Before you start upgrading your ERP system to a new version, you need to have a few things in mind. Without a good project plan, you can lose a lot of time, money and run major risks as a company. These 7 things you need to have in mind beforehand:
1. The objectives
Why are you implementing the upgrade? It seems like the most logical question to ask, but surprisingly many organizations can't provide a well-supported answer, if at all. You will need to clearly define the goals for your organization. For example, working more efficiently with the service department, more sales or a higher occupancy rate of the rental fleet. Preferably substantiated with numbers or percentages. Then you will have clear goals to strive for and afterwards you can test whether the upgrade has brought you what you hoped for.
2. Planning
Who is responsible for what tasks when? That, in a nutshell, is what should be in the planning. With clearly defined tasks, milestones and results. Good planning is indispensable in any upgrade because it provides guidance. A schedule entails responsibilities for all parties and individuals involved.
3. The team
Upgrading the ERP system requires time and effort from your people. For example, regarding the processes, data conversion, testing, training and documentation. Make sure you have a super team ready that is motivated, has the right knowledge and has enough time available. Certainly the latter is a challenge. The daily business goes on, of course, but the ERP upgrade is also crucial for the future.
4. The scope
What is part of the upgrade and what is not? Although the upgrade is an excellent opportunity to clean up data and improve processes, be careful not to make too much of a big deal. For example, start cleaning up the data earlier and try to implement less urgent things in a second phase.
5. The budget
Prepare a complete and itemized budget for the upgrade project. And don't make a decision to upgrade or not upgrade based on the cost, but rather compare it to the expected return. Ultimately, the Return on Investment will determine whether you make a good decision. Also make an honest assessment of what you can do yourself and where you need the consultant's expertise.
6. The infrastructure
It is quite possible that the new version of the ERP system will place different demands on your infrastructure. Are investments in new servers needed? Or in computers or mobile devices? Will you go for a cloud application? What are the various pros and cons of the choices you have? To get the most out of the software, this has to be in perfect order.
7. Change management
The most overlooked factor - but absolutely essential - is change management. An upgrade brings change. Screens that look different, processes that run differently and new ways of collaborating, communicating and administering. From management, you have to prepare the organization for this. Tell what is going to happen, why, when, and get people to see the benefits of the upgrade.
Teun Arts is Service Manager at Dysel and ensures that customers make optimal use of the software's capabilities, now and in the future.
