# Presentation: 044003

## Developing a Business Case

- Carol Johnson
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
-  Travel Manager
- April 14, 2002

## What I hoped to find at LBNL...

## Products that were “best in class” and “user friendly”...

## That produce desired results on the front and back ends...

## And sometimes

-  exceed
- expectations

## What I found was ...

## Well, something like this...

## Specifically

- Manual Voucher Process
- Multiple Forms
- Multiple Systems
- Travel Reporting System Issues
- System Outdated
- Data Integrity Questioned

## Our Vehicle Is Not

- “Best in Class”
- “User Friendly”
- Producing Desired Outcomes
- Exceeding Expectations

## The Desired State 

**An End-to-end Solution**
- Authorization
- Budget Information
- Voucher
- Audit
- Payment
- Data

## The Approach

- Fact Finding
- Map the Process
- Document Effort
- Determine Costs
- Share Information
- Identify Opportunities

**Notes:**
These activities took place back in the summer of 2000 with the help of representatives from the divisions and from accounting describing their travel related activities for us.

## What Did We Learn?

## Existing Pre-approval 

## Existing Expense Reporting

## What Did We Learn?

**Notes:**
It costs $100 per voucher in labor costs alone to process a travel expense voucher here. That does not include the TA process.

In the corporate world without automation it costs the average company $37.  Even in the the worst cases it doesn’t cost more than $75.

## The Journey Begins

- Formation of the Team
- ISS
- Travel
- Divisions
- Finance
- Internal Audit

**Ready, Set . .**

**Notes:**
A cross-functional team was assembled to address the findings developed in the assessment of the current travel process and come up with a plan.

## Establishing the Itinerary

- Formation of a Plan
- Determine Our Needs
- Identify Solutions
- Evaluate Systems
- Develop Business Case
- Procurement
- Development
- Implementation

**Agenda**

**Notes:**
The assessment documented the flaws in our current processes.
We recognized the need to automate and integrate our processes to create a single end-to-end system.
We needed to find out what automated solutions were available to us, home-grown, Extensity or another system.
We needed to develop a financial plan for the new system.
We needed to complete the procurement process.
We needed to plan the installation and implementation of a new system.

## Justify the Trip

- Improve Efficiency
- Eliminate Redundancy
- Save Time
- Reduce Effort
- Save Money
- $300K in 1st year

**Notes:**
Efficiency-
Business Rules Built In
Project ID Validation
Approval By Policy

Save Time-
Electronic Routing in 48 hours vs. 14 Days

Save Money
Reduce Errors
Reduce Labor – estimate reduction of 10 FTEs Lab wide (2 in Travel Office)
Reduce Process Time
Better Information to Make Better Decisions

## Choosing the Vehicle

- Familiarity with Government Travel
- CONUS/OCONUS Rates
- Best Match for LBL Systems
- Best Match for LBL Processes
- Best Price

## Standard Features

**Features**:
- Split Costs
- CONUS/OCONUS
- Make Changes
- Check Status
- Web Based
- Delinquency Reminder

## Custom Options

**LDAP – Single sign-on**
**HRIS – HR Data****	**
**Maritz****	****- Tickets**
**USBank - Expenses**
**Projects - Approval**
**GL/AP****	****- Financial**

## Gelco Pre-approval

## Gelco Expense Reporting

## Budget Time

-  		Activities Calendar
- ’01 Sep – Procurement
- Oct – Installation, Demonstrations, Admin Training
- Nov –Technical development
- ’02 Jan –  Specs for Customization
- Mar – New Version installed
- Apr – Specs for Customization
- ’03 Jan – System Testing
- Mar – Acceptance Testing
- May - Division Pilot
- Jun – Lab roll-out
- Aug - Shut down legacy system

- QUALITY

**Notes:**
Work actually began in the summer of 2000 when we documented business processes and developed a business case for system funding.
In early 2001 we completed an evaluation of 5 vendor products and began developing our system requirements.
We were able to obtain funding in the summer of 2001 and we initiated the RFP process at that time and arrived at an agreement with Gelco at the end of Sept. 
There was an entire year of effort that took place before this calendar which begins the second year of the project and indicates another 4-5 months of work ahead.
I have to thank the team members who have been engaged in this effort for over 2 years. The Travel Department didn’t do this alone. It was the combined effort of participants from many departments and divisions that contributed immensely to the vision and fruition of this plan. 
.

## Are We There Yet?

- Lab-wide System Implementation
- Travel Office Becomes Help Desk
- Continue Developing System
- Follow-up Assessment