1. Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages
My name is Yogi Schulz
It’s great to be back here in Kananaskis with all of you and with the P2ES staff
Thank you Mike and Peter for inviting me to speak today
My topic today is Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages
Most oil & gas producers operate lots of software
Unfortunately, oil & gas producers as well as organizations in other industries, use only a fraction of the functionality they’ve paid for
P2ES - Kananaskis Presenter: Yogi Schulz
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

2. Yogi Schulz Biography Partner in Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Yogi Schulz Biography
Partner in Corvelle Consulting
Information technology related management consulting
Microsoft Canada columnist & CBC Radio host
PPDM Association board member
Industry presenter:
Project World - 5 years
CIPS Informatics - 7 years
Convergence - 4 years
PPDM Association - several years
Who am I?
I’m a partner in Corvelle Consulting
We offer information technology related management consulting
We have executed many project management and systems development assignments for our clients
Many of our clients operate in the upstream oil & gas industry
We’ve appreciated the opportunity to work with some of you here today
I have written many columns for Computing Canada. These columns have tended to focus on project management and systems development themes. The audience is composed largely of IT executives and managers
For four years I wrote a column in the Calgary Herald
Two years ago, I began to write columns for the Microsoft web site. These columns have tended to describe useful responses to IT developments for a general audience of business managers
I’ve participated in many industry conferences as a presenter:
Project World - 5 years
CIPS Informatics - 7 years
PMI - Information Systems SIG – 2 years
Convergence - 4 years
Professional Petroleum Data Management Association - PPDM Association - several years
Qbyte Kananaskis – 10+ years
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

3. Presentation Outline Increasing Benefits
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Presentation Outline
Increasing Benefits
Opportunities in P2ES software packages
Recommendations
The objectives for my presentation today are:
to understand strategies for increasing benefits from our investments in software packages
to identify tactical initiatives for maximizing business benefits you can apply immediately
First we’ll drill into Increasing Benefits from Software Packages using a 5-part framework
Opportunities to increase benefits you receive from P2ES software packages
Then we’ll examine each of the major P2ES software packages
We’ll focus in on some under-used functionality; then you can determine if it might have wider applicability within your company
Recommendations
I’ll close with a few recommendations
Throughout my remarks, I’m keen to describe valuable ideas that will help us to improve the value we’re achieving from the software package functionality and the data that we’re using
Feel free to jump in with a comment at any time; that’s always better than waiting to the end
Just don’t throw anything
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

4. Software Package Increasing Benefits
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Software Package Increasing Benefits
Align with Business
and IT Strategy
Software Package Increasing Benefits
The guy in this cartoon is already focused on tomorrow afternoon’s activities
But really, the point of this cartoon is that increasing benefits of software packages requires the same focus many golfers apply to putting
Install Software
First we need to install the software. This may sound obvious but, surprisingly,some of us license software and then never manage to install it. I’m not going to ask for a show of hands
For example, in the real estate industry, as much as 25% of the software acquired by individual realtors is never actually installed on their workstations.
How many of us are paying for seats no one is using?
Failed software installations are examples of negative benefits (invested a lot of time, money and energy for no benefit).
Establish Data Custodianship
Data custodianship is about managing the values in buckets for accuracy and completeness; How often do we look at a screen or a report and immediately spot an error in the data?
This step is often ignored or jumped over in many implementations in the eagerness or under the pressure to push the project forward.
For example, someone should establish naming standards and monitor how UWI’s will be entered in the system.
Typically, data cleanup should be part of the implementation project scope
Good data custodianship is the basis for effective reports that don’t have to be massaged prior to presentation and is the basis for integration
How many of us export data from P2ES software packages, make various changes and then show the result to management? Is this task about presentation or is it really a cover up of embarrassing data issues?
Plan & Manage Implementation
Enterprise software packages, including the P2ES software packages, need to be consciously implemented; you can’t just type install and think you’re done; How often have we short-changed the implementation and lived with the resulting irritation for many years?
Implementation works better with a plan than if we simply wade in and start the work.
For example, appointing a project manager with the time/capacity/experience to manage the implementation and supporting that person with the required staff will shorten the implementation project and accelerate achievement of benefits.
A common problem is insufficient staff assigned to the implementation; that results in nasty shortcuts that produce long-term pain.
Enhance for Integration
integration is about keeping data in sync across applications; How many times have we retyped the data from one software package to another; How often have we made mistakes doing this?
Many of the business benefits we want to achieve are dependent on effective integration among software packages
For example, useful management reports about performance and trends in oil & gas companies demand the integration of financial, land, engineering and even external data
Align with Business and IT Strategy
alignment is about making sure we’re using software packages to support the business; not the other way around; How often have we said we can’t produce the data in a way that supports our new business strategy?
To maximize business benefits, the usage of our software packages must align with our business strategy.
For example, if our oil & gas company is exploration focused, then our data capture and reporting should align with finding costs and unexplored acreage to support this business strategy
Alternatively, if our oil & gas company is production focused, then our data capture and reporting should align with operating costs and production volume efficiency to support this business strategy
Now I’ll take us through a more detailed discussion of each of these steps and show how they lead to increasing the benefits we can derive from our software package investment I n c r e a s i g B e n f i t s
Enhance for
Integration
Plan & Manage
Implementation
Establish Data
Custodianship
Install
Software
Improving Software Package Environment
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

