Introduction Document

Point by Point response to initial inquire by Kim:
- Group #1
  - Point us to resources that may be helpful*.*
    - Planning/project management documentation that’s in place, with a sense for what has been most helpful*.*
      - There is a limited amount of overall planning/project management documentation.
      - For both CSS and Multidev that have been multiple attempts to create coordinated planning/task tracking via Smartsheet, Excel spreadsheets, SMC Help Desk.
      - Given the current situation and the push to complete the project, trying to reorganize around an existing tool or existing document may not be as productive as Flexpoint creating its own planning document built on a tool it best understands and can management with input from the various existing documents and tools.
      - Recorded Teams and Zoom meetings will be useful to provide context for many of the topics that are raised to the level of a new project/planning document.
      - Inez and the SMC IT team should provide access to documents and records stored internally.
      - Significantly:
        
        CSS Project:
        
        O:\plangrp\AR System Replacement
        
        Development discussions
        
        O:\everyone\Multidev Documentation
        
        Teams and Zoom meeting recordings.
        
        O:\MISGRP\CSS
        
        LIMITED documentation
        
        Multidev Project:
        
        O:\plangrp\POS System Replacement
        
        Contract documentation
        
        Signed SOWs
        
        Development discussions
        
        O:\everyone\CSS Documentation
        
        Teams and Zoom meeting recordings.
        
        O:\MISGRP\Multidev
        
        Configuration, data conversion and implementation notes
    - Program overview, goals, and success criteria
      - No formal document of this nature exists to the best of my knowledge.
      - Overall:
        
        Replace MAGIX (point of sale and ARM) due to age and the lack of on-going support.
        
        Replace Universe (ERP) due to age and the lack of on-going support.
        
        To wit:
        
        Implement Multidev (Point of Sale and ERP)
        
        Expanded usage of CSS (adding ARM to existing collections support), including integration of Store Portal as a means for creating and managing customer accounts.
        
        Identify and implement tools and resources to replace legacy in-house development and support environment now provided by Universe and are outside of traditional ERP role being transitioned to Multidev.
    - Functional and/or technical architecture (trying to get a sense for the big rocks and how they fit together)
      - Multidev
        
        Database and application servers running on Windows servers, supported by Embarcadero database.
        
        Currently hosted in private data center under Windows Hyper-V
        
        Could be hosted in public cloud, e.g., AWS, Azure, etc.
        
        Point of Sale workstations running on Windows 10 workstations (approximately 250 workstations in approximately 108 stores).
      - CSS
        
        SAS environment supported by Oracle database.
      - Related Systems/Environments
        
        MGXSTAGE
        
        Oracle database.
        
        In support of MAGIX data transfers from current POS/ARM to CSS for collections.
        
        Minor to moderate continuing role to support various ad-hoc processes, including linkage between Payment Portal and CSS for collector support and Auto Pay synchronization.
        
        CreditDirector
        
        Customer application approval systems – “Loan Origination System” - LOS
        
        “Fat” desktop application supported by Oracle database.
        
        LOS replacement is a “Phase II” project.
        
        Infinity Business Systems
        
        Payment portal, including customer self-service payment and support of auto payment arrangements.
        
        Support to SMS marketing (through Avid)
        
        Support to mail marketing
        
        Customer verification (Melissa) for CreditDirector/customer credit applications
        
        UKG Payroll
        
        Exports TO Multidev
        
        New employee/updated employee records to support POS logins and POS security.
        
        General ledger information to “post” a processed payroll.
        
