Formal ERP Go-Live Approval and Tools

Posted on: September 25, 2018 | By: Tim Lovely | Microsoft Dynamics Manufacturing, Microsoft Dynamics Business Central, QAD Financials, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Microsoft Dynamics AX/365, Microsoft Dynamics GP, QAD Manufacturing, QAD Business Process, QAD Distribution

In prior articles, Logan Consulting discussed its focus on data approvals by the business prior to go-live events. It is also important to follow a formal standard of seeking approval from a project Steering Committee for the Go-Live.

Logan Consulting recommends a minimum of two formal meetings with the Steering Committee prior to Go-Live. The first meeting should be held after the final Conference Room Pilot (CRP) and the second meeting should be held one to two weeks prior to Go-Live.

This approach assumes that each CRP Script covers a certain process area and the entire inventory of process scripts represents all functionality that the ERP needs to support. Essentially, every business process should be covered somewhere in a CRP script. The CRP scripts have a number of specific test scenarios that must be successfully tested in the CRP to support moving forward with the Go-Live.

The following documents are important to each meeting:

  • CRP Scorecard – The CRP Scorecard is a quantitative score for each CRP Script and in total for the CRP, indicating the following:

    • Script Scenarios Written

    • Script Scenarios Executed

    • Script Scenarios Passed

    • Script Scenarios Failed

    • Script Pass/Fail

    • Total Passing Percentage and Score

       

  • Go-Live Readiness Assessment – The Readiness Assessment is graded on a red, yellow, green basis by the lead user of the Project Team responsible for testing their respective process areas in the CRP. It is a more subjective and visual view by process area indicating readiness of People, Process and Technology for the each CRP process area:

    • People – Have the users received adequate training in all functions that will support the process and do they understand how the system will support the process?

    • Process – Is there a solid business process in place that the lead team member agrees will work to support the business?

    • Technology – Is the ERP system and any supporting technology and applications ready for Go-Live? This includes any custom code, interfaces, and equipment readiness such as printers and scanners.

Additionally, it is common that there are follow-up tasks that remain open after each of the two meetings above. As a result, it is important to not only review the two documents above, but also communicate the plan to resolve the open issues and complete any open tasks prior to the Go-Live.

Finally, communicating a concise cutover plan and support plan to the Steering Committee is important to receiving the approval for the Go-Live. 

Feel free to contact us to review templates and specific examples of the documents discussed above!

About Logan Consulting

Logan Consulting is a leading consulting firm with strengths in strategy, project management, business process design, ERP and CRM implementation, recruitment and training.  Since 1992, our business process-based delivery techniques and tools have helped our clients build a solid business process and information technology foundation to support their business.  Our clients count on us for objective, unbiased analysis, recommendations and project work.  To learn more and hear what our customers are saying about us, please visit our website (www.logan-consulting.com).

Logan Consulting is headquartered in Chicago, IL with global services reach.