So you’re considering upgrading your ERP system.  But there’s so much to think about though, it can be impossible to know where to start – it’s quite possible that nobody in your organisation has undertaken a project like this before.

It’s had to know exactly which apps and data to migrate, and which to side line, so, we’ve put this comprehensive ERP checklist together to help make your journey a success.

 

Download the Ultimate ERP checklist and get a bonus worksheet

 

Should you stay or should you go?

Before embarking on any journey, it’s important to know what your destination looks like.  Will it deliver the transformation your business needs to survive and thrive now and into the foreseeable future?

With that vision in mind, it’s so much easier to find the impetus to prepare your business and employees for what lies ahead.

 

Preparation is everything

The destination may look similar for other organisations, but the journey will be quite different.  With a proliferation of proprietary systems that have come about as a result of evolution rather than design, no two ERP migrations will be the same.  So, it’s equally important to understand what your system looks like now.

 

Specifically, you need to understand:

• Whether your current ERP system is reaching end of life or there are new features you just can’t wait to exploit and, therefore, whether you need to start sooner rather than later.
• How much of your software and hardware infrastructure is sitting idle and can, therefore, be decommissioned.
• The scale of the project required to migrate your useful data and essential apps to a new ERP system.
• You’ll also need a clear view of your deployment options – whether to upgrade your existing system, deploying around the edge in a gradual process, or whether to deploy and migrate to a brand new system.
• And whether the deployment model should be in house, hosted or software as a service (SaaS).

 

Evidence over anecdote

Taking the time to understand the way your systems, processes and people work is invaluable.  Having facts to deal with, rather than ideas, helps you reduce risk and increase accuracy – you’re much more likely to reach your goal on time and on budget, and to achieve real value from your migration.

You might even discover that your ERP migration will be easier than you originally thought.

 

We advise undergoing a readiness assessment to help you visualise your goals and the route you need to take to achieve them.

Then, if you don’t feel you have the right skills in house, you can think about forming a strategic partnership to consider the why, when and how of your migration.

 

Download the ERP Checklist for everything you need to know about your ERP project.