates how the most expensive package can be the best solution, when it resolves a greater number of process issues that have a direct impact on the benefits model. In addition to providing a decision-making framework for selecting the most appropriate solution, this collaborative software evaluation process provides many soft benefits that will directly lead to a successful implementation.
Finally, the reports produced during the evaluation provide a full audit trail that would pass any governance process. In a recent project conducted the project recommendation passed all programme office audits conducted including third party business consultancies two , the internal auditor and the legal probity auditor.
Stephan Streitberger is Managing Director of designer DATA, he is a business strategist and specialises in facilitating cross functional system solutions. Menu Menu. With many new business projects looking to buy or rent a solution rather than build one, it is worth considering: What makes an effective tender process? What artefacts are prepared to select commercial software? Will it deliver an auditable process that fulfils all corporate governance rules?
Figure 1: Indicative Project Plan The activity duration ranges, outlined above, allow for variations in project scope, i.
Figure 2: Tender Process The key benefits of this tender process relate to stakeholder ownership, insight into how the solution will improve the business process and the benefits that will be realised through those improvements.
Requirements Approach A facilitated workshop approach is used to prepare the high-level process and data requirements. Figure 3: Workshop Programme Business models are used to brainstorm and test common understanding of the processes conducted and data used by the different stakeholders. Highlight Mandatory Criteria [green] — Used sparingly to identify fundamental criteria, e.
Highlight Differentiating Criteria [yellow] — Critical, important and possibly desirable requirements that will be used as evaluation hurdles. Data: Data model and associated requirements. Create a statement that is powerful, immediate, and creates a strong sense of urgency for your decision makers. Build their trust in you and your process so their trust will carry over into your recommendation for new software.
List the strengths and limitations of your current data management system, and also identify the components of your vision for a future software system. The highlights of your internal needs assessment should paint the picture for why your current system is inadequate, as proof for why you are evaluating new software options.
We recommend listing the software options only. Do not add details for each software option to your business case. Although you may choose to review the details of each software option with your decision makers, be careful. Adding too much detail in this section of your business case can open the door for decision makers to make judgments that are contradictory to your final recommendation, even though your decision makers are making that judgment with limited information compared to you.
The goal of this list is to demonstrate that you evaluated multiple options and that your recommendation is based on objective evaluation criteria across multiple options. This shortlist should prove that you approached the software selection process from an unbiased perspective.
It may feel too early to be providing a recommendation, but go ahead and drop your recommendation here. You will provide evidence to support this recommendation later in the business case. Presenting a recommendation upfront shows confidence and removes any ambiguity that decision makers may be feeling up and until this point.
Stating your recommendation early also focuses your decision makers on the recommended software option. Decision makers want to know why you are making a specific recommendation. Create a matrix for the three sections of your internal needs assessment: challenges, strengths, and vision.
Identify a challenge, strength, or vision element and then define how the recommended software system will solve that challenge, promote an existing strength, or achieve your vision. Create as many comparisons as are needed to validate your recommendation for new software i. Decision makers want to know that the investment made in the new software will yield positive results for the organization.
Start with costs. All software systems generally have the same categories of costs. You can use the following list of costs as a template for your own business case. Ask the software vendor, your references, or a trusted software consultant about each cost category. Fill in the blanks of your business case with their feedback.
The benefits of nonprofit database software are also fairly common among all software systems. You can use the following list of benefits to complete your business case. As with the costs of new software, ask the software vendor, your references, or a trusted software consultant about each cost category. The decision to purchase new software is easy when it is clear that the return generated from the software is greater than the cost to purchase and maintain it.
Define the value of new software using return on investment ROI analysis. ROI compares the positive outcomes of an investment to the cost of the investment. The outputs and inputs of an ROI calculation can be monetary, time-based, or qualitative. ROI will be positive when the benefits outweigh the costs and negative when the costs outweigh the benefits.
Software ROI calculations are rarely as simple as the definition listed above. A simple pro and con list an intangible method can be just as powerful when comparing costs to benefits pros must outweigh the cons for a positive return. If your Board wants a formal report, then a financial ROI model may be needed. If you need a quick assessment, then a back of the envelope pro and con list might suffice.
Summarize the evidence that supports your recommendation, as described throughout the business case. It should be like the period at the end of a sentence, closing your business case with a recommendation for a new software system.
