Sage 100

I am creating a proposal for moving Sage 100 Advanced version 2019 to a new server.   I would like to include three service levels and three different prices.  Any ideas on different value propositions?

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Doug Higgs
Midwest Commerce Solutions, Inc
(312) 315-0960
Assistant to the Traveling Secretary
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Whether or not you do a test migration (more work), or a "one and done" (more risk of something going wrong).
After hours work (more costly), or daytime.
Pair the one and done with daytime, so you can call support if you run into problems.

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Kevin Moyes
Technical Systems Analyst
Munjal White Consulting Co.
Toronto ON
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Thanks @Kevin Moyes  Great ideas.

​

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Doug Higgs
Midwest Commerce Solutions, Inc
(312) 315-0960
Assistant to the Traveling Secretary
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-29-2020 12:03
From: Kevin Moyes
Subject: Proposal for Moving Sage 100 Advanced to a New Server

Whether or not you do a test migration (more work), or a "one and done" (more risk of something going wrong).
After hours work (more costly), or daytime.
Pair the one and done with daytime, so you can call support if you run into problems.

------------------------------
Kevin Moyes
Technical Systems Analyst
Munjal White Consulting Co.
Toronto ON
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1. Move only during day
2. Move weekend
3. Move and upgrade to 2020 weekend

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Wayne Schulz - Schulz Consulting - 860-516-8990
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4. Move and upgrade to 2020 Premium ( SQL ) weekend

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Wayne Schulz - Schulz Consulting - 860-516-8990
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-29-2020 12:43
From: Wayne Schulz
Subject: Proposal for Moving Sage 100 Advanced to a New Server

1. Move only during day
2. Move weekend
3. Move and upgrade to 2020 weekend

---------------------------------
Wayne Schulz - Schulz Consulting - 860-516-8990
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Another differentiator, include/exclude a test move with a 30-day (or time period of your choice) review period.  The only caveat are the connected services, CC, EDI, DocLink, for example.

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Moira Goggin
Executive Director
90 Minds, Inc.
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-29-2020 13:43
From: Wayne Schulz
Subject: Proposal for Moving Sage 100 Advanced to a New Server

4. Move and upgrade to 2020 Premium ( SQL ) weekend

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Wayne Schulz - Schulz Consulting - 860-516-8990
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-29-2020 12:43
From: Wayne Schulz
Subject: Proposal for Moving Sage 100 Advanced to a New Server

1. Move only during day
2. Move weekend
3. Move and upgrade to 2020 weekend

---------------------------------
Wayne Schulz - Schulz Consulting - 860-516-8990

1) No training (or compliance-only aka "your cheese has moved over here")
2) Train-the-trainer on new features
3) End-user training with discovery and migration to new features

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Steve Iwanowski, NextStep Technology Advisors, aka DSD Lancaster PA ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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Doug, these are excellent ideas. 

I think your proposal should be either a move or an upgrade. Part of my reason is your estimate of how the customer will remember the effort. Customers hate paying just for infrastructure changes; a move is just that, and it's seen by the buyers (not IT, but the department IT is charging) as nothing more than a necessary evil. 

I'd get permission from the buyer (not IT) to use this as a reason to execute an upgrade, with the attendant benefits. After all, most of the work involved in a move is a necessary part of an upgrade. 

I use this basic structure for an upgrade:
   - Good: installation of the executables during business hours. a checklist of reports and operations to confirm success, signed off by customer. Customer responsible for installation/upgrades of workstations. 5-day advance reservation of the upgrade day; any change to this is $250 each. Customer signs off on the upgrade that day; if no response it is considered accepted and any fixes/modifications after that are $xxx each. You get access to new server to confirm that it meets your requirements before the upgrade day; if it's not ready on upgrade day it is delayed and the $250 reschedule fee applies.

   - Better. Starts with Good and has these changes. Upgrade occurs in non-business hours (usually weekend), On Monday AM, the customer confirms that acceptance checks are met. Add defined Admin training the subjects are selected from your menu. Perhaps add implementation of unused modules, such as Paperless Office, Bank Rec, or Sage Intelligence depending on their needs. 

