Full Sail Partners Blog | Sarah Gonnella

You can smell it in the air—spring is here. And while most people are reaching for dusters and donation boxes, we’re over here thinking about a different kind of mess: your data. Yep, we’re talking about those outdated contact records, confusing project statuses, and duplicate entries multiplying like rabbits in your ERP system. 🐇

We get it. Data management isn’t the most glamorous task. But it is one of the most important—because clean data powers accurate reporting, better decisions, and ultimately, a more profitable firm.

Let’s dig into why data gets dirty (no judgment here), and more importantly, what your team can do to clean it up—and keep it clean.

Why Data Gets Dirty (Even When You're Trying Your Best)

Your firm isn’t doing anything wrong—data just naturally decays over time. People change jobs. Projects wrap up. Opportunities stall out. And if you’re using a system like Deltek Vantagepoint, where multiple team members can enter or edit data, those inconsistencies can stack up fast.

Some common culprits:

• Contacts that left the company three years ago (but you’re still emailing them… awkward)
• Projects marked “active” that haven’t had billable time since 2022
• Custom fields created with good intentions but never used consistently
• Multiple definitions of statuses like “inactive,” “on hold,” or “archived” floating around your team like urban legends

Sound familiar? Yeah, we thought so. Let’s fix it. 🔧

Step 1: Define Decision Points 🔍

Before you start cleaning, take a minute to figure out what needs attention and how you’ll make decisions. Otherwise, you’ll waste time spinning your wheels—or worse, accidentally delete important info.

Start by identifying the fields you want to review. Let’s take project records, for example. You might want to evaluate:

• Project Status
• Last billed date
• Assigned project manager
• Client contact information

Ask yourself:

• What makes a project “dormant” vs. “inactive”?
• Should we dormant projects that haven’t had activity in over 12 months?
• What criteria can we search by to build a clean-up list?

Example: Run a search for all active projects that haven’t had time billed in the past 90 days. That’ll give you a short list of projects to investigate. Maybe some need to be marked as inactive or maybe even dormant. Maybe others are still technically open but should’ve been closed out months ago. Whatever the case, narrowing the list makes it manageable.

Step 2: Standardize Everything ✏️

Inconsistent data doesn’t just look messy—it creates reporting nightmares. Imagine running a report on “Dormant Projects,” but half the team labeled them as “Inactive.” That data’s not helpful—it’s confusing.

So, this is your opportunity to:

• Clean up dropdown options that aren’t in use
• Create a shared glossary of field definitions
• Use tooltips in Vantagepoint to help users enter data correctly

💡 Pro Tip: Review custom fields and user-defined labels. If something hasn’t been used in a year—or if it’s being used inconsistently—either standardize it or remove it.

Also, talk to your teams. Ask them how they actually use the system. Sometimes the data structure doesn’t match real-world workflows, and that’s where inconsistencies creep in.

Step 3: Automate Where You Can 🤖

Once the clean-up is done, set up some automation to help keep things tidy moving forward. In Deltek Vantagepoint, that could mean:

• Workflows that trigger an alert when a project hasn’t been updated in 6 months
• Dashboards that highlight missing key fields like contact phone numbers or opportunity stage
• Scheduled reports that flag records needing review—like unassigned project managers or expired client emails

Example: Let’s say you want project managers to review project statuses quarterly. Create a workflow that sends a reminder on the first of each quarter to check and update their projects. Boom—ongoing accountability without manual chasing.

Step 4: Assign a Cleanup Crew 🧽

Let’s be honest—if everyone owns data integrity, no one really owns it. Designate specific people or roles to be your data gatekeepers. This doesn’t mean they do all the work, but they’re the ones ensuring standards are followed and reviews are happening.

Ideas for building a data integrity plan:

• Assign a Data Champion for each department (Marketing, Accounting, Project Management)
• Create a monthly or quarterly data audit checklist
• Host a “Data Day” once a quarter—throw in some snacks and make it a team effort 🍩

And yes, this might mean investing time and people up front, but the payoff is massive: more trust in your data, faster reporting, and less stress when leadership asks for a metric yesterday.

Bonus Tip: Start with What Hurts the Most 😣

You don’t have to fix everything at once. Start with the areas that cause the most frustration:

• Is your CRM full of dead contacts? Start there.
• Struggling to run accurate pipeline reports? Review opportunity stages.
• Marketing getting bouncebacks from email blasts? Clean up email addresses.

Small wins lead to momentum—and momentum leads to lasting change.

Final Thoughts: Clean Data = Clear Decisions

If your data is a hot mess, you're not alone—but you can do something about it. By defining clear decision points, setting standards, automating what you can, and assigning real people to own the process, you’ll give your ERP system a much-needed refresh.

And hey, if your team needs help figuring out where to start or how to set up those automations in Deltek Vantagepoint—we’ve got your back.

📩 Let’s clean up that hot mess together. Contact us to schedule a data integrity consult with one of our friendly experts.

Because nothing feels better than a database that’s as fresh and clean as your spring wardrobe. ✨

In today's fast-paced professional services firms’ environments, meetings play a crucial role in fostering collaboration, aligning teams, and achieving organizational goals. However, ineffective meetings can be a drain on productivity and morale. To ensure that meetings are valuable and efficient, it is essential to follow certain best practices. In this blog post, we will explore four key aspects of running an effective meeting: setting clear objectives and goals, planning the meeting and agenda, employing a skilled facilitator, and having a diligent note-taker.

