We are in the process of implementing 4PS, a new tool which will replace AX at the start of the year for BESIX SA’s activities in Belgium. This new tool will replace a number of Excel spreadsheets and, thanks to figures corresponding more closely to the situation at the time, will allow more proactive control of each person’s activities at every level.
Dear colleagues,
Up to date and correct information about the actual situation of our activities is crucial for our project teams and our organisation. Our current systems (including AX and Excel) are inadequate in this respect, and AX is also in urgent need of replacement. We want to use this momentum to make a number of targeted adjustments that will enable us to work more efficiently, have greater confidence in our financial monitoring and be able to react more quickly so that, when necessary, we can adjust the situation in a timely manner.
We will give you the tools to achieve this
We are currently implementing a new business management tool called 4PS, which will take over from AX on January 1st 2022 for BESIX SA's activities in Belgium (construction sector, excluding joint ventures).
This new tool will go hand in hand with some modification in our way of working. There will be no fundamental changes as regards our basic processes, but they will now run within an integrated tool: from the budget and the orders placed at building sites to tracking of additional work and the invoices issued to our customers.
Change, but for the better
In practical terms, this means that a number of Excel spreadsheets will be replaced by 4PS and that the figures will be updated more frequently. This allows everyone in the organisation to have a clear picture of where we stand on a regular basis, both in terms of actual "C2" costs and the "C3" end of work forecast. At the same time, we are building a rich database that will allow us to more accurately determine budgets and identify opportunities and risks in the future. In addition, we will be able to retrieve the reports in a single platform instead of a multitude of documents.
We have done everything we can to help you
We have put principles in place to ensure that this operation is successful:
- This first phase applies to a limited scope: BESIX SA's activities in Belgium (construction sector, excluding joint ventures).
- We are working with a standard version of the 4PS tool, without undertaking complex personalisation.
- The new tool has been reviewed in advance in an almost real situation to check whether it meets our needs.
- We are investing in everything required to help the project succeed: all the departments affected are represented in the working groups, change management experts are supporting us throughout the process and a training programme in the new tool will be put in place for every employee affected.
- The project is driven both by the business and by IT, with Stéphane Glorieux and Frédéric Schoenaers as respective project managers.
The project is making great strides forward
We are finalising the system's initial configurations so that we can start the first tests by the end of September. Our aim is to launch the new tool on 1 January, at the start of the new financial year.
We cannot do it without you
This new tool and this integrated way of working will affect a large number of you. Your contribution is therefore key. Even if you are not affected directly, please support those of your colleagues who are more involved. And if you are one of the people actively involved in implementing this new tool, please make sure you devote sufficient time and energy to make this key project a success.
If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to pass them on to our 4PS project team via your managers.
On behalf of all the management, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you. We will, of course, keep you informed as the project progresses.
Pierre Sironval
Deputy CEO
