ERP applications are extensively used in various small and large business companies these days. The reason for this is that they offer a range of benefits that make them indispensable for carrying out large scale business assignments. However, the success of an ERP program largely depends on its implementation. Here are the six stages or phases of ERP Implementation that are discussed by a reputed ERP Software Company India. Following these will help in making sure that an ERP system is working to the best of its abilities.
Discovery and Planning
The first phase is discovery and planning and it begins during the main sales phase and continues post-sale. The project team is created during this period. There are also initial meetings and related documentations that are developed as the official team works to specifically identify the current issues and their potential solutions. Coming up with a project plan is an important aspect of this phase that is going to function as a guiding principle for the remaining of the project.
Design
In the design phase of an ERP Applications, the project and the implementation team are going to work together and come up with various configurations for this new system. They are also going to define the roles as well as document all the standard procedures associated with the process.
Development
Next comes the development phase in which the team is required to prepare the whole system so that it can go live. It includes various activities such as finishing up with any necessary customizations, importing data and developing user trainings. By making effective use of ERP System Implementation such as with customized software development projects, it is possible to resolve all the conflicts at the initial stages and then go on with the actual writing of the codes.
Testing
Testing allows in determining whether the system’s functionalities are aligning with the pre-defined requirements for the particular project or not. Often, the development and testing phases overlap, as implementation teams and project teams simply jump back and forth, thus fine tuning constantly the configuration of the program. By the end of the phase, the project team members are going to shift into the new system and will be comfortable handling assignments with it. This is actually the last phase before the program goes live.
Deployment
The project and the implementation team are going to assess the overall situation and then make the final decision as to go with it or not. Before going live, all the final data us going to be loaded by the team and validated. This will be followed by a stage when the other employees are going to be trained by the project team for working on the new system and stop working with the old one completely.
Ongoing Support
After the ERP system goes live, the whole purpose of the company’s project team is going to go through a shift. As users start working with the new system, implementation of changes and adjustments to the new system configuration may become necessary.
