As a leading expert in finance solutions in France, Althéa supports companies in optimizing their financial information systems, with over 300 solution selection support assignments completed for companies across all sectors. Our independent consulting firm deploys unique expertise in supporting financial management projects, from solution selection through implementation, integrating performance, profitability, and growth challenges.
Selection Support: Choosing the Right Solution for You
Since 2005, Althéa has made Finance Information System selection support a cornerstone of its value proposition for clients. This critical project phase ensures a solution adapted to present and future needs. It is crucial for several reasons:
- Adaptation to evolving needs: organizations evolve rapidly, as do operational models, regulations, and processes. Proper requirements definition is essential to address short- and medium-term challenges and ensure long-term scalability.
- Internal and external preparation: rigorous preparation, including team mobilization and proper planning, is essential. The selection phase helps clarify roles and responsibilities (RACI), as well as associated workloads, for each stakeholder.
- Fair pricing: a well-conducted tender process enables price comparison and negotiation, ensuring a fair and sustainable purchase price that is sustainable over the long term.
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To address this phase, Althéa has structured its offering around four key elements:
- Taking Your Culture and Environment into Account
We ensure that each proposed solution aligns perfectly with our clients’ culture, challenges, and strategies. This guarantees that the project reflects the organization’s specific characteristics, with personalized and objective consulting. - Leveraging benchmarks
We leverage our Project Management Assistance (AMOA) missions to develop detailed benchmarks. By monitoring market players and emerging trends, we identify the most suitable solutions, today and tomorrow. - Proven Four-Phase Methodology
- Scoping: planning and immersion in client culture
- Requirements specification development: gathering technical requirements and user expectations
- tender strategy: consultation planning and proposal analysis
- Final selection: proposal evaluation, presentations, and contracting
- Accelerators and independence
Our tools include selection grids and sample requirements specifications. Our independence guarantees objective recommendations, focused solely on our clients’ interests.
Althéa’s expertise in finance IS selection support enables organizations of all sizes to make informed, optimized decisions tailored to their specific needs, while meeting well-managed timelines.
Key Figures
solution selection support assignments per year
One of the leading consulting firms for finance solution selection support
International
We support international Core Model ERP selection projects in 30% of cases
solution selection support assignments completed over the past 10 years
A guarantee of our accumulated expertise, the effectiveness of our continuously enriched methodology, and the strength of our benchmarks
Our References
For one of the largest French NGOs
6,500 employees
As part of the NGO’s transformation, Althéa was selected to support the entire tender process for selecting the new ERP by delivering:
- Change Management Strategy
- RFP preparation and bid analysis
- Vendor presentations and analysis workshops
- Summary and recommendations report
- Support for final selection and negotiation
Mission date: January to April 2024
Team: 1 partner, 1 senior manager, and 1 consultant
Workload: 38 man-days
For a subsidiary of one of the leaders in road infrastructure construction
€4.7B in revenue, 65,000 employees
Due to the obsolescence of the existing IS, which impacted the overall efficiency of the company’s processes, our client launched a major transformation project requiring process redesign and selection of a modern ERP covering an expanded scope: finance, procurement, production, CRM… Althéa was selected to support the consultation for the new ERP selection and process redesign.
Althéa participated in the entire tender process:
- RFP preparation and bid analysis
- Business process redesign
- Vendor presentations and analysis workshops
- Summary and recommendations report
- Support for final selection and negotiation
Subsequently, Althéa supported its client in AMOA and Change throughout the project.
Mission date: January to June 2023
Team for selection support and process redesign: 1 partner, 1 senior manager, 1 consultant
Workload: 65 man-days
For one of the leaders in French cultural goods retail
→ €2B in revenue, 4,500 employees
Following very strong growth acceleration for our client and a desire to continue their growth at the national level, Althéa was selected to support the consultation for selecting the new ERP, which had to cover the entire company scope: finance, procurement, supply chain… Althéa participated in the entire tender process:
- RFP preparation and bid analysis
- Vendor presentations and analysis workshops
- Summary and recommendations report
- Support for final selection and negotiation
Mission date: January to September 2022
Team: 1 senior manager and 1 consultant
Workload: 75 man-days
Challenges
→ Ensure the Fit of Finance IS Solutions
In relation to companies’ evolving needs.
Ensure Optimal Preparation
To avoid project overruns.
Obtain Fair and Long-Term Sustainable Offers
Through rigorous comparison.
Contacts
Your Frequently Asked Questions About Finance Solutions
How can I choose the right finance solution for the size of my company?
Selecting a finance solution requires in-depth analysis that must be precisely tailored to your company’s size.
This approach involves a detailed assessment of your current financial challenges and growth prospects. A structured approach identifies essential financial management needs, particularly for reporting, cash management, and accounting processes. It is crucial to anticipate your business evolution by considering the complexity of your operations and your working capital financing needs. The chosen system must not only meet your current performance and profitability requirements, but also adapt to your future development.
What are the key criteria to assess when choosing a finance solution?
Evaluating a finance solution rests on several fundamental pillars that guarantee its relevance and sustainability.
First, integration capability with existing systems is a determining factor in ensuring a smooth transition.
The quality of reporting and financial analysis represents another crucial aspect, as does the robustness of cash management and investment functionalities.
The solution must also guarantee full compliance with applicable accounting standards. The level of support and maintenance offered by the vendor, as well as their experience and feedback from current clients, are valuable indicators of service reliability.
Finally, financial data security and the system’s ability to evolve in response to new regulatory requirements complete these essential criteria.
What risks should be avoided when implementing a new finance solution?
Implementing a new finance solution involves several essential points of vigilance to guarantee project success.
- Underestimating training needs for finance teams can significantly compromise system adoption.
- Particular attention must be paid to the quality of accounting and financial data migration, as well as business continuity during the transition phase.
- Change management represents a major challenge: it is crucial to support employees and maintain their confidence throughout the process.
- Documentation of financial procedures and implementation of an appropriate maintenance plan also constitute key elements for optimizing return on investment.
A specialized consultant’s expertise enables anticipation of these risks and ensures successful implementation of the new system.
