How to make the right decisions about your ERP systems
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are a huge asset in today’s businesses. However, there is still some hesitation when considering integrating such systems. Not only is it a question of cost, time, and labor, but the organizational structure around a new system that managers must consider. Not only is the decision about your ERP solution one that you will not revisit for a long time, but it’s also one that will influence how your business operates for the foreseeable future. The ERP decisions you make today will directly impact the efficiency of your business. Steve Ronan at BizJournal shares some things to consider if your company is evaluating a major change to your ERP systems.
- Value planning – Defining how the systems will add value to the business – both quantitatively and strategically
- Selection – Defining business processes, key requirements, adding value, short-listing vendors, and setting aside implementation time
- Budgeting – Considering licensing, infrastructure, bandwidth, investment, and staffing costs
- Program management/implementation – executing the implementation with discipline and predictability
- Governance and sustainability – How will you ensure that future decisions about system changes control risk and don’t create unnecessary complexity and chaos?
Keep in mind when exploring ERP systems, look for experienced consultants in both vendor-aligned firms and independent implementation practices.
