Implementation engagements

The engagement is the operating center for a software implementation. It identifies the client, manager, owning organization, engagement type, start and end dates, contract value and budget hours. Proposed work can be reviewed before delivery starts. Active work gives the manager one place to compare delivered service, logged hours, expenses and milestone value with the original commitment.

The engagement record also carries delivered cost, approved and invoiced service amounts, contract consumed, hours burn and remaining billable value. These measures help the practice lead separate a schedule problem from a commercial one. The Implementation Margin Desk compares the contract against delivered and billed amounts and lets the reviewer open the engagement behind an exception.

• Baseline. Keep the client, manager, practice, contract value and budget on the engagement.
• Delivery sources. Link time, expenses and configuration work to that engagement.
• Commercial review. Compare delivered cost and amount with billed service and remaining budget.

• Commercial baseline. Agree the contract value, engagement type and budget hours before moving work to Active.
• Manager ownership. Give each engagement a named manager and owning organization.
• Completion rule. Decide who reviews remaining billing and expenses before marking work Completed.

Agree a representative implementation for rehearsal. Use the same client and engagement across delivery, service review and billing. Keep the person who enters a record distinct from the person who makes the business decision when the team requires that separation. Make the ownership rule clear before a busy billing period, because a status alone does not explain who should take the next action.

Take a fixed fee implementation with a clear start date and go-live target. Record its client, manager, contract value and budget hours. Add a configuration deliverable and consultant time to that engagement, then inspect delivered amount, logged hours and cost on the same record. If the hours burn rises faster than service billing, open the margin desk and trace the signal back to that engagement. Before completion, review open milestones and billings against the dates and contract.

The reviewer should open the source record behind each amount and compare it with the engagement. If a correction is needed, keep the earlier outcome visible and explain the new one in the appropriate decision or operation record. A manager should be able to identify the client, the responsible person and the next action without reconstructing the history from messages.

• Active Implementations — Review live engagements by client, manager, contract value and budget.
• Implementation Schedule — Check proposed and active work against start and end dates.

Start with Establish engagement and use implementation planning to rehearse the handoff with your team.