1. Objective and Goals of the Meeting:

The success of any meeting hinges on having a clear objective and well-defined goals. Before scheduling a meeting, it is crucial to determine how it aligns with the broader growth efforts and yearly goals of both the team and the organization. By doing so, the meeting becomes a strategic tool for progress. Participants can better understand the purpose of the gathering and how their contributions fit into the larger picture.

For example, the goal of a marketing, business development, or sales-oriented meeting is to ensure you are accomplishing the goals set out in your yearly business plan. Within the Architectural, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, that includes ensuring you know what is going on with your project pursuits. Key objectives in bi-weekly meetings would include knowing recently won/lost pursuits, new pursuits and managing follow-up on upcoming proposals, along with understanding resource forecast projections. An example core objective in a quarterly meeting would be evaluating where you are against your goals.  

2. Meeting and Agenda:

To run a productive meeting, careful planning is essential. The meeting should involve the relevant team members and decision-makers who can contribute to the agenda items. The agenda itself should be thoughtfully structured, with a focus on deadlines and the outlined steps needed to meet them. By sharing the agenda in advance, participants have time to review and prepare, ensuring a more engaged and productive discussion. Balancing chit-chat time and getting down to business is important, as it fosters team cohesion while still maintaining a professional atmosphere. Coming out of the meeting, attendees should know their action items and tasks to accomplish.

3. A Good Facilitator:

A skilled facilitator plays a vital role in guiding the meeting towards its objectives while ensuring active participation and collaboration. The facilitator should encourage open discussion, allowing all voices to be heard. Additionally, the facilitator should review outstanding items from previous meetings to track progress, providing context for the current discussion.

Staying focused and time-conscious is crucial, as it helps keep the meeting on track and ensures that all agenda items are addressed. If new topics arise that are not on the agenda, the facilitator can suggest moving them to a "parking lot" list, to be covered either if there is enough time or in the next meeting. A good facilitator is like a good train conductor who sees the path ahead and knows when to slow down and when to speed up to accomplish the items that are most impactful to keep the department or company running smoothly.

4. Note-Taker:

An often-underestimated role in meetings is that of the note-taker. The note-taker should diligently document meeting minutes, capturing important discussions, decisions, and action items. By doing so, a reliable record of the meeting is created which ensures that information is not lost. Clear documentation of action items, next steps, and responsible parties is crucial for accountability and follow-up.

Furthermore, sharing the meeting minutes afterward is essential to keep all participants informed and ensure that everyone is on the same page. With the advent of AI, note-taking might become a thing of the past. I know our team has been exploring software that will assist with analyzing the content, offering summaries, outlining tasks with due dates, and even providing insights based on the discussion.

Follow Key Strategies to Ensure Productive Meetings

Running an effective meeting requires careful planning, active facilitation, and diligent note-taking. By setting clear objectives and aligning the meeting with broader goals, you create a purpose-driven environment. Thoughtful planning, involving the right people, and sharing the agenda in advance help participants prepare and contribute effectively. A skilled facilitator encourages collaboration, keeps the meeting on track, and addresses outstanding items. Lastly, a diligent note-taker documents important insights and ensures that action items are clearly defined. By following these strategies, you can transform meetings into productive spaces that drive progress and foster teamwork at your professional services firm.

How does your firm measure up? That is the vital question many architectural and engineering (AE) firms should be asking themselves. It is challenging to manage what you are unable to measure! There are several key performance metrics that an AE firm should use to determine its current status. These measurements are important to not only keep you abreast of the condition of your company, but they also allow you to examine the past, so you can plan for the future. Let’s look at a few of the significant performance metrics. 

Proposal Win Rate

When we talk about Proposal Win Rate, we're essentially looking at how effective your business development efforts are at turning potential leads into actual projects. It's like keeping score on how well you're playing the business game! By tracking this rate, you gain valuable insights into what strategies are paying off and which ones might need a little tweaking. 

Even the tiniest improvement in your win rate can have a huge impact on your bottom line. Think about it – landing just a few more projects out of every ten proposals can make a significant difference in your profitability.  

In the fiercely competitive world of AE firms, the ability to gain new business is like having a superpower. It's what sets successful firms apart from the rest. So, honing your business development skills and consistently improving your win rate is critical to your success. 

Here's a pro tip: When analyzing your Proposal Win Rate, pay attention to the reasons behind both your wins and losses. Learning from both successes and setbacks is the secret sauce to continuous improvement. You might discover patterns that can help you replicate your victories or identify areas that need some extra attention. 

Profit

Profit is a crucial metric for any AE firm’s success. It tells you how well your firm is doing financially. It's the money left over after deducting all expenses from your gross income. Profitability metrics help AE firms figure out which projects are worth pursuing. It shows you if you're making enough money to keep your operations going and growing. 

Analyzing your profit helps you make smart decisions about where to focus your efforts and resources. It's like a report card for your financial performance. Being profitable is essential for your firm's sustainability and growth. It allows you to invest in your business and attract top talent. 

But don't get too fixated on profit alone. Keep in mind that different projects may have different profit margins and timelines. 

By keeping a close eye on your profit over time and comparing it to your goals, you can spot areas for improvement and make informed decisions for a prosperous future. 

Labor Utilization

Labor utilization is a metric that helps you measure your team's efficiency. It ensures you have the right number of employees for optimal performance. By analyzing labor utilization, you can identify both high and low performers, enabling you to take targeted actions for improvement. 

To maintain an effective labor utilization rate, review both billable (direct) and non-billable (indirect) hours. Monitoring this metric allows you to make data-driven decisions and allocate resources wisely for maximum productivity. 

A well-utilized team leads to a happy and productive work environment, driving your firm's success. Keep an eye on labor utilization for a thriving team and business! 

