RSC: April 2016

ARCHIBUS Applications: Capital Budgeting

Friday, April 29, 2016

If you master the capital budget cycle to achieve improved, centralized strategic planning across the organization

Why do you need the Capital Budgeting application?

Access to defensible capital budgeting information reduces the risk of undertaking expensive, time-consuming projects that ultimately fail due to inadequate resources. The ARCHIBUS Capital Budgeting application provides a method for tracking the capital budget cycle from request and evaluation, through approval and funding. With this information in a single, centralized location, users can execute master planning, expansion, modernization, and consolidation projects in an organized, cost-effective manner.

Benefits

Summarizes all capital planning activity in a consistent format to prioritize programs and projects, coordinate activities, and budget resources
Develops a centralized methodology to efficiently manage capital projects across multiple departments and sites
Enables “what-if” planning to reduce business interruption and cost overruns
Integrates condition assessment, capital budgeting, and project management functions to better allocate budget and resources for complete end-to-end planning
Capital Budgeting Screenshot
Capital and Expense Funds

Easily generate a visual representation of planned budgets by spending category to help justify capital requests

*This information was provided via the ARCHIBUS website.

For more information about Capital Budgeting or for a demo, contact us via email at info@rsc2lc.com or by phone at 925.824.312

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ARCHIBUS Applications: Advanced Portfolio Forecasting

Friday, April 22, 2016

We at RSC, love ARCHIBUS. And because we love ARCHIBUS we want to share with all our clients and potential clients the why ARCHIBUS is the best IWMS.

With the new release, ARCHIBUS has come up with some cool new features.

This week we'd like to feature their Advanced Portfolio Forecasting!

The new Advanced Portfolio Forecasting application allows users to project costs and simplify portfolio planning and forecasting to support multifaceted strategic space planning requirements.

Some of the benefits of Advanced Portfolio Forecasting include:

Align multiyear strategic portfolio plan with overall business plan objectives
Project costs for advanced portfolio forecasting of space requirements
Optimize the strategic space plan at all levels—from the portfolio, city, site/campus, to the building and room levels
Plan short-, medium-, and long-term “what-if” scenarios for organizations of all sizes
Enable key stakeholders to envision and optimize requirements using detailed event-driven
scenarios including space configuration/allocation, leased/owned properties, and projects

Get a top-down view of your portfolio and proposed scenarios with the Space & Portfolio Planning Console. Access all owned and leased space details, floor plans, headcounts, comparative costs, and utilization. Use the Business Events tab (not shown here) to see how your figures change as you acquire, allocate, and dispose of space in each time frame.

Real estate and portfolio planning professionals find it challenging to simplify the complex portfolio planning process, analyze proposed plans, and coordinate the intensive multidimensional review of those plans by stakeholders and senior leadership. ARCHIBUS Advanced Portfolio Forecasting provides the capabilities needed for assessing baseline conditions, forecasting need, proposing alternative planning scenarios, and evaluating complex tradeoffs over the short-, medium-, and longterm portfolio planning periods. These tools are especially critical for enterprise-scale initiatives that include expanding or reducing lines of business, and other activities that have enterprise-wide financial ramifications from a portfolio perspective.*

*This information was provided via the ARCHIBUS website.

For more information about Advanced Portfolio Forecasting or for a demo, contact us via email at info@rsc2lc.com or by phone at 925.824.312

10 Keys to a Successful IWMS Integration: Pt. 10, Automation

This week we are proud to bring you our final segment of our 10-Part series on successfully implementing an IWMS. In this article we will discuss transitioning from a “Crystal Ball Mindset” to a “Successful Garden” approach.

An IWMS system is only as good as the data that is being fed into it. I have had experiences with clients when, after we have installed an IWMS system, they have come back to us and asked why they are not receiving the data in the reports that they want. We will go back and find out that no one has input data into the system, which is why there is no data, or incorrect data, in the reports.

IWMS Systems aren’t crystal balls, they’re a garden.

IWMS Systems and gardens work in a similar way. If you want to eat watermelon this fall, you’re going to have to plant and cultivate watermelon this spring and summer.

Similarly, if you want to understand your occupancy and vacancy, you’re going to have to synchronize employee data, walk the floors from time to time, and update data and reports for strategic planning. It’s the same thing with asset tracking, building operations, and lease management. The system has to be carefully cultivated to be able to get the answers back in due time.

Solving problems is still possible.

All of this being said, an IWMS System is still the best way to get the data and information needed. It will help solve every problem that is present.

