4. In which ways is the initiative creative and innovative?
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The main activities of the action plan whereby the CFO Helpdesk project was implemented were as follows:
Step 1: Finalization of user specifications
This activity includes the identification, analysis and documentation of all finance and SCM processes, with the purpose of populating the CFO Helpdesk database. This activity was crucial in so far as it ensured that all finance and SCM transactions could he handled by the system. This activity included the setting of reasonable process turnaround times per transaction types, which informed system processes such as the generation of early warning and violation notices to users and supervisors via e-mails.
Step 2: Set-up of user profiles
User profiles were determined and created for all staff, in accordance with the processes and tasks that they are responsible for. This activity provided for staff performing in production and supervisor capacities, as well as management oversight.
Step 3: Customization of system
The aforementioned information was populated to the system, whilst the system parameters were set according to the various process turnaround times.
Step 4: Pilot testing
Relevant staff was used to test the various functional areas of the system, and adjustments were made where required.
Step 5: User training
Finance and SCM staff was trained on the use of the system, inclusive of a system controller who would be responsible for system maintenance and to obtain management reports. The training included functional training for 2 operators who are responsible for the receipt of all transactions, the recording thereof on the CFO Helpdesk, and the assignment of cases to the respective users.
Step 6: “Going live”
The status of the system changed to a production database and users (staff) used it exclusively for case management purposes.
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5. Who implemented the initiative and what is the size of the population affected by this initiative?
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Stakeholders, and their respective contributions, are as follows:
• The CFO and senior finance and SCM managers who explored available options for a case management system, and who made the decision to implement the system;
• Managers of the OCIO who assisted with the assessment of possible solutions, and who assisted with the customization and implementation of the system, and who trained the users;
• Senior and middle managers and supervisors of Finance and SCM who determined the functional specifications for the system, and who assisted with the pilot testing and training of other users. This group was also responsible for the design of the system in so far as its deliverables were concerned; and
• The system controller and Helpdesk operators, in respect of management reporting and the coordination of response handling.
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6. How was the strategy implemented and what resources were mobilized?
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Costs associated with Human resources:
Finance and SCM staff are using the CFO Helpdesk in addition to their core responsibilities, and hence only a fraction of their time is used to acknowledge assigned cases, and to update the status of transaction processing on the CFO Helpdesk. Only the costs of the CFO Helpdesk operators can directly be attributed to the CFO Helpdesk, which totals approximately R300 000 per annum.
Costs associated with system:
Given the fact that the system software was already procured and used by the OCIO, the costs associated with the CFO Helpdesk were limited to additional licenses. The additional licenses for the 40 users of the system amount to R130 000 per annum.
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7. Who were the stakeholders involved in the design of the initiative and in its implementation?
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The major contributions towards the success of the CFO Helpdesk initiative are as follows:
1. Improved turnaround times for transaction processing and related payments
With the implementation of the CFO Helpdesk, the average turnaround time for the processing of creditor invoices improved from an average of 39 days to 21 days, well in advance of the legal requirement of 30 days. In the same regard, 85% of the transactions are actually finalized within 10 days of being received. Incentives and staff claims are also processed and paid within 21 days and 7 days respectively, thus exceeding requirements.
The aforementioned achievements have been recognized by National Treasury and the Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation in 2 different evaluation processes, who rated the payment processes of the dti as second best if compared to that of the other 134 national and provincial departments.
2. Management support of the CFO Helpdesk
The involvement and assistance by senior management resulted in an appropriate and all inclusive solution for the case management requirements of the dti, with emphasis on the functionality design, funding and implementation of the system. The ongoing support of the operations of the system, and the use of management reports derived from the system, ensure value for money and staff commitment towards the objectives of the CFO Helpdesk.
3. Tracking of finance and SCM transactions
The system functionality enables financial management to track the processing and finalization of all financial and SCM transactions according to transaction process turnaround times, implying that the latest status of any specific transaction can immediately be determined, which is off great value for the handling of enquiries. Besides the enquiry functionality, the system provides for e-mail notifications on transactions that reached 75% of their allowed processing turnaround times and on transactions exceeding the same.
4. Buy-in of customers
Both internal and external customers are informed of the existence of the CFO Helpdesk, with emphasis on the central point of access for transactions and enquiries. As a result, the risks of transactions getting lost or not processed, was minimized. The proven ability to pay invoices and claims well in advance of legal requirements (being 30 days), and to immediately finalize telephonic and e-mail enquiries, contributed substantially towards customer satisfaction.
5. Integration with financial systems and other departmental systems
The CFO Helpdesk is used in conjunction with the Basic Accounting system (BAS), the PERSAL payroll system and the LOGIS SCM system, as all financial and SCM transactions are processed on the financial system, whereas the CFO Helpdesk system is used for case management in respect of the same transactions. CFO Helpdesk operators have access to, and have been trained on the use of the financial systems, which enable them to respond immediately to enquiries, since payment dates can be checked on the financial systems.
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8. What were the most successful outputs and why was the initiative effective?
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The CFO Helpdesk is updated on an ongoing basis in respect of changes to user profiles, thus ensuring that no transactions can be assigned to staff whose services were terminated. The functionality of the CFO Helpdesk is also reviewed on an annual basis to ensure the validity of parameters such as process turnaround times and system notifications. At the same time, additional processes are added to the system, if and where so required.
Activities on the CFO Helpdesk system is evaluated and monitored by the combined use of enquiry functionality and management reports obtained from the system. Given the flexibility of the system in terms of report compilation, the following information can be readily obtained:
• Volumes of transactions handled per individual, per section, per directorate or per nature of transactions (e.g. staff claims);
• Actual and average process turnaround times per individual, per grouping of users and per transaction types;
• Number of transactions assigned, with an indication per transaction as to whether it is pending processing, or finalized. If finalized, details are available on the actual number of days it took to finalize.
• Consolidated management information via customized reports, which are used for reporting to National Treasury on adherence to payment requirements.
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9. What were the main obstacles encountered and how were they overcome?
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Proper planning and scheduling of activities towards deciding on an appropriate case management system, and subsequent planning of activities towards the implementation of the CFO Helpdesk system, minimized challenges and problems.
Customization
Problems experienced relate mainly to the customization of the existing case management software according to the specific requirements of financial management, which risk was mitigated with the initial review of processes and turnaround times, the determination of functional specifications, and the pilot testing.
Change management
As envisaged, change management challenges were experienced whereby certain staff was reluctant to change from a manual process to a computer-based system for transaction handling. This risk was mainly resolved by presentations and demonstrations of the system processes and features, and was complemented with structured training on the use of the system.
The positive results emanating from the improved turnaround times and productivity, and the fact that customer interaction (e.g. enquiries) was limited to the CFO Helpdesk operators, contributed to the acceptance of the system and the voluntary buy-in of staff.
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