5. Makes software package usable
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Install Software
Test software package:
install end-user component on test workstations
install server component on test server
load initial test data
verify operation of software
train key end-users
Repeat process for production use
Install Software
Installing major software packages that provide functionality and benefits to many end-user, is more involved than simply tearing the shrink wrap off a box, inserting a CD and typing: setup
Test software package:
install end-user component on test workstations
install server component on test server
load initial test data
verify operation of software
train key end-users who will become your super users
Ensures all the components are there and you know how to install it
Initial testing provides the following benefits:
Establishes a sense of software robustness
Builds understanding of installation issues on both servers and workstations
Builds understanding of operational requirements
Provides first look at likely data conversion issues
Provides first insights into likely end-user training effort
Repeat process for production use
Production install provides the following benefits:
Ensures production environment is in fact ready for routine use
Provides insight into capacity requirements for server and network
Enables major project work such as data conversion, business process revisions, end-user training
Dysfunctional short-cuts, that some organizations take, that cause grief once the system is supposed to be truly in production include:
Skip the test install; install directly into production; meets schedule and cost pressure; addresses resource shortages
Don’t bother to verify the production install; assume that all the bugs were worked out in the test install
Overall, these installation tasks are intended to make the software package usable for our company
An important benefit is to ensure that the end-users have a positive initial experience that will build momentum toward adoption of the system
Makes software package usable
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

6. Establish Data Custodianship
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Establish Data Custodianship
Define data custodian role
Establish data quality standards
Train in data management practices
Support data quality
Establish Data Custodianship
Establishing data custodianship is a task that is much neglected to the detriment of maximizing benefits from software packages.
Usually this neglect occurs because it appears to be a boring task or one that’s difficult to see a benefit case for doing.
The benefit is significant because data custodianship provides confidence that reports and graphs are accurate and can be relied upon for decision-making
Define data custodian role:
scope. For example, will the scope of the data custodian reach beyond administrative applications into the world of exploration?
role. For example, will the data custodian role encompass policy and training?
interaction with end-users. For example, will the data custodian approve data changes or simply advise others?
Will the data custodian lead a cleanup to clean up the data problems of the past?
Establish data quality standards
For example, establish standards for managing UWI, cost centers, seismic & cross-section interpretations and data retention.
Train end-users in data management practices
For example, will we publish a reference guide, hold some orientation?
Support end-users to increase data quality
And will we reward and punish various behaviors that increase or decrease data quality?
The benefits that can be derived from this data custodianship work include:
enhancing confidence in the accuracy and completeness of values shown on reports and tables
enabling integration
improving quality of trend and variance reporting and analysis
simplifying data preparation for acquisition and divestment
ensuring asset exploitation is on target
The supporting examples largely illustrate the avoidance of data quality embarrassments including: (Don’t put your hand up if you’ve experienced these examples)
Restatement of reserves
Embarrassing notes that accompany the financial statements
Producing wells not shown on parcels offered for sale
Acreage reports that include surrendered lands
Over/understatement of finding costs
The overall objective of data custodianship is to increase the quality of our data so that we can increase the value we can derive from the investment we’re making in data.
Enables data quality improvement
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

