Blackbaud Training Launch Packet. August Daniel Island Drive, Charleston, SC T E W

Transcription

1 Blackbaud Training Launch Packet August Daniel Island Drive, Charleston, SC T E W

2 OVERVIEW Now that your organization is live with the software, you need to give some thought to your end-user training strategy. Many users will be trained at this point, but only on the basics. They may be ready to start on more advanced training, or begin to cross train on other areas of the software. You may also have existing employees that missed the first training roll-out or new hires that come on board and need to get up to speed on the software. Companies of all sizes spend a significant amount of their budgets on software. But you won t see the bottom line benefits of these upgrades unless the end-users of the software can successfully make the transition. That s why it s important to plan an end-user training strategy and make sure the plan incorporates new- hire training. Setting training goals Your first objective in providing software training for end-users is to get them up to the skill level required to do their jobs at least as quickly and accurately as they were doing with the old software (or manual methods). Then in the next phase, you want the software to help users do their jobs more quickly, accurately, and/or securely than before. We call that time-to-productivity. And you want that time to be short, but realistic. The time-to-productivity timeframes will be dependent on the complexity of the users roles, the number of users who need training, and their beginning skill levels. Assessing end-user skill levels and needs An important element in creating your training plan is to evaluate the technical skill level(s) of those who will actually use the software on a daily basis. In many cases, you may have different technical skill levels within a group. If that s the case, it s important to provide different levels of training. Some novices to the software will need more focused, step-by-step instruction on the basics, whereas more skilled users will quickly pick up the basics and benefit from more advanced training. Attempting to train the two groups together will result in the novices being overwhelmed and confused and the more skilled users wasting time. Maybe a quick quiz, or self-assessment will help you determine where each user stands with their knowledge of the software, and will help you quickly tailor a training path that works! Training delivery methods There are several different methods for delivering training, and you may want to use a combination of these, especially in a large organization. The least effective is just setting a user down at the computer and telling them to read the manual. We call that the sink or swim method of onboarding and using this method can result in a great deal of turnover. We recommend using the training paths provided in this document and then making informed decisions about which roles and types of classes to offer to specific employees. The training paths are just suggestions, however, you may find that these training paths meet your needs and the blended class delivery methods work for your organization just as they are listed.

3 Here are the types of training we offer: Regional Instructor-Led Event (ILT): Students attend a classroom style workshop with a instructor leading the class. An instructor walks each user individually through the process of performing common tasks and answers questions. After demonstrations and discussion, users perform the tasks themselves in a classroom/lab setting. Each user has a computer on which to practice. This is very effective training and users can leverage the knowledge of the instructor and ask specific questions in person. Classes typically register about people per class. Online Instructor-Led Event: Online instructor-led classes allow end-users to complete interactive lessons that walk them through the processes of performing common tasks. Each user can attend through a webx session and can practice activities in a virtual database. Students can attend without leaving their desks and can ask questions through the chat feature. Classes typically register people per class. On-Demand Video (Video): Short, interactive, self-paced video lessons that allow you to watch training on-demand These are very quick lessons that can be watched time and time again from your transcript. They are a great way to introduce a new user to a topic or as a refresher to the system navigation and configuration. Whichever delivery method(s) you choose, it s helpful to first conduct a pilot training program of a small, select group of users that represent your user base. This will help you identify which training method works best for your organization. Ensure you have a scalable training program, flexible enough to accommodate both small numbers of users (for example, when a new employee joins the company) and large numbers (as is necessary in an organization-wide rollout of a new product). With a sustainable training strategy in place for ongoing education, you ll find that your employees are better able to perform their job responsibilities and feel better prepared and you ll enjoy greater return on investment from your software purchase.

4 DATA ENTRY General Information Accounts Receivable Cash Receipts Fixed Assets Payroll Student Billing Intro to The Financial Edge Navigating in The Financial Edge Accounts Receivable Records (4 Hours) Cash Receipts (4 Hours) Fixed Assets (4 Hours) Payroll Essentials (14 Hours) Records in Student Billling (7 Hours) Introduction to the Account String Creating an Account in Creating a Project in Creating a New Batch in General Ledge Posting to Journal Entry I (2 Hours) Creating a Vendor Record in Accounts Payable Accounts Payable Creating an Invoice in Accounts Payable Creating a Credit Memo in Accounts Payable Creating a Check Run in Accounts Payable

5 FINANCIAL PROCESSING Accounts Receivable Cash Receipts Fixed Assets Student Billing Accounts Receivable Records (4 Hours) Accounts Receivable Data Extraction ( 2 Hours) Cash Receipts (4 Hours) Fixed Assets (4 Hours) Transactions in Student Billing (4 Hours) Payroll Essentials (4 Hours) Payroll Creating Tax Reports in Payroll Creating W2s in Payroll General Information Intro to The Financial Edge Navigating in The Financial Edge Creating a New Batch in Posting to Creating a Check Run in Accounts Payable Copying and Globally Changing a Batch in Soft Closing a Fiscal Period in Closing a Fiscal Year in Creating a New Fiscal Year in

6 FINANCIAL PROCESSING (CONTINUED) Displaying Account Activity in Creating a Default VCO in Creating a Balance Sheet in Creating a Report in Creating an Income Statement in Creating and Using an Income Statement Dashboard in The Financial Edge Essentials Curriculum (20 Hours) Using Fast to Create Invoices in Accounts Payable Accounts Payable Creating Line Item Descriptions on an Invoice in Accounts Payable Voiding a Check in Accounts Payable Recording Manual Checks in Accounts Payable Retrieving Historical Reconciliation Reports in The Financial Edge Using the Bank Register in Accounts Payable Accounts Payable Essentials (14 Hours) Soft Closing a Fiscal Period in

7 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS General Information Cash Receipts Intro to The Financial Edge Navigation in The Financial Edge Cash Receipts (4 Hours) Creating a Check Run in Accounts Payable Accounts Payable Retrieving Historical Reconciliation Reports in The Financial Edge Using the Bank Register in Accounts Payable Creating Accounts Payable Reports Payroll Essentials (14 Hours) Payroll Creating Tax Reports in Payroll Creating W2s in Payroll Fixed Assets Fixed Assets ( 4 Hours) Creating a Basic Query in The Financial Edge Importing in The Financial Edge (3 Hours) Advanced Reporting Topics Introduction to SAP Crystal Reports in The Financial Edge (4 Hours) Pivot Reports in The Financial Edge (2 Hours) Export in The Financial Edge (2 Hours)

8 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS (CONTINUED) Soft Closing a Fiscal Period in Closing a Fiscal Year in Displaying Account Activity in Creating a Default VCO in Report Settings in Financial Edge (2 Hours) Creating a Balance Sheet in Creating a Report in Creating and Using an Income Statement Dashboard in The Financial Edge Creating an Income Statement in Creating a Trial Balance in FAS 117 Reports in (2 Hours)