Technology implementations are not always easy. We often see customers who are considering SAP Business One from a very basic homegrown application or spreadsheets intend to change everything in a single scoop. They talk to ERP partners, they see what the product is capable of and they started aiming really high.
Ofcourse, it is great to think big when it comes to implementing or migrating from a legacy system. You need to have an eye on the big picture but it’s important to keep a check as you are not “overboiling the ocean” and overwhelming your users, who have been earlier familiar with their excel spreadsheets and various other systems that keep their operations running. It’s important to set realistic expectations and go by phased approach. The approach could make a real difference in your project success.
This blog shall serve as a great piece of information to reach closer to a successful ERP implementation.
Missing the budget aspect
Lot many organizations I know go by “Do This Now” approach which causes everyone to rush the implementations and sometimes it set unrealistic expectations about what’s actually needed from the implementation.
Not considering today’s key pain points
Give utmost importance to the current set of challenges that your organization is dealing with.
Categorize expectations strategically
High priority and critical challenges will eventually comes first before the “nice to haves”.
Filter out key technology creating a big impact in lesser time
A SaaS system such as SAP Cloud is quite effective, budget-friendly and scalable. It allows you to scale up easily and faster. Alongside, there is no need to maintain and invest in server and maintenance costs.
Involving executives from the beginning
Receive clear communication from the stakeholders and users involved as what they expect from the system to be. What all feature they would like to keep in the system to speed up their tasks.
Keeping a check as what all data are you migrating
Ask yourself what you would need. Your first urge would be to move almost everything. But, if you take a deep thinking and know what you actually need, you will be one step closer to benefit realization. What’s actually needed will save a lot of your time and give you much better value-addition.
Hire the right ERP partners
Implementing by phased approach generally goes a little longer in benefit realization of ERP. There’s no end to the level of customization you can make. The key is to just restrict yourself in doing them all at once. A good ERP partner will guide you all through the way. So, take your time and do some planning and set realistic expectations of your time, budget and effort.
So, these were few of the pointers for successful ERP implementation. Make sure management is on board, have realistics time and resource expectations, keep up with milestones, set goals and stick to them.
