Step Two - solution support

At project closure you will by definition not require any further additional services such as development, further integration with systems etc. However, you will continue to need a software support contract with the supplier and may need a continued hardware support contract for specialist hardware such as scanners.

In stage one we traced the historical development of document and content and records management software. There is nothing to indicate that the software will not develop further over the next four or five years. More modules will be added to the modules that currently comprise an EDRM suite or an Enterprise Content Management suite. There will also be more mergers and acquisitions within the business as suppliers pool resources to develop ever more sophisticated suites.

Against that background you need to take the opportunity that project closure brings to clarify your ongoing support requirements. You may have contracted for five years software support in which case by project closure you may have two years left to run and you might wish to extend the period for a further two years.

One of the factors to consider with software support is what do you do when the suppliers launches a major upgrade to the software? Are you obliged to take it all at a higher cost or can you just select the modules you need. Can you simply move on to the next version of the software or will you have to make any changes to your current application prior to moving up?

Project closure is a good time to review support arrangements and make sure you are covered for the medium term.