Checklist for a successful ERP project

Table of contents Toggle Why should you consider an ERP project? How do I succeed with my ERP project? A checklist you can use: Read more about integrations and ERP For many people, a successful ERP project is an oxymoron — a contradiction in terms. But it really doesn't have to be that way. It doesn't have to be difficult

22 February 2023 · 10 min read

For many people, a successful ERP project is an oxymoron — a contradiction in terms. But it really doesn’t have to be that way. It doesn’t have to be difficult to make your ERP system smart.

It doesn’t have to be difficult to measure the right things. It doesn’t have to be difficult to build the bridge between ERP and your eCommerce solution. Read on here and discover the simple steps it takes to make your ERP project a success.

The ERP projects we see most often

Over the years we have taken part in reeeeeally many ERP projects — both tiny ones and huge ones.

Here are the ones we see most often.

Mirroring of elements – Most people who work with ERP systems reach a point where the copy-paste work between their programs has drained so much life out of them that something has to be optimised.

This is where we come in and build a bridge between different data sets, so that whatever is entered in one place also moves on to the other. When a change is made, it is made across the board… Unless there need to be exceptions. We take care of those too.

Optimised order fulfilment – There can be a long way from the customer placing an order to the order being shipped out of the warehouse. Slow order fulfilment.

We have helped countless companies optimise and automate their order fulfilment processes. That creates far more time, overview and headroom for all the things that are far more important than processing the individual order.

Customer portals – You are probably sitting on a huge pile of data that is just waiting to be used in all sorts of fantastic ways. One of those ways is with a tailor-made customer portal where your customers have everything they need close at hand and tailored to their own data. The more specific you can be about your individual customers’ wishes and needs, the more they will come to love you as a supplier.

Migration from C5 to Business Central – C5 is an old legacy system and simply cannot hold its own in modern eCommerce. Microsoft C5 has been a really good accounting program and has therefore been widely used. So if you are sitting with a large data set in the old system, migrating that data into a new system can be a big task. This is where we very often come into play, with simpler and smarter solutions.

Migration from Dynamics NAV to Business Central – This project is the equivalent of the one above. From an older and outdated system to a smarter solution.

Integrations between ERP, PIM and eCommerce – There is no integration we have not built before, between all the systems the typical eCommerce company has. If you have many items in stock, you know that your systems hold extreme amounts of data. You can use that data to inform and optimise all your other systems.

The list of possible integrations is endlessly long, and we almost dare say that anything is possible.

Why should you consider an ERP project?

We here at Connectify may well be a little biased — and without doubt, we are — but there are always places where you can improve your ERP system.

We have seen it all. People who are dead certain that their systems run as optimised as they possibly can, who still get their world turned upside down.

We are the sergeant major who finds dirt in the furthest corners during inspection. A bloodhound who can sniff out even the smallest points for optimisation. And as we see it, that is only a good thing. Having to optimise is not a defeat — it is a huge opportunity to scale your business into something you did not think was possible.

So here is our encouragement. Take a good long look at your ERP system and ask yourself: what would I wish this system could show me, do for me or do for my customers?

And then define your goals — here is a list of the goals we see most often in ERP projects.

Automation of manual work — you save both time and money.
Improved communication — if you have many departments, integrations between your systems can create better communication across them.
Faster order processing – again, if you save time, you save money.
Better stock control – integrations can make sure that you and your customers have better control of product availability.
Better service – the more insight you have into all the individual details, across systems, the better customer service you will be able to deliver.
More accurate reporting – Do you have to present precise figures to management? No problem. A good selection of integrations can break down even the wildest data set.

How do I succeed with my ERP project?

A large share of the ERP projects that are launched do not turn out as good as they were in people’s minds, and that is incredibly unfortunate. There can be many reasons for that, and you will definitely find some of them in the points below, where we go through some of the most important elements that all ERP projects should contain.

Scoping and purpose of the task

If your project does not have a real purpose, it should not be started. Make sure you know why you are doing what you are doing, and which problem the project is supposed to solve. Take another look at the list of goals for ERP projects if you need to. Scoping the task is one of those points that always gets pushed aside a little too quickly. Half of a good software project lies in the planning phase, if not more. That is why it is incredibly important to have scoping of the task as part of the process, and to take that point extremely seriously. A task is never “just a quick one”. The number of times we have heard that is far too high, and those kinds of projects tend to have a great many corrections when they are delivered.

A waste of everybody’s time and money. Make sure you scope the task properly, so you know what piece of work you are up against.

Analysis

Once you have worked out what you are going to work with, and what you want to optimise, it is time for an analysis. Before we start a project, we always analyse the system we are going to change. How does the thing we are going to change work right now, and what needs to be done to reach the goal? When you know that, you can plan your next steps better. On top of that, make some forecasts. What can your solution do right now, and how much is that going to change, hypothetically, when you make a change?

That way you can make a cost-benefit analysis of the whole operation.

Implementation plan

Make sure you make a plan. Create a preliminary timeline for the project, structure resources, set a course and give people some defined tasks.

Delegation

Your project is ready to be kicked off, and here it is incredibly important that the right people get the work in their hands. There are many developers who can take on the task, but the truth is that ERP projects require a high level of specialisation. The knowledge that goes into that kind of project is incredibly specific. It may well be that many developers would be able to get through it alive, but it is like putting a pastry chef to work making sushi.

It is just not the same.

Partners

Are you not the only one who will be working on the project? Make sure you have good, continuous communication with any partners, so that work is not carried out in several different directions.

Involve the users

One of what is probably the most important criteria for your project’s success is that the users are able to use your addition. Make sure they are trained in the change, and that everyone is on the same page. That way you make sure that lots of extra resources do not have to be spent when the update goes live.

Operations and maintenance

Your project is finished, but the work does not end here. It would be easy to shut everything down after that, but often it is actually in operations that the real gold lies. Here we often find several points for optimisation which can create even more value, but which only require a small effort. Other times maintenance is needed to keep everything running smoothly.

Both are incredibly important to take care of.

A checklist you can use:

It does not take many steps to fall into place before your ERP project can become a great success.

We have put together this list, which can help you with future projects.

Here is a checklist of the mistakes to avoid in an ERP project:

Unclear goals and expectations

Do you have clear goals and expectations for the ERP project?
Are your goals realistic?
Have you communicated the goals to all parties involved?

Lack of preparation

Have you researched and evaluated different ERP solutions?
Have you understood your company’s needs and requirements?
Do you have a clear plan for the implementation?

Lack of user involvement

Have you involved the users in the implementation of the ERP solution?
Do the users understand how the system works?
Have you taken the users’ feedback into account?

Insufficient training

Have you planned sufficient training for the users?
Have you considered how the training is to be delivered (e.g. onsite or online)?
Have you made sure that the users understand how the system works?

Failure to keep to the schedule

Do you have a schedule for the implementation of the ERP solution?
Have you considered possible delays and allowed for them?
Do you have a plan for handling any delays?

Lack of security and data protection

Have you made sure that the ERP solution is secure and protects the company’s data?
Have you considered different security measures, such as access control, encryption and backup?
Do you have plans for handling data loss or hacking?

Lack of maintenance and updating

Do you have a plan for maintaining and updating the ERP solution?
Have you considered how you will identify and solve any problems?
Have you made sure that the solution remains relevant and meets the company’s needs and requirements?

By considering and taking these factors into account, companies can avoid some of the most common mistakes in an ERP project and achieve a successful implementation of the solution.

Once you have these things under control, you are guaranteed the optimal return from your project. If you have questions, you are welcome to contact us.

If you are hungry for more knowledge, then do read on here.