Guidelines to a successful ERP implementation

Implementing a new ERP comes with its challenges and complications. I am continuously receiving feedback from clients about various challenges they come across both prior to go-live and post-go-live. Without a thorough understanding of resourcing and preparation, clients are setting themselves up for failure.

This blog will provide those who are thinking of implementing a new ERP with a simple guide on how to achieve a successful implementation.

Choice

Choosing the right system for your company’s needs is essential. Take a step back and assess what your company needs and how an ERP will fulfill them. This is necessary and should never be avoided as part of the process.

Too many times companies choose an ERP which isn’t suitable for their business, processes and ambition; this causes issues from the outset. Not understanding the difference between the functionalities of the different systems is never wise.

Plan before choosing.

Planning

Create a project plan which is realistic and achievable. Companies need to understand time frames and set themselves reasonable goals. Setting a go-live date should be used as a target. So many times we hear of companies rushing to achieve an unachievable go-live date which inevitably causes problems and challenges further down the line.

Each team member should fully understand their objectives and work together to achieve them. It is imperative these individual targets are hit to achieve a smooth and efficient go-live.

I sometimes ask the question, ‘why not be flexible?’ on the go-live date when investing so much money into resourcing a project. Allowing extra time will go along way post-go-live when there (or should be) fewer creases to iron out.   

Migration

A vital part of any implementation is migrating business data. This can be a strenuous task but one which plays a huge part of any successful implementation.

Collecting data from the old system, converting it, and transferring it across to the new one can be a drawn-out task. This has been made even more difficult with recent legislation's to ensure all data is cleansed, outdated records are removed and 100% accuracy is achieved.

Businesses cannot function without data, it drives success, so it must be accurate. This stage of the implementation is so much more critical than most understand. 

Partner's

When it comes to choosing a deployment partner there often seems to be too much choice - remember to do your research on each partners reputation.

Social proof should make your choice easier. Remember you are working “with” a partner and they are not working for you. Choose a partner who is looking to build a strong relationship and who will not only say they will provide post-go-live support but have a good reputation for actually providing post-go-live support.

Think about your core values as a business and see if the partner shares the same views; this should make it easier for them to fit culturally into your business and ensure smooth running throughout the implementation.

Your Team

The implementation process is not going to be easy, you are always going to get your complications. Make your team aware of this; have a team of driven, talented and committed professionals.

Assign each individual with a specific role so that they understand what part they are going to play in the project. Ensure they are aware they are the key components to everything running smoothly.

Although it’s going to be tough, it’s also going to be exciting. It’s going to create all sorts of new opportunities within the business and your team should embrace that. Ensure that your team has a user guide and functional training so that everybody can support each other and quickly develop skills working with a brand-new ERP.

Conclusion

I firmly believe that successful implementations stem's from resourcing and planning. Without plans there are no foundations to build upon; if the implementation starts to wobble, you can always relate back to plans. Understanding the product is also essential.

Make sure you know how your new ERP is going to affect your business and ensure all the staff are going to be up to speed prior to go-live.

Invest in training while your partner is still supporting your implementation. Your team will maintain and develop the system if correctly trained, always keep that in mind.  

I hope those involved in, or those thinking of implementing a new ERP can rest assure that (theoretically) projects can run smoothly.

I look forward to hearing your ERP implementation stories.

Thanks for taking the time to read.