Here’s what you need to know about Enterprise Resource Planning

ERP or Enterprise Resource Planning helps you bring all the departments of your organization under one roof for effective operations and management. This system also helps automate many of the repetitive tasks in the business process and help streamline the flow of information between the different departments. On the onset, ERP implementation may seem like a huge undertaking that could create a lot of changes in the process and organizational structure. Yes, ERP implementation will definitely result in a lot of changes. However, with proper planning and careful implementation, you can reduce the risks and difficulties while enjoying the best benefits of ERP software implementation. 

ERP Implementation Stages

To ensure seamless implementation and transfer to ERP model, you need to follow a step-by-step method. The various stages or phases of ERP software implementation include:

Stage 1: Discovery & Planning

The first stage is all about meetings, brain storming, collecting ideas, understanding requirements, which are all essential for creating the implementation strategy. After planning, documentation will also be done during this stage. The project plan will be created, which will be the guideline for the entire process. The documentation and the project plan will help all the stakeholders get a clear idea of the process, the challenges, and the bottlenecks.

Stage 2: Design

The design process involves creating the process structure and assigning the roles and responsibilities for everyone involved in the process. The roles and responsibilities need to be clearly defined during this stage so as to prevent any confusion down the road. 

Stage 3: Development

Until now, only the prep job was done. This stage is when the actual process of implementation is done. Import of data and customization of the process based on the business requirements will also be done during this pivotal stage.

Stage 4: Testing

Once the systems are in place, they should be tested for performance and security. Stages 3 and 4 may go on interchangeably many times until there are no challenges and errors in the ERP system.

Stage 5: Deployment

Once the system clears all the testing parameters, it is then deployed to the team for evaluation in real time. However, it’s necessary to recheck and validate all the imported data before it’s handed over to the live team. The system should be continuously monitored for challenges and hiccups till all the employees are comfortable with the new system and till no problems are identified.

Stage 6: Support and Updates

ERP system implementation is not a one-time task. It needs to be continually evaluated for performance and quality. As the business process change or evolve and the roles of the team members change, the system should also be accordingly updated. 

ERP Implementation Best Practices

Let’s take a look at the best practices that will help you make the most of the ERP implementation services.

Don’t underestimate planning

Proper planning is 50% job done. Check out all the possible scenarios, challenges, bottlenecks, and other issues that you may face during the implementation. During the planning stage, try to find out ways in which you can overcome these limitations. 

Don’t underestimate support and training

Even the best-laid plans may not give you the results, if your team is not ready to work with the changes. Therefore, involve your employees from the initial stages to help them understand that the shift will be advantageous for them. Also, it’s necessary to give hands-on training to all those who will be using this platform. It’s also necessary to have a reliable support system in place to ensure that there are no problems in the deployment. When you avail ERP implementation services, ensure that the vendor offers post-implementation support.  

Plan data migration carefully

Data migration is a very critical step in the ERP implementation process. You can choose to manually migrate the data or use an automated tool. The chances of data loss and mix-ups during migration are very high. So, it’s recommended to have a data backup in a secure location before you start the migration process. After the migration process is completed, validate the data to ensure that nothing has been lost or mixed up.

Communicate

Communication is the key to ensure the success of your ERP implementation process. Use a collaborative approach with your employees and make sure that everyone is on the same page to ensure seamless migration to the new platform.

Korcomptenz is a leading IT solutions provider that offers customized ERP implementation services. Contact us via sales@korcomptenz.com to know more about our ERP implementation services and how it will benefit your organization.