Category: Selection
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Cloud Can Bring Out the Best of ERP
Previously, I discussed some of the hard realities customers have to manage as part of a Cloud ERP solution. However, these challenges should not deter customers from looking at a Cloud ERP deployment model. There are broad advantages for Cloud ERP including incremental scalability and smaller start-up investment. I would like to speak to some…
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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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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…
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Cloud ERP – New Dog, Same Fleas
I am very excited about Cloud ERP and the potential opportunities for customers, however, I like to speak to the minority opinion for a balanced discussion. Just as ERP was deemed the panacea for all business automation pains, Cloud ERP is positioned as a revolutionary approach to deploying an ERP solution. Cloud ERP provides a…
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Best of Breed vs. Integrated ERP
We have all heard the proverb “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” Applying this concept to business software, we would conclude that a business solution is only as strong as its weakest integration. Usually overlooked and underestimated, integration is one of the most important factors to consider as part of a…
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Conducting ERP Assessment to Maximize ERP ROI
If you are considering moving to the cloud, one of the steps to take is understanding where you are at today with your ERP solution.
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Defining Scope for ERP Implementations
I know that everyone whole-heartedly agrees that having a well-defined ERP implementation scope statement is strategic to success. However, there are few articles or other resources that provide detailed guidance on building scope statements. I would like to focus on one key area that is typically not clearly articulated for ERP implementations. Components of a…
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Customers – Insist on an ERP Knowledge Transfer Plan
What Gets Tracked and Measured Gets Done How do you measure knowledge transfer? Customers – have you ever received a report or completed checklist that demonstrated the Implementation Partner conducted knowledge transfer? Knowledge transfer is a process, not just a milestone task on a project plan. Consider the following illustration to identify the importance of…
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Business Leads and Technology Supports
There is a misconception in the ERP market that says technology is the key enabler to business maturity. In a previous blog (ERP is Only Part of a Business Solution) I discussed the supporting role ERP plays in a business solution. Business processes and people have a far greater influence on business process maturity and business results. …
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ERP is Only Part of a Business Solution
Back in the 80s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) was deemed the panacea for business pains caused by operational inefficiencies and disjointed applications. Then came the realization that ERP was not the final solution but just one piece of the puzzle. In addition we learned that change was not just a software issue, that implementation is…