Why are roles and permissions important?

Roles and permissions are how NetSuite controls what functions or records a user can or can't access.  A role is defined as a compilation of permissions or restrictions; permissions and restrictions are usually given around the functional role of each user.  Each user is granted access to NetSuite with a specific role(s).  From an administration point of view, permissions can be changed at a role level instead of for each individual user, making it easy to manage permissions for groups of users.

A great way to reduce manual efforts is to use the standard Electronic Bank Payments function in NetSuite.  Instead of manually entering in the ACH payments in your bank's interface, you can generate a standard NACHA file that can be uploaded to your bank. This is a free and easy bundle installation and setup.  

In my experience, people generally hate to escalate. Many team members think escalation is snitching on a fellow team member or will reflect bad on their own performance.  To a project manager, escalation is just another method of communication; it's how we can foresee and manage situations, and all projects have "situations" that impact scope, budget, or time.

Regardless if you are on time and on budget, people make or break a project.  What I’m going to discuss today is not managing scope and change orders, but rather managing changes that team needs to go through.

As humans, we are creatures of habit. When new systems are brought in, it requires the systems adopters to not only to learn a new system, but also change their processes. If change is not properly managed, a seemingly smooth project can be easily thrown off the tracks.  

In my previous blog, we explored what Project Methodology is meant to do at a high level and why it is important.  When professional services organizations share their methodology with their customers, they are showing them what to expect and preparing them for success.  The more the client is bought into the outlined process and understands the value, the more likely the project is to succeed.

In any project, models or mock ups are the best way for Client’s to validate and communicate with the Project Team.  Written requirements and use cases are a great start and the next best step is to be able to see the functionality.  As a Project Manager, I have seen plenty of situations where Client’s expectations were not met, and development was already completed. This often results in frustration and wasted work.

Project Methodology is defined by the Project Management Institute as “a system of practices, techniques, procedures and rules used by those who work in a discipline.”  Project methodology is full of fancy buzz words like sprints, scrum master and burndowns.  It sounds complicated, but let’s breaks down what it really means and why it’s important for an organization and their clients.

Project management is both a science and an art form. There are many project management methodologies and tools out there to help a project manager, but without the human touch, you are less likely to be successful in pushing your projects through on time, on schedule, and within budget.  A good project manager is how efficient and effective they are at getting things done. However, there are many project managers who go through the motions without the “people” aspect that really makes a project manager successful.

What value is your project manager (PM) bringing to your projects? 

One of the most contentious issues in the world of ERP and IT is how much attention to give to current state and future state ERP business processes.  Opinions on the issue run the whole spectrum on how this should be addressed; some people feel that companies should let their ERP systems dictate what new processes will be, while others feel that current state and future state processes should be documented and analyzed in detail. Many people, including myself, feel that the approach should fall somewhere in between.