Net Revenue/Operating Income

Net revenue and operating income are like a dynamic duo that keeps your business running smoothly and efficiently. Let's take a closer look at these essential metrics and understand why they're crucial for your AE firm's financial success. 

First up, net revenue is the lifeblood of your business. It's the total revenue your firm generates after deducting any discounts, returns, or allowances. Think of it as the fuel that keeps your business engine roaring. Without sufficient net revenue, your firm's growth and sustainability could hit a roadblock. 

Operating income, on the other hand, measures your business's capacity to take on new projects while covering all operating expenses. It's like a litmus test of your firm's operational efficiency. By subtracting your operating expenses from your net revenue, you get a clear picture of how much profit you're generating from your core operations. 

Now, here comes the interesting part: net revenue also sheds light on your firm's relationship with subcontractors. It shows how much of your revenue goes to paying them for their services, leaving you with the revenue that your firm retains for its own services. Understanding this breakdown helps you gauge the impact of subcontracting on your profitability. 

By carefully tracking net revenue and operating income, you can make informed decisions about pricing, resource allocation, and investment opportunities. It's like having a compass that points you in the direction of profitability and growth. 

For example, if you notice that your net revenue is high, but your operating income is lagging, it could signal inefficiencies in your operations or excessive costs that need addressing. On the other hand, if your operating income is strong, but net revenue is low, it might be time to revisit your pricing strategies or explore new revenue streams. 

In a nutshell, net revenue and operating income are two sides of the same coin. Together, they provide valuable insights into your business's financial health, helping you steer it toward prosperity. 

So, pay close attention to this financial power duo. Regularly monitor their performance, set targets, and use the insights gained to fine-tune your business strategies. With net revenue and operating income on your side, you'll be well-equipped to navigate the waters of profitability and keep your AE firm thriving! 

Backlog

The backlog metric is your firm's project navigator, keeping you on course within your budget. By tracking both ongoing projects and potential wins, it provides a clear picture of your workload and budget needs. This insight helps you plan ahead, allocate resources effectively, and deliver top-notch results to your clients. Regularly keeping an eye on your backlog ensures you stay on track and sail smoothly toward success! 

Client Loyalty

For any AE firm to grow and continue to be successful, client loyalty is a necessity. It is important for both word-of-mouth referrals and repeat business. Meeting client expectations, proactively engaging in client feedback, and acting on areas that need improvement are all essential to keeping loyalty. 

Cost of New Business

When it comes to growing your AE firm, new business opportunities can lead the way. But expanding also means there are costs involved. Measuring these costs helps you choose which opportunities are worth pursuing and if the potential gains are worth the investment. Remember, calculated risks can lead to profitable growth. So, keep an eye on the cost of new business and set your company on a path of strategic expansion! 

Measuring Up the Firm

Keeping a close eye on key performance metrics is the secret sauce to your AE firm's ongoing success. We've explored some noteworthy metrics today, but there's a whole world of data waiting to be discovered. It's up to you to decide which metrics align best with your firm's goals. 

To see how your firm measures up with these KPIs and gain valuable insights into the A&E industry, we encourage you to download the latest Annual Deltek Clarity A&E Industry Study by clicking the image below. This study contains valuable information to aid your decision-making and stay ahead of the competition. 

Remember, the path to prosperity starts with data-driven decision-making. Equip your firm with the right metrics, ensure your team understands the goals, and set sail toward a brighter, more successful future! 🚀 

How do you know when it is time for your professional services firm to move to enterprise project management tools or ERP? There are many factors to consider in your decision. Although you may be familiar with the name Deltek, you might not be aware of its latest solution, Vantagepoint. You might be surprised by all of its new capabilities. Not to mention that Deltek Vantagepoint’s cloud pricing ensures your firm stays up to date with the latest enhancements and reduces the burden on your IT team. We've outlined 11 important items to think about when looking at new project accounting, resource management, and client relationship management (CRM) software tools for your business.   

1) Not Your Mama’s Accounting Software

The first thing you will notice about Deltek Vantagepoint is that it’s very approachable with a modern look and feel. AE firms have come to know Deltek for its robust capabilities, but now users of Vantagepoint are talking more about its intuitive and user-friendly capabilities. This new solution is breaking down silos and getting teams to work more collaboratively because of its new project lifecycle design.  

2) Simplified Access Anywhere, Anytime

Let’s face it, not everyone works from his or her desk these days. Being able to access information anywhere and anytime is no longer a luxury, rather, it is an expectation. Deltek Vantagepoint provides users the ability to enter their time and expense data right from their phone or tablet rather than having to get on a computer and access the system directly. Users with CRM can also view and log Contacts, Activities, and Pursuit information. Deltek Vantagepoint also now includes an integration with Outlook that provides two-way synchronization of your contacts and calendar items within your Outlook email application.  

3) Reduce Manual Entry  

One of the best new features of Deltek Vantagepoint is its Intelligence Character Recognition (ICR) capabilities which simplify and improves the accuracy of expense reporting by reading text from receipts and populating the information into your expense report. This capability is also used to allow users to capture business cards or to create a new contact. The “Hey Deltek” feature allows users to speak directly to Vantagepoint and acts similarly to “Siri,” “Alexa” or “Google.” Users can use the feature to quickly find a record or to quickly add a new contact, pursuit, activity, or reminder.   

