Consider our recommended step-by-step solution planning approach outlined below. Self-assess where you are today in your planning and decision process, then follow the relevant links to learn how Armanino can help advance your CFO Evolution with the best ERP solution for your company.
Step 1 - Mobilize Your ERP Selection Team
- Designate your ERP initiative sponsor, project lead, evaluation team and key stakeholders
- Ensure you have both senior management's and key stakeholder's full support before launching your ERP selection process. Depending on their level of familiarity with current ERP system capabilities, you may want/need to do some education to make sure everyone is "on board."
Step 2 - Assess Your ERP Project Readiness
- How well defined, understood and documented are your current and future business and application requirements?
- Do you have a documented IT Strategy and a solution architecture vision in mind already?
- What are the consequences of an unsuccessful new ERP implementation? Of doing nothing?
- What type of business relationships have worked well for your company in the past? What things didn't work?
- What type and how much help are you looking for?
Step 3 - Define Your Business Requirements
- Align with your corporate strategy, goals, current state, and desired future state vision
- Understand how your CFO Organization compares to others
- Define/refine your business capability requirements
- Plan your high-level business architecture design to fill the gaps
- Plan your people, process and technology initiatives to execute the plan
- Define your high-level sourcing strategy
- Define your solution decision criteria
Step 4 - Plan Your IT Strategy
- Align with your business requirements
- Plan your high-level IT solution architecture design
- Define your software selection criteria
- Select your standard IT platform and deployment option (cloud, on-premises, or hybrid)
- Identify viable sourcing options
Step 5 - Qualify ERP Software Products
- Define/refine your high-level application requirements.
- Research and evaluate ERP products against your software selection criteria
- Prepare for and review product demonstration(s) to assess which product(s) best meet your needs
Step 6 - Qualify ERP Implementation Service Providers
- Understand and evaluate their planning, implementation and support approach and capabilities
- Check references
- Assess which provider(s) you want to do business with
Step 7 - Select Your ERP Solution Provider
- Choose the ERP solution that best meets your current and expected future needs (based on software fit, implementation and support approach, risk mitigation, and TCO)
- Finalize contract with your chosen solution provider
- Launch your new ERP project
Summary ERP Implementation Planning Guide Best Practices
As it is often said, "Failing to plan is planning to fail" and "If you don't know where you are going, any path will get there". Aligned with these timeless pearls of wisdom we submit, the difference between a successful and failed ERP project is often how much planning went into it upfront. Successful ERP projects are well-defined and well-planned. Unsuccessful ERP projects are typically poorly defined and not well-planned. Consequently, we strongly recommend you follow our Step-by-Step ERP Implementation Guide to make your ERP project a success!
