To ensure the implementation of Briefcase is successful, preparation is vital. Below are some key steps to help you set up as smoothly as possible.

Business Processes

Implementing a new system provides a great opportunity for you to analyze your current processes. You may have some processes that are no longer efficient and need to be modified, or there may be others that need to be implemented. It is important to document and review your processes, improving them if necessary before configuring the system around them. And don't be afraid to ask us either, remember we do this a lot and taking the time to speak to us can make all the difference!

Users and Roles

All Briefcase users should have controlled access rights based on their role and / or job function. Roles should be defined based on your business processes and the jobs that people perform. For example, Faye in accounting would need to be a user with invoice and reporting access, whereas Paul our designer may need only job and time entry access. Role definitions should be defined by what your employees do every day and what they need to get their jobs done. Taking the time to create a matrix by user and function will help speed up the implementation process.

Reporting

We've thought very carefully about the reporting options we've designed as standard into Briefcase. However, you may need something which is special to your needs. Consider the current reports you require and check that you can achieve the required outputs with Briefcase.

Data Migration

Many companies have information stored in older systems that they wish to move across into Briefcase. This information is oftentimes organized differently to ours, requiring some effort to relocate. Focusing on migration strategies early on can help ensure a smoother transfer of information down the road.

Find A Champion

A champion is a person at your company who espouses the advantages of Briefcase to others and works to get the whole team on board. The project champion is the central point of contact when communicating with your staff, management and us. Once Briefcase is implemented, a champion ensures that everyone continues to use the system properly and helps others when they have questions.

IT Support

Just like most types of software, there are certain setup requirements to meet in order for it to work properly. This might include freeing up disk space, updating browsers, upgrading Internet bandwidth, supplying network access etc. Notify your IT consultant about the proposed changes, they can ensure that your systems will support the new software now and in future, particularly if there are proposed changes to your setup.

Change Management

Implementing a new system can be a major change for a company, especially if you've never used one in the past. People are naturally resistant to change and don't want to deal with learning something new, which is why it's smart to hold a meeting at least a week or two prior to implementation. Tell your team members about Briefcase, its functions, and how it will make their lives easier. If possible, give a presentation on the software and show some screen shots of it in action. You should also answer any questions and give employees a rough outline of how the process will unfold.

Briefcase uses FileMaker* as the database engine, installation requires all workstations have the FileMaker Pro client software installed. If you are hosting your database on your own server you will also be required to install FileMaker Server.

The installation process is very straight forward, we provide links for download and a number of video tutorials detailing the entire process. Our support team is also available for any technical assistance that may be required.

We are also able to offer on site installation as part of our professional on site training and implementation service. Please bear in mind that any time allocated to installing software will reduce the overall time available on the day for training. Alternatively, we are happy to quote for the provision of additional time on site on the day to cover this additional component.

If you wish for us to complete the installation on your behalf please ensure the following items are addressed and available prior to our arrival.

• Temporary administrative rights for software installation are available
• Server access and temporary administrator rights for the installation of software
• Any firewalls or security features limiting access are removed or temporary passwords provided

*Briefcase Starter Edition does not require FileMaker.

Workstations

Version stated is the minimum requirement. The software may also work with later versions certified by FileMaker, Inc.

Mac	Windows*
macOS Sierra 10.12 OS X El Capitan v10.11	Windows 10 Pro & Windows 10 Enterprise Windows 8.1 & Windows 8.1 Pro Windows 7 SP1 Ultimate & Windows 7 SP1 Professional & Windows 7 SP1 Home Premium

Please note: Windows users also require Internet Explorer 9 or higher.

Workstation hardware requirements

	Minimum	Recommended
Windows	CPU: 1 GHz or faster x86 or x64 processor RAM: 1 GB	CPU: 1 GHz or faster x86 or x64 processor RAM: 2 GB or more
Mac	RAM: 2 GB	RAM: 4 GB or more

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Server (if required)

Version stated is the minimum requirement. FileMaker Server may also work with later operating systems certified by FileMaker, Inc. Operating systems not listed in the table below have not been tested and are not supported.

Mac	Windows
macOS Sierra v10.12* OS X El Capitan v10.11 OS X Yosemite v10.10 OS X Mavericks v10.9.x	Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard Edition with Update Windows Server R2 Standard Edition (64-bit) Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition

Server hardware requirements

Minimum	Recommended
CPU: Dual Core RAM: 4 GB Hard Drive: 80 GB or more, dependent on file size, requires minimum 10 GB free space	CPU: 4-Core RAM: 8 GB Hard Drive: 80 GB or more, dependent on file size, requires minimum 10 GB free space

Requirements

Web Browser: Access to one of the following web browsers is required: Safari 6.x and Safari 7.x or Internet Explorer 9.x or 10.x or Chrome 27.x. These versions are the minimum requirements. FileMaker Server may also work with later browser versions certified by FileMaker, Inc

Additional Requirements for Private Host users

Java: FileMaker Server 14 is currently certified to work with JRE 1.8.0_31. The minimum required version of Java is JRE 1.8.0_31.

TCP/IP: We require the following ports: 80, 443, and 5003 for FileMaker clients; 16000 for Admin Console users.

Comprehensive on-site training is available as part of our Premium Support service, it does not however form part of our subscription fees. (Specialized on-site training at quoted rates can be provided upon request) Travel costs are additional and will be dependent on location and duration. (Location Restrictions Apply) For larger groups we recommend this option and possibly an additional days training as it really does provide the very best outcomes in the shortest possible time, including huge productivity and strong financial benefits and will ensure that all staff are confident with the system.

If you choose this option we will request that you confirm in writing the training date/s that you have selected to conduct your training program. Once confirmed, we will make all the necessary travel arrangements and therefore we will be unable to re-schedule. If you do need to re-schedule, any additional travel that we incur costs will be passed on.

Please ensure all staff members involved are available and punctual. This will ensure that everyone will be on the same page at the same time and we do not need to cover the same training topics twice.

Where possible (and in particular with large groups), please try to keep all questions to a minimum as we will generally cover the most common area’s of the system in some detail within each session and then conduct a question and answer session if required. It is often easier to write down a question to bring up at the end if it has not been covered.