However, it’s not a crystal ball; it will only generate data if data is being regularly fed into it. The business process and the resources required to provide that information are very important. Once the reports are produced from the IWMS systems, the information that provided will help you continue to make strategic decisions when planning how to use and manage your space

There are 9 essential things that are needed to make your IWMS Systems garden grow.

Keep it simple and straightforward

Extending the garden metaphor even further when talking about IWMS systems, if you want to be able to tell what you’re growing, you’re going to have to label everything and not mix seeds.

If you want better data, keep it simple. Use the proper resources to input valid data to reap labeled, precise results.

IWMS Systems, while not a crystal ball, can still get you the answers you need – provided that they are fed the right data.

If you’re ready to make sure that your IWMS System is being properly fed and maintained, we’d love to help you get everything squared away so that your reports are top-notch. Just give us a call.

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RSC Newsletter

Monday, April 18, 2016

Upcoming Events

What is BAATUG?

Friday, April 15, 2016

What is “BAATUG”?
BAATUG is short for Bay Area ARCHIBUS Training and User Group. It is a FREE on-site, collaborative forum with one hour of free training on a set topic and a second hour of round-table discussion for any topic(s) suggested by the group.

Who will be training us?
Our BAATUGs are led by Bob Stephen, CEO & Managing Director of RSC and is hosted by our clients.

Who attends a BAATUG?
The training consists of current clients and interested individuals wanted to learn more about ARCHIBUS, AutoCAD, and report writing.

Where are BAATUGs?
Our free on-site trainings are hosted by various clients located in the Silicon Valley and San Francisco Bay Area.

When are BAATUGs?
With the help of our clients, we host one BAATUG per quarter. They are generally on the 3rd Thursday of the month from 5/5:30PM – 7/7:30PM

Where have BAATUGs been held in the past?
Past BAATUGs have been hosted by a variety of our clients including, but not limited to: Lucas Film, Stanford, eBay, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and many more!

What else can you tell me?
Not only do attendees get a free training from an ARCHIBUS master, but it is also a phenomenal opportunity to meet with other ARCHIBUS users who are going through similar challenges and triumphs. Our attendees love the chance to discuss with other like-minded ARCHIBUS users and see how different companies are benefiting from their IWMS.

How can I get involved?
Are you ready for this? Pinterest is hosting a BAATUG at their brand new facility in San Francisco THIS MONTH! Check out our evite for more information and to RSVP to this one-of-a-kind free ARCHIBUS training.

Who do I contact if I’m interested in hosting?
If you would like to bring a BAATUG to your facility, please don’t hesitate to contact us at training@rsc2lc.com

Don't forget to check out our evite and RSVP to this month's BAATUG!

Like what you read? Subscribe to the blog and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and Pinterest to keep up to date with the latest news from Robert Stephen Consulting, LLC.

Thoughts? Questions? Comment below and let us know what you think! We'd love to hear your insights.

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5 REASONS YOUR COMPANY NEEDS A PAINTED PICTURE: PT. 5, GENERATES FREEDOM AND EFFICIENCIES

This is our final part of a 5 part series on "The 5 Reasons Your Company Needs A Painted Picture" by our CEO, Bob Stephen

If you haven’t read the Painted Picture post, please do so!

The entire culture that RSC has built started when we really focused on the Painted Picture. When we initially presented our vision to our staff, I noticed that my staff either agreed whole-heartedly with the vision, or they disagreed and had concerns.

A Painted Picture Can Bring Employees Together

The staff that believed in the vision helped RSC to grow and become closer. They wanted to move forward because the vision gave them the clarity, energy, and strategies to do so successfully.

Within the group of people that disagreed with the vision, I noticed two factions: the first was the people who didn't believe in the vision, and the second was the people who simply needed more context to understand the vision. We helped those employees who couldn't align themselves with the vision into another job at another company. We knew, like other companies before us, that we wanted to change how we operated our at-work family, so to speak. This kind of change will always end up in some high initial turnover rates. A great example of this is Tony Hsieh's (CEO of Zappos) move to Holacracy. He gave those employees who were not ready to make the change into Holacracy a choice to either adopt the principle or leave with $2,000 and the past week's pay. Read about his changes to his company culture and how he helped those employees who weren't in accordance with the vision where they would feel more comfortable.

The employees that simply needed more context to understand the vision and what it was trying to accomplish. I provided several one-on-one meetings with those staff members. After a handful of meetings, once they understood where the company was going with the vision, realized that they were able to align their ideas with the Painted Picture.

