Implementation of ERP solutions has become lately a subject "fashionable". More and more employers want such a system, as more and more software vendors „enrich" their product range with Enterprise Resource Planning solutions, more or less integrated, more or less at their own.
The avalanche of ERP / CRM have put pressure on existing users or potential beneficiaries of an ERP system, benefits listed by providers causing the companies to switch to buying an ERP software without taking into account the particularities of their business and, may be the most important thing, without prior verification of compliance of ERP software and its own particular business.
Therefore, the signing of the contract between the potential customer and supplier ERP / CRM must be preceded by an important milestone, represented by analysis of business process and real needs of the client. It is the time when the customer and software provider know and understand each other. Now is the time when provider identifies customer workflow, available resources and objectives, to see if he is able to cover all its needs. All these preliminary data allow, on the one side, configuration of ERP system to meet fully the expectations of the beneficiary, and the otherside, to the customer to utilize human and financial resources efficiently and economically.
Steps that should not skip
1. Identifying customer workflows, so that the current system of business, involving the flow of data, documents and activities, and future desires of the client to be implemented in the ERP system.
2. Establishing the compatibility of the proposed ERP solution with the business and customer expectations.
3. Identify specific customer needs, by creating the necessary customization for client activity.
4. Getting the customer's requirements, in the implementation methodology, so that implementation of ERP solution to flow within budget overruns or changes in customer requirements.
5. Setting the total number of users of the system and the role each of them to the mechanism, to avoid uncontrolled skidding.
6. Effective implementation of ERP and training the client staff that will use the system.
Factors that should not be omitted
1. Business complexity and establish of actual number of users. It should be noted that these two factors have a direct influence on the process of implementation.
2. The complexity and number of modules selected for implementation. Complete implementation of a module depends, in some cases, on restrictions or foreign company rules. (ex. the fulfillment of accounting module is conditional by accounting month closure)
3. Type and number of customer requested customization. We are talking here by the critical customizations and usual customization. In the first case, they must be delivered before the commissioning of the system, for not blocking the activity of the customer.
4. Identify an implementation program. The customer must know that he must establish a project manager, the IT infrastructure must be ready, to prepare staff who will attend training.
5. Involvement of the company's leadership in the project. It should be noted that situations may arise during implementation that require rapid and major decisions for the future of company, is extremely important that the leadership of the company to be constantly aware of how the project goes.
