Background
Milaha is currently employing an application named HRWorks in its Human Resources department. An external company called DLI develops the program, and the license does not include future updates to the installation. A year has passed since the last update, and the company has determined that an upgrade to a new patch is required. The action is expected to fix bugs, improve performance, and eliminate any issues in the system. The existing database will not be affected and will be compatible with the new version.
The upgrade should cost approximately $5000, but there are additional prerequisites that are necessary for the installation. A new server will be required to host the HRWorks suite, along with the associated costs. The old server is currently using Microsoft Windows 2008, which is an outdated system that is nearing the end of its support cycle. The newest HRWorks version does not support the operating system, necessitating an update. The installation also requires Visual Studio 2015 or higher, and the application comes with associated costs, as well. This proposal outlines the benefits of the upgrade, the requirements for the server, and the related expenses.
Key Challenges within the Existing System
The server is also an old system, as it was first installed when Windows Server 2008 was the best operating system for enterprise solutions. New software tends to require significant processing power, and HRWorks lists a recommended processor, memory, and disk space in its requirements. The current version of the application is not working smoothly on the company’s server because the hardware lacks processing power. Lastly, the employees at Milaha have made some mistakes during the formation of the database. Their competence is not sufficient to enable them to resolve the issues that arise.The current system has several disadvantages associated with the young age of the HRWorks application. The Human Resources department has occasionally complained about encountering bugs that would interfere with their work. It is also possible that the system has security issues that endanger the personal information of the employees by enabling a data breach. Privacy is an essential concern for departments and programs that work with sensitive data, and worries that it is insufficient should be addressed promptly.
Key Requirements for the New System
The upgrade should help the Human Resources department improve its productivity through the use of a more efficient suite than before. The improvements and the elimination of the errors should make their work easier and faster. Furthermore, the upgrades that are necessary for the installation of the new version will have advantages, as well. The new system will be more convenient for use and have better security than the old one. The latest Visual Studio suite will also enhance the productivity of the employees.The new version of the Human Resources database management software will be an updated version of the old one. As such, it will generally have the same functionality but perform better in many aspects. DLI claims that it has fixed some of the bugs that were present in the program and improved the performance of the suite (HRWorks Patch Upgradation Document). Its installation process also involves the direct participation of the developer’s professionals. They should be able to identify existing issues and fix them while updating the program.
Key Benefits of the New System
Non-financial benefits:
Efficiency will be improved, primarily through the following:
- Improvement in process efficiency
- Efficient use of resources:
- The issues currently present in the system will be eliminated, allowing the HR staff to operate efficiently without having to work around the problems. As such, a smaller number of employees will be necessary to manage the department.
- Efficient use of resources:
- Time savings:
- The improved performance will enable the HR team to spend less time working on each change to the database, allowing it to accomplish more in the same time frame. The time freed in this manner can be used to work on the other duties of the team.
- Time savings:
- Improvement in security and error prevention
- Improved error prevention:
- The issues that will be resolved and the bugs that will be fixed will no longer manifest, reducing the probability of mistaken data entry or output. Inaccurate data can lead to incorrect accounting and management decisions, endangering the company.
- Improved error prevention:
- Superior security:
- The new suite will likely eliminate some of the potential vulnerabilities in the HRWorks package, reducing the chances of a data breach and improving the safety of the employees
- The updates to the operating system and Visual Studio installation will make them more secure and ensure that they remain safe in the future through regular updates.
- Superior security:
The Cost of the New System
One-time cost
The Human Resources department has contacted the vendors of the various solutions necessary and received an estimate of the cost.
The installation of the new version of the HRWorks suite is expected to cost approximately USD 40,000.
The above price includes the following:
- Server hardware cost
- Implementation charges
- Data migration charges
- Licenses for various tools, including the operating system, Visual Studio, and HRWorks
Annual recurring cost
There will be an annual recurring cost as well, amounting to approximately USD 5,000.
The above price includes the following:
- Server maintenance
- Visual Studio Enterprise licensing cost
- The annual costs of the other solutions necessary for the department’s operations.
The vendor for the server has not been selected yet, as there are numerous options in the market. The selection of the seller and model will be performed with the aid of the Milaha Procurement Team and the Milaha IT Team upon approval of this business case.
The vendor for the server has not been selected yet, as there are numerous options in the market. The selection of the seller and model will be performed with the aid of the Milaha Procurement Team and the Milaha IT Team upon approval of this business case.
The new system will be fully integrated into Milaha’s current HR framework and have access to the same databases. A downtime period will be necessary while the data is being migrated to the new server. The implementation of the latest patch will likely take one month.
Next Steps
- Present the business case before the management responsible for making financial decisions
- Obtain management approval of the business case and the permission to proceed
- Select the vendor and choose an appropriate server solution via the Milaha Procurement Team
- Contact the parties that sell the necessary software, purchase it via the Milaha Procurement Team, and install it with the aid of the Milaha IT Team
- Contact DLI, reach an agreement on the installation date and time and perform the upgrade with the help of the Milaha IT Team.
In all of the above steps, the HR department will keep Milaha IT team and other stakeholders aligned to ensure a successful implementation of the new patch.
Work Cited
HRWorks Patch Upgradation Document. 2019.