Generating a Greater Freedom and Increased Efficiency

Once the entire company was on board with the Painted Picture and company vision, people found that they have greater freedom and efficiency.

Freedom

Because the staff is no longer bogged down with trying to guess where the company is going, they don't have to second guess each and every action, nor wonder whether or not they are doing the right task. Instead, they know where the company is headed, what they need to do, and how to get there. It also frees their time to do the job at hand instead spending time wondering whether or not they are on the right track. The Painted Picture also facilitates communication, because employees know how, why, and about what to talk. They don’t have to guess the topics or the how-to’s, creating more freedom and less politics in inter-office communication. We, as a company, are able to get together and talk about things very quickly and efficiently.

Efficiency

The result of this freedom and open communication is that we as a company are more efficient. Meetings take half as long as they once used to because we’re able to communicate better. For example, project management meetings used to last all day; they’re now about 5 hours long. Mid-management meetings used to be 3-4 hours long; they’re now 60-70 minutes long.

Even though the meetings are shorter, we are able to complete just as much, if not more, work. We’re able to address many issues in just a few sentences before making a decision to move forward. This is due to the fact that we all know the direction that we need to go, thanks to the Painted Picture. We’re also better equipped to assess strengths and weaknesses of our team, and how those fit in with the company’s vision. In that way, we’re able to encourage continued growth in employees' strong areas and help them find other, better options for strengthening weaker areas of performance.

Overall, having our painted picture has provided a huge amount of freedom and drastically increased our efficiencies in the company. That’s why, when I get comments about how amazing our company culture is, I can’t help but smile. It has taken a lot of work to get where we are, but it has been worth it.

10 Keys to a Successful IWMS Integration: Pt. 9, Accessibility

Friday, April 8, 2016

This week we are proud to bring you Part 9 of our 10-Part series on successfully implementing an IWMS. In this article we will discuss accessibility.

In any industry, there are certain tools that are considered industry staples because of how efficiently they allow one to accomplish tasks. Part of this efficiency is because of how accessible the tools and information needed are. In the IWMS arena, this is certainly true. In this article, I would like to discuss, not the applications themselves, but the types of applications that are available, and their advantages.

When my wife and I were first married, we would take many camping trips. I noticed that she would use a Swiss Army knife when she was cooking, and it served its purpose well. I asked her why she didn't just use the knife at all times, not only while we were camping. It would be a cost effective solution and simple to maintain and clean. She answered my question by saying that the utensils she
had in the kitchen, while many, were useful because they each had their own purpose and were constructed specifically for their individual jobs. She also was able to accomplish more because she had everything she needed right there in the kitchen, locally, whenever she needed it; the tools were accessible. So, while the Swiss Army knife was useful when she was away from the kitchen, the utensils she had at home were more effective and, in the long run, more efficient.

Server Applications vs. Web Applications

Professionals in any field will have a similar response to that of my wife's when talking about web applications versus server applications. The applications that are on premise have been designed to give users all the tools needed to complete a job, no matter how finite that job may be. Web applications, while useful and quick to access, may not always have the exact tools needed, or may require users to find a round - about solution to complete a task. Both types of applications, however, have their advantages and purposes. We've created a useful graphic that highlights the main differences.

Finding What's Right for You

Experienced professionals will prefer on-premise applications to complete the brunt of their work,
but cloud applications can be useful for quick fixes or remote work. The determining factor here has everything to do with accessibility.

Emergency Preparedness

Year after year, businesses are struck by both natural and man-made disasters. These disasters can result in financial loss due to building, inventory, and product damage as well as dislocation. In the tumultuous world we live in, it is incredibly important to make sure you and your business are prepared and protected in case of emergency.

Part of ARCHIBUS Environmental & Risk Management is the Emergency Preparedness application. This phenomenal tool serves as the primary tool to maintain and provide accurate information in the event of a disaster.

ARCHIBUS Emergency Preparedness provides rapid access to critical facility, infrastructure, and occupant information to ensure life safety procedures are followed, property is protected, and disruption to normal operations are minimized.
proactive emergency operations management that can save lives, protect property, and reduce insurance costs. Some of these benefits include:

Quick access of accurate information for critical life-safety decisions during a disaster
Organizes information for disaster recovery plans
Provides information needed to quickly resume normal operations
Expedites insurance claims
Negotiates with insurance for more favorable coverage terms

"Emergency Preparedness lets users view systems and zones within floor
plans to provide critical safety information to emergency responders"1

ARCHIBUS Emergency Preparedness ensures stability and speedy recovery in the event of a disaster. Though we always hope disaster never strikes us, this type of protection is invaluable.*

Would you like to learn more about Emergency Preparedness? Contact info@rsc2lc.com for a demo!

