30 Nov Managing change requests and maintaining project profitability
Getting that email from a customer requesting changes to the scope or direction of a project can be stressful. Many a time, change requests affect the project timeline and budget. Some changes may even occur from within your organization when you encounter issues that affect your ability to complete a project. You can’t avoid change during the lifespan of a project. However, ensuring you have the right tools to manage change requests is crucial. In this guide, we discuss managing change requests and maintaining project profitability.
Table Of Contents
Managing Changes in the Project Scope.
The first step to ensuring the success of your projects is by thoroughly discussing your customer’s vision and expectations. Indeed, we’re all human. At times we think we know what we need until we uncover more requirements over time. Client change requests are unavoidable. No matter how much you plan, there may be some unavoidable changes during the implementation process. As a project manager, with the right tools at hand, you can unearth opportunities to upsell your customers and offer value-added products and services and enjoy readily available change forms for different types of change requests. The project management process is streamlined and you gain visibility to guide management strategies. Reduce the extra work of manual business processes with an ERP solution designed for efficient management with request templates. Furthermore, it’s also a good idea to select an experienced partner for your ERP implementation.
If you conduct your project accounting manually, it becomes difficult to track every element of the project and can be overwhelming. With an Integrated project accounting and ERP solution, you can establish a change request procedure before the project commences. It will allow you to manage changes and track how the changes could affect your project’s profitability. Manage time with project management software and project management tools designed to help you stay on budget and within scope.
The befits of a reliable change request procedure.
A structured procedure for managing change requests allows your team to assess the impact the changes will have on the design of the project and the availability of staff. Furthermore, any additional equipment that may be required to complete the project, and most importantly, the effect’s on the budget and project milestones.
An integrated project accounting and ERP solution enable you to offer complete transparency to your customer’s on the impact their requests will have on the project. This communication allows both you and the client to assess the change request’s financial and timeline effect and decide whether to accept the change request—and keep the project on track!
Using Acumatica Cloud ERP for Project accounting and managing change requests.
Acumatica Project Accounting helps by controlling changes to the project scope, including customer and internal requests. Your project team can create a change order within Acumatica and attach electronic copies of all documentation. It includes the request for changes, as well as the revised project plan and reports showing the impacts the change will have on the revenue budget, cost budget, and resource commitments.
Tracking requests and documentation within Acumatica ensures that the project budget is always up to date and accurately reflects resource allocations and all revised project team notes and documents.
Acumatica also allows users to define automated workflows to route change requests to the appropriate people, including the client, for approval.
There are many challenges you face when attempting to deliver on a project. However, managing change requests and maintaining project profitability should not be one of them. Change requests are like the sun. They always come up, which is why it is crucial to have the necessary tool and procedures in place to manage them.
Get an obligation-free needs analysis and demo of the Acumatica Cloud ERP and Integrated Project accounting today. Give us a call on 011 792 9521 or email info@brilliantlink.co.za.
Keep complete control and ensure that you invest in a system that protects your bottom line. Gain a clear view of the scope of work, how much a project cost, and ensure that all activities are effectively managed. Enjoy the power of automation and reduce time-consuming repetitive tasks while you manage scope and track scope creep. Choose a solution that offers accuracy when you estimate costs and provides insight into process improvement opportunities. Gain complete visibility of every change request form and project resource at the click of a button. Ensure that you maintain a healthy profit margin with ERP.
Invest in software that empowers you to improve project profitability. Accurately track and manage project change requests and maintain visibility of every aspect of the project.