So, you've made the decision to implement Flowcase and streamline your proposal processes. Congrats! Gone are the days of digging for resumes (CVs) in shared drives and manually copying and pasting employee data into proposal-ready formats. However, despite how unproductive legacy systems are, trading them in for shiny new tech can still be a daunting process. The idea of sunsetting your existing software can leave you feeling more anxious than excited about the transition. We often hear questions about how teams can transfer their existing data, how they can avoid disruptions during the changeover, or how they can help their employees adapt to new ways of working.
Your dedicated Customer Success Manager will be on hand to answer all of these questions and more, but we also wanted to provide you with this overview to prepare you for the process. In this blog, we'll walk you through the key steps as you navigate the changeover, from migrating data to go-live testing and user training. Let’s get started.
Step 1: Create a core project team
Your first priority is to establish a cross-functional project team to lead the transition effort. You’ll want to enlist key representatives from a range of departments who will be leveraging the new system the most. This will typically be your Bid Team, IT, Marketing, HR, and Sales. Having a diverse group of departments provides different perspectives on how the transition will impact their teams, therefore ensuring any challenges are proactively addressed. It also means that each team has a champion who has a deep understanding of the tool, who can help plan user training, and who can ensure consistent usage of the tool when rolled out.
Clear and continuous communication between the team is vital for managing expectations throughout the transition process. Everyone should be aware of project timelines, important milestones like go-live dates and training schedules, and how the transition may temporarily impact existing workflows. This transparency helps get buy-in from employees and prevents any rumors or animosity toward the new system.
Your Flowcase Customer Success Manager (CSM) will help you to outline the exact timelines and actions that need to be taken to get your system up and running.
Step 2: Migrate existing data
Next, you'll need to formulate a data migration strategy. What critical information needs to be transferred from your legacy systems into your new Flowcase account? At the very least, this will include employee resumes, lists of certified courses or accreditations, and reference project details. Again, getting your key champions from different departments involved in this decision can be crucial. Maybe you’ll learn that certain employee data that you’ve never deemed useful is an integral part of the HR team’s processes. Once you’re aligned with what information is needed, your CSM can guide you through the next steps.
These steps will involve mapping out where this data currently resides, figuring out how to extract the data efficiently, and then transforming it into the required format. Our dedicated data migration team will guide you through exactly what is needed, provide hands-on help where possible, and then perform the upload into your platform.
Note, once the data has been pushed over, don’t rush to delete the legacy data yet. It’s best to wait until your new system is up and running as expected before archiving any information.
Step 3: Configure and test
With your data uploaded to your new system, it’s time to configure your Flowcase system to work for your firm. This might involve adjusting the user interface, such as editing field terminology, or adding custom tags. It might also involve creating templates, setting up SSO, and building integrations with existing systems.
When you’re happy with the setup, it’s almost time to go live. First though, you should consider conducting some user tests. Gather a select few employees from different roles to put the system through some real-world scenarios. This will help to validate the setup and surface any content gaps. Seeing how new-time users navigate the system can also help direct your user training.
With testing completed and any challenges ironed out, it’s almost time to push the system live.
Step 4: Conduct user training
In the days or weeks before pushing the platform live, you should communicate the change to all relevant team members. This should serve to make users aware of the upcoming change and the rationale behind it, while also inviting them to mandatory training sessions.
Before conducting training, your core team should of course be up to speed themselves. Again, your CSM will help you here. They’ll ensure you get to grips with all the intricacies of the platform and inform you of best practice tips and tricks so that you can navigate it most efficiently. Within your core team, you might consider appointing one or two super-users who will get the most in-depth training and will be in charge of coaching colleagues through the transition.
Next, it’s time to impart this knowledge to your wider team. The training should ensure that your teams understand the system's capabilities and how it will improve their day-to-day work. For the most effective training, teams should be walked through specific processes that are relevant to their roles. This means that you may choose to conduct a general overview training, as well as team-specific training to ensure the most relevant information is communicated.
Step 5: Complete the transition and sunset your legacy system
Once training is complete, your team should be heavily encouraged to make the transition to using Flowcase. However, in this period where teams are still learning the new platform, you'll likely need to maintain your legacy systems for a short while. This gives teams a backup in case any data hasn’t been migrated as expected, or if there are any general teething issues.
Over the coming months, you will eventually want to set a firm transition date. This should be the point where the old legacy system and its data are made unavailable to your teams, and Flowcase is mandated for future activities. When this date approaches, you’ll want to work closely with legal and IT teams to properly archive the legacy data securely.
Step 6: Embracing your new tech
With the transition complete, it’s time to fully embrace your Flowcase system. This involves:
- Implementing processes for regularly updating employee skills, certifications, and project experiences. Consider incentivizing frequent updates to ensure data is kept accurate.
- Highlighting to teams how detailed, up-to-date CVs are critical for winning new business. Maybe even showcase examples of compelling CVs securing major contracts.
- Encouraging employees to take pride in their Flowcase profiles - their professional shopfronts for being selected on new projects.
Continuously updating data, recognizing the power of CVs, and fostering ‘profile pride’ will unlock Flowcase's full potential for your firm.
Summary
With proper planning, open communication, and a focus on user enablement your team will be well-prepared to make the transition a smooth one. We assure you that the short-term effort is well worth it to finally rid yourself of outdated tech holding your proposal processes back!
