By Pia Heikkila, 27 February 2002 14:30
NEWS A survey released yesterday showed that around 60 per cent of the UK's technology suppliers have yet to prepare for the introduction of the euro. Even though the UK is yet to join the single currency, that statistic is alarming. If you're among the laggards, read on. silicon.com and IT consultancy Parity are pleased to bring you some top tips to help you through the euro migration process... 1. Consider the long term effect and impact of the euro and IT changes before making any decisions. Estimate the knock-on effect the process might have on all areas of the business, not just in the IT department. 2. Conduct an overall IT systems review to ensure which applications need to handle the euro-compliant processes. 3. Most vendors have euro compliant products out by now, but the decision to invest on an updated version needs to be made before the migration. 4. Accounting systems will have to be converted to euros, as they affect every payment and transaction made. A degree of re-programming is needed in some cases. 5. Changes in distribution, purchasing and payroll systems software need to be addressed. 6. If your company's website is selling to European customers, website updating should have been done last year. 7. Don't forget the back end. Make sure all the back end systems are compliant with the front end euro-ready applications. 8. Remember to train all staff on the new packages. Some workers might find the new currency confusing. 9. Seek expert advice if you are not sure what to do. Check websites such as http://www.euro.gov.uk - Euro Preparations Unit might be able to help. 10. Sorry, there isn't a number 10, but we do want to hear from you about your experiences with the euro. Have you had any problems supporting the new currency? If so, share your experiences with other readers by registering a reader comment below. For more on the euro,
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