Full Sail Partners Blog (41)

Many firms have a plethora of data regarding existing clients, prospects, and wins and losses just sitting around being underutilized or possibly not being used at all.  So, what should these firms be doing with all this data? Well, this significant information needs to be analyzed to create actionable insights which will help drive business development decisions. Here are some thoughts to ensure a proper data analysis.

Reports Don’t Equal Analysis

Reports are pretty and give you an easy view of your data. The line goes up and you smile, the line goes down and you frown. However, quickly glancing over these reports doesn’t actually answer why these are the results you see?

Analyzing means taking those results to the next level and learning why these are the trends your firm is experiencing. You must ask the right questions to find answers in your data and then form a hypothesis to test your data against. This will allow you to find the reason behind your numbers.  

Using Analysis to Achieve the Real Goals

As simple as this sounds, getting the right information from your data analysis can affect achieving your firm’s goals. To make actionable decisions, the goals of the business must be what drives your measurement strategy. Using the correct data analysis technique requires that you know what questions you’re trying to answer.

Think about it, generic questions tend to lead to generic answers. To determine what you’re trying to figure out from your data analysis, you’ll need to have clear objectives provided by the firm’s stakeholders. Without having a specific question to answer, you won’t get a clear answer.     

Creating Metrics That Promote Action

Communicating the results of your analysis in a way to create actionable insights can often be difficult. It doesn’t have to be when the results of your analysis answer the questions that have been established by the business objectives. Therefore, communicating actionable insights requires being able to quantitatively measure the success of the plan you recommend.

The findings of the analysis should drive the development of key performance indicators (KPIs). With these KPIs, the company knows what quantifiable objectives determine the success of the business. Keep in mind, your KPIs need to be realistic based on your data. 

Good Data in Equals Good Data out

Collecting the right data and maintaining it is the most important part of data analysis. For project-based firms, projects are the lifeblood of the business. Winning more projects is essential to generating more revenue. As a result, discovering key project related data from your analysis is integral to creating compelling proposals that win new business. 

Making Data Work for Your Firm

To learn more about project data collection and maintenance best practices, make sure to attend this year’s SMPS Pacific Regional Conference and the Southeast Regional Conference. Lindsay Diven, Full Sail Partners’ Senior Consultant, will be presenting a session titled, “Develop Your Data Collection & Maintenance Program – No CRM Needed” to address this specific topic. Let your data work for you.

Full Sail Partners, a Concur and Deltek Platinum Partner, is pleased to announce the addition of Amanda McClain to the Account Management Team. Amanda joins the Blackbox Connector team as an Implementation Project Manager. In this position, she will oversee implementations for financial related Blackbox Connector integrations. Amanda’s strong finance background in combination with her vast customer service experience will enable her to provide a positive client experience throughout the project lifecycle when purchasing a Blackbox Connector solution.

“Joining the Blackbox Connector team allows me to utilize all aspects of my background to help create a long-lasting client relationship,” stated Amanda McClain. “I am very excited to begin this position as Implementation Project Manager. My previous experience has given me the tools needed to effectively listen to clients and work with them to create a system tailored specifically to their firm needs.”

The Blackbox Connector team integrates Deltek Vision and Deltek for Professional Services with ready-to deploy business solutions, including Concur Expense and Invoice Connector, as well as, the Informer Connector that is coming in the first quarter of 2018. With the increase of Blackbox Connector solutions, Full Sail Partners sought a new team member to ensure quality was provided throughout the implementation. In her role, Amanda will provide clients with a personal point of contact to discuss and resolve any issues relating to their Blackbox Connector purchase.

“As demand for our Blackbox Connector continues to grow, we are focused on providing a quality product. This includes ensuring our clients have a successful implementation,” stated Wendy Gustafson, General Manager of Full Sail Partners. “We are super excited to have someone who is customer service and detail-oriented. She will be instrumental in keeping our client implementations on track.”

For more information, please contact Full Sail Partners’ Marketing and Communications Department. 

Many firms in the architectural and engineering (A&E) industry are using mergers and acquisitions (M&A) as a strategy to grow. As discussed previously in a blog by Mike Kessler, a firm must first choose the best fork in the M&A road to accomplish its goals. Once this path has been taken, a decision must then be made about which data to migrate and the steps to take for a smooth transition.

Deciding Which Data to Migrate 

If you ask project managers which data is important to them, they will usually say all of it. However, is that truly the correct answer? Probably not. Depending on which direction your firm chose in the M&A process, there are many questions to ask. Something that may help decide which data to migrate is to determine who is responsible for the work completed prior to the M&A. 