How you deliver a business case for new social work case management software is as important as the content contained within the business case itself. The formatting, style, and setting should all be taken into account when considering how to best present a business case. Present at the wrong time or in the wrong way and your proposal may be dead on arrival. Present in the right way and you can persuade your decision makers to invest in the software system you recommend.
The goal of implementation is to successfully launch the new software and use it effectively after implementation is complete. To be clear, there are no shortcuts to a successful new software implementation. Wins are substantive victories with new software and require substantive investments of time and energy.
Full user adoption drives success with new software. You have the best chance to sustain the new software after the implementation is complete if users full adopt the new software. A user forum is an internal group of software users at your organization. Users share ideas, ask questions, and learn from other users in the forum.
A monthly forum can be as simple as a recurring meeting where users meet one-on-one or as sophisticated as an online forum where users collaborate virtually. Most new social work case management software systems are platforms.
They come out of the box with a generic structure. As a result, your organization will need documentation on your unique database structure. User guides are step-by-step instructions for custom tasks and workflows in your social work software. Custom user guides are an immediate benefit to users, which makes them a win for your new software.
Save your organization time, money, and stress by investing in preventative maintenance for your new software system. Invest in data quality reviews as one component of your preventative maintenance plan. Here are some best practices to consider. Data quality reviews are a win because they keep your case management database clean and healthy.
If you implement them early, you can stay ahead of potential data quality challenges before they negatively impact your new software system. Implementation of new case management software is an opportunity to streamline, clean up, and redesign operational workflows. This list of workflows may not match your list perfectly, but every organization has internal processes and procedures that are similar.
Reporting is likely a major reason you purchased new social work case management software, yet we often see organizations wait to develop reports until after well after the implementation is complete. A major win for new case management software is to develop reports as soon as possible.
The sooner you can see your data in a meaningful way, the better. Start by building a manageable set of recurring operational reports. Operational reports are those reports you need to manage the workflow of your program. These reports are used day-to-day to move clients through your services, assign work to staff members, and show completion of important tasks.
Organizations that get into reporting quickly use data to make smarter decisions and deliver more effective programs and services. No matter how perfect the process, there will always be little bumps during implementation. In addition, wins lay the groundwork for sustaining the software long after implementation is complete.
In addition to early wins, you can set up your new software for success with a focused implementation project plan. Here are five things to consider when designing an implementation project plan for new social work case management software. Determine the project manager for implementation up front.
The project manager can be either an internal staff member or an external consultant. While an internal staff member may be the right choice as project manager, there are three reasons to consider an external consultant. Weigh the pros, cons, benefits, and costs of both internal and external options. Pick the best option for your implementation project, but review all options up front.
Data migrations are intensive projects. The intensity is a combination of mapping data between two different data systems and needing a high level of accuracy for the migration. Develop a data migration plan that prioritizes your data before the start of implementation. We recommend a balanced approach to implementation that starts with the basics and focuses on processes not necessarily features. If your organization focuses on the basics and develops processes for how your organization will engage with the software in its daily work, you have a great opportunity to continuously improve and evolve your software over time.
The number one investment you can make during implementation is in your people. Staff knowledge is critical to sustaining your new software. An adequate training program that is well thought out and matches the learning styles of your staff will increase user adoption.
Training can be seen as an easy place to cut if you are looking to save time and money on the implementation project. This is the last place you should cut.
Always plan for more training, not less. Training is a key contributor to user adoption because it provides users the opportunity to learn, ask questions, and engage in the implementation project. Implementation is complete.
It feels like the roadmap to success is set because you were strategic and intentional with your implementation project. The time sixty and ninety days after the implementation is complete is also important because a very interesting thing happens, you start using the software. Your users get their feet wet in the software and pain-points, challenges, and questions come up.
The software may even need modifications or changes after gathering feedback from users during this time. The excitement for new social work software can be high, and the excitement can include feelings of anxiety, nerves, and fears. It is important to match your enthusiasm for the implementation with realistic expectations of what can and should happen during implementation. There will be hurdles. There will be challenges. All of this should be tempered with realistic expectations of what the software system can be for your organization and how the software system will help your organization save time, improve service workflows, and increase the overall efficiency of your social work program.
