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Understanding the ERP Implementation Process

What is ERP Implementation?

Enterprise Resource Planning software is a comprehensive solution for integrating the various aspects of business operations in a single database. ERP is a business process management essential, ensuring that all operations can be monitored and analyzed to optimize contributions to the enterprise’s growth and profitability. Frequently used ERP software include Epicor® ERP, SYSPRO®, Odoo® and more.

The ERP implementation process is carefully planned to achieve the most benefit to your company. The process will involve data migration from previous systems, building dashboards and reporting, composing the software specifications and training employees how to use their new software system.

Implementing ERP software is a large undertaking that impacts employees and processes across the entire company. Typical ERP business process integrations include:

  • development
  • product planning
  • manufacturing
  • sales and marketing
  • accounting
  • HR

The evolution of different departments in a large enterprise is inevitable as the business experiences robust growth. Each department may have its own corresponding systems and ERP software provides the centralizing tool to avoid costly inter-departmental miscommunication. The monetary impact of miscommunication can be significant. According to a report from financesonline.com, large enterprises can lose as much as $62.4 million per year due to miscommunication, while small businesses can rack up $42,000 in annual losses due to internal miscommunication. These errors also decrease productivity when they cause employees to waste up to 40 productive minutes per day.

The ERP implementation process is critical to the success of your business.

A Successful ERP Implementation:

What ROI does ERP implementation bring to the table? According to the Aberdeen Group:

  • 33% improvement in inventory returns
  • 18% faster cycle times
  • 17% more compliance for internal schedules
  • Operational cost reductions up to 25% for Best-in-Class midmarket organizations

The ROI numbers are impressive enough that ERP has spread from its traditional usage at only the largest manufacturing organizations. Today, Aberdeen reports that 84% of organizations with 100-1000 employees have implemented ERP.

Why Businesses Choose Epicor® as Their ERP Solution

Once the case has been made for the ERP solution, the question becomes which ERP software is best for your specific company needs. At PTS, we support and develop Epicor® solutions because nearly any program with an Epicor® software application is customizable. Dashboards provide instant visibility for in-process job costs, parts information, and shipping, and project status. Create reports for efficient management of materials cost, capacity planning, lead times, and sales and order backlogs.

Epicor® can help your business reduce costs, manage growth, and conduct your business at the highest professional level, but understanding and optimizing the implementation process is key to your success.

Typical Epicor® ERP Implementation Process

  • Discovery and Planning: Determine the needs of the various sales, marketing, operations, and financial departments with an eye toward achieving strategic goals for increased growth and profit. Develop a strategy for completing the implementation.
  • Analyze: This process includes a detailed level of discovery and analysis of your company’s specific requirements.
  • Build: Develop and integrate systems to achieve these goals.
  • Stabilize: Test and correct the processes to ensure that requirements are satisfied, and your organization is ready to use all solutions in a live production environment.
  • Go Live: Deployment to the production environment.
  • Support: Technical support and training processes to ensure a seamless transition for all departments to the new ERP solutions.

The Benefits of Using PTS’s Professional Epicor® Implementation Services

For many businesses, the extended Fortune 1000 style ERP implementation process offered by many vendors can be a time-consuming disruption which the organization simply can’t withstand. The 6 steps listed above require IT resources and expertise that may not be available in small to medium businesses. Customizing ERP features is one of the most attractive aspects of Epicor® software, but they frequently require a tailored approach to be seamlessly integrated into your operations in both cloud and on-premise deployments.

Practical Technology Solutions provides the professional, Epicor® ERP implementation services your company needs for seamless planning, post-live support and training. Our support and consulting solutions are available when you need assistance with customization, implementation, administration, operations, upgrades, and maintenance. PTS has been providing Epicor® support and services since 1997, combining 290+ years of Epicor® consulting experience. PTS has created a full-service suite to train your team, migrate between versions, conduct full system audits, and develop the customized Epicor® platform best suited to take your business to the highest levels of productive performance, growth, and profitability.

When you’re ready to improve your bottom line and business performance, contact Practical Technology Solutions for a free Epicor® ERP demo.