Additional concerns might be: 

1. Are there government contracts or audit requirements that require full detail?
2. Are there open accounts receivable that may be disputed and why?
3. Are there any outstanding claims against a project?
4. Did the acquisition include assets that need to be tracked?
5. Who will own the open accounts receivable?
6. Will you be responsible to pay any outstanding vendor payments?
7. Do you need prior invoice details, prior invoice totals or just prior billed totals?
8. How much value is left to recognize for revenue?
9. Does the prior revenue method used by the previous firm line up with how you recognize revenue?
10. Will the client let you assume the contracts?
11. Are there reporting requirements that are ongoing with the client?
12. Do you need visibility into prior work for cost comparisons?

The answers to these questions, or even other scenarios, may place data requirements on how much data you bring in and at what level. Again, the amount of data to be migrated depends on which fork was taken in the M&A road and the organizational structure of the entity post M&A. After addressing which data to migrate, then you can move on to the how. 

Options for Migrating the Data 

So, now that you know which data to migrate, how are you going to do it? 

Before providing the migration options, please note that having knowledgeable personnel to assist in this process can save time and prevent frustration. 

There are three options for data migration: 

• Vision Data Import
• Microsoft SQL
• Manual Entry 

Determining the Data Migration Process 

Once you have picked the migration option, you must decide what order to migrate the data in. This is important because every firm has critical processes and secondary processes that need data to function and keep the company running. 

Here are some things to consider: 

• Prioritizing the critical areas
• Setting a schedule of what is required (this will help guide you in the process and make sure necessary parties are involved)
• Having a company champion or champions who can answer employee questions
• Keeping communication lines open (this will allow for an easier transition) 

Assistance with Data Migration Decisions is Available 

Regardless of which direction your firm takes in the M&A process, Full Sail Partners can offer help with your data migration decisions. Contact us and one of our subject matter experts will be in touch. Let us help you ease on down the M&A road.

Full Sail Partners, a Deltek Platinum Partner, is excited to announce that Rick Childs has returned to the team as a Senior Consultant. Due to his amazing rapport with clients and ability to solve problems, he was asked to join Petroleum Field Services (now known as Ascent Geomatics Solutions) as Controller back in 2015. Since this firm is now running efficiently, Rick desired the opportunity to be able to service other firms in the same exemplary manner.

“Whether working for a single firm as an employee or for multiple firms as a consultant, my goal is always to do what I can to help automate processes and build a foundation to take the firm into the future and prepare for growth. I am excited about returning to the Full Sail Partners team of knowledgeable, dedicated professionals and having access to their ever-growing arsenal of client-based solutions,” stated Rick Childs.

Rick is an experienced consultant having led more than 100 Deltek Vision implementations since 2003. His familiarity with legacy Deltek products has also enabled him to provide client solutions. With this extensive industry knowledge, Rick will be able to jump right back into his role as Senior Consultant addressing the needs of our clients and helping them further leverage their investment in Deltek Vision and Deltek for Professional Services.

“Full Sail Partners’ management team is excited to welcome Rick back to the consulting team. Rick adds additional depth and knowledge to our diverse and collaborative consulting team that handles all areas of Deltek Vision and Deltek for Professional Services. I personally know that many of the clients and team members that Rick previously worked with are pleased to hear of his return and looking forward to working with him again,” said Scott Seal, VP of Consulting.

For more information, please contact Full Sail Partners’ Marketing and Communications Department. 

With all the hot topics of last year, we thought it would be interesting to see which ones were valued the most by Deltek Users. To figure this out, we compiled a list of the top 10 read Full Sail Partners’ blogs of 2017. From finance, to marketing, to HR, to project managers, it seems that we offered a little something for everyone. Let’s check them out:

1. The Unknown Features of Timesheets in Deltek Vision

It is a mystery why we deal with time management so badly. This is our commodity which we sell to our clients. However, we treat it like a curse, as if it’s an evil process that accounting forces on us. It somehow escapes us that this is the lifeblood of our business, and without it, we are out of business. So why don’t we manage this better and how can we improve our firm’s practices? Find out now! 

2. Maximizing Organizational Breakdown Structure and Work Breakdown Structure in Deltek Vision

As Deltek Vision systems are implemented and processes are written, the common denominator is most often the connection between the Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS) and the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). Whether it be the uniqueness of each or the relationship between the two, the attention paid to these early stages of development is instrumental in the flow and reporting of information in your Vision database. Click here to explore some areas to consider when designing the structure of your database. 

