Software and Hardware Business Case - CWU Home
Software and Hardware Business CaseWildcat Shop POS system ChangeTable of Contents TOC \h \z \u \t "Heading 2,1" Executive Summary PAGEREF _Toc347312853 \h 21.Problem Definition PAGEREF _Toc347312854 \h 22.Addressing Problem with CWU existing tools and products PAGEREF _Toc347312855 \h anizational Impact PAGEREF _Toc347312856 \h 34.Benefits PAGEREF _Toc347312857 \h 35.Strategic Alignment PAGEREF _Toc347312858 \h 36.Cost PAGEREF _Toc347312859 \h 37.Alternatives PAGEREF _Toc347312860 \h 58.Timing / Schedule PAGEREF _Toc347312861 \h 59.Technology Migration/Resource Identification PAGEREF _Toc347312862 \h 510.Product Life/Application Sunsetting or Decommissioning PAGEREF _Toc347312863 \h 611.References PAGEREF _Toc347312864 \h 612.Recommendation713.Approvals PAGEREF _Toc347312866 \h 7Executive SummaryThe Wildcat Shop is currently using a 25-year-old POS system. Sequoia Retail Systems, our provider, has not put any money into developing new technologies that would bring its system up to National Retail Federation (NFR) standards, which is what all retail systems should strive to meet.? The integrity of our system has been highly in doubt this past year, as well as the support we are receiving from their help desk.? Due to this, we need to find a system that will meet our needs of providing the store excellent and innovative tools for the future and the ability to plug in additional pieces that meet NFR standards in relation to Microsoft products widely available in today’s market. Ratex Business Solutions will meet the NFR standards and will provide a robust textbook package which is imperative in our college retail market. They also have no ties to a used-book company, like most other system providers in our marketplace. This allows us the freedom to choose the vendors that we believe will serve our students better. Ratex Business Solutions is owned by the Collegiate Retail Alliance (CRA) which is made up of some of the most successful independent college stores in North America, with the purpose of collaborating and finding smarter ways of doing business. The company makes no profit, which further proves that they are there to improve the stores and provide technology that will help these stores succeed. Sponsoring Department(s): Wildcat Shop Date of Business Case Preparation: October 1, 2014 Contact Person Name/Phone: Steve Wenger, 1353 FORMCHECKBOX New Product/ServiceIf there is a draft or sample contract, please provide a copy. FORMCHECKBOX Renewal of Existing Product/Service – if checked, include background information.We pay our existing software provider a yearly maintenance fee of $31,500 for the system and an additional $7590 for our web site for a total of $39,090 per year. Problem Definition The Wildcat Shop is presently using the Sequoia Retail Systems POS for all business within the store and their ePOS program for online ordering. We have used their system since May of 2005. We are having problems with the integrity of the system both from the retail side and IT support that make it necessary for us to find a new provider that will provide us with a stable platform and acceptable support when we need it.Addressing Problem with CWU existing tools and products (i.e. PeopleSoft)The present POS has connectivity with the PeopleSoft system for input of account data for student ID and departmental account information as well as course information being available within the enrollment process. We have been greatly hampered within the textbook department this year with a slowdown of the textbook system since February of 2014 for all functions. This has caused a large loss of time for my staff and still has not been fixed by the present software provider. We have also lost sales with several breakdowns that occurred during mid-September only a week before classes started where the system was shut down for several hours. We are fearful that this is only going to get worse. Nate Hill, our Auxiliary Services Computing Director, feels the same. We feel that we need to move within the year at the latest to a stable system. The new system would be able to do all of this plus connect with the accounting system for processing payments eliminating input presently required by our staff. Organizational ImpactAll Stakeholders: Wildcat Shop staff, Auxiliary Services Computing staff, Financial Services, and Enterprise Accounting staffPotential Partners/Primary Users: Wildcat Shop staff, Auxiliary Services Computing staff and CWU students, alumni and guestsRFP Requirements Contributors – This section may or may not be requiredDepartmentNameWildcat ShopSteve WengerEnterprise ComputingNate Hill Benefits Elimination of redundant workSave on labor and time with Digital Document StorageLess exposure to potential data errorsReduction of manual entry for online productsGreater ability to analyze store, vendor, and product performance to improve the bottom line with AGORA Business IntelligenceLower prices to students on textbooksImprove time use for Academic Course Materials staffProvide Customer relationship management (CRM) system to help us better interact with our current and future customersStrategic AlignmentThe mission of Central Washington University is to prepare students for enlightened, responsible, and productive lives; to produce research, scholarship, and creative expression in the public interest; and to serve as a resource to the region and the state through effective stewardship of university resources. This project aligns perfectly with Objective 5.1: Maximize the financial resources to the university, and assure the efficient and effective operations of the University through financial stewardship.CostSource of Funding (535510000) from our store reserves that have been set aside for a new POS system. This has been in the budget and planned for the last few yearsInitial Cost BreakdownDescription PricingVisualRATEX Software (1-B)104,000Training (1-B)31,200Administrative Software (1-C)3,770e-RATEX Ecommerce (1-D)18,295Back Office and Point of Sale Server (1-E)CWU SuppliedBack Office and POS Server DBMS (1-F)17,920Point of Sale Registers (1-G)15,855Point