Getting It Right: 5 Essential Steps for ERP Selection and Implementation

Posted on: June 28, 2017 | By: Jim Bertler | Acumatica, ERP Selection

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is often at the heart of your business, meaning that selection and replacement of the product is akin to heart surgery. A successful ERP implementation can improve your ability to meet customer needs, succeed in an increasingly competitive environment, and achieve successful growth, and an unsuccessful one hinders all of these, so it’s essential to avoid cutting corners.

It’s likely you’ve heard ERP replacement horror stories from companies who were left “high and dry” by their implementation partners, but despite what you may have heard, successful and non-disruptive ERP implementations are actually quite common.

Five Steps to ERP Implementation Success

From small shops to multinational corporations, successful ERP implementation projects happen every day, but the process needs to be planned and executed properly in order to overcome challenges and embrace opportunities. In this, our friends at Acumatica have put together a whitepaper highlighting five steps you need to take to make sure your ERP implementation project goes off without a hitch.

The full whitepaper can be downloaded here, but we will briefly discuss these points below:

Step One: Address the Preliminaries

As you look toward a new ERP system, there are things that need to be addressed and questions that need to be answered so that the implementation process can go off as painlessly as possible.

  • Ask yourself, and be able to answer the question, “Why do we need a new ERP system?” Being able to discuss current pain points with a partner can help said partner customize a solution for your specific needs.

  • Build your “dream team.” Key people need to be involved every step of the way—especially at the beginning.

  • Outline your strategy. In this step, you need to take account for all of the current processes and systems that you are currently using so as to get an understanding of the project scope.

  • Take a look at the current state of business. Take baseline measurements of where you are currently, including inventory levels by type, production lead time, inventory accuracy, and more.

Step Two: Rally the Troops

As mentioned in step one, putting together the right team can be one of the key points in ensuring success. Getting important people on board from the outset can ensure that everyone’s needs are met and that your entire organization is on the same page.

Step Three: Select a Vendor and Implementation Partner

There are likely dozens of potential options for your business needs, but very few that are right for your business now and in the future.

On top of this, there are thousands of implementation partners available to help you implement and operate an ERP system, but only certain ones who have experience in your industry, who are the right size to meet your needs, and who have the chemistry with your project team.

Step Four: Implement the New System

As we’ve said earlier, an ERP implementation can be both successful and non-disruptive. Knowing this, it takes proper planning and execution for it to be as painless as you hope. Some recommendations include managing the effort with project tracking, keeping the flow of information and progress visible to stakeholders, and making sure the training is up to your standards will help you to find success in an ERP project.

Step Five: Don’t Stop at Implementation

The job isn’t done once you go live. It’s important to stay up to date on new features, releases, and trainings. Whether you’re looking at more/continuing training or considering adding additional functionality or modules, an ERP implementation project is never over.

Conclusion

A successful ERP implementation doesn’t have to be painful, it doesn’t have to be disruptive, and it doesn’t have to end like the horror stories—with the right planning, support, and partnerships, you can make your ERP implementation a grand success. Learn more by downloading the entire whitepaper, “Navigating ERP Selection and Implementation: A 5-Step Process“, provided free, courtesy of Logan Consulting.

Acumatica Partner



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