ERP Implementation Documentation: Necessity or Nice to Have?

Small to medium sized business generally tend to be very budget conscious when performing any sort of major implementation, and an ERP implementation is no exception.  It is certainly a prudent business practice to examine all project costs to assure no resources are wasted, but it is also important to make sure mission critical items are not being cut.  Before an organization chooses to put documentation activities on the chopping block, there are a few things that should be considered. 

The Formal Project Plan

Creating a formal project plan can be a very useful tool for structuring a project as huge as an ERP implementation into manageable pieces.  A well mapped project plan will give an organization milestones and measurable goals that can be invaluable in guiding an implementation team and be of great assistance in keeping your ERP project on the right track.  Tackling an ERP implementation with no project plan can be a lot like taking a road trip with no map – difficult to tell where you are going, and impossible to ensure you are taking the best route.

Documented Business Processes

It is also wise to document your current business processes and the projected future business processes that take your new ERP system into consideration.  Having a detailed document that explains your current business flow will help inform the implementation team of your needs as well as guide end user training.  Documenting your new business processes during your ERP implementation will serve as excellent reference guides once the implementation is complete and be useful as new employees are hired and need to be trained.  Saving a little bit of money by eliminating this piece of documentation is a short term benefit that can create long term issues.

Issue Management Planning

While no one can predict the future, planning for any risks involved in an ERP implementation is another good idea.  Things to take into consideration are responsibility assignment, corrective action steps, and resolution tracking.  Things can, and do, go wrong during any type of large project implementation and planning for issues is one way to make sure any minor or major hiccups are addressed in an efficient and effective manner.  A little preplanning can shave hours or even days off of recovery time should any project challenges arise.

Proper documentation is a critical piece to an organization’s ERP implementation and should not be viewed as an unnecessary step.  While it may be tempting to see this documentation step as optional, this documentation can actually save companies a lot of time and money in an ERP implementation. 

The Vested Group has a unique approach to pre-project planning, called Phase Zero. In this condensed planning and analysis effort, we help organizations lay the groundwork for a successful implementation.  Click on the link above to learn more about Phase Zero, or contact The Vested Group today to set up a demo.  We have offices in Tampa, FL and Dallas, TX ready to serve you!