(Summary of Chapter One of Shared Services in Finance and Accounting, Tom Bangemann)

The starting point of any migration to shared services involves identifying processes that have a sufficient degree of homogeneity.

Processes generally develop and adapt with usage but, in order for shared services to be performed effectively, the processes they manage need to be highly standardized; standardized processes are fast to learn and fast to complete.

In order to identify whether a service is appropriate or not, it needs to be accurately defined in detail; the hierarchy of processes, sub-processes and activities needs defining, along with the links between them.

A two-by-two matrix using the descriptions common/unique and non-critical/highly critical is a useful technique for identifying suitable processes. Those processes that are both common and non-critical are most likely to transfer to a shared service centre successfully.

The statistics on this cover fifteen different processes and indicate accounts payable to be the process most commonly managed by shared service centres, with order entry as the process least commonly managed.

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