Key factors to a successful ERP Implementation
As the adage goes, “when you fail to plan, you plan to fail” and this couldn’t be more related than when selecting a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution, no matter whether or not you’re switching or buying for the primary time.
Critically, this planning is not only associated to the implementation process however should additionally embody all features of the ERP project from choice and implementation proper by to the exit technique.
Most businesses trying to change solutions are both utilizing legacy (finish of life) software, are looking for options that their present software doesn’t have or want to transfer to a solution that makes use of extra trendy technology such because the cloud.
Before embarking on this journey, it is very important totally perceive your place to begin and the explanation why you selected your present solution within the first place. Understanding previous selections will mean you can consider options more successfully. For occasion, companies utilizing bespoke software program that was developed to fulfill a really particular enterprise requirement, have to maintain this performance in thoughts when contemplating options or the price of customizing present solutions.
The first step on the road to selecting a brand new ERP solution ought to be to first checklist the non-negotiables or the options that the present software has that the enterprise depends on.
The next step is within the planning process is to determine the features, processes and automations that you prefer to in your new ERP solution. It is a good suggestion at this level to categories these into completely different phases, and even years, as changing ERP solutions isn’t one thing that you just do yearly, so you want to take a long-term view when planning. Complex performance can take more time, to not only develop, however to make sure that it’s working in the fitting method for your business.
Consequently, it is suggested that you just add minimal complexity at go-live and slightly add the more advanced processes as soon as the system is up and working. An instance of this might be alerts and notifications as, most of the time, companies that include these at go-live usually determine to change them off or average them put up go-live. Choosing as an alternative to make these encompasses a “phase 2” implementation would make sure that they help the non-negotiable processes whereas additionally lowering the full value of the project.
The third step is to identify and consider the underlying technologies of the distributors that you’re contemplating. When selecting an ERP software, it is very important be sure that the technology is present, and the vendor is continually creating and evolving the product. This is a space the place native is usually lekker because selecting a software program that’s developed in South Africa ensures that it will get up to date and maintained more recurrently for native legislative modifications.
Once you could have chosen the merchandise that you’re focused on, you will need to ask the vendor to conduct an in-depth demonstration that covers all of your key necessities intimately. Never settle for “yes we can do it” as a solution until it’s in writing. Seeing is believing on this occasion.
Choosing a solution is barely half of the journey. The subsequent is planning an ERP project with the vendor or the implementation accomplice. A essential half if this process is the project scoping phase because it particulars the place you’re in the meanwhile, key necessities, the system configuration and crucial adjustments, timelines and anticipated outcomes. Having a extremely detailed scope ensures that that there’s nothing left to interpretation.
Without a correct project scope, you place the project at risk as a result of there are too many unknowns to ensure success. The danger is in what the implementation accomplice doesn’t know about your enterprise and what you don’t know in regards to the new software program. rule of thumb is, “if it’s not in the scope document, it wasn’t said”.
From an ERP implementation perspective, it’s essential to make sure that there are project owners, each from the company’s in addition to from the implementation partner’s viewpoint, which have an agreed project timeline and easy-to-manage milestones. Having a project owner on the corporate facet will help in ensuring sources are available when required, lowering the opportunity of rework or having to retrain. Once an agreed project plan has been established, it will be significant that the project owners meet regularly to evaluate the tasks on the plan and manage the essential path to go-live.
The last thing that almost all companies overlook within the ERP planning process is the divorce or exit technique. This pertains to two areas, either in altering the implementation accomplice during implementation process, or changing the software or accomplice a number of years later because a greater different becomes available. In the primary occasion, you will need to have an implementation agreement with clearly outlined roles, tasks, expectations, and penalties if expectations not be met.
For instance, your agreement ought to clearly define who owns the mental property of the configuration and what occurs in case you change to a unique implementation associate. The second exit technique pertains to switching to a different resolution. These instances are generally quite clear by way of prices, however most individuals overlook, notably with SAAS solutions, how they will retrieve or entry their data. In some cases, the information is given to you in some type of knowledge structure which makes migration relatively simple, nonetheless different solutions solely present static studies which is able to sacrifice your transactional history.
At the tip of the day switching programs shouldn’t be as daunting as you assume, supplied that you just plan it accurately and once you’re up and running you’ll by no means look again.