7. Plan Implementation Project
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Plan Implementation Project
Determine project sponsor & steering committee membership
Assign project manager & team members
Write project statement
Build project plan including schedule, resources & budget
Plan implementation project. Major tasks include :
Determine project sponsor & steering committee membership
The project sponsor & steering committee provide important leadership to the project by championing the benefits within the organization
If no one is willing to accept these roles, then organizational readiness for the software package or the need for the software package are in serious doubt
Assign project manager & team members
Assigning a project manager & team members ensure that the project is adequately resourced for success
If no one with sufficient business experience is available to fulfill the role of business analyst, then the project is doomed to failure
Write the project statement
The project statement helps to achieve organizational consensus about the goals, characteristics and benefits of the project
Without a project statement, it’s less clear what’s in scope and what’s out of scope
Build project plan including budget, schedule & resources
The project plan describes resource requirements that the organization must bring to the table to achieve project success
No plan makes it difficult to know what the organization commitment to the projects needs to be
The benefits of planning the implementation of a software package with some amount of formality and discipline include:
Ensuring resource requirements are understood
Positioning the implementation to maximize benefits to the organization
Example benefits planning include:
Reducing/minimizing the disruption the implementation of a software package will produce
Helping project team and end-users understand their roles leading to improved individual performance
Ensuring risks and issues are recognized so that mitigations can be built into the project plan
Overall, the value of a software package implementation plan is to better understand the requirements of a successful implementation.
Positions project for successful implementation
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

8. Execute Implementation Project
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Execute Implementation Project
Upgrade computing environment
Establish support infrastructure
Train end-users
Communicate status and issues
Convert data
Deploy new application
Execute implementation project. Major tasks include:
Upgrade computing environment
Almost every new software package triggers a server upgrade and an expansion of storage
Establish support infrastructure and operating framework
Someone has to operate the new system; help them prepare to do a good job
Train end-users
Don’t just point end-users to the help system and say: Have Nice Day
Communicate status and issues regularly
Keep stakeholders informed; if you don’t communicate issues and expect a response, the issues will fester and may undermine or kill your project
Convert data
Converting data is a minefield; legacy data is always dirtier and less integratable than we expect; budget more resources
Deploy new application
Don’t just let the new system just leak out through a simple announcement on the Intranet
The benefits of executing the implementation of a software package with some amount of formality and discipline:
Ensure achievement of promised benefits
Produce a major contribution to risk reduction
Example benefits of good project execution include:
Building commitment to the new system by communicating what’s happening to the stakeholder community
Minimizing elapsed time of implementation leading to an acceleration of benefits
Ensuring risks and issues are addressed expeditiously before they fester causing delays, cost over-runs and a reduction of benefits
Overall, the value of a smooth software package implementation is to contain the cost of the implementation and to make the benefits of the software package available earlier in time
Positions software package for successful use
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

9. Enhance for Integration
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Enhance for Integration
Identify cross-functional data sharing opportunities
Establish strategy for consolidating data
Enhance software packages
Optimize monthly processing schedule
Enhance data management practices
Enhance use of the software package for integration
Many customers do not turn on all the available integration they’ve paid for.
The impediments include lack of awareness, lack of perceived benefit, no staff available to implement.
One impediment no one likes to talk about is that integration will make one group’s data quality lapses visible to other groups.
Where do we start? Identify cross-functional data sharing opportunities
Land should receive attention because that’s where a lot of important data like DOI, lease numbers and contract numbers begin life.
The explorationists tend to be the ones who first create UWI’s.
Engineers start gathering systems, batteries and plants.
Establish strategy for consolidating data:
eliminate overlaps. For example, try to synchronize DOI’s between PA and Land.
reduce duplication. For example, try to reduce the number of well information data stores.
Enhance software packages and related systems:
data export. Produce a set of data export queries to ensure more consistency in results.
data retrieval. Simplify data retrieval through a product like Petro-Lab.
Optimize the monthly processing schedule.
Can you tune your monthly schedule to make better information available.
What’s the optimum trade-off between your close day and the use of estimates?
Enhance data management practices. View data as an asset that enhances the value of your company.
Overall, the value of enhanced integration is to enable data sharing.
The value of data sharing is:
reduced data maintenance. For example, It sure is tedious to enter all these vendor and cost center codes over and over again.
reduced misunderstanding. For example, Oh, I thought you were referring to another seismic line.
enhanced consistency of communication. For example, Which well or cost center are you talking about?
enhanced accuracy and reliability. For example, I can defend this well list and its accompanying reserves valuation as accurate to the SEC or anyone else who wants to challenge us.
Enables data sharing
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