4) Streamlined Processes  

When Deltek approached the design of Vantagepoint, it had two decades of providing the gold standard of project-based solutions under its belt. Additionally, feedback and suggestions were received over those years on areas that users wanted to see improved. Some of these key areas included:  

• Merging Clients/Vendors, Leads/Contacts, and Opportunities/Plans/Projects to reduce redundancy 

• Ability to manage project performance in one centralized area  
• Easily assign and reassign resources and redistribute plan hours 
• Plan for the unpredictable changes - Deltek Vantagepoint allows project managers to control the details of their projects, whether they want to look back at JTD or look forward with ETC 
• Improved billing tools notify invoice approvers electronically that a draft is ready for review, and approvers can use the draft invoice approval feature to mark up and enter comments using the new PDF editor function 
• Approvals happen electronically with no more paper approval or emails to keep track of any longer 

• Email templates are available when sending electronic payment remittances in the Vendor Payments, Employee Payments, and Payroll Payments applications saving accounting users' time. 
• Automated bank feed improves efficiency with bank reconciliation 

5) Decision Ready Information 

Deltek continues to provide more improvements to filters, dashparts, and dashboards for ease of use for the end user. To get the most out of your software, firms need the ability to easily create, manage, and monitor projects, since projects are at the core of any project-based company. Deltek Vantagepoint delivers just that. Through a streamlined project creation process, using visuals and dashboards, project managers are able to focus on project performance through a centralized project hub. Those using Resource Planning have further capabilities through a highly developed and scalable resource management tool.  

6) Easily Create Automated Routines with Workflows 

Even though Deltek Vantagepoint is purpose-built with professional services firms in mind, firms may still need the ability to further automate processes and functions. With built-in workflows, your firm can automate front-end processes like sending emails, and alerts, updating fields, and running processes or reports automatically. In addition, stored procedures can be customized to automate non-standard processes on the back end.  

7) Integrated Systems 

Many firms have data silos with disparate systems. This separation between team members can increase inefficiencies and keep the firm from reporting on one truth for the company. Many of Deltek’s competitor ERPs are separate systems that have to share data back and forth through integration. Deltek Vantagepoint provides accounting, planning, resource management, and CRM all in one system. Firms can work as a team and build upon each other's data to gain a holistic view of the company and processes.  
 
However, there are times when firms will need to connect separate systems. For example, to their HR or marketing solutions. That is when Deltek Vantagepoint’s open APIs can be utilized. Vantagepoint has a RESTful API service, which is perhaps the most popular approach to building APIs. The RESTful service for Deltek Vantagepoint empowers programmers to build custom applications that interact with Vantagepoint. Integrations help ensure firms get the most out of their investment by sharing data between critical systems. Sometimes firms have in-house programmers that can leverage Deltek Unionpoint, while others prefer a seasoned development team, like the Blackbox Connector team, to build out their solutions.  

8) Work Breakdown Structure 

Enterprise project management accounting software becomes a “must-have” for firms that want to track detailed information around deliverables. How do you know if it is suitable for your firm? Your firm may need the ability to:  

• Break down a project into manageable work elements by separating out the deliverables for the project 

• Identify the start and end time of each deliverable 
• Define the overall budget for the deliverables as well as the entire project 
• Attach key persons to the project for reporting 
• Set up work breakdown structures to show the effort required to achieve an objective 

By having the right software for your firm, you gain the ability to track detailed cost estimating and provide guidance for future development and controls. The ability to break a project into manageable work elements, and track the elements, allows firms to better estimate future projects while maintaining the projects that exist today.  

9) Accrual and Cash Capabilities 

Many firms want the ability to run cash books alongside accrual books to get the most accurate view of where the business stands with income and debts. Income and expense tracking is integral to project accounting software. While a cash basis may give you a better idea of where the firm stands with actual cash, the accrual method can show the ebb and flow of the overall business income and debts for the most accurate view of the overall organization and long-term profitability.  

10) Audit Trail 

Many firms require modifications that fit their project-based firm. In QuickBooks and other software, Excel workarounds with manual manipulation are required outside of the software. This can impact the firm’s audit trail. Vantagepoint has the capability of running reports for changes made in key records as well as the ability to see the financial audit trail, which is important for the firm to be compliant with GAAP, IFRS/FASB, or any other requirements.  

11) Security 

Security is one of the most important features of a program because it either allows or restricts employees from seeing sensitive information such as costs or other employees' sensitive information. Your firm will need to be able to provide access to the system for many roles in the company to work holistically with the organization’s needs. Without this ability, there is no visibility, and management of the system and processes becomes very difficult. It is important for all players to have access to the information they require to manage their duties and keep the business running smoothly.   

Gold Standard of Project-based ERP Systems for Professional Services Firms 

If you haven’t seen Deltek Vantagepoint, it is time to talk to a partner like Full Sail Partners to see why Deltek Vantagepoint is the flagship ERP solution when it comes to professional services firms. Whether you’re a 10-person or a 2,000-person firm, Deltek Vantagepoint is designed to help manage the entire project lifecycle better than any of its competitors. This intuitive, powerful solution puts your people and projects at the center of your business so you can be more efficient, productive, and profitable. Be sure to check out our latest mini-demonstration by clicking the image below or reach out to us today. 

As a Deltek representative, we have heard all kinds of misconceptions about Deltek Vantagepoint. Despite our monthly newsletters, webinar series, and continued communication, we are still speaking to firms that are confused or have been advised incorrect information about transitioning from Vision to Vantagepoint. Most are honest mistakes conveyed by all kinds of people. However, many of these "untruths" come from competitors spreading incorrect rumors so they can take advantage of your firm and convince you to leave Deltek. 