   - Best. Starts with Better features and makes changes. Add a sandbox option where you set up the entire move & upgrade on the new server ahead of time with their backup database. If you can persuade them to use Premium (SQL) this is the ideal place to add. Expand training and familiarization tasks, if appealing. 

I price the Good option at a point where I think the buyer will accept it as "competitive for an upgrade." I go up from there. Make sure you have conditions to hold IT's feet to the fire; penalties for not following the agreed timeframe and tasks will make that happen. You must explore with the buyer (not IT) what they might benefit from during the upgrade (remember that if they benefit from something more than just an upgrade, then can charge it off under their "move & upgrade" mandate. 

ALL of this is completely prepaid. Satisfaction guaranteed. Always. This greatly reduces their incentive to find crap to argue over.


​

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Jerry Norman
VP, 90 Minds
Smartbridge Partners
512.419.1444 x112
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I appreciate everyone's input.  They are all fabulous ideas.

@Jerry Norman  Thank you for your response and valuable advice. I agree that there should be separate proposals, either a combined upgrade/move or just the move.  I have used some of these suggestions pertaining to good, better, best, in all of my proposals the last few years.  These are great reminders and some of these are new "values" I haven't thought of.  Knowing what is valuable to the customer, communicating it, and then putting a price on it is many times more difficult than the mechanics of the project!

This is a tough one because they we went live on a 2016 to 2019 upgrade about a year ago.  If they upgrade to 2020, although there is minimal additional work than a server move, there are several MD modifications they would have to pay to upgrade.  I am not sure they will see the value, however, it may be worth creating a second proposal.
​

------------------------------
Doug Higgs
Midwest Commerce Solutions, Inc
(312) 315-0960
Assistant to the Traveling Secretary
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-30-2020 13:34
From: Jerry Norman
Subject: Proposal for Moving Sage 100 Advanced to a New Server

Doug, these are excellent ideas.

I think your proposal should be either a move or an upgrade. Part of my reason is your estimate of how the customer will remember the effort. Customers hate paying just for infrastructure changes; a move is just that, and it's seen by the buyers (not IT, but the department IT is charging) as nothing more than a necessary evil.

I'd get permission from the buyer (not IT) to use this as a reason to execute an upgrade, with the attendant benefits. After all, most of the work involved in a move is a necessary part of an upgrade.

I use this basic structure for an upgrade:
   - Good: installation of the executables during business hours. a checklist of reports and operations to confirm success, signed off by customer. Customer responsible for installation/upgrades of workstations. 5-day advance reservation of the upgrade day; any change to this is $250 each. Customer signs off on the upgrade that day; if no response it is considered accepted and any fixes/modifications after that are $xxx each. You get access to new server to confirm that it meets your requirements before the upgrade day; if it's not ready on upgrade day it is delayed and the $250 reschedule fee applies.

   - Better. Starts with Good and has these changes. Upgrade occurs in non-business hours (usually weekend), On Monday AM, the customer confirms that acceptance checks are met. Add defined Admin training the subjects are selected from your menu. Perhaps add implementation of unused modules, such as Paperless Office, Bank Rec, or Sage Intelligence depending on their needs.

   - Best. Starts with Better features and makes changes. Add a sandbox option where you set up the entire move & upgrade on the new server ahead of time with their backup database. If you can persuade them to use Premium (SQL) this is the ideal place to add. Expand training and familiarization tasks, if appealing.

I price the Good option at a point where I think the buyer will accept it as "competitive for an upgrade." I go up from there. Make sure you have conditions to hold IT's feet to the fire; penalties for not following the agreed timeframe and tasks will make that happen. You must explore with the buyer (not IT) what they might benefit from during the upgrade (remember that if they benefit from something more than just an upgrade, then can charge it off under their "move & upgrade" mandate.

ALL of this is completely prepaid. Satisfaction guaranteed. Always. This greatly reduces their incentive to find crap to argue over.


​

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Jerry Norman
VP, 90 Minds
Smartbridge Partners
512.419.1444 x112
------------------------------