The Ultimate Certinia (FinancialForce) Implementation Guide with Big Bang

Big Bang can help you implement, reimplement, or rescue Certinia (FinancialForce) ERP system for companies of any size, industry, and market.

As an early North American partner and the first Certinia (FinancialForce) partner in Canada and France, Big Bang has a longstanding relationship with Certinia (FinancialForce) and a deep understanding of Certinia (FinancialForce) and the Force.com ecosystem.

Our expertly trained consultants have been there since the start, gaining a thorough understanding and deep familiarity with the product suite through all its iterations and usages. With years of experience handling successful implementation projects – and many rescue missions to pick up where others could not succeed. With this experience comes in-depth knowledge of all checkpoints and possible issues that could come up during an ERP implementation – simple or more complex.

It’s our job to guide you to get the best of the solution immediately and in the long run.Did you know that approximately half of our Certinia (FinancialForce) customers come from a failed implementation? They come to us because they know we have a thorough and global understanding of the Certinia (FinancialForce) implementation process and how to best integrate it and it’s Force.com® Platform™ into the global IT infrastructure.

Big Bang’s expert consultants' team offers unique end-to-end implementation services that are agile to your business needs. From our proprietary GAB’s Pyramid™ framework to our rescue services, Big Bang makes it a point to understand your business processes and the project's reality altogether.

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How to do a Certinia (FinancialForce) Implementation

First things first, planOur team of consultants will conduct a Business Process Review (BPR), including interviews with key players in your company to determine business needs for each department.
Oversee the implementation teamBig Bang consultants will do the complete implementation for you or work alongside your in-house experts.
Certinia (FinancialForce) implementation process, through to completionAfter presenting and agreeing on the implementation plan, our team will get to work! Expect to receive regular communication and updates throughout the implementation process so that the final system meets all business requirements. Your team’s stakeholders will participate, minimally, in weekly syncs to ensure proper knowledge transfer and that things progress as they should.
Our Force.com proficiency for the win, againThe Big Bang team has a comprehensive knowledge of Force.com® – the Salesforce platform that Certinia (FinancialForce) is built on. When properly combined with Salesforce, Certinia (FinancialForce) closes the gap between CRM and ERP/PSA, helping your business gain a complete, customer-centric view of your business finances.

Leveraging our proprietary 7-step methodology, The Big Bang Experience®, Big Bang collaborates with our clients to achieve success with Certinia (FinancialForce) helping you sustain your growth inside or outside the Force.com ecosystem.

Case study

Improved accuracy to inform better business decisions with the right platform

7-step success for Hawthorn Creative

BIG BANG’S 7-STEP BIG BANG EXPERIENCE® GUIDED HAWTHORN CREATIVE TO NEW HEIGHTS. Digital Marketing Agency, Hawthorn Creative was working with disparate customer relationship management (CRM) and financial systems that wasted time and caused errors with duplicate entries. Our proprietary 7-step methodology, The Big Bang Experience®, guided Hawthorn to migrate and work off of one customized…

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Big Bang successfully guided the digital marketing agency Hawthorn Creative’s Certinia (FinancialForce) implementation using the 7-step proprietary method, The Big Bang Experience®.

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Certinia (FinancialForce) Implementation Steps:

As a system with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Professional Services Automation (PSA) capabilities, Certinia (FinancialForce) will likely interact with all company departments - directly or indirectly. As is the case, a thorough review of the business process is required because bringing your systems online will affect everyone.

At Big Bang, we treat your business like your own, which is why we give advice based on best practices, leading solutions, and valuable experience. We are versed in implementing and integrating software while remaining grounded to the reality of what happens after the software selection - what is the reality, what works, what does not work, what should work based on what you read, but does not.

Big Bang has enabled the digital transformation of over 500 organizations. Our experts know which pitfalls to look out for and proactively avoid - across various industries and geographies while leveraging the best-practices. We know how to ensure a smooth transition through times of change, and it starts with our proprietary implementation methodology, The Big Bang Experience®.

