Common ERP Implementation Strategies

Enterprise Resource Planning systems (ERP) make business work. They allow you to see the big picture so you can move your business in the right direction. However, just having a solution is not enough to lead your company to success. Your success will largely depend on your implementation strategy.

You need consider your implementation strategy as soon as possible so to maximize the benefits. No single blog post can fully explain every strategy, but here is a quick guide to get you started.

 

Big Bang 

Big bang Implementation happens all at once. You install every module on every computer system in your entire organization in a single night. While there are some pre-implementation tasks, there is no turning back once you changeover to the new system.

Big bang has its supporters and critics. Most people claim the risk factors as their main reasons to not use a big bang. However, you can set up your ERP quickly and more cost efficient with a big bang. If you choose this strategy, be prepared for temporary reduced productivity as your personnel get used to the new system.

 

Phased Rollout 

With phase rollout, you install components over time rather than all at once. Your company moves from your legacy system to your new one in a series of predetermined steps. You can complete these steps using one of the following formats.

  • Phased Rollout by Module – With module rollout, you install ERP modules one at a time. Most people typically start with the core functions and then add other modules based on their needs and hierarchy.
  • Phased Rollout by Business Unit – Business unit rollouts make the changes based on the needs of your business units. ERP implementations happen department by department.
  • Phase Rollout by Geography – This format works great for companies with multiple locations. Also known as pilot adoption, each location or department implements the new system when they feel they are ready.

As with big bang, phase rollout has its own fair share of pros and cons. Phase rollouts let your company ease into the new system, but they also make your network and infrastructure more complex and error prone. You also risk data loss as ERP modules exist to work together as a single unit.

 

Parallel Adoption 

Also called parallel conversion, parallel running, or parallel cut over, parallel adoption is the least risky of the three implantation strategies. With this strategy, you run both the old and new ERP system at the same time, and then phase out the old one.

Parallel adoption is slower than big bang, but faster than phased rollout. On the other hand, it has a smaller learning curve that big bang, but it is more difficult than phase adoption. However, cost is parallel adoption’s main trade-off since you need twice the resources.

Which of these ERP implementation you should use depends on your business goals and needs. There is no one size fits all solution here. Every business is unique and requires a unique implementation based on careful planning and analysis. For advice on which is right for your business, contact us today, and we will help you devise a strategy that will lead your business to success.

What’s the Next Generation of ERP Software?

Throughout the business world, enterprise resource planning (ERP) is enabling new standards of efficient collaboration. Whatever one’s industry, ERP software is a vital and well-recognized tool for success. To fully understand the future of ERP, it is helpful to understand current innovations.

It makes sense to separate applications into the categories of ERP, II and III. Classic ERP integrates processes within organizations. In the ERP II category, applications integrate supply functions, drawing in exterior enterprises and vendor-affiliated partners. ERP III extends dichotomy even further by strengthening ties with customers and sales processes.

In the near future, a number of trends like Work Spaces should improve the outlook for ERP customers. Leading developers should double down and further improve current innovations. These include medical device software manufacturing solutions with serial lot traceability. ERP applications will include numerous new functions–not bells and whistles but critical solutions designed around customer feedback. Of course, it does little good to add features without maintaining adequate usability. In the early days of ERP, applications were notoriously opaque and difficult to master. Cutting-edge ERP providers will meet the public demand for convenient interfaces and shallower learning curves.

Increasingly, ERP applications will become more useful for companies of all sizes. Historically speaking, a sharp divide separated software for small firms and larger corporations. As ERP solutions gain more flexibility, users will be able to keep using familiar applications as their enterprises grow. In the thriving medical technology sector, innovative software solutions solve a variety of common problems. In the past, it was typical for medical device companies to waste substantial resources coordinating different departments. Personnel responsible for accounting, HR and inventory would consult differing versions of data sets, leading to regular misunderstandings.

Using a search engine, one can easily identify a promising business software solution for small to midsized medical device manufacturers or distributors. Though there are plenty of ERP developers plying their trade today, with the release of Macola 10 with Configurable Workspaces, Business Activity Monitoring, and Business Process Management, ERP as we know it has changed.

Medical Device ERP: Your Boots on the Ground

This is a good time to fully recognize the potential of innovative business software. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is a fairly recent software discipline that addresses many important needs. ERP streamlines varied processes that previously demanded costly individual attention. Quite a few industries have widely adopted ERP solutions. The medical device industry offers an interesting case study in adopting new technologies quickly. In this fast-growing sector, competition is relatively fierce. Only organizations that rapidly adapt to new technology trends can remain fully competitive.

Mid-sized companies face unique challenges as they manage numerous subordinates on a regional or international level. An integrated ERP solution can bridge the gap for managers who need more control over remote teams and projects. Like virtual “boots on the ground,” ERP gives managers more direct control over broader swathes of people and processes.

In recognition of developing trends, ERP developers are broadly addressing the needs of the medical sector. The best developers have fully mastered inventory management software for medical device manufacturers or distributors. With a more centralized inventory management system, it is simple to keep well stocked without overbuying. In any industry, inventory shrinkage is a constant, nagging source of concern. Medical device manufacturing solutions with serial lot traceability are critical for containing shrinkage.

It isn’t hard to find a business software solution for small to midsized medical device manufacturers or distributors. In the competitive software industry, developers who consciously address user needs quickly gain visibility. The most prestigious of these developers are now providing serial lot traceability for medical device manufacturers. Only time will tell how many more ways ERP will change the ace of modern manufacturing.

Even with dedicated software support, learning new software is a time-consuming process. Nevertheless, cutting-edge ERP software is generally a worthwhile investment. Updating software is an essential way to improve workflow processes for medical device manufacturers and distributors. Some managers stubbornly cling to older software that is conveniently familiar. That convenience might come at the expense of slow-bleeding company resources. Modern ERP solutions increase transparency; crucially, they identify processes that are quietly dragging down organizational efficiency. Maintaining an innovative tradition, ERP developers provide crucial tools for connectivity. With ERP, one manager can keep track of key data points for far-flung warehouses, annexes and offices. By allowing greater transparency and communication, ERP helps professionals prioritize their best efforts