DocuSign, a leader in eSignature solutions, was entering several new global markets, but its legacy subscription management platforms and its legacy accounting and ERP applications lacked the scalability and functionality to support this surge in growth.

DocuSign needed an experienced consulting partner to help them select and implement a cloud-based, enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform. The platform would have to enable long-term expansion across international markets, improve their tax posture, and provide a simplified and scalable technology infrastructure to support a high-growth subscription business model. The right platform would also enhance operational efficiencies and incorporate leading business processes across their Finance and Accounting function

In particular, DocuSign needed a team of experienced professionals with deep knowledge of today’s ERP technology and subscription billing solution ecosystem who could hit the ground running and reduce ramp-up time by leveraging methodologies designed to support large, complex implementations. 

The company engaged KPMG to lead the technology selection process. We analyzed the current state and held visioning workshops to document requirements for a future-state, cloud-based ERP platform for subscription billing.

KPMG assisted DocuSign in developing the RFP, facilitating vendor demo sessions, establishing key scoring criteria, and developing a business case for total cost of ownership (TCO). The KPMG team also built an implementation roadmap, defined a Target Operating Model, and conducted pre-implementation activities.

With the help of KPMG, DocuSign selected Oracle Subscription Solution (OSS), a highly scalable and durable storage platform for ingesting continuous, high-volume streams of data consumed and processed in real-time. The initiative supported the following objectives:

• Define, design, configure and implement an Oracle Cloud solution to support the unique aspects of DocuSign’s business
  
• Design a future state Target Operating Model that aligns with DocuSign’s long-term growth strategy
• Design a scalable solution for a high-volume, high-frequency subscription and billing business model that included an advanced payment and collection system
• Update the existing chart of accounts (COA) structure to support future state financial reporting and consolidation
• Identify improvement and automation opportunities for key business processes
• Define a deployment strategy that minimizes business disruption and moves toward an ERP platform that can handle localization and multi-currency, multi-GAAP requirements
• Enable DocuSign’s key business users to manage changes resulting from the Oracle initiative

Implementation of the ERP and subscription billing management solution was driven by KPMG Powered Enterprise, a technology-agnostic approach that leverages decades of business experience, leading practices, and prebuilt digital assets. Through its Powered Enterprise method, KPMG provided a sample set of processes, roles and system configurations as a starting point, based on an “if not leading practices, why not” approach. During the validation phase, KPMG walked DocuSign through leading practice process flows in workshops, and DocuSign made decisions as to whether the leading practice-based sample was appropriate or where changes needed to be made at DocuSign’s direction.

A consistent, global design was implemented across identified regions, business units, and divisions including appropriate localizations or changes due to regulatory requirements, business needs or requirements of relevant business units or divisions.