Going live is simply the start of the next phase of the project. There will have been requirements, issues, modifications and suggestions that were not on the business critical path, or were even purposely moved off the business critical path, and now these must be addressed. The original goals set out during the purchasing process should be reviewed for relevancy and achievement.
Whilst there is a period of settling in to the new system to gain the full leverage of the software and the change, the original reasons for change and the strengths of the new software and possibilities must be brought to the fore. Implementing a whole new system and getting back to where the business started with a new front end and a new way of processing the business through software is not success, it is a costly way of standing still.
Even if the business has implemented a system and there was very little in the second phase and they have made massive leaps forward throughout the business this is still not the time to do nothing. The go live process is perpetual. Standing still after go live will see the business begin to slip backwards from an ERP perspective.
The system needs to be constantly reviewed, processes and applications should be assessed for suitability and purpose, and where gain can be extracted from a change it should be made.
If at this stage the business stops the process of going live on the new software it is a distinct possibility that in the next five to ten years they will be undertaking a new implementation project to install a new system because the incumbent system does not meet the needs of the business. It does not meet the needs of the business because the business does not understand one of the costliest most powerful tools they possess and they never developed it to its full potential. This in turn brings us full circle, knowing your incumbent system - without it the business will not be going live perpetually, they will be implementing ERP perpetually.
There is generally no quick and easy solution to implementing an ERP system in a business of any size. This is gauged on the size of the business, you can implement an accounts system in a small business relatively quickly and cost effectively - but would you want the same timescales implementing in a multi-site, multi-million pound, 1000 employee business?
As a business the need to be realistic at the outset is paramount. The process, if done correctly, takes time, costs money and requires great internal resource commitment. All of these can be compromised to some extent, but there is always a balance in the end, and this will come in the system that the business ends up going live with. Compromise on the project and you are compromising the end solution, and potentially the growth and future of the business.
Implementing an ERP system is not straightforward, but remembering some of these simple suggestions will help the project have a greater chance of success than ignoring them.
Columbus are a Microsoft Dynamics AX partner, specialising in warehouse management software for UK warehouse, distribution and manufacturing businesses.
With solid industry know-how, Columbus is a preferred business partner for ambitious companies within the retail, manufacturing and food sectors.
We know how to adapt and implement our proven Microsoft-based solution sets to maximise your efficiency and overall business performance - for immediate impact.
Our key deliverables include truly flexible and future-safe ERP, CRM, BI and related business applications that deliver competitive advantage.
Exceeding 20 years of experience and 6,000 successful business cases, Columbus currently employs over 1,000 dedicated staff working out of 41 offices in 21 countries.
View the original article here
No comments:
Post a Comment