The Details
Our Solution to Prepare for the ERP Implementation
The following is our process to improve a business's readiness to more fully implement business software and achieve far better results. This process should start 2 to 4 months before implementation and does not replace implementers and normal implementation duties.
- Prepare: Establish and prepare team members, resources, and control structure for the pre-implementation planning project. Return to Chart
- Business Process Review: Top-level company visioning, conduct detailed business process investigation, identify and organize current process support tools. In this process we:
- Assess and leverage previously conducted top-level visioning and business process planning.
- Discuss executive objectives and concerns for the business software initiative.
- Establish what business processes should be supported by the new business software.
- Identify and organize current process support tools (paper forms, spreadsheets, databases, point applications, etc.) that support business processes contemplated to be supported to any degree by the new ERP.
- Conduct detailed interviews of managers/workers in the affected business process areas with a focus on detecting (1) process problems, (2) improvement ideas, (3) unusual processes and process exceptions, and (4) relevant better/best practices.
- Discuss vision and process for developing and using management information (feedback from operational transactions). This takes the form of automated key performance indicators (KPIs), dashboard-type interfaces, electronic notifications based on business process exceptions, and classic reports. Return to Chart
- Business Process Planning: Further develop and organize findings of business process interviews and list of business process support tools—which forms background detail that is critical for implementation success. In this process we:
- Review, clarify, and organize observations from the business process interviews near the time they are conducted (this is critical to avoid the ‘fade’ of relevant details that quickly occurs).
- Conduct a full review of all business process observations when all interviews are materially complete, to (1) further organize the findings by topics within business process categories, (2) develop useful details, (3) reduce redundancy, and (4) develop and enhance all business process and company observations holistically—as compared to a functional area specific planning.
- Conduct the initial review of the business process support tools (collected in step #2 – 4th bullet), further establish the tool’s purpose, and list the tool in the appropriate topic within a business process category for which it is used (described in prior bullet). Return to Chart
- Develop Implementation Approach: Review and modify the implementation consulting firm's standard plans and assumptions — which presume the buyer is unprepared and cannot lead. The process includes:
- Initial phone meetings with implementer's management on the planning that is occurring and the premise for needing to change standard implementation methods, assumptions, and project management structure.
- Develop the draft implementation plan with a focus on changes to typical implementer's approach for (1) business process investigation, (2) ERP data development/migration, (3) training, and (4) project management.
- Conduct a one-day onsite meeting to better solidify the 'modified plan' going forward with the implementer, company team, third party consultants, and EAI team. Return to Chart
- Prepare Implementer: Review in detail the business process topics (AKA process objectives that were developed in step #3 above) with the implementer's lead analyst. In this interaction an initial opinion is sought for (1) how the ERP (or third party software components) supports all—or a portion of the objectives within the topic, and (2) timing for implementing the objectives. These results and other information determined in this process are recorded in EAI project management tools. If there is an apparent limitation to achieve part or all of a business objective, alternate approaches are discussed. It is very helpful—if not critical—to have these discussions at a time in which good planning exists (step #3 above) and ERP has not been installed or configured (at this time there are maximum options and lower costs to tune ERP). These results and other information determined in this process are recorded in EAI project management tools. Return to Chart
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“Just the Facts” Webinar
The written word makes it difficult to convey the full purpose and benefit of the type of planning and implementation project control advocated in this website. Therefore we offer a one-hour introductory webinar on ERP implementation control.
This webinar is a 'just the facts' case study and not a sales pitch. We strive to make this a productive use of your time as you will take away concepts and tips to use. The presenter is typically Mark Engleman who developed this overall implementation control process. He has been involved in over 600 ERP projects and has presented over 350 ERP training webinars.
The webinar is typically offered every other Thursday at 1pm Pacific Time—as well as other times to better fit the schedule of those interested. For the current schedule, send an email to webinars@softselect.com or give us a call.