10. Align with Business and IT Strategy
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Align with Business and IT Strategy
Evolve software package
Manage business process change impacts
Migrate operating framework to use key technology components
Align with Business and IT Strategy
The last step along the path to maximizing benefits from our investment in software packages is to align the software package with the business and IT strategies
Evolve software package as:
new releases become available. For example, software package vendors, P2ES included, release new versions that incorporate new features; many of which offer worthwhile benefits as well as eradicating some irritating bugs.
business requirements change. For example, IFRS requires changes to transaction coding and to reporting; Occasionally, the ERCB changes requirements that affect field operations and production accounting
technology changes. For example, Web technology such as portals and application servers simplify data distribution and sharing.
Manage business process change impacts
For example, a new parent company, conversion from a royalty trust or a facility like the Petroleum Registry tend to produce business process changes that need to be addressed.
Sometimes we just gloss over a change with a new outboard spreadsheet and leave the business process pretty much intact. That approach produces a short term savings for long-term continuing pain and cost.
Instead, we should be thinking about revising financial coding rules and reporting designs.
Migrate operating framework to use key technology components:
database management system. For example, if your still using Oracle 8 or 9, you’re missing out on functionality and stability benefits.
database structures & naming. Perhaps rolling out PPDM more widely within your organization will improve data integration and data management.
operating systems. For example, if your still using Windows 2000, you’re missing out on functionality and stability benefits.
Hardware. New AS400’s or Intel servers are faster and cheaper than older ones.
Overall, the objective is ensure that software packages and their use maximize benefits in support of the business strategy.
Too often, staff have to fight with the functionality and the data to produce reports that help management understand how well or how poorly the oil & gas company is being operated in alignment with the stated business strategy.
Supports the business strategy
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

11. Attention maximizes business benefits
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Summary
Install Software
Establish Data Custodianship
Plan & Manage Implementation
Enhance for Integration
Align with Business and IT Strategy
What have we discussed so far today?
How do we increase benefits:
Install Software - Testing a software package before production rollout will ensure the implementation team knows enough make the rollout a success.
Establish Data Custodianship - Taking steps to improve data quality will increase confidence in the reports and graphs.
Plan & Manage Implementation - Pro-actively managing the implementation produces benefits by reducing implementation costs and by accelerating the start of benefits.
Enhance for Integration - The value of enhanced integration is to enable data sharing. Data sharing tends to reduce operating costs and improve asset management
Align with Business and IT Strategy - Software packages that are operated in alignment with business strategy produce benefits for the business strategy.
Overall, what I’ve tried to achieve through this presentation today is to:
Suggest areas of opportunity to achieve further benefits from the investment in software you’ve already made.
Communicate my belief that a little management attention to this topic of maximizing benefits will in fact produce a return for oil & gas companies.
Attention maximizes business benefits
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

12. Opportunities in P2ES software packages
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Opportunities in P2ES software packages
Assess opportunities to
maximize business benefits
from your investment in
P2ES software packages
Opportunities in P2ES software packages
Assess opportunities to maximize business benefits from your investment in P2ES software packages
Let’s work through the assessment question on the following pages
The goal is for you to identify at least one opportunity for further consideration when you return to your office
The benefits of pursuing better use of the available functionality include:
Annihilating various spreadsheets operators now use because these increase effort and reduce data quality
Improving data consistency that leads to higher reliability of reports
Containing operating costs through improved effectiveness
Consider the assessment questions
on the following pages
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

