ERP - Fast Implemetations

Are Fast ERP Software Implementations Better?

It’s a general perception that faster is always better in the technology world. Customers who are implementing ERP software solutions tend to feel this way as well as they want to do everything possible to avoid additional costs that come with ERP implementations and given the pressures from upper management and business unit heads to speed up the go-live date.

The acceleration of an enterprise system implementation when done correctly can deliver significant cost savings benefits and increase the projects ROI. Faster ERP implementation benefits include reduce time and costs, less disruption to daily operations, reduce the risk of over engineering an erp implementation, and accelerate the time to benefit. However, without the proper game plan, training and resources, the implementation acceleration could lead to negative outcomes such as unprepared users, change management issues, and a slew of other factors that could increase costs and time rather than save costs.

Before 2000, the methodology to implement ERP systems went into too much detail on the business processes as they currently occurred capturing every minute and insignificant process on a spreadsheet and database. This phase of implementation was ironically the most costly phase of the entire implementation process. This sub optimal practice was refined around the year 2000 that focused on best practices and streamlining the implementation methodology with a more direct approach rather than document the microscopic life of the business before things even got started.

The key to implementation processes was to put the word “fast” or “rapid” somewhere in the implementation methodology description. Soon implementation success stories flooded the desks of IT managers describing successful 6 month, 3 month and even 2 week ERP implementation success stories. Today, the speed of some ERP implementations claim to take only one afternoon. It is clear that the implementation timeline has decreased considerably over the last decade, and that that time to benefit is of paramount importance, the increased speed of implementation can create new problems and new costs. Adequate knowledge transfer, roles and responsibilities, and post go live planning are some of the key problem areas.

The key point to remember is that an accelerated ERP implementation and the go-live date is only the beginning. After the go-live date, users self reliance will depend on how accelerated the implementation was. If the accelerated ERP implementation was too high, the company will be in a vulnerable spot if the knowledge transfer and change management component was inadequate. A successful accelerated ERP implementation will make sure the user has all the tools and training necessary for self sufficiency with the least business disruption in the least amount of time. In summary, it’s a balancing act. A good approach is the get a good working core of the ERP application up and running properly in the least amount of time. With this core functionality up first, companies will be in a less time pressured environment to fill in the little pieces that were not covered in the core phase.