Microsoft FRx Software

Developed an enterprise-wide PM solution that improved on efficiency, while reducing cost and time to market.

The Client

Part of the Microsoft Business Solutions group of companies, Denver-based FRx Software Corporation employs 136 people and provides financial analytic software to mid-market and emerging organizations worldwide.

The Challenge

Even in the best economy, the time-to-market pressures faced by software manufacturers never let up. But when the economy is weak, it is imperative that managers determine very early in the product-development process just where those resources can be most effectively applied.

As FRx expanded its operations, executives spent a great deal of time in planning meetings, but without a clear view into ongoing projects and resource commitments, it was extraordinarily difficult for them to align efforts with goals. "They didn't have the details they needed on projects that were already in the pipeline, so they couldn't accurately gauge the impact a new project might have. As a result, they were often making critical high-level commitments in the dark," observes FRx Software Senior Group Manager Jo Swango.

To address this dilemma, Swango and her colleagues began considering a new project management solution for the enterprise.

Other key challenges included:

• The need to align projects more closely with corporate objectives
• To be able to execute project plans more expeditiously
• The ability to assess resource allocations without having to hold very costly, weekly face-to-face meetings of managers and quality assurance professionals

The Pcubed Solution

To prepare for solution launch, the team worked with employees throughout the company to establish standard professional portfolio management processes and to demonstrate the anticipated benefits of the solution through training and mentoring. When it came time to select a technology, they decided to base the solution on the Microsoft Office Enterprise Project Management Solution.

As work began, FRx Group Manager Swango engaged Eric Wilson, Account Executive at Microsoft Enterprise Premier Solution Provider Pcubed, for assistance in introducing portfolio and project management best practices and advise on how to approach the project management portfolio more effectively in terms of resource allocation and capacity.

In its initial deployment, the Microsoft Office EPM Solution was used by two executives, four project managers, and 50 team members to manage 46 projects. These projects include Service Pack Releases and new product development enhancements as well a number of internal IT implementations. The benefits of which included:

• The establishment of a strategically effective enterprise-wide resource pool
• Annual savings of $30,000 in management costs
• Improved time-to-market
• Foundation for uniform project management methodology

Key elements of the solution included:

• The elimination of costly weekly management meetings
• Enhanced executive visibility into resource allocation
• Easier to prioritize and align projects with company objectives
• Created a streamlined approach for project tracking
• Provides an excellent collaboration tool between finance, support, sales, and marketing