3. Is This the End of Deltek Vision's Revenue Method B?

Revenue Method B is the most widely used revenue method in Deltek Vision. In fairness, this is Vision’s default method for projects whose charge type is Regular. As a result, most firms use it since it’s easy to deploy and seems to work, or so we think. Learn more about Revenue Method B here. 

4. The Truth Behind Why Your CRM System Sucks!

The main reason why CRM implementations usually fail isn’t because of the system, it’s because of you. I told you this was going to be hard to swallow. A CRM system is meant to provide a place to house all of the important information about your clients and opportunities. However, many firms purchase a CRM system thinking it will miraculously do the work for them with no effort required. Find out what your firm needs to know to have a successful CRM system. 

5. 6 Key Statistics that Fuel the Competition for Talent Management

Organizations with antiquated talent management philosophies will struggle to attract, nurture and retain top talent in 2017. Many HR teams make the common mistake of having decentralized or ineffective systems and processes. Check out six key statistics that demonstrate why HR teams can no longer be reactionary and should evaluate their talent management processes and systems. 

6. Using Multi-Company in Deltek Vision: The When, Why and How

Within Deltek Vision lies a very handy tool which enables a firm to have multi-company functionality. However, the benefits of this multi-company functionality feature seem to elude many firms that would greatly appreciate its capabilities. So, let’s talk in detail about multi-company functionality and the why, when and how firms should use this fantastic feature. 

7. Ten Firm Initiatives to Improve Deltek Vision

Although it is easy to accept the status quo, there is always room for improvement. Once improvements are made, it is hard to believe that we operated the way we did before. So, there it is, the continuous cycle of breaking the status quo to improve our firm processes which ultimately ensures future success. As Deltek Vision users, we should focus on initiatives which enhance our Vision systems and allow us to remain efficient and effective in business. Find out which initiatives your firm can take on in 2018. 

8. Why You Should Be Using Deltek Dashboards

Are you maximizing your time by taking advantage of a dashboard? Dashboards are one of the most beneficial and functional parts of a system and yet are often the most underutilized. Dashboards are comprised of dashparts, or widgets, which are used as a portal into your Deltek database. For firms using Deltek Vision or Deltek Talent, the dashparts are extensive and include reports, metrics, links, alerts, tips and more. Find out why your firm should be using dashboards. 

9. Understanding and Effectively Using Cross Charge in Deltek Vision

Cross charge capabilities in Vision are based on similar theories as multi-company but are focused on the interaction within a company and its organizational breakdown structure (OBS). It is important to understand that cross charging is a financial tool and is based on the general ledger. It is not an attribute of project reporting since time charged to a project remains on the project for billing and reporting purposes. Cross charge is labor focused and occurs after the timesheet is posted. Still confused? Learn what you need to know to effectively use cross charge. 

10. Introducing Deltek for Professional Services

Welcome to Deltek for Professional Services (DPS), the next generation solution for professional services automation (PSA). If PSA is a new term for you, think of it as a specialized system like an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution except specifically designed for the professional services industry. So, what can DPS do for your firm? Let’s see how this new cutting-edge solution will add value.

The Full Sail Partners’ team strives to provide our clients with useful resources that add value to their Vision systems. We hope that these widely read blogs from 2017 did just that. If you haven’t had the chance to review them yet, we hope you’ll do so now. Also, remember to keep an eye out for what’s coming in 2018!

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the architectural and engineering (A&E) industry are on the rise. Unfortunately, many firms are not prepared to successfully implement the M&A process. With an acquisition, it is imperative that the “buying” entity have a well-defined set of procedures to easily onboard the incoming firm. In the case of a merger, all involved firms would need a set plan which would dictate the transition to a new firm. However, first a firm must decide the direction it will take regarding the M&A process and evaluate how it will affect the current organization’s structure.

Navigating Forks in the Road for Your Firm 

There are many reasons a firm may decide to begin the M&A process. Each firm has its own vision for the future. On this path, there are 3 “forks in the road,” and a firm must choose one:

1. Absorbing the acquisition into an existing organization
2. Creating a new organization within an existing company
3. Creating a new company 

Making the Acquired Company Part of the Buying Company

Absorbing the acquisition into an existing organization is the easiest and most straight forward. This scenario is usually the result of a simple employee purchase. For example, a design engineering firm acquires a mechanical engineering firm. In this case, the incoming engineers are integrated into an existing profit center (department). They may have brought projects with them or are going to be staffed on existing projects. Since it requires no structural changes to the database, very little of any testing is needed. The focus would be more human resources related blending the culture of the acquired firm into the existing one. 

