So you've finally purchased your new computer system. You've sat through endless hours of software demonstrations, needs assessment meetings, and computer tasks force committee conference calls. You made your recommendation to the Board, and it was approved! Congratulations!! Your laborious search is finished now that you've found your new system and, more importantly, your new vendor. The project is over. Take a deep breath - a newer, more critical task begins.

Once you've decided on the system and vendor for your computer upgrade, you must immediately begin planning its implementation. In order to successfully transition to the new system, it is critical to have a realistic plan of what needs to be done, who should be doing it, and most importantly WHEN it should be done. If you've purchased a system with multiple modules, (including events, dues, and membership - among others), the timing of your transition becomes extremely important.

While every association is different, I have found that there are common "key events" that occur throughout each year that must be considered when implementing a new system. Typically, but not always, these "events" fall along departmental lines in an association. Therefore, I usually begin the job of building the implementation plan by sitting with each department head to find out what their "crunch times" are in the coming months. Armed with their responses, we plan the implementation accordingly, including training schedules, data conversions and customization (if needed). Usually, during this process, I make it my goal to speak with the membership, events, publications, and accounting departments to determine the timing of the implementation.

In the membership department, I ask one key questions: When and how do you run your annual dues invoices? If an organization bills dues once a year and the time for billing is within the next month or two, the sending of accurate dues invoices takes priority over all other things. If I have learned one thing over the past six years in dealing with associations it is this - Membership dues revenues run the business! If the dues bills don't go out, the revenues don't come in. It's that simple. Because this is so important, I sometimes will even recommend the billing of the dues in the old system - with subsequent "recreation" of the bills in the new one. Whenever possible, however, I try to bill dues from the new system (as this was often a key reason the new system was chosen). If dues billings occurs monthly, with multiple membership expiration dates, then the dues implementation is less critical and can occur at any time during the transition. In this case, it often will take a back seat to other implementation needs.

One area that may be more critical right away is in publications. Nothing stresses an association staff more than a late directory release date. Members and advertisers alike are unhappy when this key document is held up. If we're really close on time, and the old system is up to the task - which it often is not - then we'll run it from the old and get it into desk top publishing for cleanup and formatting. Unfortunately, we usually are not afforded this luxury, in which case I will press for a speedier data conversion (with it's built-in requirement for duplicate checking and address accuracy verifications) and get the directory data into the new system as quickly as possible.

In the events department, I ask first for the schedule for the next year. From this list, I determine when this department will begin taking registrations for upcoming activities and how much system setup will be required. If possible, I try to use a smaller meeting to use as a "warmup" for something like the annual meeting - usually this department's particular "crunch period." If the annual meeting looms, however, I move the training of this department's personnel up on the priority list. In addition, I schedule my staff to work closely with the events staff right away. This allows us to begin taking early registrations immediately, before they start piling up!

Finally, I head to accounting. While, the transition to the new accounting system usually occurs in conjunction with the changes happening in other departments, please don't underestimate the time or work involved. Conversion to a new accounting system is a major undertaking that is never easy - and is often extremely stressful for the individuals involved. Armed with the information gathered from all other departments is the only way to plan a successful transition to the new accounting system. Here we discuss not only training and implementation timetables, but we often determine new procedures for the daily handling of transaction batches - from the time the check arrives in the mail to when (and where) the money hits the financial statements. Careful planning here gives the board the information they require to properly plan the association's priorities in the coming years.

Once again, I've barely touched the tip of the iceberg. There is much to consider when implementing your new system. After you've chosen your system and had your months of hard work pay off with board approval, roll up your sleeves. The real work is just beginning. Don't fret though, there's a reason you went to all this trouble. The key to timing your implementation activities is to evaluate all the information you've gathered - then plan the implementation around the various and stressful "crunch times" whenever possible. When you're finished, you will have a system that works for you - not against you.

Happy Computing!

- Jaculin Thompson