Our management consulting firm is seeking an ERP system for a company in the renewable energy sector (e.g., project planning and installation of wind turbines).
1. Objectives of the software implementation
1.1 Reasons for implementing new software
To improve workflows and digitize accounting and controlling in order to avoid time lags in financial planning and enhance corporate management.
1.2 Brief description of the project and planning
- Project management
- Delivery
- Customizing
- Implementation
- Support during parallel operation
- Training
- Commissioning
1.3 Goals pursued or expected with the implementation of the new IT system
- Freeing up resources
- Reducing errors
- Standardizing processes
- Professionalizing management (business planning and liquidity planning)
- Introduction of profit centers or separate companies
1.4 Rough timeline
- Planned Start: January 2019
- Expected End: June 2019
2. Description of the current state
2.1 Description of the IT landscape into which the new system is to be integrated. List of planned changes.
- 2 networks
- Operating systems, Windows
- Interfaces to existing application programs
- Differences in IT equipment between participating firms (tax advisors)
- Year of acquisition of existing IT systems: 2016–2018
2.2 Business processes affected by the IT implementation
- Quotes
- List of quotes
- List: Incoming orders
- List: Delivery overview
- Invoices
- List of open invoices: Accounts receivable, accounts payable
- List: Customer sales
- List: Product sales
- Plan-actual comparisons: Sales/revenue per customer; plan/actual costing of projects
- Business planning (forecast for at least 3 years)
- Contract management and deadline management
- Project Controlling
2.3 Process diagrams
Description of the organization of the workflows that the new IT system is intended to support.
List of sequential activities and the flow of information.
- Quotation Preparation
- Delivery
- Invoicing
- Posting of Incoming Payments and Collections
- Estimation of Incoming Orders or Projects and Customer Support
- Preparation of Financial Forecasts
- Contract management and deadline management
3. Requirements for the system to be implemented
3.1 Target group and users of the new system
- Internal target group
- Executive management
- Commercial management
- Accounting
- Technical operations
- Technical operations management
- Wind planning
3.2 Functions of the new system
- Basic functions
- All processes of merchandise management and retail
- CRM
- Email communication and management of communication channels (phone, fax)
- Management Information System (MIS)
- Compliance with ISO 9001:2015
- DATEV compatibility
- Multi-client capability
- Medium-term planning and future goals
- Customer portal
- Time tracking system
3.3 Data in the new system
List of information and data to be stored.
- Master data:
- Customers
- Contracts (service, properties, services, projects)
- Projects
- Suppliers
- Items (purchasing)
- Prices
- Prices (purchasing)
- Transaction data:
- Contracts (service, properties, services, projects)
- Quotes
- Outgoing invoices
- Incoming invoices
- Order intake
- Purchase orders
- Open items (accounts receivable)
- Open items (accounts payable)
- Complaints
- Customer communication
- Supplier communication
3.4 Outputs
List of information that the software should provide.
- Target audience: see 3.1
- Format: electronic
- Frequency: see 3.3
3.5 Required interfaces to other programs
Specification of other applications with which the new software must exchange data
- Network
- Telephone system desirable
- Project management and control
- Geographic directory
- Planning, design
- DATEV
- Banking software
- Wind energy information system
- MS Office
3.6 Requirements for implementation, training, and documentation
Expectations and requirements regarding the provider’s services
- Project management
- Delivery
- Customization
- Implementation
- Training
- Support
3.7 Documentation
- Documentation
- User manual
- Online documentation
- Tutorials
- FAQs
4. General Terms and Conditions for the Proposal
- Proposal submission by November 30, 2018
- Contract award by (to be determined)
- Reference customers desired
We are looking for on-premises software.
Approximately 10–15 users are expected to work with the system simultaneously.
Note from SoftGuide: A requirements specification can be requested from SoftGuide.