Branching Out – How to Make the Most of Your ERP Deployment

No one should believe that an ERP application is a plug and play solution. Because no organization is alike, you simply can’t purchase and ERP software package and install it without taking things outside of the box, no matter what your vendor may have sold you on. An ERP solution’s benefits are seen through improved visibility into the different areas of your organization. With this information at hand, decision makers have access to data that will not only help them make better choices, but make decisions in a more timely fashion to help keep your business on track and competitive. However to see all of these benefits, you have to be willing to see how your ERP solution can branch out.

Customize

In the movie Days of Thunder Robert Duvall’s character tells his driver that, “there is nothing stock about a stock car.” Likewise, there should be nothing stock about your ERP software if you want to really get the most out of it. Whether you opt to purchase additional modules to enhance its capability or you need to bring in a developer to customize different parts of the software make sure that you mold your solution to meet your business needs and processes.

Integrate

Most organizations rely on multiple enterprise level applications to work with different sources of data. Be it their CRM system, MRP solution, SCM application or any other source of data that a business relies upon your ERP application should be able to integrate with them in order to fully maximize the benefit your company stands to gain from any of these applications.

Update

Regular updates are often required to patch security vulnerabilities and fix bugs in the code. This type of maintenance is required to keep your ERP software safe and in working order. There are, however, updates that also add functionality and new features to your ERP application. Of course, any changes to your software may have affects on how if works with other applications or even within your company’s infrastructure. While updating your software does have its benefits, make sure to test any updates in the right environment before applying them to your production system.

Update your processes

"An ERP system by itself doesn't solve problems," Joel Schneider, President at Liberty Technology Advisors stressed. "You have to marry it with improved business processes." ERP solutions generally support inventory control, materials management, purchasing, supply chain, production scheduling, finance and accounting processes. Simply implementing a new software solution won’t help solve any problems you may be having in these areas unless you put in the effort to change and streamline the processes your ERP software supports.

Choosing the right ERP software is the first step towards a successful implementation, but if you really want to squeeze everything out of your ERP application that you absolutely can then you need to look past the deployment and start looking towards what you are going to do once everything is up and running.