From implementation to impact: the crucial success phase in Source to Pay projects

Many software suppliers call this phase ‘hypercare’ or ‘aftercare’. It’s the moment straight after go-live when they answer questions or fix a bug. After that, the project is considered complete by the book. But anyone who looks at an implementation through the eyes of a Source to Pay expert knows that this is precisely when the real work begins. Only after go-live is it decided whether an organisation will actually achieve its intended goals.

“That’s why we deliberately call this the success phase,” says Sanne van Eijsden, Director Professional Services at Spendlinq. “Because in this crucial phase, the promises made in the project have to be delivered. Think of more control over spend, better use of contracts or less manual administration.”

More than aftercare

The success phase is therefore not aftercare, but a full part of the implementation process. “Software suppliers mainly focus on technically ‘switching on’ the software, and often overlook the context in which a solution has to land. Change management, process design or the connection to the existing IT architecture is usually not their domain,” Sanne explains.

That’s exactly where the risk lies: a solution that does run, but doesn’t deliver enough return. Especially in more complex projects in a Source to Pay or Purchase to Pay environment, with multiple business units, diverse procurement categories and different process variants that make it hard to cover the whole field with a single standard set-up. The first go-live is therefore often just a controlled start with a limited group of departments, processes or products. The real impact comes in the phase that follows.

In practice

Sanne illustrates this with examples from day-to-day practice. “At a national interest organisation, Spendlinq was brought in to support the selection, implementation and rollout of a Purchase to Pay system. After the initial delivery of the new solution, we guided the further rollout to various internal units, each with its own roles, contract types and ordering logic. The project started with a limited number of users and simple procurement categories, and in the success phase we expanded this to more strategic areas. By integrating contract management, differentiated approval workflows and targeted training, the expected impact was achieved.”

“In another project at a mid-size healthcare institution, we started with a Purchase to Pay solution for a central facilities department. Spendlinq guided the rollout to medical departments with widely differing needs and processes. By setting up catalogues smartly, keeping processes workable and activating internal key users, we managed to increase adoption significantly. Within six months, more than 60 per cent of relevant orders were handled through the system, with noticeably better process control as a result,” Sanne continues.

Sanne also sees the importance of the success phase in the field of contract management. “At a Dutch construction and infrastructure partner, a limited number of framework contracts were initially placed in a new contract management system. In the months after go-live, we helped the organisation structure all the different contract types, set up a clear authorisation structure and configure alerts for important deadlines and commitments. The result was that the organisation gained central control over contractual agreements and a much higher percentage was actually complied with.”

More than technology

Sanne stresses that the success phase is about making the best use of (new) capabilities: “We look at whether the system does what it should do: support behaviour, simplify processes, enrich data and deliver insights. That takes something different from technical support alone.”

The success phase needs direction

“It’s our role to take an active lead after go-live,” Sanne continues. “Internal project teams often disband after delivery, and suppliers limit themselves to functional support. Yet that’s exactly when you need structure, oversight and support for the rollout across the rest of the organisation. Not just in technology, but also in training, change approach, process adjustment and adoption.”

“We make sure the project doesn’t stall but keeps pushing forward. We pay attention to specific procurement categories, departments with their own ways of working and users who come on board at their own pace. Only then do you get ownership and results,” says Sanne. “That’s why an internal driving force is also crucial to keep the project moving once it’s completed, because the work is never ‘done’. Processes and priorities are always shifting.”

People, processes, data and technology

“To achieve the initial project objectives, such as increasing contract usage, reducing unauthorised orders or improving management information, you need a targeted rollout, continuous optimisation and clear measurement points. We’re convinced that an integrated approach is the key to success, one in which people, processes, technology and data are inextricably linked.”

From implementation to transformation

“Software alone doesn’t bring change,” Sanne concludes. “The difference between an implemented system and a successful transformation lies in everything that happens afterwards. In the success phase, we realise the project’s value together.”