Apricot What is Apricot? Evaluating for Purchase Consulting Blog. We hope that you are able to use this guide to make a smart software purchasing decision and find the best social work case management software for your nonprofit organization Who is this guide for? Who is Sidekick Solutions? There are five reasons you might be ready for new social work case management software: inefficient data systems, strict funder requirements, internal curiosity in data, reporting gaps or missing data, and plans for program evaluation.
If your organization isn't achieving maximum efficiency with paper forms, Excel spreadsheets, or a feature-deficient database, you might be ready for new social work software Before jumping into a Google search, contacting software vendors, or evaluating different software options, start your software selection process with an internal needs assessment.
Clarify your requirements and vision for new software before you develop a shortlist of software options so that you know what to look for when you start your software search. What is social work case management software? Too much paper and too many data systems Too much paper or too many data systems can lead to a variety of inefficiencies.
If you do not have the proper record-management and reporting systems in place prior to applying for funding, you may not comply with the requirements of a funding application. If you do receive funding and do not have the proper record-management and reporting systems in place, you may spend a significant amount of time on manual reporting and manual compliance tasks.
Ready to find new software? Start with an internal needs assessment We often find that organizations are quick to jump into software research when they are ready to look for new software, but it is important to take a step back and focus inward on your own organization before jumping into a Google search, contacting software vendors, or evaluating different software options.
Answer five assessment questions Conduct a thorough needs assessment by answering each of the following five questions. What are the challenges with the current system? List all of the pain points and inefficiencies of your current system s. During the software evaluation process, find a software system that mitigates current challenges.
What are the strengths of the current system? What do you like about your current system? List all of the efficiencies and likes of your current system s. During the software evaluation process, find a software system that empowers or replicates current strengths.
What is our vision for the new software system? In a perfect world, what do you want the new software system to look like? What will it manage for you? How will it integrate with your organization? How will it improve efficiency? It is important to describe the ultimate outcome you hope to achieve with new software, even if the vision is lofty.
Visions will be constrained by budgets, time, and other resources. The remaining two questions in the needs assessment narrow your vision so it is reasonable and practical. Write down your answers Write down your answers to each needs assessment question so you can use your notes during the software selection process.
As a rule, select between three to five, but always more than two, software options for your shortlist. What is a shortlist and why does it matter? What am I looking for? Where should I look for available software options? What features matter? What software options are available? How do I decide which ones are the right fit?
Five steps to develop a shortlist of software options. What are we looking for? You are looking for social work case management software. Write a narrative description of that type of software using your own words. Example: We are looking for social work case management software that will track client profiles, services provided to those clients, and assessments of their progress.
Other relevant keywords to consider in your initial software search. Social work software Domestic violence social work case management software Nonprofit case management software Human services software Case management software social services Social services case management software Nonprofit client management software Case management software for nonprofits Case management software for human services Software for human services organizations Social services software.
Here are some things to look out for:. Pricing models for most software types include either a perpetual license or a subscription. Price ranges for most markets hinge on the desired number of users, with packages generally ranging from starter around one to four users to mid-range around five to nine users to premium 10 or more users. The actual price of these options will, of course, depend on the software type. Cost types to consider include upfront, recurring, and avoided.
For a detailed glimpse into these pricing models, check out the Software Pricing Guides below. This will give you an idea of what to expect when embarking on your own search—saving you time and adding clarity to an often unpredictable subject. And that about covers it! So if you need a little guidance, our industry-leading software advisors are at the helm awaiting your call. For a free minute phone consultation, give us a shout at or schedule your call at a time that works for you.
How to identify the perfect software vendor without getting overwhelmed Download this worksheet to organize information presented in demos or share with vendors to complete so you can identify the best software vendor for your business.
Consider These Factors First. Further reading: Accounting Software Pricing Guide. Then score each tool on its individual features, on a scale of 1 to 5, and use this formula to generate a weighted score:. Do this for each tool to see how the final scores compare. Selecting the right vendor is just as important as selecting a tool with robust technical capabilities. Here are some criteria on which you can evaluate the vendor:. FAQ: How can I do effective vendor research?
Answer: There are many ways of doing vendor research. You can visit their website, read case studies, and refer to third-party websites to read unbiased vendor reviews. If you are aware of someone who uses the product, you can ask for their feedback on the vendor.
Additionally, you can refer to news sources to check if the vendor has been involved in any data security breaches or overcharging. Answer: The TCO will vary based on the initial setup—on-premise deployment usually involves higher upfront investment than SaaS.
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