Automated SQL Migration (ASM)

Needs Assessment Call

The ASM Needs Assessment Call helps us understand how you are using Sage Abra Suite today and what’s required to migrate you to Sage HRMS. The call covers a comprehensive list of topics so we’re sure to fully capture and document requirements for your migration.

Who Should Participate
Your Payroll super user should participate. It’s likely you’ll also want to invite someone familiar with your payroll journal entry, your HR user and an IT contact. When considering who to invite, look at the list of questions below and consider who best can discuss each one.

Before the Call
You will need to send your ASM Consultant the following 2 items:

Payroll Journal Entry
To help us understand your GL account structure we need a representative Payroll Journal Entry that includes these 4 columns at a minimum; Full Account Code, Account Description, Debits, Credits. This file can be sent to us in any format (i.e., PDF, Excel)

CSV Output File (from ASM Setup Analysis Tool)
To help us understand your current Sage Abra Suite Settings, please run the Automate SQL Migration (ASM) Setup Analysis tool and send your ASM Consultant the resulting CSV output file. This tool is easy to install and use. It extracts Sage Abra Suite setup information (i.e., no sensitive company or employee data).

We’ll use these files to start to understand your Sage Abra Suite setup before our call. We’ll also verify what Sage products you own. This will help make the ASM Needs Assessment Call go as quickly as possible.

Scheduling the Call
After your ASM Consultant receives the Payroll Journal Entry and CSV Output file they will reach out to schedule the Needs Assessment at a mutually convenient time. The Needs Assessment is conducted by telephone and typically takes 30 to 90 minutes.

The Deliverable
A few days after the call, we’ll be able to provide you with a plan and quote for your migration to Sage HRMS.

What’s Covered
Here’s a list of the questions we will discuss during the call. It’s a very comprehensive list and may include items that are not appropriate for your organization. Please come prepared to answer the following:

  1. In addition to Sage Abra Suite, what HR/payroll related software applications are in use?
  2. Are you aware of any unique circumstances or requirements that should be taken into consideration?
  3. Are part of the migration, would you like to make any changes to Sage Abra Suite codes (i.e, Earnings, Deductions or Taxes) or the way in which payroll?
  4. Do you want to make any changes to payroll processes as part of the migration?
  5. Do you have any custom Crystal Reports that use Sage Abra Suite as their data source? If so, please have samples of those reports available for review.
  6. Do you have any third party products that interface to or from Sage Abra Suite? For example, time imports, garnishments, general ledger interfaces, etc.
  7. Do you have any data exports from Abra to 3rd parties or internal applications? For example, 401k deduction files, HSA ACH files, employee census data, journal entry files, etc.,
  8. How do you currently handle payroll taxes and reporting?
  9. How do you currently calculate FLSA overtime? Are you aware of any special requirements related to overtime?
  10. Do you have any special requirements related to union payroll?
  11. How time is entered or imported into payroll? Do you have any special requirements related to time entry/import?
  12. Are retro pay calculations a requirement? How are retro pay calculations handled today?
  13. How do you currently manage garnishment deductions? What garnishments processes do you follow today?
  14. Do you have tipped employees? If so, what processes do you follow today?
  15. How do you currently handle checks and direct deposits in Sage Abra Suite?
  16. What is the structure of your general ledger chart of accounts? What’s the number and length of segments? How do those segments correlate to data in Sage Abra Suite that drives the payroll journal entry?
  17. Do you use the General Ledger Distribution Report in Sage Abra Suite produce a balanced and proper journal entry for each payroll? If not, how is the payroll journal entry prepared?
  18. Does each Earning, Deduction, and Tax Code have a 1:1 correlation to the Natural/Main Account to which the expense, liability, or cash entry will be coded? If not, how is the main account determined?
  19. If more than the Natural/Main Account is used in the payroll journal entry, what drives the segment values of the other account segments?
  20. Do you currently generate a journal export file? If so, how is it created and what format is it in?
  21. Are you aware of any special requirements around Earnings, Deductions and Tax Codes in use within Sage Abra Suite?
  22. Are benefit plans properly setup in the HR module and linked to deduction codes within Sage Abra Suite?
  23. How do you currently manage time-off accruals? How and where are they calculated?
  24. Are savings plans setup in the HR module and linked to deduction codes within Sage Abra Suite?
  25. Is there a matching contribution to the employee’s contribution to a retirement plan? If so, how is that match calculated?
  26. Are you considering adding any new functionality to your system as part of the migration project? For example, self-service, paperless workflow, alerts, open enrollment, recruiting, integration with Microsoft Active Directory, etc.
  27. Are  you concerned about your IT resources being able to effectively support Sage HRMS, including the SQL Server? Are you interested in having Sage HRMS hosted in the cloud (licensed, single tenant, ASP model) to help alleviate that concern?

Download this list of questions in PDF format

 

Need Help?
If you have questions about the ASM Needs Assessment call logistics or topics, please contact your Sage Business Partner.