We need your help! Please send this blog to everyone at your firm. Share it with user groups you are involved with and other firms that you know use Deltek Vision. Below are the real facts about upgrading from Deltek Vision to Deltek Vantagepoint. Please help us to dispel the misconceptions.

What is Deltek Vantagepoint?

• Deltek's reimagined flagship project-based solution, the next version of Deltek Vision for architects, engineers, and other professional services businesses. 
• Designed to help you manage the entire project lifecycle better than before. 
• Based on feedback from Deltek customers over the past 10 years. 
• An intuitive, powerful solution that puts your people and projects at the center of your business so you can be more efficient, productive, and profitable. 

For executives or employees wanting to view the upcoming changes, we recommend checking out our hour-long monthly Deltek Vantagepoint demonstration. Additionally, our team has put together tons of resources to help firms including our Deltek Vantagepoint mini demonstrations. In each of these demos, viewers will see how Deltek Vantagepoint empowers the different roles within your firm. Each demo goes into detail on a specific feature of Vantagepoint, with each video being 4-20 minutes long. 

Dispelling the Misconceptions about Deltek Vantagepoint

Q: Is Deltek Vantagepoint a new product?

A: It is a continuation of the Vision product. Think Vision 10!

Q: Will our firm need to repurchase to move to Deltek Vantagepoint?

A: No! If you are current on maintenance, it is free. This does not mean upgrading to Vantagepoint should be done without a strategic plan in mind.

Q: How long will Deltek Vision continue to be supported?

A: The short answer is Deltek hasn't set a date.   

The long answer is that under the Deltek Support Assurance program, Deltek provides three distinct phases and levels of support: Active, Maintenance, and Sustaining. Even when the product moves to Maintenance and Sustaining Support, your firm is still supported and will have plenty of time to upgrade. The product is currently under Active Support, which means that software enhancements, hot fixes and service packs are supported. Maintenance Support still receives hot fixes for severity 1 issues and tax, legal and regulatory updates and lasts 12 months. Sustaining Support is where you still have access to all of the pervious fixes and service packs. Additionally, Deltek has stated they will give us at least a year's notice before moving it to Maintenance Support. So, that provides your firm plenty of time. 

Q: To get Deltek Vantagepoint, do I have to move to the cloud?

A: No! However, it might make sense, so reach out to your account manager if you are interested.

Q: Will Deltek Vantagepoint be available on-premise?

A: Yes!

Q: Will Deltek Vantagepoint require me to migrate my data?

A: No! Your data will move over. There are considerations due to the way that Vantagepoint handles data differently than Vision, especially if you have repurposed any info centers.  

Q: Will all of my user-defined fields and user-defined info centers move over?

A:  Yes!

Q: Will Vantagepoint contain the exact functionality as Vision 7.6?

A: No. The product is being reimagined and improved. There are certain areas that will not move forward. Please read on for more details.

Q: Can my firm request to upgrade to Deltek Vantagepoint and move next week?

A: We do not recommend that. There are considerations that need to be made. We highly recommend starting with reviewing Deltek and Full Sail Partners’ resources and requesting a Vantagepoint Upgrade Consultation. 

What Are My Options for Getting a Vantagepoint Test Environment?

For firms that are seeking to obtain a Vantagepoint test environment, the answer to this question depends on your current deployment method. Below are the options: 

My firm is hosted by Deltek Cloud or On-Premise: Visit the Vantagepoint Upgrade Resources page on the Deltek website, and scroll about three-quarters of the way down the page to the “Get Preview Environment” section of the page. 

My firm is hosted by Full Sail Partners: If your firm is hosted by Full Sail Partners, email your Account Manager or hosting@fullsailpartners.com. 

My firm is hosted by an external hosting provider: If your firm is hosted by an external hosting provider, request that your provider set up a test environment. If they have not set up a Vantagepoint environment before, then we recommend you reach out to Full Sail Partners or your partner of record. It might make sense to consider moving to Deltek's cloud, hosting permanently with Full Sail Partners, or utilizing Full Sail Partners' transition hosting service. Contact us if you are interested in any of these options. 

Keep in mind, the upgrade to Deltek Vantagepoint requires a new install and has new installment requirements. For on-premise clients, please check out our past webinar: Is Your Firm Technically Prepared for Deltek Vantagepoint? 

Who Do I Contact?

If your firm is seeking assistance with upgrading to Vantagepoint, our team is here to help. Request a Vantagepoint Upgrade Consultation. Additionally, here are other resources to know.     

Deltek Vantagepoint Resources Page: Please click here to check it out, and to clarify some distinct areas on this page, please read below: 

What is the Customer Assistance Program (CAP)? 

CAP is focused on helping Vision customers prepare for their upgrade to Vantagepoint. This is a complementary program for Deltek Vision customers. It runs for eight weeks, and you can have as many people as you want from your company participate. This program will cover specific upgrade topics and best practices. You will also be able to join live sessions with the experts to ask questions. You can register here for any of the sessions. The next sessions from Deltek in 2023 will be session 14 starting January 25, 2023, and session 15 starting April 19, 2023. 

What is the Vantagepoint Readiness Portal? 

The Vantagepoint Readiness Portal is your go-to resource for all things Vantagepoint. This portal includes videos, demonstrations, and presentations by Deltek experts to give you a perspective of how things have changed from Vision to Vantagepoint. This is the first step on your journey toward understanding Vantagepoint. There are also resources specifically for administrators including details about preview environments. The Portal has info about CAP too. To access the portal, just follow these simple steps: 

1. Log into the Deltek Learning Zone (DLZ) platform with your DLZ account credentials. 
2. On the opening Dashboard screen, use the “Enter Search keyword” feature to search for the “Readiness Portal.” 
3. The “Deltek Vantagepoint Readiness Portal” will come up as the top result for all Vision and Vantagepoint product users, and you can simply click to enroll and launch the portal. 
4. Once enrolled, you can access the portal at any time from your personal Learning Profile where it will appear on your “Courses” list. 

