Tips for a successful ERP project
Implementing a new ERP system provides a major opportunity to digitally transform your company. Not only can you move past the limited functionality or outdated technology of your legacy system, but you can also leverage modern ERP system capabilities to help you seize new business opportunities.
Tips for mitigating implementation risks
All projects have an element of risk involved but below are five valuable tips for improving your chances of an on-time, on-budget project completion.
- Select software, business process, and implementation partners with industry and local know-how. Always interview references in businesses like yours.
- Don’t stretch outdated technology beyond its limits. Eliminate old, outdated, standalone systems and, as much as possible, consolidate your data into a single database (single version of the truth) with built-in business intelligence for multinational performance.
- In the digital economy, businesses must often integrate systems across business units as well as with customers and suppliers. Confirm that you have cloud integration capabilities and expertise with supplier networks.
- Avoid project scope creep. It’s common to discover needs and opportunities during an ERP implementation, so it’s important to manage change orders to avoid delays and cost overruns.
- Confirm that you have consistent expertise across all your locations. You need training, implementation, and support – often from a combination of local management, software distributors, consulting firms, and your software partner.
Tips for avoiding extra ERP implementation costs
A new ERP system investment includes your company’s time commitment, business process and implementation consulting software, and cloud services as well as computer, tablet, and phone equipment – so it’s important to control the project and the costs.
Here are some key areas to track:
Keep the focus on the total cost of ownership (TCO)
Manage your total costs – and benefits over time to minimize expenses and maximize the return. Remember that ERP system implementations will have a big impact on your business.
Match the business direction and do not force unnecessary process changes
Companies are often pressured to change how they operate to fit their software, increasing implementation and operating costs.
Focus on the routine business processes that provide significant value to the company
Such routine processes include managing customer orders, updating pricing, adding new products and services, changing manufacturing details, and onboarding new employees .
Avoid customizations and capitalize on a configurable user interface, dashboards, alerts, workflows, business intelligence, and mobile capabilities
With these capabilities, you can streamline work for all your departments as well as make fast, cost-effective adjustments as needed.
System hacks and data breaches are expensive
When using the internet, use a secure cloud ERP solution where appropriate – confirm that your software and service suppliers support a range of secure software deployment options.
Source: SAP insights
