Table of contents
What it means to optimise GL
Finding the optimal client solution speeds up implementation, engages the client, and potentially saves hours of support down the line. Knowing what solution is right for each client depends on us understanding the types of implementations available, and asking the right questions from the start.
Types of GL implementations
We implement GL in two distinct ways, and this informs how we optimise the overall solution:
GL project
Existing clients who need to change something about their GL.
GL implementation
Brand new clients who have just onboarded with Affinity.
Asking the right questions
Some parts of a GL implementation require us to educate our clients as to the ‘why’. Much of GL is about rules. Debits and credits, accounting principles, and mapping pay elements and cost centres to GL accounts are important. But the real value comes from explaining to clients why it’s so important to get this right, and how it will impact their usage of GL — along with how we will provide support.
Questions to ask clients
GL project
Mantra: “I want to understand your needs today, and ensure your GL meets those needs.”
Before asking these questions, tell the client that the goal of the questions is to understand their needs now, ensure the changes meet those needs, and help them to evolve and get the best out of GL:
Why do you want to make a change to your GL?
Is this a general GL account tidy-up?
Is there a new finance system?
Do you need to change your existing config?
Do the interface files need a re-write?
GL implementation
Mantra: “I want to implement a solution that balances automation with simplicity.”
For new clients, these questions help us to specify the implementation of a brand new GL, and avoid future problems. We need to strike a balance between minimising manual checks, calculations and processes, and over-automating the solution. In short, we must avoid making a client's GL so complicated, that we cannot support it down the line. Every GL is different, so we must ask questions that not only specify the solution technically, but help us to simplify it:
What is your current process for generating a GL file?
Do you make any manual changes to the file before uploading it to your financial system, for example on-costs?
What is your process for reconciling the journal before uploading?
Service delivery
At the time of writing, Affinity does not actively ask clients how their GLs are serving their needs.