Services

We offer many services to help with the transition to and usage of HMIS Advantage.

Implementation Planning

Perhaps the most significant service we offer is pre-selection planning. For many engagements the time and expense of a planning session is more than offset by the savings in time and money once the actual implementation begins. HMIS would include hardware and software infrastructure analysis as well as the typical conversion, configuration/training, custom enhancement and mapping work. The estimates that we provide for these various areas of service are much more accurate and detailed after an onsite planning session.

Configuration and Training

The HMIS software system is designed such that proper configuration and accurate input ensure a high level of accuracy and produce expected results with little daily administration.

 

The proper level of training is every bit as important as the software itself. While it is only a rule of thumb and each implementation is unique, it is common for a client to invest as much in configuration and training efforts as in the purchase of the software itself. Having the very best software possible is useless without the proper setup and trained personnel to use it.

 

It is difficult to differentiate between the configuration and training phases of an implementation. Since the configuration is largely a matter of taking the client's method of doing business and translating that to the HMIS system's operation, even the configuration is training for those tasked with administering the system into the future. Generally the key client personnel are intimately involved in the entire implementation and are mostly trained by the time the system is ready for the end users to be trained. Based upon client desires, HMIS may train the end users or client personnel may choose to do so.

 

HMIS has a group of trained training specialists ready to assist you with your implementation. These trainers are not computer "geeks" but typically have real world experience in cemetery and funeral home operations. They also bring a wealth of knowledge gained from working with hundreds of clients over the years. It is common for our customers to implement new and better ways of performing certain tasks based on the information shared by our trainers.

Data Conversion

One of the most beneficial yet most difficult and costly tasks associated with moving to a new software program is the conversion of data from your old system to the new one. Conversions consist of moving manual records, electronic records or both to the HMIS software system.

 

If your records are entirely paper based your choices include entering the records into the HMIS system yourself, using an outside firm specializing in data input or a combination of the two. Providing your own data input can be the best way to go in many situations. The typical decision to perform the data input work in-house is based upon saving money with the trade-off of extended time to complete the task. A key benefit that many do not consider is the oversight of the input process by persons knowledgeable in the many peculiarities inherent in any cemetery or funeral home. The key benefit of using an outside firm specializing in data input is speed. These companies have multiple data input personnel and are able to complete the process much faster than possible using in-house personnel. Outside data input firms typically provide high speed scanning equipment and either your personnel or someone from the outside firm scan all the applicable documents. These documents are then sent to the processing center where the data is input using a “double blind” technique which means two separate persons input the same data and the input is accepted only if both inputs are identical. The primary disadvantages of an outside firm are cost and lack of specific knowledge of your business.

 

The conversion of exiting electronic records into your new HMIS system always seems the proper solution but experience says that it may not be. Some of the factors that should be considered are the trustworthiness (or integrity) of the existing data, the amount of data in your current system and the completeness of the data. If the current system’s data is not good (accurate), the conversion into HMIS will likewise result in data that cannot be trusted. It is usually possible to cleanse the data during the conversion process but that must be included as an integral part of the conversion. The importance of having accurate data in the new system cannot be overstated. If the number of property owners, interments and contracts are small it is often cheaper to key the data manually rather than convert it electronically. The cost to design an electronic conversion of your existing data is less affected by the size of your data than by the variations within it. Thus it can often cost as much to convert a database with 1,000 contracts as one with 100,000.

 

Regardless of the type of conversion required or the method of accomplishing it, the most important consideration is the accuracy of the data input into your HMIS system. The ability of your users to trust the data is paramount. If the conversion of data results in some erroneous data, and most will, it is important to identify the erroneous data and develop a documented plan to correct it.

 

HMIS can train your personnel in the input process or can provide a list of companies who perform the input process for you.