of Sale Registers - Portable (1-H)5,590Signature Capture Devices (1-I)10,327Barcode Price Tag Printer (1-K)1,790Professional Services Estimates (1-L) 31,200Total$239,9475 year Maintenance Cost Breakdown EstimatesMaintenance CategoryYear 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5VisualRATEX– Maintenance for Proposed Modules27,68029,06530,51532,04033,640eRATEX Ecommerce9,0009,4509,92010,41510,935Host Access POS Connectivity Application- 9 RegistersWarranty270270270270ASPDotNetStore FrontWarranty500500500500RDBMS (40 users)Warranty3,2003,2003,2003,200Yearly Total$36,680$42,485$44,405$46,425$48,545Alternatives AlternativeReasons For Not Selecting AlternativeRemaining on present systemWe continue to have more problems and more severe ones with the system and they are not supporting us or making any moves to improve or replace the 25 year old operating system. Our provider is not embracing new technologies needed for the business of our store. Western Washington U uses this system as well.Purchase MBS systemThis is a good system but is controlled by a used book company and therefore is limited to what they want to do and add to the system not the independent stores that are using it. It also has WIPHE through May 2015 through Peninsula CC. This system is used at Eastern Washington University.Purchase Sidewalk POS systemThis system is presently untested and we don’t know how this new company will end up. It may be a great system, but it is too early to tell how it will do with a large storeWSU is lease operated by Barnes and Noble and does not apply. Ratex Legacy is used at U of W and would not apply Timing / Schedule Task Target DateRFP ready11/2014RFP process complete1/2015Start Implementation process 2/2015Training5/1/2015Data Extraction5/15/2015Go Live6/1/2015Physical Inventory6/26/2015Technology Migration/Resource Identification The Wildcat Shop staff was introduced to the RATEX software in an overview in early August 2014 and a more complete demonstration to all store personnel the first week in September. All staff were very impressed with the software and the additional tools it provided for CRM, BI, online ordering, and course materials capabilities that improve the stores ability to provide products and services to our students at affordable prices and improve store profitability. All data for products will be able to be migrated to the new system. Requirements TimeframePersonnel RATEX trainer and installers2/2015-6/2015Equipment Computer, server, phone2/2015-6/2015FacilitiesOffice use5/2015-6/2015ResourceJan2015FebMarAprMayJuneJulyAugSeptOctNovDec2014Project Manager (CWU PMO)10303040404015510Project Lead (CWU Aux. Computing)1020308080805Configuration Mgr.(CWU Aux. Computing)102020Training Manager (vendor)3310075Total Hours501001803535737687831020Product Life/Application Sunsetting or DecommissioningThis product is being reinvented completely within the next year to two years and will be modular with Microsoft components and SQL server operating system. The modular concept will make this product able to adapt and change for the future. We expect a 10 to 15 year life for the system with periodic upgrades and the ability to change with new add on abilities.ReferencesJeff Zeilenga, University of Missouri, Columbia. Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, stated that this system is the future for all college stores after looking for a solution inside and outside the college book industry with Microsoft integration that met NFR standards. They have been using the system for three years.David Kent, Director of the Tennessee Vols Store at University of Tennessee, and President of the Independent College Bookstore Association (ICBA): Presently using the system for four years and highly recommended it to us. RecommendationIt is the recommendation of the Wildcat Shop management team and the textbook department to move forward with changing from Sequoia Retail Systems to Ratex Business Solutions. As I stated in part two we have been greatly hampered within the textbook department this year with a slowdown of the textbook system since February of 2014 for all functions. This has caused a large loss of time for my staff and still has not been fixed by the present software provider. We have also lost sales with several breakdowns that occurred during mid-September only a week before classes started where the system was shut down for several hours. We are fearful that this is only going to get worse. Nate Hill, our Auxiliary Services Computing Director, feels the same. We feel that we need to move within the year at the latest to a stable system. Ratex has proved to be that system and will allow us to grow with the new technology that they will be providing within the next two years. We will spend very little on hardware as it allows us to only spend an additional $15,000 on upgrading the monitors for our registers and two smaller portable registers for outside sales. It is hard to put a price on integrity of the system and that is really what is at stake with staying with Sequoia. We are seeing most of the larger college stores presently with Sequoia leaving and we cannot afford to be left as the last store with no support.We already need to do an upgrade on our credit card terminals so this is not an additional charge. This $10,000 expense we would incur next year regardless of getting a new system or not to make ready for pin pad PCI compliance.Approvals The following actions have been taken by the appropriate Sub-Council (ATAC or Non-Academic Sub-Council) and Enterprise Information System Committee (EISC):DateAction By11/3/2014ApprovedEISC Upon secured funding and approval by the Enterprise Information System Committee (EISC), Enterprise Facilities Committee, or one of the two Sub-Councils (Academic or Non-Academic), CWU procurement policies and procedures should be used to initiate a purchase.? Please contact the Purchasing office at x1001 with any questions regarding the procurement process.If you have any questions, please contact Ginger McIntosh 963-1466, Sue Noce 963-2927 or Tina Short 963-2910. ................
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