When signing an implementation scope of work (SOW) clients hear, “We just trigger an automation and the data is there” or “There’s an out of the box connector for that integration.” Technically, yes…but there is a lot more under the surface. As consultants, more than anything, we want our clients to be informed, confident, and ready for the journey ahead. With hundreds of implementations under our belt, we want to spotlight two often unexpected factors that impact your implementation’s total cost and success: data and integrations.
Plan for your Data
Think about your data – now multiply that by the number of people on your staff. There’s a lot to consider! Where does it live? How complete is it? Does everyone else structure it the way you do?
It’s true – once you locate, clean, and properly map the data, it can be migrated into your new system with the click of a button. But getting there requires preparation. Here are tips on where to start.
- Assign a staff data champion. Provide someone on your staff with authority and time (plus a lot of grace) to manage the data gathering and clean-up process.
- Match the vendor. Your SOW contains hundreds of hours for the vendor to complete data migration. Your staff needs to invest at least that much time in the process.
- Inventory at signing. Begin to inventory all your data sources the day you sign the SOW.
- Locate old files. Don’t forget the spreadsheets on local drives that are part of legacy processes or current workarounds.
Finally, if your staff does not have the time or expertise to do the full breadth of work by themselves– don’t burn them out. Connect with a consultant to help you wrangle the data and budget for their expertise as you budget for the AMS itself.
Design an Integration Structure
Everybody wants their system to integrate with the AMS. Everybody. Do they know what that means? Maybe.
We often see our clients add 10 or more integrations to their SOW. While it’s a great sign that your staff want to use and integrate their important platforms with the AMS, it is critical to understand why. Asking questions early in the process helps establish a structure to support your overall vision – and ultimately keep costs in check.
- Do they want data to be transferred back and forth from the systems, or just one way?
- What data fields need to be included in the transfer?
- Which system will be the source of truth?
- Will data from one overwrite the other?
- And the biggie – if this is a system with only yearly updates, is there a better/less expensive way to build efficiencies?
Yes, integrations are expensive! Not only do you need to pay for the work to enable the connection, but there may also be fees associated with each data transfer.
Which brings us back to data. When evaluating an integration’s impact (and value), it’s important to ask some foundational questions about the relationship between the data and the integration:
- What will the data do for us?
- How will we use it?
- How are we actually using it today?
- Are we bringing the integration over just because it already exists?
Integrations for the sake of integrations are expensive both in terms of time and dollars.
So, how can you plan for and understand the integrations’ impacts? From day 1, notify the partners whose systems your AMS will integrate with. Ask them for:
- The best point of contact for this work
- Technical documentation for existing system connectors, including functionality/fields that are included. Don’t make assumptions about how robust the out-of-the box connector actually is
- An estimate of the scope and costs to build or enable the connection and trigger data transfer long-term
- An approximation of how long the work will take once you are ready to initiate the process
Whether you are designing a structure for integration or building an inventory of your data, thoughtful planning will help your organization prepare for the unexpected.
Want to learn more about how to plan for a successful AMS implementation? Contact our wealth of knowledge, Molly Ahearn.