ERP Tips

Implementing an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system or migrating from one ERP system to another can be a daunting task.  Before you delve into this significant project, there are some tips and advice you should consider to make your ERP implementation go as smoothly as possible.  If you have already made the decision for your business to use an ERP system, you have probably done a lot of research on different vendors and perhaps even made a decision on which choice you are going with.  No matter where you are in the process, below are three great tips to keep in mind before moving forward with your ERP implementation.

Streamline Your Business Processes

Whether you have been in business for many years or you are a fairly new startup, if you are implementing an ERP system it is a great idea to take a look at your business processes and make any necessary changes.  Some processes may include steps that were added out of necessity and may no longer be needed when considering the functionality of your new ERP system.  There may be other business processes that you have wanted to change for other various reasons and have putting off due to the challenges some changes may present.  Implementing a new ERP system is a perfect opportunity to evaluate your business processes and streamline them to make your business run as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Clean Your Data

Having clean data is important when implementing a new ERP system because this helps to ensure that your company’s reports and historical information is accurate.  When data entry standards are inconsistent or not followed, data can become “dirty”.  Sometimes a change in business processes or procedures can create variations in data.  The best method of correcting this is to clean your data before migrating it to your new ERP system.  There are ways to automate the cleaning process, but automation does not always produce 100% accurate results.  Of course, the data cleaning method you choose will depend on your amount of legacy data and specific business needs.

Consider the Cloud

We have shared a few articles here about the benefits of the cloud and future trends in cloud computing, so if you are a regular reader of our blog you already know how leveraging the cloud in your business can have a positive impact.  If you are already thinking about implementing an ERP system for your business, researching web based ERP systems would be a wise decision as well.  Click on the links to the two articles above to learn more about how the cloud could be a good fit for your business, or begin with our article, The Cloud Simplified, for an easy to understand overview of cloud computing.

For some more great tips regarding your new ERP system, take a look at Scott Lowe’s article, Four Rules to Maintain ERP Sanity, or Dan Davis’s 5 Tips for a Less Stressful ERP Migration.   When you are ready to begin your implementation, contact The Vested Group where we can address the ideas listed above in Phase Zero or perform a full-scale implementation for you company.