Making a New Organization within the Buying Company 

Creating a new organization within an existing company is most often the result of expanding service offerings. For example, a base building architectural firm acquires an interiors firm. If the firm’s current structure is studio based, a new studio would be required for the interior work. Under this scenario, a change to the existing structure is made that will require testing. This will include: 

• Cross Charging
• Overhead Allocation
• T&E group management 

In addition, reporting parameters need to be updated to ensure the new organization is included in all metrics and indicators. This will require reasonable lead time to do a test and final cutover. 

Making a New Company Altogether

Creating a new company by merging firms is the most common scenario, and regardless of the dynamics, is often driven by numerous outside factors such as: 

• Tax implications
• Buyout and payout provisions
• Currency requirements
• Country, state, and other municipal requirements
• Banking relationships
• Investment and or holding company requirements
• Professional licensing requirements 

In a merger situation, a change to the existing structure is made that will require testing. This will include: 

• Intercompany Billing
• Foreign currency management
• Consolidated reporting (in addition to the reporting parameter updates noted above) 

Additional factors that will need to be considered in risk mitigation are: 

• Rules defining internal pricing
• New currency being introduced into the environment 

This situation will require at least one test cutover and lead time needs to be considered during the process. 

Final Considerations for Mergers and Acquisitions   

Once you have selected which of the forks on the M&A road to take, the real work begins. Beyond the integration testing noted above, there are two other risk areas that must be considered. 

1. Data import
2. Revenue management 

Regardless of which direction your firm chooses to take in the M&A process, Full Sail Partners can offer consulting from subject matter experts. Contact us and we will be happy to help. You don’t have to walk alone. Additionally, we will be at the 2018 Southeast States M&A Symposium in Miami, Florida on January 24th and 25th. 

“Project Controls” are formidable words, ones that are necessary for successful project outcomes. Those of you who have used Deltek Vision for many years may recall that “project controls” remain at the core of the Vision system and are the datacenter for all other Vision applications such as billing, CRM, proposals, resource planning, and time and expense. Fortunately for Vision users, accessing project controls has gotten a lot easier with Deltek iAccess.

What are Project Controls? 

There is no industry jargon in the name project controls. They do exactly what the name implies. They allow you to manage and control your projects. Furthermore, a complete project control system such as Vision, allows users to: 

• Document project attributes
• Coordinate project activities
• Track employee time and expense
• Apply direct and overhead costs
• Monitor project progress
• Generate project reports
• Maintain project budgets 

Controlling projects requires understanding and making decisions based on the information collected. This can be a challenge if data is not updated in a timely fashion or there is too much information to absorb. So, how can Vision users make these processes simpler? 

Enter Deltek iAccess for Project Management 

With the addition of iAccess for Deltek Vision, visibility into and ease of digesting information has enjoyed a renaissance. The iAccess interface allows firms to proactively manage and track projects from creation through closeout. The real-time connection to Vision, graphical views, and simple interactive tools for planning and managing the budget make quick work of understanding the status of the project. As a result, users can efficiently manage project future costs and review the expected outcomes. 

Gain Better Control of Your Projects with Deltek iAccess 

The ability to drive your projects with a full understanding of the past and predictions for the future is the ultimate control. With iAccess for Deltek Vision, this becomes possible. So, what are you waiting for? Take control of your projects, and extend the capabilities of Vision project controls with iAccess.

2017 was a banner year for Deltek users with so many amazing new service offerings coming available. Each of these solutions was designed with users in mind to create a more streamlined business operation. From improved user interfaces to near instantaneous data transfers, Deltek users now have an array of options to get their work done faster and more efficiently.

Let’s take a look at these hot service offerings from 2017.

Deltek for Professional Services

Deltek for Professional Services (DPS) is the newest cloud-based professional services automation (PSA) enterprise software solution designed by Deltek and launched this year. DPS is based on Vision with an improved user interface like that of iAccess for Vision. Deltek for Professional Services integrates and automates your firm’s business processes allowing better control over your business and your projects. Designed to meet the needs of the A&E industry, DPS manages the project throughout the entire lifecycle including business development, project management, resource management, collaboration and financial management.

Deltek Talent

Deltek Talent helps businesses maximize their strongest and most distinctive resource, their people. It simplifies the entire employee lifecycle, enabling companies to seamlessly recruit, on–board, develop, compensate, and track their employees. Maximizing your Talent with Deltek Talent allows you to keep skills and competencies at the forefront of your strategy providing the competitive edge you need to stay ahead in the ongoing war for talent.  