        Exports FROM Multidev
        
        Commissions earnings
  - Describe scope and status toward completion*.*
    - Developed and/or configured*.*
      - Narrative to be developed/provided later.
    - Tested and at what levels*.*
      - Narrative to be developed/provided later.
    - Training materials that have been created
      - Narrative to be developed/provided later.
  - Help us understand key organizations, teams, and individuals within the program* *(formal titles and contact information can be provided)
    - Multidev
      - Professional Services led by Madeleine (VP Professional Service).
      - Project management by Pablo under Madeleine’s direction.
      - Contact with development teams is about 50% through Madeleine/Pablo and 50% directly with developers at Multidev.
    - CSS
      - Carl (President/CEO) is leading project.
      - Substantial portions of the design and development are being handled by Carl with support from Joann, but nothing is finalized or progresses with Carl’s signoff.
    - IBS
      - All efforts are channeled through Jon (Owner)
      - Jon is supported by two developers we can have direct contact with once scope of work is reviewed/approved by Jon.
    - SMC IT
      - Should be solicited from and provided by Inez and/or David.
  - Share existing meeting/status cadences, including what’s been going well and what has space for improvement*.*
    - Multidev
      - Bi-weekly meeting with Madeleine and Pablo.
      - As needed additional meetings with Pablo
      - Weekly meeting with Shopify integration lead at Multidev (Ahmed) and SMC and external resource web teams.
    - CSS
      - As needed meetings with Carl and team to review open/in progress issues.
    - Program-wide
      - See Inez/David
- Group #2
  - Target solution architecture (a whiteboard will likely be helpful for this)
    - To review in person
  - Handoffs between systems and processes
    - To review in person
  - POCs for functional/process areas, and any context for connecting with them*.*
    - Development issues have been initiated based upon discussion and related/similar processes.
  - Data conversion thoughts, options, and risks
    - Data Conversion – control and configuration tables; one conversion/configuration within the solution of data tables used for dropdown options, printing notes, etc. Examples would be codes reference tables are used in order data forms/tables, i.e., metal purchase agreement codes, staff position codes tied to external payroll system.
    - Data Conversion – historical/”to date” information; one time data dumps/imports to allow each system to have the ability to look back to pre-Go Live periods for research, reporting and/or processing. Examples:
      - Multidev
        
        General ledger data – bare minimum, periods in current fiscal year that are pre-Go live; request, an additional 2 or 3 years back.
        
        Accounts payable data
        
        Open invoices to be paid.
        
        Paid invoices in the current fiscal year to address year-end 1099 reporting.
      - CSS
        
        Customer (customers with an ARM account) data for accounts NOT written off as of Go Live so that any future write-off process can be completed per specification.
    - Data Conversion – production data; “live” data that needs to be loaded and updated through Go Live date. Examples:
      - Multidev – Inventory master, A/P vendor information.
      - CSS – Customer account balances and transactions to support open A/R balances as of Go Live
  - Reporting approaches, each with best use case and potential tradeoffs
    - Decisions are yet to be made by SMC IT team and other stakeholders as to using a third party data aggregation/reporting solution, e.g., Sound Commerce, or an internally developed data aggregation solution.
    - Either solution would utilize Tableau and Informer for reporting and user level extracts.
    - Informer is a self-hosted database connection tool (See ) that can be used for data extracts and reporting from Universe, CSS and Multidev
    - Recently, discussions helped to identify methods through which data is extracted from system support any data aggregation solution.
      - Informer – CSS, Multidev and Universe
        
        Noted as a viable, longer-term solution tool due support for scheduling, multi-platform connectivity, “Live Excel Links” and “burst” email distribution capabilities.
      - CSS
        
        General agreement that CSS reporting writer was not something that we needed to rely upon/needed to learn due to available options with application to other solutions.
      - Multidev
        
        User level export to Excel
        
        Noted limitations for usage groups and the need to create single usage usage groups to use fields lists and allow output to be more manageable.
        
        Report writer utility
        
        Noted scheduling limitations, but strong solution (needing an in-house use/development team) for on-demand reporting within the solution.
        
        Custom reporting solutions available
        
        Expensive, slow to deliver and not flexible.
  - What’s keeping you up at night? Where do you see risks, particularly those that may be overlooked?
    - To review in person