When It comes to implementing an ERP system, there are many factors that can attribute to the success of the implementation. Here are some guidelines that will help ensure your ERP Implementation is a success:

1. Ask your vendor about their training.

Training should absolutely be a topic of discussion when you are determining your ERP provider. It is important for you to be considering your training approach from the beginning. Does the provider you are considering only provide online or offsite training? How will your employees respond to the type of training that is being offered? Make sure to choose an ERP provider that will be able to train your team effectively.

2. Plan the budget accordingly – don’t pinch pennies on the training.

When discussing training with your potential ERP provider, make sure to find out what the costs are. You need to ensure that you are budgeting for a sufficient amount of training. Training is a vital component of ensuring your ERP is successful. Choosing a solution and then not having enough training could result in frustration and failure.

3. Determine your implementation team.

Decide who will be leading the ERP implementation. You may have a project manager leading up the project, but you also need to ensure that you have an Executive sponsor involved as well.

Throughout the implementation process there may be tweaks or changes that need to be made that require a decision maker. If your project manager doesn’t have the authority to make those decisions, it is important to have a dedicated Executive to the project that is able to do so.

4. Make your ERP implementation a priority.

ERP implementation is a major undertaking and it should be handled as such. Companies who treat their ERP implementation as a side project do not always see a successful result. That can lead to users not having a full understanding of the software, mistakes or incorrect entry, or even just not implementing a solution at all.

5. Plan for on-site support during Go Live.

Go Live is an exciting time for your ERP implementation. Ideally, at this point, all of your staff should be trained. Testing should have been completed, databases and master files updated. What could go wrong? Inevitably something always does. A user forgets how to do something. A wrong button was clicked and now there is an error. Something isn’t printing. Having on-site support during the first few days of your Go Live will ensure that any issues that arise can be handled quickly and effectively.