Preparation required before an ERP implementation : One of the biggest problems that many have had with implementing ERP is misunderstanding what ERP is all about and underestimating what it takes to effectively implement. Driving ERP preparation and implementation, senior operation management cannot relegate critical decisions to workers who may not have the background and/or the temperament for this type of decision-making.
Companies need a well thought out and comprehensive process that will help plan, guide and control the entire ERP implementation effort. Starting an implementation with an undocumented, skimpy or untailored implementation methodology is open invitation to disaster and at the very least, a long drawn up implementation.
Everyone from the board room to the stockroom needs to clearly understand their role and responsibilities for implementation and above all encourage dialogue that will get people focused on the business objectives as well as early identification and or correction of any problems. In addition, and no small matter, the question of how, when and who will be accountable for results must be an integral part of this understanding.
An implementation that is going astray becomes recognizable when repeated schedule slippage surface. As time moves on the schedules miss problems starts to compound the implementation quality, as the invariable response is too start taking short-cut; and by-passing critical business issues.
