Develop and Carry Out Implementation Plans - Implementation of CCA Project

Executive Summary

This report relates to Phase Four of Six in relation to the implementation of the Common Chart of Accounts for Cemeteries and Crematoria (‘CCA project’).

The CCA project has been commissioned to assist cemetery trusts with the implementation of the Cemeteries Common Chart of Accounts (‘CCA’), and the establishment of systems to facilitate improved information gathering and reporting processes. The project comprises six distinct, but inter-connected, phases. Each phase requires the successful completion of a number of activities in order to provide the specified deliverable.

The brief for Phase Four calls for the development of a plan for the implementation of the CCA in the general ledger for the 2007/08 financial year for each Trust and subsequently, assisting each Trust with the execution of the developed plan.

Our approach in meeting the requirements of the brief included the development of an implementation plan template which may be used as a checklist of matters for consideration in relation to each implementation. The template was developed using Microsoft Project to facilitate tailoring of tasks, resource allocations and time frames to the specific requirements of each Trust.

The implementation process comprises seven (7) key stages – planning, review, mapping, migrate, trial, training and go live. Each stage incorporates a number of tasks to be performed to enable the CCA to be implemented in an efficient and effective manner. An overview of each of these stages is provided within this report.

On the basis of information provided to us, eleven (11) of the fourteen (14) Trusts have implemented the CCA in their general ledger for the 2007/08 financial year. We understand that, following implementation, these Trusts are capturing data on a transactional basis in accordance with the CCA principles and guidelines. At this time, the remaining three (3) Trusts are yet to implement the CCA in their general ledger.

This report marks the conclusion of Phase Four of the project.