13. Financial Management IFRS processing Excel integration
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Financial Management
IFRS processing
Excel integration
Optics reporting/query application
Master file integration
Financial budgeting
Attach documents
Job scheduling
Under-used feature
Yes No
P2ES Financial Management
Here is a list of existing FM features that your organization can make more use of today
For each line, ask yourself: Is there an opportunity for us to make more use of this functionality?
Yes means it’s worth thinking about it some more when you return to the office
No means that you’re using the functionality extensively already or that it is not applicable to your company
IFRS processing provides support for:
WIP
DD&A
Reserves import
Cash generating unit
Comparative reporting between Canadian GAAP and IFRS
Excel integration
Qbyte has expanded the ability to download reports as Excel files for further manipulation
Simplifies the export of data to Excel without a lot of massaging in Excel before the data is useful
Optics reporting/query application
Create ad hoc report
Display results to screen before printing
Benefits are ease-of-use, lots of record selection and data display flexibility
Master file integration
use of a single set of Master file values across all software packages
Reduces reporting anomalies and reconciliation effort
Financial budgeting
Excel upload
Supports budget scenario development
Simplifies comparative reporting
Attach documents
This is a newer feature that allows you to attach supporting documents to transactions
Provides the context, that is often lost, for the change that was made
Job scheduling
stream jobs with parameters
Simplifies operation; eliminates forgetting which parameters go with which job
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

14. Land Management Accounting change notifications Query capability
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Land Management
Accounting change notifications
Query capability
Petro-Lab query & mapping
Excel integration
Add Reference documents
Land to Petro-Lab integration
Projects to update data
Under-used feature
Yes No
P2ES Land
Here is a list of existing Land features that your organization can make more use of today
Accounting change notifications
Production and Financial accountants can run a report of land changes during a specified period
Query capability
strong capability to select columns; no join required, data appears flat as if it was stored in a single giant table
Cross-module capability not recognized by some clients
one-button push to Excel
Petro-Lab query & mapping
Petro-Lab makes spatial queries easy for public data; spatial means restricting a query to an specific area
Petro-Lab creates various maps quickly and easily
Excel integration
Simplifies the export of data to Excel without a lot of massaging in Excel before the data is useful
Add Reference documents
This is a new feature that allows you to attach supporting documents to leases and contracts
Provides the context, that is often lost, for the change that was made
Land to Petro-Lab integration
Internal or proprietary land data can be easily accessed by Petro-Lab so that it’s available for queries and display on maps
Medium; most clients use it - Projects to update data
Associate leases with projects to simplify making the changes associated with acquisitions and divestitures or take-overs
Low; most clients use it - Invoicing for third party agreements
Simplifies the creation of monthly invoices for allowable charges under third party agreements
Low; most clients use it - Single update of assignment interests
Manages interests globally; rather than on a lease-by-lease basis
Off; not available - Copy of data from lease to lease
Reduces data entry effort
Improves consistency, reduces keying errors
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

15. PRISM Facility charges/Deductions Input and export interfaces
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
PRISM
Facility charges/Deductions
Input and export interfaces
Market master
FM Master file integration
Sophisticated DOI processing
FM interface sophistication
ERCB Directive 60 support
Under-used feature
Yes No
P2ES PRISM
Here is a list of existing PRISM PA features that your organization can make more use of today
Facility charges/Deductions
Creates entries for charges including overhead, processing, gathering, compression
Greatly reduces effort for handling the invoicing that arises from various agreements
Input interfaces
Field data gathering from PVR, FieldView
Gas analysis from ProTrend
Volumes and GJ’s for non-op properties from the Registry
Greatly improves data consistency and quality across systems
Export interfaces
JIBLink for freehold and override royalties
Simplifies process of making data available to partners
Market master
I know market masters is a controversial topics; many PA’s struggle with this feature
I believe that a small amount of learning effort to better understand the sophisticated features of market masters can provide lasting benefits
For example, setting up disposition information once and not re-keying it each month
FM Master file integration
use of a single set of Master file values shared with FM
Reduces reporting anomalies and reconciliation effort
Sophisticated DOI processing
Can handle various exceptions without creating yet another set of DOI’s to manage
For example, situations where one partner takes volumes in kind or where one partner’s participation in various categories of costs is different
FM interface sophistication
The flexibility to manage exceptions in what is booked and where it is booked
For example, transactions including your company’s share of income/fees and how you handle load oil or royalty in kind entries
Without the flexibility of the PRISM Entry and Account Definitions for the financial interface, you might need to create manual or reversing entries in FM
ERCB Directive 60 support
PRISM can handle reporting of fuel, flare, vent and greenhouse gases as required under Directive 060
The benefit is a higher level of assurance over compliance with ERCB measurement and reporting requirements
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

