Four tips for learning new financial software

March 20, 2019 by Kyria Branaugh

About the author

Kyria Branaugh

Director, learning and support

As director of learning and support at Advicent, Kyria helps to strengthen every partner’s knowledge of Advicent products and implements strategies for adoption and product utilization.

In my household, we love to play games. We enjoy all spectrums of games from classic board games, to collaborative party games, to more complex strategy games. One of the hardest parts of being a game loving family though is learning the rules and strategies of a new one. We always want to start playing immediately without taking time to learn the details, however, I have found that taking the time to learn, helps us get more out of the game in the long run.

Similarly, learning new financial software can have some of the same hurdles when getting started. You immediately want to start creating plans, providing advice, and utilizing the most advanced features to demonstrate your expertise as an advisor. However, when you try to run before you walk, you often stumble. This can lead to discouragement, frustration, and hinder your utilization of the new technology.

Thankfully, learning to use financial planning software can be quick and painless. Below are a few strategies I recommend to get up and running with your new financial software quickly.

Start with your why

When learning new FinTech, there are countless features, calculations, and options that you may be interested in. It is simply impossible to understand each one immediately. Instead, start by considering the reason you are using this new tool. Do you want to learn new ways to meet the demands of your clients? Are you hoping to become more efficient when creating plans? Are you trying to share your advice in a new way? Once you focus in on your “why”, you can start to prioritize which parts of the tool you want to give the most attention to.

Utilize your options

Learning a new FinTech tool can be a daunting task, but you are rarely alone during this process. By leveraging training programs and documentation you can make learning much easier on yourself. For example, NaviPlan has two great resources for users with the eTraining Classroom and Learning Center. The eTraining Classroom offers a great hands-on learning experience with five training modules that can be completed at any time, from anywhere. Once completed, you will have an excellent grasp of the most important functionality in NaviPlan. From there, you can take your learning to a deeper level with the NaviPlan Learning Center. The Learning Center has countless resources offering a detailed look at many different topics.

Focus on progress

While it may be tempting to jump into the most advanced features of your new software right away, this is a common way to trigger burn out. By starting small with simple plans at first, you can build confidence and familiarity in the tool. From there, you can gradually work towards more complicated plans. Also, focus on using your new tool frequently. In my experience as a software trainer, I noticed that users who log in more frequently have more long-term success, even if the plans they were working on were less complex.

Continue to evolve

Finally, know that learning is not simply a task that you check off your to-do list, but rather, is an ever-evolving journey. As you engage with new clients and experience different situations, you will uncover new and exciting ways to create and deliver your advice. Along the way, be sure to continue to take advantage of learning resources and lean on experts as your expertise with the tool evolves. For example, NaviPlan has a team of partner support experts at your disposal by phone and email to answer questions, troubleshoot problems, and explain new features.

Learning does not have to be difficult or overwhelming. By following these four tips, you will be utilizing your new tool soon, and realizing ROI quickly.

To learn more about NaviPlan training resources such as the eTraining Classroom and Learning Center, click here.