Deltek Vantagepoint Resources

Make sure to check out our webinar series about preparing for the upgrade to Deltek Vantagepoint. In this series, our team of consultants covers a variety of topics such as technical requirements, resource planning, and project management, new CRM functions, and the improved accounting interface. This webinar series page also includes demonstrations of Deltek Vantagepoint. If you prefer to read about the enhancements, check out all the articles we have posted about the enhancements Vantagepoint offers to firms that upgrade from Vision! 

For the last decade, Full Sail Partners has been a recognized project-based technology leader in the Deltek professional services ecosystem. We have much to celebrate and we attribute that success to our company culture -- fun, fast-paced, flexible and collaborative. Our team members comment every day how they feel privileged to call many of their co-workers true friends and even family.  

Since our inception, the number of employees has expanded 131%, and over our 10-year history, revenue has increased 145% while completing over 4000+ projects. The firm launched its Blackbox Connector product in 2015 increasing the team’s integration capabilities by being able to connect clients to outside solutions. Deltek and other industry leaders have recognized our firm with 15 awards over its history because of our relentless commitment to cultivating strong customer loyalty and focusing on the customer experience. We accomplished this and more all while being 100% remote, before it became popular.  

We plan to recognize this huge milestone with our clients at Deltek’s Annual Conference, ProjectCon, in November in Nashville, TN. Additionally, as part of our continuing 10-year anniversary celebration, Full Sail Partners will be selling a cookbook filled with recipes from its employees. Each employee that submits a recipe will be nominating a charity of his/her choice. Any funds raised will be then given to the charity that is voted upon by Full Sail Partners’ clients.  

While viewing our accomplishments, you can truly experience the fun side of our culture. We would love to hear from you, our clients, about any experience that stands out over the years in the comments or on social media. Thank you to everyone that has been a part of our journey. We are excited to continue this celebration and enjoy the moment while looking forward to our next milestone accomplishment. Cheers! 

Review our recent press release to learn more about our firm and our accomplishments over the past decade. 

The Vantagepoint Connect add-in with Vantagepoint CRM provides two-way synchronization of your contacts and calendar items within your Outlook email application. Outlook Connect empowers users across the firm to help nurture client relationships and collaborate with your team. While in Outlook, users can pin the context pane, so it remains visible. This allows the ability to view contacts and firms in the context of the active email addresses to provide quick insight to contact and firm information along with activity, pursuits, projects, and marketing campaigns. This visibility provides the entire team with valuable information while emailing and scheduling meetings. Let's take a look at how Deltek Vantagepoint Connect empowers users at your firm. 

Executives Seeking to Unify Their Team 

Sharing critical data easily across the firm is a key objective, yet a challenge for every executive. Managing and sharing data across the organization increases the ability to make crucial decisions across the business. Accessing data in a tool, like Outlook, that the firm uses on a daily basis eliminates roadblocks and redundancies for users across the company. With Deltek Vantagepoint Connect, Outlook allows users to search for and view information entered in Vantagepoint for any firm, contact, or project while in the tool. 

Increasing Client Communication Tracking for Marketing & Sales Teams 

When different departments approach tracking data in different ways, it adds barriers for marketing and sales to attain a holistic view across the firm. Identifying how to provide quick access to users entering and pursuing business across the firm ensures marketing and sales are able to provide meaningful reporting about the firm’s efforts. While using Outlook, team members now have the ability to create firms, contacts, pursuits, projects and activities within Vantagepoint as they are responding or sending emails. Having client data at your fingertips promotes transparency across the firm and improves communication to ensure departments are no longer working in silos. Outlook Connect integration is a vital tool to connect to your ERP to help marketing and sales strengthen collaboration across the company.    

Improving Project Management Productivity 

Project Managers live by tasks and schedules. During a project, a task is much more than just a to-do. It is also the way project-based firms bill for their time. Project Managers additionally need the ability to schedule and synchronize internal calendars and meetings. With the Vantagepoint Outlook Connect, users can now synchronize calendar items between Outlook and Vantagepoint. This eliminates the need to enter data twice.  

Outlook Connect also streamlines the process of scheduling meetings through the Scheduling Assistant. Through the Scheduling Assistant, clients can see the team's availability and choose a time to meet that works with both of their schedules. The client only sees available times and does not see any other details or appointments on your calendar. Alternatively, project managers can also provide specific times that are available for the entire team and provide defined time slots to the client. Once they choose a time, all internal team members will receive an invitation on their calendar. Lastly, when a calendar event is shared with Vantagepoint, users can log that time to their timesheet. Talk about improving productivity! 

Accessing Financial and Project Client Communication History   

Many times, firms may overlook finance’s need to access client data from Outlook. Finance always seems to be in the ERP system working on billing, AR and financial reports. However, Outlook is something they also use on a daily basis. One key way finance may find value from Outlook Connect is its ability to log email or correspondence related to billing. Outstanding AR, project contract documentation and contract changes should all be logged in your ERP related to the client, contact and project. Documenting correspondence and keeping client communication up to date guarantees all team members have access to the latest client communication history.   

Enable Your Professional Services Team 

Data has the potential to transform professional services firms' business when users share information across their entire company. No matter what role you are in, getting helpful data into the hands of your users enables them to make informed, data-driven decisions. Check out our past mini-demonstrations to see how Deltek Vantagepoint + Outlook is changing the way CRM is managed by professional services firms. 

