Stage 0 Readysell project planning checklist

Mostly this involves working with Readysell to complete this form.

We need to all be in agreement about what we are trying to do, who is doing the work and the budget for work to be performed before the project starts.

The biggest issue with most Readysell projects is that nobody wants to read the manual, plan the project or read the documentation. Getting over this natural inclination to just work things out as you go is the biggest challenge you will have to address.

While completing this stage 0 checklist is probably using more of your time than you would like.  If you can't find the time to complete this planning form, you are never going to find the time to follow the training documentation.  We all need to agree on how much hand holding you will need as part of the project.  Completing this form helps us get a feel for how well you handle having to complete forms and checklists.  Then we can honestly plan around you having the time to read and work from the training materials or not. 

Having an agreed plan also stops a lot of finger pointing later in the project.  We need to let you know who is responsible for which part of the project and what the probable costs are.  So we all know at the start what to expect as the project progresses.

We never get the plan exactly right.  That is why there are project review meetings at the end of stage 1 and stage 2.  To reassess our budget and our plan for the remainder of the project.

Readysell and Readysell Go projects all use the same standard checklists.  We just trim some steps for Readysell Go projects.  But it is important you think about the scope of the project, even if you are skipping or trimming some steps for a Readysell Go implementation

During the project, you can't just call Readysell when ever you like with questions related to data or training.  You need to:

• Note down your questions then either:
  • Put in a support ticket by emailing support@readsyell.com.au
  • Contact Readysell using live web chat support
  • Bring the questions up at the end of the next training webinar session
  • Schedule in one hour of training time to help you review your questions.  Such sessions must be scheduled in advance

Readysell's support team need to be able to work in an efficient manner.  The support team are to take phone calls only from sites that are on current full Readysell licence agreements.  Otherwise, their time gets too fragmented.

All sites that are in training before go live or which are Readysell go sites can't just call the support team when every you like.  This discipline allows us to do a better support job for all our customers.  We thank you for your patience and compliance with this policy.

See also: 

You may be entitled to some included Readysell remote training hours. You have confirmed the number of included remote training hours, if any, that are available to you.

You can pre-purchase additional blocks of ten remote training hours at a discounted rate before you start the project.  You have purchased any additional blocks of training hours required.  You will not be billed for those hours unless they are used.

Note: You will probably need those additional hours if you don't want to self train using the training guide only and you will need them if you want training audits.

Often new sites have trouble making the time to train themselves from the training material or do not want to spend the time to work out how to apply the training materials to their business.  If you take this approach, you will need quite a lot of additional remote training hours. 

Readysell sites have a data conversion charge.  We normally wrap up all the project control costs and data conversion into one data conversion charge.

Readysell Go sites have a implementation assistance charge and a smaller data conversion charge.  To cover project management and the smaller scope of data imports we perform for Readysell Go.

Equipment reviewed and found to be appropriate or replaced.  Some of the equipment you may need includes:

• Possible new server
• Workstation replacements
• Tablets for picking, deliveries and the Readysell mobile app generally
• Bar code scanners capable of working in coms mode, which is probably not an option with your current scanners
• Organize new integrated EFT units from Tyro or your bank

Readysell setup:

• Readysell setup on your server
• Readysell client setup on all your workstations
• Team viewer setup on all your workstations

Book in your Readysell training webinar sessions.  Training webinars are free, your team must attend the all the training webinar sessions listed below before you go live (service is only required if you use the service module)

• Readysell basics
• Sales basics
• Purchasing basics
• Card and product maitenance basics
• Service basics (service is only required if you use the service module)
• Data review and testing
• Running your project

Note: the webinar notes, videos and training material for those sessions is included in the training guide

Initial data import complete but not yet checked:

• For Readysell Go sites, we normally import customers and suppliers.  Then set your product data to line up with the price book.  The customer and supplier data have to be supplied to Readysell in excel spreadsheet having a proscribed (fixed) format
• For Readysell sites, we normally import customers, suppliers, products, sales history, customer and supplier balances and stock on hand. We may import other data

All engagement meetings are completed and signed off including:

1. Readysell Financials Engagement Meeting for Full Financials
2. Readysell Project Engagement Meeting
3. Readysell Training Engagement Meeting

The usual starting situation is you are not quite sure what you want and Readysell is also not sure what you want.  We need to grind through the requirement details in order to agree on the results that need to be delivered.

