Management & Best Practices

Are software suites a panacea for rapid IT development or not? In other words, should you continue with custom development using a pure programming language such as C# and Java or move into “Power” mode as Microsoft suggests with its Power BI & Power Apps suite of development tools, and similarly Salesforce with Appex? These business solutions are sometimes made of a set of softwares, or they were born by the development of a new custom application that has grown rapidly followed by a sprawling development such as Salesforce which today covers all business needs surrounding CRM, and more, if you consider MuleSoft. These software solutions are powerful, and they claim to greatly accelerate the software development process!

At Analystik, we have always considered it a best business practice to put your Business Intelligence into your own proprietary code; and thus, remain independent from any external control over this precious commodity. More than a development model or a working method, it is our business philosophy!

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The essential role of Timesheets in obtaining SR&ED credits could not be emphasized more strongly as the CRA has been multiplying technical audits in recent years.

It should be noted that a timesheet software is an essential tool for any service company. Even more, experienced managers consider their Timesheets as the cornerstone of their business.

More than ever, time management and billing issues are one of the main obstacles to the growth and profitability of service companies. It is one of the most important business functions, as essential as payroll, accounting or project management.

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Even today, the issues related to time management and therefore, billing, of the service enterprise are one of the main obstacles to their growth and profitability. The fact is that many companies are struggling to bill their customers properly, which has a direct negative impact on their EBITDA at the end of the month.

And contrary to the promises of reputable suppliers, even with a good ERP, project billing for service companies often remains a crucial issue for their profitability. More precisely, managers do not have a clear and detailed vision of the time and expenses carried out within the framework of their projects, hence the billing problem.

What are the main billing issues for the Service Enterprise?

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Generally, according to managers, software development projects are all urgent, but the reality is that some are more urgent than others!

Typically, in agile mode, we talk about 3-week sprints following sprint 0 which is the initial “definition” sprint. However, we are encountering more and more situations where the client requires Agile+++ development or, if you prefer, projects that require accelerated Agile development… very accelerated!

We’re talking about one, two or three very short sprints (one or two weeks maximum) with well-defined deliverables and expectations.

Are the demands unrealistic?  Was the planning deficient? That’s another story… One thing is certain: in Agile+++ mode, there is no room for “red tape”, we want competent resources that collaborate with each other and are motivated to deliver!

And how does all this get executed?  So, let’s start at the beginning.

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Timesheet software is the backbone of profitable Billing of Projects, according to many experienced managers.

in fact, many managers will tell you that time tracking is the cornerstone of their business. Even more, some managers consider time tracking to be the most important business function because their timesheet software is how they do all their billing.

Take advantage of your Timesheet software, the pillar of profitable billing for your Projects

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Discover the many benefits of timesheet software for your business; especially if it is well integrated with Billing and Resource Planning.

Many companies still use Excel files to track their employees’ time and projects. Unfortunately, these business owners don’t realize the business intelligence that they are missing out on when planning resources and projects.

In fact, when properly integrated with the Billing process and Resource and Project Planning, Timesheet software can literally work miracles for a company, even small businesses. So much so, that many managers consider the Timesheet to be the cornerstone of their profitability.

The thing is, any service company would benefit from implementing time tracking software or any kind of time tracking system, for that matter.

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3 other good reasons to use a Timesheet software; a business tool that many executives consider the cornerstone of their business along with payroll, accounting, and project management.

Time tracking allows you to know if your projects are on track to meet budgets and deadlines; in short, to know if they will be profitable or not.

But a timesheet software will also allow you to improve other areas of your management.

A Timesheet software facilitates the management of project expenses

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Here are 5 good reasons to use Timesheets; a software tool that many experienced managers consider to be the cornerstone of their business.

It is one of the most important business functions, as essential as payroll, accounting or project management. Of course, if you’ve never done time tracking, this may come as a surprise.

The reason is that time tracking is at the heart of service business operations. Not only does it allow you to bill, it also provides a bird’s eye view of your projects. It lets you know if your projects are on track to meet budgets and deadlines and if your team is working at a productive pace. In short, time tracking lets you know if you are profitable or eating your stockings.

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How to promote the rapid adoption and productive use of a Time Tracking tool by your employees? The question is worth asking since most people spontaneously have a negative or suspicious attitude when they hear about time tracking. It is therefore important to be imaginative and inventive when introducing your new timesheet tool to facilitate a smooth transition.

Introducing time tracking to your employees can sometimes be difficult. Many people are reluctant to track their time, either because they don’t see the need or because they’ve had a bad experience in the past.

How you present time tracking to your staff can make a big difference in their effective use. Likewise, you should also explain why time tracking is important to the company. The better employees understand the impact their time tracking has on the success of the business, the more likely they will adopt the timesheet tool.

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Why do you continue to use your in-house Timesheet tool? The question is worth asking since there are a great amount of companies using their home-made timesheet tool, based on Excel files for example.

When we talk about our Timesheet and Billing Software, the main refrain we hear is, “But we already have an in-house Timesheet tool.”

And very often, that pseudo-application comes in the form of an Excel file or occasionally, it will be a web application.

And I ask you: Why do managers think that their solution is the best or good enough?

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How can you justify the gap between the initial estimate and the actual Project when almost all projects developed in the last decade have been done in Agile mode, which is a good thing because short delivery cycles are implemented, which implies a better communication with the Customers.

This management approach works like a charm with IT people who understand the impact of this management philosophy in terms of cost, time, and scope on a project: fixed time and cost with variable scope.

However, while developers and IT teams have a good grasp of the subtleties of Agile, this is far from always being the case for other Managers and Senior Management for whom, everything should be fixed: time, cost, and scope!!!

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Do you use Timesheets or not in your company?

There are 2 philosophies of Resource Management in Service organizations; either to manage employee time with Timesheets or not.

The choice is clear for certain types of organizations that bill hours to their clients such as law firms and consultants.

However, in many other sectors, such as companies that place or subcontract resources with their clients, they can bill by the week or month for the total number of resources placed. One can also imagine the same case for companies that develop software that they sell under license; for which the need to compile the hours of employees is less obvious or not necessary.

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Life is short and passes like a train or when reality hits you hard. You can burn the candle at both ends and play with fire even with the best of intentions.

I got quite a slap in the face recently; a good one I might add. One of my good cycling buddies, of my age (60’s), with whom I ride between 1000km and 2000km per year, died.

It gave me a chill…

What is your situation, really?

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The thorny issue of labour shortage with or without a pandemic is quite a challenge and if there is one lesson that business leaders have learned from the pandemic, it is that the enterprise must adapt… and be Agile more than ever!

Critical decisions are on the horizon for all leaders: what actions and investments should they prioritize to both optimize human comfort and maintain performance and productivity in this new context of hybrid work… and labour shortage?

We share with you here some remarks and thoughts on the subject.

Resource Mobilisation or the Management and Quality Control Challenge in Telework Mode

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In the midst of this pandemic, companies have had to learn to deal with two aggravating factors: telework and labor shortages.

We’ll return to the delicate subject of labour shortage in the next post.

On the teleworking front, critical decisions are on the horizon: what actions and investments will you need to prioritize to both optimize human comfort and maintain performance in this new permanent hybrid work environment?

Telework Organizational Challenges

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