Click the image below to learn how Full Sail Partners can help you Synchronize Your Business Outlook Calendar with Deltek Vantagepoint. 

We are excited to celebrate our 10-year anniversary! Clients, partners, employees, and family have all embarked on this journey with us, and in so many ways, we have grown together. For this reason, we plan to recognize this big accomplishment and continue to make great strides together in 2022! Cheers to another amazing year full of fantastic projects and collaboration! We invite you to be the first to see our new 10-year anniversary logo and check out our new resource pages providing you content by role.

Since the creation of Full Sail Partners in 2012, the number of our employees has expanded 131% allowing us to become the technology provider when it comes to project-based solutions. Over those 10 years, our viewership has expanded 785% and we have received almost 23k website submissions. We have shared more than 540 blog articles, 293 web pages, and 132 webinars. So, in celebration, we are listing the top content based on viewership. Enjoy!

Most Viewed Thought Leadership Blog 

>>>7 Ways to Overcome Obstacles<<<

Maybe it shouldn’t be surprising that the most viewed thought leadership blog was about overcoming obstacles? These past several years brought many challenges to our work and personal lives. When faced with adversity, it sometimes can be hard to breakdown how to handle it. In this blog, we discussed 7 tips to overcome obstacles.

Most Downloaded Whitepaper 

>>>Deltek AE Clarity Report<<<

As a Deltek Platinum Partner, we promote Deltek’s annual survey focused on the Architecture and Engineering (A&E) industry. The report is one of the world’s most sought-after A&E research findings each year providing in-depth analysis about the industry’s financial condition and market outlook. 

Most Webinar Submissions 

>>>Things We Love About Deltek Vantagepoint So Far<<<

Our webinar with the most submissions was a presentation back in 2019. This webinar is still getting a lot of attention! Firms were excited about the release of Deltek Vantagepoint, and this still holds true today. During the webinar, we covered the Top 10 Features along with some honorable mentions. The webinar was so well attended, we were asked to do an updated version a year later: Deltek Vantagepoint: The Best All In One.

Webinar with the Largest Attendance 

>>>The Project Lifecycle of Deltek Vantagepoint<<<

Professional services firms need a system that takes them through the entire project lifecycle from lead identification to pursuit and final project execution. So, it makes sense that this webinar had the largest attendance in our 10-year history, especially with the enthusiasm surrounding Deltek Vantagepoint. The webinar took firms from beginning to end and compared the similarities and differences between Vantagepoint and Vision. 

Most Viewed Webpage 

>>>Our Crew<<<

Other than our home page, our most viewed webpage is about our crew. Just like with every professional services firm, our employees are the heart and soul of our company. More than 31,000 people have checked out our staff, which averages out to about 7 people a day. Everyone at our company believes we are the best at what we do! We have an amazing, collaborative, and talented team that also makes work fun. This is best illustrated by our professional and fun photos showing another side to our team.

Most Requested Blackbox Connector Solution

>>>Quick Insight to Maintain Contacts<<<

Everyone loves FREE stuff, which probably explains why our newest solution on our Blackbox Connector page sky rocketed to become our most requested page. Full Sail Partners presented on a contact and email management tool for Deltek Vantagepoint in December, 2021, to help firms clean-up their data. The tool searches for duplicate email addresses, duplicate names, and emails with bad formatting to help users target records needing clean-up. The best part is this tool can be used whether you have Vantagepoint CRM or not!

Most Time Spent on a Blog 

>>>Exception Reporting<<<

Research shows the average time spent on a website page is about 45 seconds. So, when you have a blog that users are spending on average 7.4 minutes reviewing, you know you have content worth reading. It might seem ironic that the blog that had the most time spent on it was about how to spend less time analyzing data. However, that doesn’t come as a revelation to us. The most common complaint amongst professionals is they don’t have time to analyze the data, since they need to just get the job done. If you haven’t checked it out yet, learn more about how exception reporting can save firm leaders and their employee’s valuable time.

Blog with the Most Social Media Shares

>>>9 Ways to Connect with Employees<<<

Each employee has different needs from a job and an employer. Sometimes those needs are in alignment with their employer and sometimes they aren’t. How can employers best connect and create a culture that empowers their employees? In this article, we discussed 9 ways to connect with employees to ensure they feel valued and enthusiastic about their position.

We hope you enjoyed being taken down memory lane or even discovered content that you may have missed. From the inception of Full Sail Partners, our goals were to ensure we had a passionate, dedicated, and collaborative team and to be known for valuable content amongst the project-based industry. Based on comments from our employees and clients, we think we have lived up to those goals. Thank you for joining us on our journey, and we look forward to continuing our endeavor with you and to see what the future holds.

Full Sail Partners has worked with 200+ firms related to their Deltek Vision to Vantagepoint upgrade process in different capacities over the past two years. Full Sail Partners’ goal is to help our clients gain more insight on how to have a smooth and successful upgrade. From the experience and insight gleamed from helping these firms, these five tips have been developed to keep your firm calm.

However, there are two big caveats to consider before diving into the tips for a calm upgrade process.

One of the biggest challenges faced when working with clients is misinformation. It’s like the game telephone. Someone whispers something to the person next to them and it keeps going down the line. By the time it gets to the end person, the information is completely different. This is happening with information regarding Deltek Vantagepoint. Full Sail Partners strongly encourages firms to get their information from the source. Ask Deltek, Full Sail Partners, or another approved Deltek partner.