16. Conclusions Software package benefits can be increased
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Conclusions
Software package benefits can be increased
Benefits can be increased without increasing software licensing costs
Conclusions
Software package benefits can be increased
through this 5-step management process
Benefits can be increased without increasing software licensing costs
Without increasing staff time; in fact in most cases using the additional software functionality saves staff time
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

17. Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Recommendations
Evaluate how well your software packages are delivering benefits
Act on tactical initiatives
Reduce avoidable work
Read new release feature list
Recommendations
Here are some actions for you to consider when you return to your office
Evaluate how well your P2ES software packages are delivering benefits
This typically means making a list of what’s irritating or laborious in the monthly and annual processing cycles
Is it data problems, repetitive keying of the same information, unreliable and inconsistent reports?
Where did you place an X in the Yes column on the last three slides?
Act on tactical initiatives to improve:
Training
Use of available functionality
Integration across your software packages
Data quality
Business processes
Reduce avoidable work:
Use of spreadsheets
Re-work
Read new release feature list
Every software vendor publishes these lists
There’s a tendency to think the content is just for IT techies; that’s not true
These documents typically include a list of what’s new for business people as well
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

18. Questions & Discussion
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Questions & Discussion
Questions & Discussion
Can you help us
maximize benefits
from software?
Please
fill out
evaluation
form
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

19. Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages
Yogi Schulz
Partner of Corvelle Consulting
Information technology related management consulting
Microsoft Canada columnist & CBC Radio host
Industry presenter
PPDM Association board member
Corvelle Consulting 700, Ave. S. W. Calgary, Alberta T2P 2V7 Phone: (403) Web:
Let’s talk about the homework
You’ll see some pages at the end of my presentation
These pages contain part of your homework assignment
Now I know some of your bosses are wondering about the value of the time you’re spending here
Unfortunately, some bosses see the Qbyte Kananaskis conference as a short, paid vacation
So if you need to address this concern, you’ll be able to say to your boss that Kananaskis wasn’t all fun and games; that you learned a lot and that you actually received homework from some of the presenters
On the homework pages you’ll see lists of functionality for the Microsoft Office software packages. From my experience, these lists are a good place to start to achieve more benefits from your investment in Microsoft Office software
Check out the homework
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

20. Microsoft Office Word Styles Tabs Print envelopes Hanging indents
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Microsoft Office Word
Styles
Tabs
Print envelopes
Hanging indents
Running header/footer
Automatic page numbering
Different first page
Under-used feature
Yes No
Microsoft Office Word
Styles
Do use Normal, Heading 1 and others
Don’t just format text using the tool bar
Achieves a consistent look of your document
Supports automated table of contents
Tabs
Do set tabs
Don’t just keep hitting the tab keep until the text moves to the right where you want it
Achieves a consistent vertical indentation
Don’t use tabs to achieve multiple columns; use Insert columns
Print envelopes
Select the inside address to print on the envelope
Many don’t use their laser printer to print envelopes
Hanging indents
Don’t press return in the text near the right margin to force a line break
When you have an ordered list or an bulleted list, you can achieve automatic line wrap and make the left edge of the text line up nicely using hanging indents
Running header/footer
Don’t type header and footer information into the body of a page; if you add a line, the footer moves down on the page
Running header/footer gives a document a unified look
Automatic page numbering
Insert page number into a footer
Different first page
Gives the first page of a letter or chapter a unique visual appearance
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

