Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation is a large leap for any organization. ERP best practices must be adopted by each organization for smooth planning and implementation of the system. ERP implementation streamlines the business processes and keeps a record of departmental processes under same the repository. All the key business functions including purchases, inventory, manufacturing, sales, accounts, payroll, and asset management can be tracked using a single system.

While some businesses may resist the change, the growing ones are embracing technology. Considering the fast-paced nature of change and Covid-19, most organizations have been inclined to using technology. Benefits from the use of technology can be noted as smoother processes and increased market share. Today, more and more businesses are adopting technology to make things easier and faster for themselves.

ERP Best Practices

Since business ERP implementation is a huge project that impacts the organization on a larger scale, it must follow ERP best practices to ensure the organization benefits the most from it. Each phase of the implementation must be carefully planned from the stage of gathering requirements to training, implementation, and post-implementation support. Using ERP software implementation best practices can help attain the implementation goals of the organization smoothly while keeping the cost and schedule under check. Peek into best practices that we have identified for successful ERP implementation:

Define Key Requirements & KPIs

Every organization must define the key requirements or goals that they are planning to achieve through ERP implementation. Setting up these requirements is extremely significant as it helps the organization and employees to understand the goals, they should be able to achieve through the implementation. Clarity of goals will drive the management and employees to put coordinated efforts for implementation success.

For each organization, the goals may vary depending upon many factors that drive them. Businesses preparing for ERP implementation must chart out their requirements clearly – whether it is reducing manufacturing turnaround time or optimizing inventory cycles, define it clearly. This can be done by analyzing the present process and the gaps you find in the process. Also, be open to vendor’s suggestions on process improvement as they often adopt best practices from different industries.

Once requirements are defined tie them with the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). KPIs are a measure to understand every part of business operation. Setting up KPIs will help the organization measure the amount of success they could achieve through the ERP implementation.

Choose the Implementation Methodology

The next step to ERP best practices is choosing the implementation methodology. Implementation methodology is a step-by-step guide to implementation objectives. They help organizations to achieve ERP implementation success.  It will act as a structured guide to attain implementation objectives.

Organizations can choose from among traditional or turnkey methodologies of implementation depending upon their experience and team of experts. According to the traditional method, your team can coordinate with the vendor to plan and implement the new system. Based on this method, key employees from your organization along with the vendor will be responsible for the successful implementation of ERP. It is suggested if your employees have immense expertise in managing software implementation projects. Else, the organization can opt for turnkey methodology in which the vendor consultant takes the key role in planning and implementing the system. If your employees do not possess high competency in software implementation, going turnkey methodology should be preferred.

Selecting the Implementation Partner

Selecting the right implementation partner decides how much your organization stands to benefit from ERP software. Decide on-premises or cloud-based solutions after thoroughly investigating the pros and cons of each type. Shortlist from among the ERP vendors based on their area of expertise in the industry. Carefully evaluate these shortlisted vendors based on the key requirements of the business. Also, don’t miss evaluating the vendor’s ability to customize, post-implementation support, and maintenance of the software.

Preparedness for Change Management

Moving whole business and employees from one platform to another is often challenging because of the changes involved. Therefore, it is important to prepare the employees and stakeholders for change management. It not only adapts to a newer system faster but also effective. The implementing team should identify job roles that will change ERP implementation. The proper expectation should be communicated with the employees so that any chaos and confusion is eliminated.

Training and Support

To get the best of ERP system, it is a must to train the employees well. Ensure that each employee is proficient in using the system according to the job roles. It can be done through live training, training documents, and pre-recorded videos. Some organizations assign a single point of contact who can be trained extensively to share the expertise among other employees.

It is quite likely that once employees start using the system in production, they come up with newer doubts that need clarification and guidance. Ensure you select a vendor who provides technical support to manage the post-implementation phase.

Conclusion

No matter what kind of implementation you choose ERP best practices help a long way in the successful implementation of ERP software. ERP consultants at Turqosoft can help your business define your business processes & KPIs. Get advice on how you can leverage technology for the growth of your business. Connect with us through email info@turqosoft.com or call us on +91 9841205845. Also, you can follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram for a regular dose of interesting updates.

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