According to the Harvard Business Review article, there are 4 phases of project management. We will further focus on two of them and show how they can be applied on a Source to Pay implementation project. Here’s an overview of each phase and the activities involved.
Solution build and test are the main phases of an S2P implementation, and the quality of the deliverables will determine how well the solution supports the business going forward. The build phase of the project should be based on the signed off design and the test phase should test both the design and whether the build reflects the design.
Build
Building the solution can be broken down into the following components:
Platform build – Configuring your solution to meet design, often done in parallel with design.
Integration build – Build of interfaces and other integrations between different systems. Driven by business processes, which inform mapping between systems. Often undertaken in partnership with 3rd parties.
Build within a wider programme – S2P projects may form part of a larger programme, e.g. ERP implementation, in which case additional measures need to be taken to align builds.
Master data build – Preparation, cleanse and loading of master data to the new system.
Sometimes a neglected area of the build process, the preparation and load of master data, such as supplier details, is critical to the success of the S2P project. Without clean and complete data, even the best configured platforms may struggle to deliver a smooth experience for users, or support for business processes.
Test
Although testing takes place later in the project, the development of a Source to Pay testing strategy must be done as early as possible. Our experts plan a test strategy workshop as part of every implementation and provide best practice guidance and documentation, and work with the client to develop an effective strategy.
Three test stages are undertaken to confirm that the platform has been built in accordance with the design, that system integrations operate as specified and that the built solution supports the business processes and enables the users to perform their role.
Unit Testing
System Integration Testing (SIT)
User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
It is important to develop and document the overall test strategy early in the Source to Pay project to ensure all resources are secured and all test preparation activities are complete in time.
Download our eBook to read more about the build and test activities of an S2P implementation, and the ways in which the quality of the deliverables will determine how well the solution supports the business going forward.
This eBook is the seventh chapter of “The Ultimate Guide on Source to Pay Implementation”. The guide is a 12-part series developed by Xoomworks Procurement experts to help companies on their procurement transformation journey. Click here to view our 12-part guide.
According to the Harvard Business Review article, there are 4 phases of project management. We will further focus on two of them and show how they can be applied on a Source to Pay implementation project. Here’s an overview of each phase and the activities involved.
Solution build and test are the main phases of an S2P implementation, and the quality of the deliverables will determine how well the solution supports the business going forward. The build phase of the project should be based on the signed off design and the test phase should test both the design and whether the build reflects the design.
Build
Building the solution can be broken down into the following components:
Sometimes a neglected area of the build process, the preparation and load of master data, such as supplier details, is critical to the success of the S2P project. Without clean and complete data, even the best configured platforms may struggle to deliver a smooth experience for users, or support for business processes.
Test
Although testing takes place later in the project, the development of a Source to Pay testing strategy must be done as early as possible. Our experts plan a test strategy workshop as part of every implementation and provide best practice guidance and documentation, and work with the client to develop an effective strategy.
Three test stages are undertaken to confirm that the platform has been built in accordance with the design, that system integrations operate as specified and that the built solution supports the business processes and enables the users to perform their role.
It is important to develop and document the overall test strategy early in the Source to Pay project to ensure all resources are secured and all test preparation activities are complete in time.
Download our eBook to read more about the build and test activities of an S2P implementation, and the ways in which the quality of the deliverables will determine how well the solution supports the business going forward.
This eBook is the seventh chapter of “The Ultimate Guide on Source to Pay Implementation”. The guide is a 12-part series developed by Xoomworks Procurement experts to help companies on their procurement transformation journey. Click here to view our 12-part guide.