Deltek Project Information Management

Deltek Project Information Management (PIM) provides project management and collaboration tools designed to help employees access critical project information to stay connected throughout the entire project lifecycle. With PIM you will avoid lost files and duplicate information saving hours of manpower. You can see all versions of the project documents, tag documents across multiple related locations, and review new designs and drawings instantly. Organized files across all aspects of business in one centralized location provides companies the intelligence to more effectively run their business.

Blackbox Connector

The Blackbox Connector is a no-code, low cost connector offering an interface between Deltek Vision and other third party business applications. With the Blackbox Connector, you will significantly reduce integration time and duplicate efforts in the entry and maintenance of data. The Blackbox Connector provides easy to implement solutions focused on connecting your Deltek Vision system to Concur, Client Feedback Tool, Constant Contact and Mail Chimp. Connectors for both HubSpot and Informer will be released soon. The Blackbox Connector eliminates data silos by providing a better and more formidable way to connect to Deltek Vision.

Do More with Deltek in 2018

Whether your firm is looking for ways to retain top talent or help to expedite completing expense reports, there is a solution for you. Are you ready to take advantage of these time saving services?

After the ball drops every New Year’s Eve, the song “Auld Lang Syne” triggers everyone to begin a personal reflection of the past. Similarly, at the end of a year and on a professional level, business development and marketing professionals should look back at the previous year and evaluate the results of their efforts. How they use this information will help them strategize for the following year and improve upon performance. Here are some New Year’s resolutions that business development and marketing professionals should make to get the most out of next year.

New Year’s Resolutions for Business Development 

Improving client relationships is essential to generating more sales and revenue. Here are five ways to help nurture better client relationships.   

1. Streamline your client engagement/touchpoint activities. Distill your activities to the essentials to shorten sales cycles while providing high-value interactions with clients and prospects.
2. Get to know your clients better. Ask the right questions and actively listen to the client’s answers.
3. Coordinate and collaborate with the marketing team on a regular basis.
4. Embrace new technology. Communicate with prospects and clients and record information gained. Share this information with internal teams.
5. Stop checking in. Instead, use your database to connect with prospects using meaningful conversations or useful content. 

New Year’s Resolutions for Marketers 

While marketing requires evaluating the performance of efforts throughout the year, using this data to become more effective for the next year is a difficult task. Here are five ways marketers can increase the impact of marketing plans for the new year. 

1. Examine last year’s marketing campaigns and see which ones met your goals. Determine how you will use this information for next year’s planning.
2. Take a hard look at your process for collecting and maintaining your information/data. Make it a goal to get all your data centralized into one place.
3. Coordinate and collaborate with the business development/sales teams on a regular basis.
4. Create high-quality, value-based content that your clients and prospects need.
5. Understand the client experience journey from prospect to project delivery. How can you, as a marketer, improve your client experience to differentiate your firm? 

Increase Business and Revenue in 2018! 

With the New Year comes the potential to increase sales goals and revenue. This is the best time to make changes and adjustments to business development and marketing strategies. Follow these New Year’s resolutions to be more productive in your marketing and business development efforts for 2018.    

With the New Year approaching, it is a fitting time for accountants and project managers to review the previous year and identify areas of improvement. While we usually think of New Year’s resolutions for our personal lives, there can also be professional ones. Let’s take a look at some of them.

New Year's Resolution for Accountants

For accountants, it’s all about preparing for next year and making changes that streamline and automate processes. Here are the top five resolutions for accountants:

1. Examine the current revenue/earning methods and determine if the firm is in compliance with FASB 606
2. Take a hard look at the organizational structure to determine if changes need to be made
3. Clean-up the firm’s chart of accounts and overhead projects
4. Define the differences between a project administrator and a project controls role
5. Try to learn more about challenges the accounting team experiences and create solutions

New Year’s Resolutions for Project Managers

Project managers must consider how to evaluate the success of projects and how to better manage them. Here are the top five resolutions for project managers:

1. Use the tools within the project management system to better budget and plan projects
2. Elevate the level of project review beyond invoicing to earned value
3. Better record and manage change orders
4. Build a work breakdown structure based on fee and scope
5. Encourage the team and peers to be timely in submitting time and expense

Start 2018 Off Right!

The New Year brings fresh opportunity to improve a firm’s operations and efficiency. Accountants and project managers must first take time to determine what areas need adjustment or refinement. Full Sail Partners can help! Let us conduct a Navigational Analysis to pinpoint those areas and start 2018 off right.