21. Microsoft Office Outlook
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Microsoft Office Outlook
Tasks
Type starting contact on To line
Create appointments from Inbox
Attach links not files
Vcards to share contacts
Search to find contacts &
Signature to identify sender
Under-used feature
Yes No
Microsoft Office Outlook
Tasks
Using task can greatly improve your routine organization and your productivity
Type starting contact name on the To line
Much faster and simpler than clicking on the Contacts icon and scroll through the available contacts
Create appointments from Inbox
Drag the incoming to the Calendar icon at the bottom left
This action brings all the text into the notes section of the appointment
Attach links not files
Attaching files creates large s, wastes considerable disk space and creates lots of version problems as all the recipients save the attachment
Vcards to share contacts
Vcards eliminate keying new contact information from business cards or the signature block of incoming s
Search to find contacts &
Most of us have lots of and contacts; looking for an item just by scrolling won’t be successful; use search
Signature to identify sender
In my view every one of your outgoing s should include a short signature block of your contact information
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

22. Microsoft Office Excel
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Microsoft Office Excel
Named ranges
Graphs
Sort/Filter
Multiple sheets per workbook
Linking sheets
Populate with query
AutoFill
Under-used feature
Yes No
Microsoft Office Excel
Named ranges
Give variables better meaning for use in formulas
Don’t give $number references to cells in formulas
Graphs
Excel makes great quick graphs from a small amount of data
Sort/Filter
Easy to sort data
Filter instantly adds pull-down lists to use for filtering data
Multiple sheets per workbook
Keep data together in one neat package
Enables creation of summary sheets from detail sheets
Linking sheets
Use Paste Link to create a reference rather than copy data creating risk of out-of-sync conditions
Populate with query
Use Excel to receive and manipulate the results from a database query
AutoFill
Quickly fill in a list of ascending numbers or dates
Avoids a lot of mind-numbing typing
Text parsing
Enables quick separation of a parts of a text string into multiple cells for improved data structure
For example, parsing some text with a number into two columns enables adding the column of numbers
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

23. Microsoft Office PowerPoint
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Microsoft Office PowerPoint
Styles through Masters
PowerPoint Templates
Custom animation
Slide transition
Notes pages
Tables
Video and Sound
Under-used feature
Yes No
Microsoft Office PowerPoint
Styles through Masters
Use Slide and Notes masters to maintain a consistent layout, look and feel
PowerPoint Templates
Use the PowerPoint Templates at Microsoft Office
Custom animation
Create some movement on your slides
Don’t go overboard
Slide transition
Change the slide transitions to maintain interest
Notes pages
Use the Notes pages to prepare your speaking notes
Your notes should have more text than your slides
PowerPoint is not a teleprompter; do not have what amounts to your notes as the text on the slide
Tables
Tables are a great alternative to bullet lists to create some variation among your slides
Video and Sound
Insert Video and Sound to create multi-media presentations
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

24. Bibliography Achieving Value from ERP Systems
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Bibliography
Achieving Value from ERP Systems
Five awesome Excel tips to make your data come alive
How Your Business Can Benefit From Accounting Software
Information Technology Delivers Business Productivity
The 10 ways IT can do more with less
You’ve licensed great software! Now what?
Bibliography
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

25. More Financial Management
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
More Financial Management
PST/HST processing
Qbyte Connect
Data entry tips & tricks
Cost allocations
Foreign currency
Under-used feature
Yes No
P2ES Financial Management
PST/HST processing
For your business outside of Alberta, managing PST/HST is becoming more complex
For example, B. C. recently adopted HST
Reduces mistakes and processing effort
Qbyte Connect
Qbyte Connect handles the import of data in a reliable consistent and robust way
For example, AFE data from AFE Navigator, Accounts Payable data from PowerVision, Reserves data
If you still have various custom scripts handling imports of data, consider an upgrade to Qbyte Connect
Data entry tips & tricks
function keys to copy a line when doing data entry
Reduces keying for vendor drilldown
Cost allocations
Vehicles to wells, Gather systems, head office costs
Reduces effort to make the many calculations involved
Foreign currency
Supports any number of General Ledger currencies
Very helpful for foreign operations
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

