Question

Please prepare some brief comments (robust paragraph or two) on enterprise resource planning. Instead of detailed research, focus on identification of an image or two that capture the nature of the topic and build your comments around those images. How do they capture the essense of the topic, and how do they enhance your understanding of the topic? As a possible focus or idea generator: How is a strong ERP designed? What are the challenges to installation and/or operation of an ERP? Is QuickBooks an ERP?

Answer 1

Strong System design recommendations

The value of an implementation team comes from the experience that they bring to your ERP project. A great team brings depth of knowledge and experience to design a system that fits your business and your people.

Thorough requirements analysis — Working with users and management, an analysis of the current business processes and desired improvements should be complete and fully documented as the foundation of the system design.

Alignment with organizational goals — The design document should clearly address how the business management systems will help to achieve the primary objectives of the organization.

Best practice guidance — An experienced implementation team will make recommendations based on best practices that they have learned over time. From reporting advice to add on product suggestions; leverage their expertise to improve system efficiency.

Expert functional review — Each ERP system has functional strengths and weaknesses. Your implementation team should have deep expertise with your ERP’s functionality to identify potential issues that can be overcome with customizations.

Expert technical review — In addition to functional expertise, you need the advice of a technical expert who understands your current systems and applications as well as the abilities of your IT staff.

6 Common ERP Challenges are-

Working out which processes need to be integrated. ...

Inadequate flexibility. ...

Resistance to change. ...

Not properly vetting vendors. ...

Maintenance costs. ...

Not understanding or using key features.

Although ERP implementation challenges vary according to a number of factors, the major ERP issues faced are the same across different regions and business sizes. Here are some of the challenges that organizations may encounter when starting out with enterprise system implementation, as well as some possible solutions to these challenges:

1. The Selection Problem

2. Technical Issues

3. Data Quality Issues

4. Business Philosophy Changes

5. “Mindshift” Issues

Planning for Implementation Success… It’s Not Easy, But It’s Worth It