SIX STEPS TO ERP HEAVEN
1 . Evaluation of systems and partners
It is important that a thorough evaluation of the different systems and business processes is carried out to clearly understand the scope and ensure all areas are covered with no missing components . Choosing the right partner is essential to success and in our experience , ensuring the culture aligns , technical capability is proven and that your partner has the right approach and scale to intertwine seamlessly with the operation and provide resource as needed is similarly critical
2 . Careful planning and communication
Ownership of the project from the very top of the business and regular communication across the business as to progress , next steps and early preparation contributes significantly to the project success .
4 . Prepare the ground
Start data cleansing and defining data strategies now or as early in the process as possible . It is very important that business process flows , data mapping and test scenarios are developed early in the implementation . These will constitute the basis for the requirements , influence the scope of the project and create the basis for acceptance tests . If not planned early , they will affect the duration of the project and go-live plans
5 . Training of users
One of the most common reasons for business system projects to fail is the lack of proper training and support for the users . As above , the users need to be brought along in the journey , but poor training can lead to employees rejecting new systems because they simply do not understand them or how their role is impacted
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3 . Effective resourcing
As a partner in such project delivery , our customers look for our A-Team . Resourcing within the customer team needs equivalent subject matter experts ( SME ) and if necessary , backfilling these roles whilst they commit to the project itself
6 . Test , test and then test again
Rigorous testing is more than just a hygiene factor . Developing a testing strategy is a critical success factor in ERP implementation . Testing is important to be done before the system is put into operation and serves as proof that the target image and requirements are met
Source : Neil Andrews , Sigma Dynamics technologymagazine . com