Your enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution has a big impact on the organization and productivity of your business. If you're rolling out a new ERP solution, you need to avoid mistakes that could detract from the effectiveness of your system and detract from the ROI you get from implementing it. The following are seven things you shouldn't do when you're rolling out your ERP solution. 

Failing to take advantage of the expertise of your project managers

Project managers are a key resource regarding ERP system rollouts. Your project managers have valuable insight that you should be taking advantage of. Interview your project managers about their concerns and recommendations to leverage their knowledge and skill. 

Not putting enough effort into the planning stage

The planning stage of devising your ERP solution is probably one of the most important stages to focus on. During planning, you need to rigorously evaluate all your internal processes. You also need to anticipate any ERP obstacles that are going to come up.

Make sure you are not going through the planning process too quickly and overlooking key details. 

Using data that's not completely accurate

The accuracy of your data is an essential determining factor regarding the success of your ERP solution. You need to put time into testing and cleaning your data. If data is migrated over from an old system, this is especially important. 

Thinking implementation is going to be easier and faster than it is

Don't underestimate the amount of work that will go into rolling out your new ERP solution. Build some padding in regarding your time frame and cost estimates. Often ERP solution rollouts take longer and cost more than expected. 

Overlooking maintenance needs

ERP systems require routine maintenance to keep up their effectiveness and productivity. System maintenance includes software updates and efficient troubleshooting of any bugs that come up. If you overlook maintenance, your data security will be compromised. 

Overlooking staff training

Training is an essential part of an ERP system rollout. Be sure to involve any staff members who will be end users of your ERP software in training procedures. Don't give untrained staff access to the ERP system until they have been properly trained to avoid problems. 

Not putting enough time and effort into testing

Testing before a system rollout is essential for becoming aware of problems and correcting them before the actual implementation date. Run stress and transaction tests and thoroughly resolve any bugs that come up for the best rollout results. 

For more tips, contact resources like the Third Stage Consulting Group.

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