ERP is the acronym of Enterprise Resource Planning. Multi-module ERP software integrates business activities across various functional departments, from product planning, parts purchasing, inventory control, product distribution, to order tracking. ERP has transformed the way multi-billion dollar corporations conduct their businesses. Successful implementation of ERP systems could save tens of millions of dollars and increase employee satisfactions, customer satisfactions and sustain competitive advantages in every-changing marketplace. Corporate executives are often perplexed by the stories that how reputable corporations (Hershey Foods, etc.) have failed miserably and lost ten of millions of dollars in their ERP endures.
The failures of ERP projects are preventable if we can identify the common causes of the failures regardless the companies and industries that implement them.
An ERP system is the combination of ERP software, the business processes that the ERP transforms, the users of the ERP system, and the computer systems that run the ERP applications. The failures of a ERP project is often the result of the failures in one or more of those four components. The failures in computer systems (hardware and operating systems) are much easier to identify and to fix, so we'll examine the failures in software implementation, business process and user acceptance.
Failure of ERP Software Implementation
Module-based ERP software is the core of ERP systems. Most ERP projects involve significant amount of customizations. Packaged ERP software modules have built-in functionality that work in a standard and simplified enterprise environment. However, every organization is unique in data requirements and business processes. It is the customizations that transform packaged ERP software into ERP software that meets organizations' individual business processes and operations. Long and expensive customization efforts often result the pass of release deadline and budget overrun. Customizations may make the software more fragile and harder to maintain when it finally goes to production. Major changes may be required in the later stage of the implementation as a result of incomplete requirements and power struggles within organizations
The integration of ERP systems(http://www.sysoptima.com/erp/erp_integration.php) with the IT infrastructures also challenges ERP project teams. The use of appropriate implementation methodologies can often make or break a ERP project. (http://www.sysoptima.com/erp/implementation_methodologies.php)
Failure of Accommodating Evolution of Business Processes
According to Anthony, R. A, business processes fall into three levels - strategic planning, management control and operational control. Organizations continuously realign their business processes of all levels in response to the ever-changing market environment. Many ERP systems aren't flexible enough to accommodate evolution of business processes. many ERP system need a major overhaul in every a couple of years.
Failure of User Acceptance
The users of ERP systems are employees of the organizations at all levels. ERP projects usually modify the company's business processes which create extra workload for employees who use them initially. They may not think that the workflow embedded in the software are better than the ones they currently use. Ongoing end-user involvement and training may ease the difficult in organization's adaptation of new systems and new business processes.
Bruce Zhang has over 10 years experiences in developing and implementing ecommerce and ebusiness systems in various industries. He operates a website http://www.sysoptima.com that automatically aggregates the news and new articles in e-business (ERP, CRM, Supply Chain Management and Knowledge Management) from over 50 sources daily ( http://www.sysoptima.com ) to help corporate executives, professionals and consultants to keep up with the latest development in enterprise software market. The website offers a knowledge base for understanding business software from a systems perspective.
weekly home cleaning Highland Park ..Microsoft Great Plains, former Great Plains Software Dynamics / eEnterprise... Read More
Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains is marketed for mid-size companies... Read More
I love new technology. I am still ready to wait... Read More
In our opinion, traditional approach when you select ERP/MRP system... Read More
This is the tutorial where we really get into programming.... Read More
Following tips help you to learn a software in lesser... Read More
Anti-virus software is used to find, remove or fix files... Read More
User interfaces and accessibility are some of the most important... Read More
TikiWiki is open source software - it is written in... Read More
Microsoft Great Plains and Microsoft Retail Management System (Microsoft RMS)... Read More
Microsoft Great Plains, Navision, Solomon and Axapta are Microsoft Business... Read More
Microsoft Business Solutions offers several ERP applications: Great Plains, Navision,... Read More
Have you ever noticed that when you look at your... Read More
Microsoft Office program is a programming tool called Visual Basic... Read More
Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains is very good fit for... Read More
Shareware has been fighting the stigma of being misunderstood for... Read More
We will base our prognosis on our Microsoft Business Solutions... Read More
Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains fits to majority of horizontal... Read More
Should one use Windows Update?This topic has good and valid... Read More
Traditionally we were considering functionally rich systems, such as SAP,... Read More
1. With mapping software you can create a report that... Read More
When you think... Read More
What is Groupware?Have you ever had to manage document collaboration... Read More
There are two approaches for application integration:? Programmer's approach ?... Read More
There are certain pluses and minuses in both cases and... Read More
whole house cleaning Park Ridge ..The purpose of one of our projects was MS Exchange... Read More
Have you ever noticed that when you look at your... Read More
XML Server can be a Web Server that stores the... Read More
It???s easy to understand why you might be drawn to... Read More
When Great Plains Software introduced the first graphical accounting application... Read More
Here is some free software tools to help you build... Read More
If you are in the market for new staffing software,... Read More
Innovative Maintenance Systems (IMS) is one company that offers solutions... Read More
C++ Function templates are those functions which can handle different... Read More
Finally, you have some time to personalize your desktop with... Read More
The fact that a software tester is a most infamous... Read More
Shareware is software that you can try before you buy;... Read More
Fundraising software lets you connect with donors in a way... Read More
Great Plains Fixed Assets Management module is a robust tool... Read More
In the new era of internet marketing the problem of... Read More
Make-or-Break Factors in Success and ProfitabilityFor quick printers, estimating can... Read More
Costs of fleet maintenance software can vary widely. It is... Read More
All your software is stored on a hard-drive. But how... Read More
It is possible that if one avoided all sources of... Read More
The world of small business accounting software can be a... Read More
While several preventive maintenance software manufacturers offer free trials for... Read More
If someone entered your home, uninvited and installed numerous cameras... Read More
This article is for advanced Microsoft CRM SDK C# developers.... Read More
Preventive Maintenance (PM) is defined as scheduled work done on... Read More
This short paper will expand on two key reasons to... Read More
Software |