26. Software Package Range of Capabilities
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Software Package Range of Capabilities
Software Package Range of Capabilities
Software packages vary in their range of capabilities
Understanding the capabilities of Software Packages is part of maximizing benefits.
For the next few slides, I’ll be using a graph that shows Increasing Benefits on the Y-axis.
The simplest software packages are Manual Support Tools.
Notepad and Calculator are good examples that we’ve all used.
They serve a small, specific purpose for a single person and don’t manage much data.
Then come the Single Point Solutions.
These software packages serve a single person, usually perform a single function and can range in capability but don’t manage a lot of data.
Good examples are packages like Outlook, Outlook Express and Eudora.
For example, in editing photos, Microsoft Photo Editor is much more limited than Adobe Photoshop.
Multi-point Solutions.
These software packages serve a group of individuals, perform a wider range of functions and typically manage data in a file system.
A good example would be an accounting package like Great Plains that performs GL, AP and AR functions. Another example is the AutoCAD suite for creating and managing engineering and architectural drawings.
Interfaced Solutions.
These software packages consist of a series of modules that perform a wide range of functions and manage data in multiple databases. The modules can be operated independently.
Data exchange between the modules is achieved by way of end-user initiated file transfer.
A good example would be the P2ES suite of software with little of the integration turned on.
You can share Business Associates to the extent that you run the interface that makes this data available to the various modules.
You upload the financial entries to the GL only when you choose to do so.
Loosely Integrated Solutions.
These software packages consist of a series of modules that perform a wide range of functions . The modules operate with some inter-dependence and manage data in a shared database.
Data managed by one module is accessible to end-users of other modules.
For example, various modules in the P2ES suite of software access Business Associates managed in FM or the DOI managed in Land.
CRM software tends to operate in this manner as well.
Tightly Integrated Solutions.
These software packages consist of a series of modules that perform a wide range of functions and manage data in a database. The modules expect that they’ll be operated inter-dependently.
This is the domain of ERP software like SAP, Oracle E-Business Suite or Microsoft Dynamics AX.
Data generated in one modules is available to all modules in close to real time.
Moving up the chain requires not only software that is suitably capable but also that the organization operate with data management disciplines that do cost money for staff.
Tightly
Integrated
Solution I n c r e a s i g
Loosely
Integrated
Solution B e n f i t s
Interfaced
Solution
Multi-
Point
Solution
Single
Point
Solution
Manual
Support
Tool
Common
Capability
Range
Improving Application Capability
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages

27. Software Package Optimum Integration Cost/Benefit
Corvelle Consulting
5/1/2019
Software Package Optimum Integration Cost/Benefit
Optimum
Data Integration
Range I n c r e a s i g
Software Package Optimum Integration Cost/Benefit
There’s an optimum data sharing point for data integration among software packages
Below this range opportunities are being missed.
For example, if we’re printing the list of DOI updates in Land and couriering the list to PA, there an opportunity to improve integration.
Above this range, data integration costs more to maintain than it returns in value to the organization.
For example, we’re maintaining the well list in PA to include wells that Exploration cares about that will not become producers or injectors, this task is probably a waste of time.
Utopia in data sharing is far too costly. However, insufficient data sharing is costly in another sense:
bad/poor business decisions
Lots of reconciliation effort across systems
wasted time and effort hunting for data that could have been made more accessible
Determining the amount of data integration to pursue is a function of these Complexity Drivers:
number of interfaces required to move data around; too many interfaces become too costly to maintain.
number of users/departments who need access to data; more departments suggest value in more integration.
number of locations in which your organization operates; more locations suggests benefits in more integration.
amount of business change. Trying to improve integration in the midst of lots of re-organization or merger activity that generate uncertainty is probably counter-productive.
sophistication of end-users. Less sophisticated end-users can probably be assisted more by more integration.
As these numbers go up, both the costs to implement and operate interfaces as well as the potential benefits go up.
For example, to what extent should you provide field offices with update access?
To what extent should foreign subsidiaries access and maintain data in the same database instance you’re using for Canadian operations? B e n f i t s
Complexity Drivers:
number of interfaces
number of users/departments
number of locations
amount of business change
Increasing Costs
Maximizing Business Benefits from Software Packages