Next, is to take a deep breath. Some of our clients come to us in a complete panic. Some clients are concerned about how they will get through the Vision to Vantagepoint upgrade process. Some other clients are worried non-stop. So, let’s all take a deep breath. Understand that firms are not alone. Remember, Full Sail Partners is here to help as a trusted partner.

To quote Martha Lira with Impact Sciences that upgraded from Vision to Vantagepoint. “It was easier than I thought. It was smoother than I thought.”

Tip #1 – This is an Upgrade, Not a Migration

One thing to remember is this is an upgrade not a migration. This is a key point to understand and communicate to the rest of the company. Misinformation can come from anywhere. It’s important that the company’s primary contact is communicating to others within the organization.

Furthermore, there is an installer that allows the company to push every single Vision field over to Vantagepoint. This even includes custom field, tabs, and user defined info centers. There is work involved, but significantly less than there is when starting from scratch for a migration.

For finance the processes are very similar. There might be some things that are moved around and there are added enhancements to make it easier, but the learning curve is minimal for finance.

For project managers and CRM users, Deltek has been listening. All the things you have been asking for over the years are being answered. Items like:

• Streamlined flow for project managers,
• Improved usability,
• User-friendly, modern look and feel,
• Improved Outlook integration; and
• AI capabilities with Hey Deltek! to make doing tasks easier.

Tip #2 – Take Advantage of All the Resources Available

Deltek and Full Sail Partners have many resources, most of them free. If you haven’t viewed any resources, you are doing yourself and team a disservice. Share the resources to all departments of your company. These resources include:

• Deltek’s Vantagepoint Readiness Portal | Firms can access this through their customer care login. Inside there is an upgrade checklist along with training videos by role and Vantagepoint updates.
• Preparing for the Upgrade Series by Full Sail Partners | This is a webinar series that provides clients with the answers and clarification on how the upgrade will impact their firm.
• Client Assistance Program (CAP) Program | This program, hosted by Deltek, reviews the upgrade checklists found in the readiness portal. Over several weeks, it covers each area of Vantagepoint and how to prepare in moving from Vision to Vantagepoint.
• Powering Project Success Mini Demonstrations created by Full Sail Partners | Not only has Deltek provided videos available on the readiness portal, but Full Sail Partners has taken it a step further. Mini demonstration videos range from four to 21 minutes and show different areas of the system and how different users would utilize those areas. The videos focus on sharing new features and functions.
• Vantagepoint Upgrade page | Visit this page to find all the resources in on place including those mentioned above and to schedule a consultation with a member of the Full Sail Partners Crew.

Tip #3 - Engage All User Groups

This is the opportunity to become the “hero” of collaboration by bringing in other departments and users. This is done by understanding that the upgrade from Vision to Vantagepoint is less technical and more about inclusion. Vantagepoint is a complete ERP and ERP is about the company, so every role needs to participate to have a calm upgrade process.

Engage with them by sharing the resources in Tip #2 that are related to their responsibilities. Require users in all departments to view and engage with those resources. Take time to understand how each team member will be part of the project lifecycle. Some may be at the beginning. Some at the middle or others at the end. Making sure each of them understands how their information and actions impact others–from marketing to project managers to accounting.

This is a great opportunity to get new employees and people not previously involved with Vision to become ‘bought-in’ and advocates for Vantagepoint.

Tip #4 – Trust the Process

In assisting 200+ firms in their Deltek Vision to Vantagepoint upgrades over the past two years, Full Sail Partners has fine tuned the upgrade process for firms. While each client’s process is specific for them, Full Sail Partners has worked hard to remove the mystery to create a transparent process. This process includes:

1. Personalized Readiness Report - Readiness Report – This is a tool run against Vision and reports the specific things that the firm needs to address. Every firm is different. The report shows exactly what to clean up. Firms have found this priceless.
2. Train the Team and Make Adjustments – Get your system in gear and refine the team’s knowledge of managing Vantagepoint for a seamless transition.
3. Make the Shift to Full Production – Leverage transition copy scripts to automate the conversion process from preview environment to production.

Tip #5 – Manage Attitudes and Messaging

With every process, change management is always important to plan for. A big part of change management is attitude. The attitude impacts the success or failure of the change. And, when firm leaderships approaches change negatively, the team will pick up on that attitude. If leadership approaches it positively, the team will feel more confident about the change. Success is impacted by the attitude displayed when approaching the change. Promote this change positively because it’s really a good change. Get others excited. The only ways things can be successful is excitement, positivity and getting people to understand benefits they get that will help them in their role. Deltek has been listening, and these changes with Vantagepoint are happening because of feedback from firms like yours.

Next is to prepare the internal teams. Communicate to them that it’s important to understand that this isn’t a month-long process. Take a deep breath and remove the worry first by taking the time to know what needs to be tackled as part of the upgrade process. Use the Readiness Report to know the areas to be addressed and outline the steps required. Identify team members responsible and a target date of completion. Then start working on cleaning up data, as needed. It’s always better to tackle dirty data sooner rather than later. With the upgrade, firms can clean up data before or after the upgrade, but Full Sail Partners has found it better to do it before. Don’t forget to outline training and remember this is a great time to take time to make your processes even better.

Make sure to celebrate milestones and the end success. This can be done by letting others in the firm know about those accomplishments and be sure to thank those that dedicated their time and effort along the way.

Keep Calm and Just Breathe

Often, users tend to build up unnecessary worry and think things are going to be worse than they really are. The best way to tackle worry is to write down the challenge and then break it down into smaller steps. Hopefully using these five tips will show the way to a calm Vision to Vantagepoint upgrade.