Erp Implementation

ERP implementation is a significant investment in both time and money for any organization. It is imperative that a company undertaking this exercise define the process improvements it expects to derive. This will assist with calculating return on investment and establishing key performance indicators to measure performance improvement. Establishin... g the operational mandate and forming an implementation committee to oversee the entire process ensures that the company maintains focus on real business benefits. Initiating planning and evaluation prior to selecting an erp solution provides a framework for aligning the erp system implementation with the companies goals and objectives. The committee should be comprised of representatives from key business units and the information technology department. This provides a check and balance process where the business executives can provide feedback on business unit requirements and the information technology personnel can provide strategic feedback on software and hardware issues. Using a balanced scorecard approach when comparing erp vendors allows stakeholders to audit functionality and select a solution that is most appropriate for the organization. Erp Software implementation requires the scoping and bounding of an implementation plan. A project manager should be appointed to draw up the project charter and institute an erp implementation methodology. This includes the establishment of project tasks, milestones and key deliverables. The budgetary controls are also established, ancillary support and development staff appointed and the project implementation commenced. This includes liaising with any outside support staff and coordinating contractors. It is important that communication standards are maintained so that work dependencies do not cause conflict or compromise the implementation process. Testing the system across multiple business units for robustness and usability is essential prior to launching the live version. If a sandbox has been established, test ...Read More