Category: 101
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ERP SaaS 101: Services Trump Software
How many ERP SaaS offerings are in the market today? The number depends on who you ask but it is a fair statement to say that all Tier I and the majority of Tier II ERP vendors have a SaaS offering. A majority of the market and many ERP analysts still take an on-premise approach…
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ERP Project 101: Deployment vs Requirements Gathering
Customers, System implementers and ERP vendors are always looking for ways to accelerate ERP implementations. One popular approach is to take a phased deployment approach based upon criteria such as location, ERP module or feature set. Requirements are gathered, validated, and tested based upon a limited scope. Unfortunately, many ERP projects utilizing this approach result…
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BPR, BPM and ERP
I had a customer ask me about the relationship between BPM and ERP. Does ERP implement BPM or do you need to have BPM before ERP? Is an ERP implementation a BPR project? Who’s on first? As the ERP industry evolves it has become evident that additional disciplines like Business Process Management (BPM) and Business…
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Business to IT Alignment – A Practical Discussion
Business to IT alignment is an objective that most technology and business leaders would agree as essential for agility. However, ask for a definition of Business to IT alignment or how to implement an alignment strategy and the likely results are conflicting information and vague guidance. In the following blog I will try to add…
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PeopleSoft Knowledge Map
Knowledge is power! Knowledge is also the key enabler for customers to get the most out of their Oracle ERP investment. I can understand the economic pressures to do more with less. Allow me to share with you the following list of available PeopleSoft information/training resources on the internet. Available Resources: Knowledge transfer is a…
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ERP Project 101: What + Why = How
One of the reasons why I am a consultant is that I enjoy solving business problems with technology. ERP provides a technical foundation that I can utilize to solve problems. However, during my career I came to the realization that simply throwing technology at a business need is not in the best interest of the…
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Developing a Business Case for ERP Customizations
To customize or not to customize – that is the question which continues to be a source of contention and confusion. On one hand, customization(s) can result in an expensive ERP solution. However, ERP software enhancements can provide a competitive advantage or cost reduction that is customer-specific. The challenge is not in the question itself…
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Viable – Manageable ERP
Several ERP implementations suffer from what I call a “fast-food” mentality of delivering value. Customers feel that they need to get functionality that addresses both existing needs but also future needs given long implementation cycles. Business needs and business wants get blurred together during requirements gathering which make it harder to differentiate and validate. Finally,…
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Business pain can be good for ERP
Instinctively, we all try to avoid or minimize pain. This is true for individuals as well as business organizations. However, in our attempts to reduce pain, we too often focus on eliminating the symptoms without addressing the underlying root cause. We may feel temporary relieve but our short-term decisions only lead us to a point…
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ERP Application Strategy Roadmap for Maximizing Long-Term ROI
You have just implemented your ERP solution – congratulations! Now what? Will your ERP experience become an endless cycle of applying maintenance patches and upgrades? Many customers only realize a fraction of the business value that ERP can provide. Too often customers rely on their ERP vendor to provide the long-term vision and strategy for…