This is the 5th in our series of 6 blogs offering guidance to help you be better prepared for your ERP implementation. In this blog, we highlight the importance of preparation.
Time is money
As Benjamin Franklin said, time is money, so it follows that we should make the best use of it. During your implementation project there will be scheduled meetings with LAKE consultants. It is prudent to prepare for those meetings to maximise the value you will get out of them.
Gather your thoughts
Planning and Design is where your project starts. Planning and Design is key to ensuring a successful implementation. You should gather your thoughts in preparation for these meetings. And as we often say, preparation reduces risk, lowers cost, and results in better outcomes.
Work backwards, starting with outcomes and reports you require to meet the goals and aspirations of the business. If there are management reports currently being produced in Excel, show them to us. If you have workflow diagrams for current processes, bring them along. Tell us about your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and processes you need to replicate and streamline. Document your requirements and include things such as integrations that will be needed with third parties or other systems within your business.
Homework
Yes, there will be homework. During Planning and Design there may be questions raised during our meetings that need further investigation. During Solution Build there will be testing to be done and test data to be prepared. Ahead of the Live Cutover, you may be responsible for the extraction and preparation of data ready for migration. Whatever the nature of the homework, it is essential that it is done in accordance with agreed timescales and project dependencies.
Take the next step
In the sixth and final blog in this series, we assess the risks associated with project scope creep.
To learn more, download copies of our SAP Business One Implementation Guide and SunSystems Cloud Implementation Guide.
By Edward Bentley