The Big Bang Experience® is the standard delivery methodology for any Cloud Solution, and the steps outline the main activities involved in the delivery of each phase. Even though our 7-steps are structured, we're flexible to remain within your budget and timeline; let us know so we can show you how we adapt our process when required.

Learn more about The Big Bang Experience® and Our Approach

The implementation process is not complete without proper testing of the system.
We train your team both during the project and support them after go-live. Customized training courses are available at any point in the partnership. Big Bang has a longstanding relationship with Certinia (FinancialForce) and expertly trained consultants who have been there since the start, gaining a thorough understanding and deep familiarity with the product suite through all its iterations and usages.

Big Bang consultants know the right mix of customizations.
We organize a demonstration working session in which the delivered work is shown.
Big Bang implementation consultants make sure the interface is as user-friendly as possible, with features that help new and existing users like custom reports and documentation tailored to your needs.

Certinia (FinancialForce) Implementation Issues: Big Bang to the Rescue

Customization is one of the most significant ways to get the most out of ERP systems. Workflows save time and reduce errors, but only if systems are connected and programmed correctly. Perhaps you had an internal team conduct a self implementation, and there was a turnover, leaving a gap in expertise or an unfinished implementation project. Big Bang consultants can jump in where the others left off to remediate an issue or rescue the project as a whole.

We quickly re-validate from the beginning where decisions were made: Is the problem the partner, the product, the approach, a combination of issues, or something else?
We have trained capacity ready to go like a 911 Emergency Service, skilled in expediting fixes to your implementation issues.

We believe that a crisis is not an excuse to skip best practices because you’ll be no better off.
Any good implementation needs great optimization, and that's why so many people come to us. Big Bang is proud that we have more support and rescue missions, meaning we have proven success fixing problems others couldn't.

Important ways to ensure a great Certinia (FinancialForce) implementation:

With Big Bang consulting services, you’re not just getting the technical knowledge to implement Certinia (FinancialForce) - we partner with your team every step of the way to drive results.

As your implementation partner with a strong financial-first mindset, you can expect:

We stack our consultancy team with those who have industry expertise – so we give you the best cloud solution, backed with practical insight - notably force.com financial experts . Our consultants are trained alongside the Certinia (FinancialForce) team. We’ll leverage best practices for Certinia (FinancialForce) and your industry’s challenges.
Customization of best-of-breed, customer-centric ERP and a PSA software that is personalized to your business needs.

Full collaboration between the implementation team and your team.
Close collaboration between partner and customer throughout the implementation process.
We advise, configure, and work alongside you as the customer to test and validate on an ongoing basis throughout the development.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Certinia implementation?

Certinia implementation is the process of configuring and deploying the ERP/PSA system to align with your business processes, finance operations, and project workflows. It ensures a unified system across departments for better control and visibility.

What are the key steps in Certinia implementation?

The process typically includes business process review, planning, system configuration, integration, testing, and user training. Each step ensures the system aligns with real business needs and workflows.

Why is proper implementation important for Certinia?

A structured implementation ensures accurate data flow, high user adoption, and maximum ROI. Poor implementation can lead to inefficiencies, errors, and costly fixes later.

Can Certinia be customized during implementation?

Yes, Certinia allows customization of workflows, reporting, and financial processes. This ensures the system fits your business model instead of forcing operational changes.

What is the cost of Certinia implementation?

Costs depend on project size, number of users, modules, and integrations. Typically, it includes a base implementation cost with additional charges for customization and third-party tools.

Does Certinia integrate with other systems?

Yes, Certinia integrates natively with Salesforce and other business tools, providing a unified view of sales, finance, and operations in one system.

Do I need an implementation partner for Certinia?

While not mandatory, working with an experienced partner ensures faster setup, fewer errors, and better alignment with business goals - especially for complex implementations.

What are common challenges in Certinia implementation?

Common challenges include unclear requirements, over-customization, and lack of training. Addressing these early helps ensure smooth deployment and long-term success.

What are the benefits of Certinia implementation?

A successful implementation improves financial visibility, automates processes, reduces manual errors, and connects all business functions into a single system for better decision-making.