Jeff Chalmers, former VP, Controller of Geeknet and Seth Linebrink, Manager of financial reporting and accounts payable at Invacare, discuss implementing AFRM®
Our implementation services are an integral part of our overall Optimization solution. Our services are designed to augment your existing team and assist with optimizing your existing processes. We designed our methodology to ensure a low risk, no initial reengineering, fully supported transition to the AFRM® platform. Our number one priority is to never slow your close.
The implementation uses a staged rapid-deployment model where AFRM® is rolled out to users in carefully selected phases. The size and scope of each phase is dependent on the circumstances in that phase of the close process. Each subsequent monthly close cycle offers the opportunity for more members or additional areas of the close to be included in AFRM® Optimization.
In addition, we do ZERO re-engineering of your close process during the implementation. Instead, we capture your process as it is, with minimum disruption. The logic here is that your processes are already adequate to complete the close, therefore in the month that we implement technology we are not going to change processes. After the technology is deployed and you have greater visibility and tracking of the process, then we will begin the process of continuous improvement on the areas where it will be most successful. The system will gather metrics and we will evaluate the effect of the process changes, as a result you will see further opportunities for optimization.
Each phase of the deployment consists of the following processes:
- Design – Scope and Selection of the processes to optimize and the planned approach.
- Discovery – Selected close processes are discussed, observed and documented as is.
- Ingestion – Documented processes are loaded into the AFRM® system.
- Training – Administrators and users are trained on the system and processes.
- Conference room pilot – Fully functional test close of a prior period which also serves to load the prior period’s supporting documents.
- Retune – Users and reviewers review the processes and determine scope of go-live.
- Go-live – First month that AFRM® is used in the close process with full on-site support.
- Lessons learned – Post closing meeting to understand and refine close process.
- Subsequent Monthly Cycles – Continuous improvement methodology implementation, training, support to ensure that Optimization process fully functioning.
Our commitment is to your complete satisfaction and we will fully support your team as long as it takes to make continuous improvement a normal recurring part of your close process.
We will not rush an implementation and have no preset time tables. Each project is tailored to your needs and is designed to be low risk and low disruption. We also fully anticipate that there maybe a corporate event or circumstance that will alter our implementation plan, we expect the unexpected and will adjust implementation plans mid-stream.
Finally, we quote fixed-fees and guarantee our services completely.