What is a "Needs Analysis", and why is it necessary?

A needs analysis is a special type of consulting offered by Kinol Sharie Leyh & Associates. Many times, while a company knows their operations better than anyone, you might not have a firm understanding of your computer and network needs. Sure, there are countless commercials and ads that scream at you to buy this, that and the other thing - all at premium prices, of course. Consider the vendors in computers alone: Dell, Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, IBM to name a few. What brand would work best within your office? What are the differences between an Alpha or KMD chip and Intel? For that matter, what are the differences between the Xeon, Pentium and Celeron chips, all made by Intel? Then we get into networking. Servers? Operating Systems? Network hardware - what exactly is 100 base-T Ethernet? These are all choices that you have to make. How do you know that you are making the right choice?

Many of you have hardware vendors. Most of these vendors are extremely able and provide good advice. However, if you are thinking of implementing a new financial management system, are you sure that your network will handle it? We offer a different perspective from your hardware vendor - we combine our public accounting experiences in business consulting with our expertise in the IT fields. We will work in conjunction with your network vendor to make sure that your system can handle your new software.

Why is it necessary? That's simple, really. You are making an investment in your future. How can you successfully implement a new financial management system if your current physical structure cannot handle it? Speaking from experience, the most difficult installations to manage are those done with sub-standard network and computing structures. The problems that arise are close to impossible to correct within the software because it is operating as it should - the computers are holding it back. The problems present themselves everywhere - cabling, servers and client machines. Do not take the chance of wasting your precious resources battling your hardware.

We will assist you in creating a sound plan for hardware replacement over time. We know as well as you do the expense involved in hardware replacement - this is a business too! We know that practical planning will make the transition smoother, allowing you to focus on utilizing your new software to it's fullest.