See also: Readysell Implementation Methodology

• Stage 1 Initial Data Conversion Customer Sign Off Checklist

You will probably need to schedule in a few hours of help from Readysell to complete the checklists.  Make sure you complete a few of the training webinars before you attempt the checklist. May be included in a data conversion charge.

See also: Readysell approval checklists

Project milestone meeting. Stage 1 complete.

You need to have a project planning review session with Readysell before starting stage 2.  Just to check we have covered all the stage 1 requirements and to review the plan, in case any adjustments are appropriate

Stage 2

Tip: Read the Readysell Training Guide before you start your training program and make sure you are signing off steps in this planning checklist as they are completed.

Tip: Some sites just don't have the time/discipline/skill set to get the team trained using the training material and webinars.  Be honest with yourself. Sometimes investing more in personal remote training by Readysell is the solution that best suits a site.

Readysell will always add more material to the training guide if you identify any material gaps.  Your training program will be more effective if you can spot any gaps in the training material before you get started.  Don't start training until you have skimmed through the training guide and checked all the topics you need appear to be in place!

It is normally helpful to schedule someone from Readysell to skim through the training guide with you.  So we can answer questions and help you identify any topics that you need Readysell to add to the training guide.

See: Readysell Training Guide

You have to persevere with the training material.  Everyone would like to just be shown what to do.  But the remote training involved in doing so is very expensive.  Your team are probably busy, but they need to set aside time to do training.

It is critical the your team keep proceeding with training if possible, even if some data is wrong or missing.  It is unusual to have all data perfect early in stage 2.  So if a data issue is encounter, you have to work around it if at all possible and push to ensure your self training continues.

This is the area where we get the most issues.  Your team need to use the training materials and practice in their own time.  They also need to participate in the webinar training and use the online training videos.  Otherwise you need to adjust you plan to include a lot of remote training hours. 

Book in your training audit hours. To do this you need to:

• list which staff are going to need training audits by Readysell
• list which topics will be covered for each staff member.
• complete your own self training on each topic for each staff member before the training audit. 
• if the training audit finds staff training to be unacceptable. the training audit must be repeated until the staff member involved can pass the audit process on each skill they need to know

Note: Training audits are expensive, as they often require a lot of Readysell remote training hours.  Also we usually identify gaps in self training which require additional remote training hours to correct.

Training audits normally require follow up training by Readysell to correct gaps in your staff's training to date.  You can:

• Book in additional remote training sessions.  This can be expensive.  Most people prefer this approach as it is easier, if more expensive.
• Ask Readysell to send you links to the relevant documentation.  Requires you to have the discipline to work through the documentation.
• Attend free training webinars on related topics.  You may have to wait a while until the required webinar is run again.  You can always watch the video from the webinar.

The two stage 2 checklists signed off.  See: 

• Stage 2 Final Data Conversion For Master File Data Customer Signoff Checklist
• Stage 2 Final Go-live Decision Customer Sign Off Checklist

Project milestone meeting.  Stage 2 complete.

You need to have a project planning review session with Readysell before starting stage 3.  To check we have covered all the stage 2 requirements and to review the plan, in case any adjustments are appropriate.

Also we need to set planned go live date and review our training budget and our budget for Readysell staff on site for the conversion weekend.

On the go live weekend, the stage 3 conversion checklist must be completed.  See:

Stage 3 Conversion Weekend Transactions and History Customer Sign Off Checklist

If your stock on hand control is not good, you need to select one of the following numbered options:

1. You can elect to convert without fixing the issue.  This will cost time later and prevent you from using many Readysell features.  But it will cut the training and assistance cost before conversion.
2. Do a stocktake soon after conversion.  This will require an increase in training and assistance.  As you have to use temporary procedures between when Readysell goes live and when you do your first stocktake.  There will be a charge for assistance by Readysell with preparing you for and assisting you with your stocktake.

Get started with general ledger including advise on entering the initial journal, as long as your initial balances are correct

Note: if you can't give us your initial balances from your old general ledger you are likely to require substantially more Readysell time helping you with preparing your initial journal.