*The information from this article was provided via www.archibus.com

ARCHIBUS Nexus Conference

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Join us at the ARCHIBUS Nexus Conference May 1st - 4th in sunny San Diego
To register for the conference, please go to http://www.archibus.com/nexus

If you do plan on attending, contact RSC for discounted hotel rates and information about our client activity!

At every conference, RSC hosts a fun outing for our clients. This year we will reserve a suite at the
Padres vs. Rockies Game! For more information, be sure to check out our evite or contact info@rsc2lc.com for details!

5 REASONS YOUR COMPANY NEEDS A PAINTED PICTURE: PT 4, ALIGN STAKEHOLDERS

Friday, April 1, 2016

This is part 4 of a 5 part series on "The 5 Reasons Your Company Needs A Painted Picture"

If you haven’t read the Painted Picture post, please do so!

We’ve already talked about how aligning staff and employees to the Painted Picture are vital to your company’s success. We are going to take it to the next level and discuss something equally important: aligning stakeholders to your vision.

The Importance of Using a Painted Picture to Align Stakeholders

There’s nothing more gut-wrenching than when a client tells you they aren’t sure your company can meet their needs any more. They specifically chose you because they needed something that you could do or fulfill for them that no one else could. So what can you do to help fulfill their needs?

Compare your Painted Pictures

When clients come to me, concerned that my small company may not be able to keep up with their growing demands, I ask them a few questions:

• What is your growth strategy?
• What is your exit strategy?
• What areas are you focusing on in the next 1-2 years?
• What new needs or activities will you need from us over the next few years?

Once I have these answers, which is a version of their Painted Picture, I can show them our Painted Picture. By illustrating our growth plan for the next few years, I have the opportunity to highlight how we can continue to meet their existing and upcoming needs. Being able to show clients this has been priceless. They have been able to see why they should put their trust in my company and then reap benefits from the products and services we provide.

Use Painted Pictures to improve client relations

As I’ve compared Painted Pictures with clients, we have done more than just help them realize we are and will continue to be a best fit to meet their needs. It has increased the trust and communication for our relationship. Having clients ask questions and see our Painted Picture clearly helps them understand that we are aligned with their needs, that we are willing to listen to all of their concerns, and that we are working hard to anticipate any future needs they may have.

Meetings like these reinforce how amazing establishing a Painted Picture truly is. The clarity, focus, and applicability it brings are truly amazing.

RSC's Guide to Hoteling

With the increased popularity of telecommuting and working remotely, it’s no wonder hoteling has become so popular. But what is hoteling exactly?

Hoteling is a method of space management where employees schedule the use of their work environment (e.g., desks, cubicles, and offices) rather than having a singular assigned location.
Think of it the same way you think of booking your hotel stay on vacation. Ather than the traditional method of permanently-assigned seating, employees reserve a desk or workspace based on availablility for the specific days they plan to be in the office.

It’s beneficial for a number of reasons.

Reduces Carbon Footprint
Saves cost on commercial real estate
Allows for Flexible Work Arrangements
Promotes Space Efficiency
Promotes creative work environment

In some ways, the practice of hoteling itself has caused a shift in employee mobility. It has allowed employees to more comfortably work when they travel frequently or work remotely.

“With the help of Hoteling, organizations can quickly find and book the required number of rooms for specific time periods and at desired locations, thus optimizing space utilization and fostering productivity for visiting employees, contractors, teleworkers, or temporary project-based teams.

At many organizations, office space is frequently underutilized by 50% or more, resulting in a larger than necessary real estate and carbon footprint, along with their associated costs. Web-based ARCHIBUS Hoteling enables organizations to more fully utilize existing space, potentially reduce leased/owned space in their portfolios, as well as decrease carbon emissions and workspace operating costs. It supports temporary allocation of on-site workspace to dynamic project-based teams and makes implementation of increasingly popular telework initiatives possible. Additionally, Hoteling simplifies implementation of shared space chargebacks, which further encourages space efficiency and responsibility for occupancy costs.”1

RSC has over 10 years of experience helping our clients successfully implement and use the Hotel Scheduling Module in ARCHIBUS. We currently have many clients happily using this tool and would love to help you make the switch!

If you would like to learn more or request a demo on Hoteling, contact info@rsc2lc.com

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