To prevent this common ERP mistake, Kimberling suggests that businesses take the time to develop an ERP blueprint,

the foundation that will help you map out a successful ERP implementation that wont waste precious time or money. 1. Re-analyze your business processes. Although you probably already did this before choosing a software application, its important to rehash the project after youve settled on a specific ERP system. Now youll be equipped to fill in some of the variables and truly understand and analyze how ERP will alter and improve the way your company does business . Studying your business processes as they relate to your new ERP systems capabilities will help you determine what you can and cant expect from your ERP implementation project. It will help you determine how ERP will change the lives of your workers, the day-to-day activity of your company and your ability to compete with other businesses in your sector. 2. Consider employee readiness. Employees need to be prepared for the ways in which ERP will change their jobs. Since ERP systems are designed to integrate departments, streamline processes, eliminate waste and improve communication, jobs will inevitably be altered. Employees should be readied for the new roles that they will play in the new, more efficient company. Their acceptance of the project is crucial to the projects overall success after all, employees are the end-users of the ERP system. If they feel resentful toward it or dont understand it, they wont be utilizi ng it to the best of its abilities. 3. Determine your data migration strategy. One of ERPs main functions is to consolidate and organize data from your business so that it can be better stored, accessed and utilized. However, migrating all of the data that your company has accumulated over the years into the new system can actually be much more complicated than business executives realize. Dont let yourself be overwhelmed trying to tackle data migration at the last second. Instead of putting off data migration, plan to tackle it at a reasonable time. The same goes for reports, forms and other information that will need be to entered into or mapped onto the ERP system. 4. Estimate your time and costs. By the end of the ERP blueprint process, you should be equipped with enough information to update the initial time constraints and budgets that you outlined before selecting an ERP system. Its important to begin your project with an accurate idea of how long it will take and how much it will cost after all, overshooting either of these projections is one of the most common reasons for ERP failure. Designing and sticking to an ERP blueprint is one of the best ways your company can prepare itself for ERP implementation.

ERP Business Blueprint

Before you have even selected an ERP system, it is critical to define how it will support your business. Todays ERP software packages are extremely robust, flexible, and provide a multitude of potential business process variations. Panoramas ERP Business Blueprint services will help ensure that you are select and implement the software in a way that supports your business operations and organization, ultimately saving you time, money, and risk while increasing business benefits. Below are some of the activities that Panorama will guide you through during the ERP Business Blueprint phase of your project.

ERP Business Blueprint Activities

Finalize contract negotiations, including terms and conditions Develop a detailed implementation project plan, including scope, activities, milestones, and resources Conduct a risk assessment and risk mitigation plan Establish the project core team, project charter, and project controls Define software vendor technical scope and system requirements Define business process workflows, identify improvements, and start implementing process changes Define roles and responsibilities in the new ERP system environment Conduct an organizational readiness assessment to gauge employees ability to adapt to the new system Define a business benefits realization plan, including KPIs and performance improvements Manage technical infrastructure upgrade plan Develop a data standardization and migration plan Create a migration plan for forms and reports