ERP Lifecycle

Different Phase of ERP implementation are- Pre-implementation Activities Project Preparation Business blueprinting Realization Final preparation and go live Support

ERP Life Cycle Pre implementation Activities Project Preparation Business blueprinting Realization Final preparation and go live Support

Implementation Team Training Post Implementation Phase Company Management ERP Vendors Pre-Evaluation Screening Package Evaluation Project Planning Gap Analysis Reengineering Configuration Implementation Team Training Testing End-User Training Go ahead Going Live Post Implementation Phase ERP implementation Lifecycle

Pre-implementation Activities Have crack team in place Feasibility/ROI study Getting budget for ERP implementation. High level requirement definition . High level scope definition. RFP for implementation partner selection. Evaluation and selection partner for imp. RFP for package selection. Evaluation and selection ERP package.

Project Evaluation Project team selection,organisation str. Project methods,stds formulation. Finalizing the strategy. Detailed project scoping. Technical preparation. Training

Business Blueprinting Modelling high level AS IS process Detailed req definition. BPR and process redesign Detailed TO BE modelling,TO BE process documentation. Identify gaps Define roles Blueprint audit. Blueprint sign off. Give core team configuration training.

Realization Configuration/customization. Unit testing. Integration testing. Developments for gaps. End user training.

Final Preparation and go live Stress and volume testing. End user acceptance testing and signoff. Conducting end user training. Data migration. Cutover planning and go live checklist. Help desk support finalization. Closing open project finalization. Pre go live audit. Go live audit.

Support Knowledge transfer to support team. Transition-documents,open issues. Regular support ,monitoring SLAs Measuring performance improvement. Upgrading

PROJECT PLANNING PHASE Project schedule Decision of phase Team leader DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS TIME SCHEDULES, DEADLINES, ETC RESOURCES ARE NEEDED AND IMPLEMENTATION IDENTIFIED CONTINGENCIES, MONITOR THE PROGRAM, CONTROL MEASURES , CORRECTIVE ACTIONS PLANNING IS DONE BY TEAM LEADERS COMMITTEE WILL BE HEADED BY INCHARGE

GAP ANALYSIS Importance of Gap Analysis Gap analysis is a phase in the ERP implementation, where the organization tries to find out the gaps between the company’s existing business practices & those supported by the ERP package. This is the process through which companies create a complete model of where they are now & where they want to head in the future.

Main objective The main objective is to design a model, which both anticipates & covers any function gap. It has been estimated that even the best ERP package meets only 80% of the company’s functional gaps.

Different ways of finding gaps One of the most affordable, but most difficult, solutions entails altering the business to ‘fit’ the ERP package. Another solution is that the company can simply agree to live without a particular function. Other solutions include: Pinning your hopes on an upgrade or updating of software. Identifying a third-party product that might fill the gap. Designing a custom program. Altering the ERP source code.

GAP ANALYSIS Importance Main objective Different ways of finding FIND OUT THE GAPS BETWEEN BUSINESS AND ERP PACKAGE ALTERING THE BUSINESS TO FIT THE PACKAGE DESIGN A MODEL LIVE W/O A FUNCTION COVERS ANY FUNCTIONAL GAP UPDATING SOFTWARE COMPANY CREATES A MODEL IDENTIFYING A PRODUCT DESIGNING A PROGRAM ALTERING SOURCE CODE

RE-ENGINEERING: It is in this phase that the human factors are taken into account. Two different connotations 1st one is the controversial, involving the use of ERP to aid in downsizing efforts. There have been occasions where high level executives have invoked the reengineering slogan & purchased an ERP package with the aim of reducing number of employees. While every implementation is going to involve some change in job responsibilities, so it is the best to treat ERP as an investment as well as cost-cutting measure, rather than a downsizing tool. ‘Downsizing’ is a business practice that may have its place, but it should not be cloaked within the glossier slogan of ‘reengineering’. The 2nd use of the word re-engineering in the ERP field refers to an ERP implementation model initially designed & used.

The BPR approach to an ERP implementation implies two separate, but closely linked implementations involved on an ERP site i.e. a technical implementation & a business process implementation. The BPR approach emphasis the human element of necessary changes within the organization, which is generally more Time consuming & has received its share of criticism for creating bloated budgets & extended projects. The ERP market shifts to a mid-market focus & as all implementation are becoming more cost sensitive; the BPR approach has come under some real scrutiny.

RE-ENGINEERING Human factor taken into account Downsizing effort BPR APPROACH

CONFIGURATION IMPORTANCE OF CONFIGURATION This is the main functional area of the ERP implementation. Business processes have to be understood & mapped in such a way that the arrived solution matches with the overall goals of the company. THE PROTOTYPE A prototype- a simulation of the actual business processes of the company- will be used. The prototype allows for thorough testing of the ‘to be’ model in a controlled environment.

CONFIGURATION Main functional area Solution match with goals Prototype-allows for thorough testing Attempt to solve logistical problem Configuring reveals strengths & weaknesses Important for success of ERP implementation

As the ERP consultants configure & test the prototype they attempt to solve any logistical problems inherited in the BPR before the actual go-live implementation. STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES Configuring a company’s system reveals not only the strengths of a company’s business process but also- & perhaps more importantly- its weakness. It is vital to the health of the company & to the success of the ERP implementation that those configuring the system are able to explain what won’t fit into the package & where the gaps in functionality occur.

TESTING: This is the phase where you try to break the system. Here we reach a point where we are testing real case scenarios. The system is configured & now we must come up with extreme case scenarios- system overloads, multiple users logging on at the same time with the same query, users entering invalid data, hackers trying to access restricted areas & so on. The test case must be designed specifically to find the weak links in the system & these bugs should be fixed before going live.