Business objects

[mangobreeder]

Business objects
So i have to write a proposal for developing a Business objects soultion at our large corporate firm.

ill give some back ground, we have 4 Tax systems which are in use

1) a Database on a AS400 system
2) lotus notes database
3) an Oracle Database
4) another oracle database

Al the moment if someone wants to create a report, which takes information from each database, they have to download the raw data form each, and use excel and vlookups to create a report they want. i use access to do some adhoc queries as a favour to the other tax groups, but i should not be doing it as it an inefficient use of my time.

I have th idea that if we us BO then we can use thie to deliver reports to client, and charge them for the privlidge and it will allows us greater flexability in what reoprts we can write.

thing is ive never written a proposal like this before, and i would like some guidance, on content / format etc.

please help

thanks in advance
Mango

 

[brainchylde]

Roughly speaking....

Identify.

Explain.

Solution & Application

Your identification of the problem is essentially what you have already told us. What you do now, it's difficulties and problems.

You need to explain the implications - costs (time, maintaining scripts you run... etc). Who is involved in doing things the current way? Does it take a lot of man power? Do you require any specialists which cost a lot of money?

I'd focus on it from a business perspective rather than a technical perspective (unless the prospective audience is technical, of course).

What is your solution.. how long do you think it will take, what are the costs in building it. Who is going to maintain it and be responsible for it. Who is going to run it. Who is going to document it. Do you need to provide training to other staff members. Where are the savings. How is it going to improve efficiency within the business. Will it improve the bottom line? Can staff be redeployed elsewhere. All questions worth asking.


Of course you will need to tailor your proposal to the right audience, as I've said. Your finance director may be very interested in the costs - your IT director, may not be.

Lastly - I'd try and keep it short. If more detail is required you can provide it by way of presentation or further detailed proposal (not sure if your company has a procedure for this sort of thing?)

Good luck.