. Acme is a multinational firm specializing in change management, process redesi
ID: 386925 • Letter: #
Question
. Acme is a multinational firm specializing in change management, process redesign, IT implementations and strategy. You are working on a finance function systems implementations project. The client is XYZ Wholesale, Inc. The company is a multi billion dollar auto parts wholesaler. The company has been a client of Acme for several years and many projects have been worked on by Acme Consulting for XYZ Wholesale.
This is your first time on a project for Acme.
As the process consultant you have mapped the process and have determined the functional requirements for the new technology. A technology
platform was chosen and the implementation is underway, this is considered Phase II. You are now writing the new policies and procedures
and training plans for the new process as the new system will impact about 400 people in central finance.
You are also helping to test some of the technology features as they are rolled out as
that aides the tech team and in your writing of procedures and training.
The system itself is an enterprise resource planning system and has budgeting and forecasting modules, invoicing, tax,
payable, receivables, fixed asset accounting, payroll
and general consolidation accounting within
it.
You are working with a contact at XYZ, Joe Smith. Joe is always busy. He doesn’t work a lot of late hours as he has two small children at home and lives 2 hours from the office. So he has been very stressed with the implementation. You have requested to meet with Joe a few times and each time it has slipped from Joe’s calendar. You are now a week behind on your project
plan. You owe an update this week as you need to have draft procedures written by then but have not gotten Joe to provide his input into what is required for these. Other members of Acme
Consulting are trying to get Joe’s time as well and seem to be successful in your
observation.
One area where you were informed by management during Phase I that they wanted more
control
s in the process was in the payroll process
Finally, during your testing you notice a few errors in a few report outputs that list subsidiary balances to accounts receivable and payable. The errors at this point are not material but could result in inaccurate aging of receivables and payable that are beyond 90 days overdue. You ask Joe Smith about it and he states that he had a deadline to meet last month and took a few shortcuts on the extended aging report features and it was no big deal. You know that Joe has another proposal from Acme company on his desk for a change management phase of thisproject that is roughly $250,000 that has not been approved yet. As the consultant on this project what can you do from a project management perspective differently to prevent falling behind? What are 3 controls you can suggest as part of your procedures to mitigate payroll risks? What do you do about Joe’s shortcuts for the extended aging reports?
Explanation / Answer
As the consultant on this project I have to make joe understand that he should cooperate and request my company management to have another reliable contact from XYZ company for me with whom I can work efficiently and in time bond manner. The 3 controls to mitigate payroll risks is to report of the error that were found, make sure that all the payrolls system and technology used for are in accordance with the company requirement and communicate the same to risk management team. Joe’s shortcuts for the extended aging reports are unethical and that he needs to understand that these works are to be done on priority basis. Also joe can nt be relied this time as he is overburdened with work and he simply might miss out this job making me liable for any future trouble.
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