What is ERP implementation?

ERP implementation refers to the process of installing and configuring an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system within an organization to streamline business operations and improve efficiency. It involves the integration of various modules such as finance, human resources, inventory management, and customer relationship management to enable seamless data flow and decision-making.

What does the ERP implementation prceoss involve?

The ERP implementation process involves several key steps, including: Planning and analysis: This involves assessing the organization's needs, defining goals, and creating a project plan. System selection: Choosing the appropriate ERP system that aligns with the organization's requirements and objectives. Configuration and customization: Configuring the ERP system to match the organization's business processes and customizing it to meet specific needs. Data migration: Transferring existing data from legacy systems to the new ERP system. Testing: Conducting thorough testing to ensure the system functions correctly and meets the organization's needs. Training: Providing training to users on how to use the ERP system effectively. Go-live and support: Launching the ERP system and providing ongoing support and maintenance to ensure its smooth operation. Continuous improvement: Monitoring and evaluating the system's performance, identifying areas for improvement, and making necessary adjustments.

ERP Implementation

In current business operations, understanding your business processes is critical for choosing the right ERP software for you. A prime focus should be what ERP implementation services and consultants will be used to ensure the ERP project is a success.

While there are benefits of enterprise software, an ERP implementation process is a rigorous operation that may result in massive, unforeseen costs without proper planning or the right ERP solution. Expansion of the initial project scope was the primary reason companies went over budget during implementation.

This means you should track additional key metrics beyond the initial expense of the new ERP system, including ongoing operating or maintenance costs, return on investment and time to value. Some of these additional key metrics include disruptions in operations during the ERP implementation process, impact on productivity and level of ERP adoption across the enterprise. By tracking these metrics, you ensure that your ERP implementation life cycle has the best financial management possible so that you end up getting the most out of your investment.

Unfortunately, there are many horror stories of failed ERP implementations. Often due to a poor ERP implementation plan, an inexperienced project manager, or false expectations set by the ERP partner, most ERP implementations that fail result in cost overruns, time delays, disruptions in operations and more. However, as a mid-market manufacturer you can avoid these pitfalls with our proven ERP Implementation methodology.

ERP Implementation Expertise

The ERP implementation process is crucial because Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems impact every aspect of your company.

For ERP implementation success, we help mid-market manufacturers reduce the ERP implementation cost and the possibility of problems by managing complexity, risk and data integration challenges through the use of time-tested ERP implementation best practices.

When our team of experienced ERP software consultants partners with our valued clients, we:

Help you manage the complexity of an ERP implementation. ERP systems are complex and difficult to implement. Our consultants help break down the ERP software implementation into manageable phases and help keep your progress on track.
Help you assess and mitigate risks. Any project, including an ERP implementation, comes with risks. Our consultants help identify and assess the risks involved in your implementation and develop mitigation strategies.
Help you integrate your data. ERP systems require that you integrate your data from disparate systems. Our consultants identify the data that needs to be integrated and develop a plan for integration.

Proven Methodology

Whether your company is switching to a completely new system or undergoing a major upgrade, our proven ERP implementation methodology can help you reduce the load on company resources.

ERP Implementation Experts

Most mid-market manufacturing companies lack the ERP implementation expertise. That is where our team of ERP software experts come into play. We are here for you to leverage our ERP implementation expertise for best results. We will supplement your team in all critical focus areas of the ERP software project, including:

ERP project management
Configuring the future state
Testing the system with your end-users
ERP data conversion
Driving performance improvements

An Engaged Process

Ultra will be with you throughout the implementation process. The most successful and seamless ERP implementation happens when the manufacturer is fully engaged. We will help you align your resources, the executive team and the needs of the project.

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Ultra’s ERP Implementation Services

Our multi-step ERP implementation process has helped over 300 manufacturing and distribution companies optimize their business processes. In an ERP implementation project, we focus on the following areas:

Pre-Implementation Expertise

To avoid ERP implementation delays, our ERP implementation team helps you define your key performance indicators in the business process improvement phase, and a reporting strategy as part of the future state.

ERP Project Management

Our ERP implementation project managers are experts in managing both the client ERP project team and the ERP vendor team towards a successful ERP implementation.

Change Management

Organizational change management is a key part of process improvement, and therefore a key part of every ERP implementation. We will guide your team every step of the way in the development of a change management plan.

ERP Education

Our team excels at setting up and delivering effective ERP education materials to your manufacturing enterprise. All process owners must become “ERP experts” in their own right in order for a successful implementation and go-live. A thorough ERP education helps with ERP adoption and effectiveness in the years to come.

Design and Configuration

Ultra offers guidance to both the manufacturer and vendor team when designing and configuring the system to meet specific business requirements.

ERP Data Conversion

At Ultra consultants we are experts in converting and managing ERP data. During the review of the current state and the development of the future state, we will map a data strategy for the conversion of data files, both current and historic. We will assist your IT team with the planning and execution of data conversion to a new system.

Quality Control

Ultra has significant experience designing an effective development/test phase for extensive testing of the new system in conference room pilot environments. We will lead in-depth sessions for testing of processes, integration and workflow.

Deploy/Go-Live

Ultra assists in the final deploy and go-live phase. This is done after thoroughly managing and tracking the pilot, tests, data migration/integration and fixes or customizations and other pre-deployment phases.

Ultra will help your company turn the focus onto user instruction, user documentation and training with the entire user community. Finally, the team finalizes the “cutover” plan of activities and revises as needed to minimize disruptions to the operation.

Deliver Business Performance Improvements

Ultra will help your project team stay focused on the main objective: improve your current business processes. ERP teams frequently lose track of the project’s real goals and give in to the urge to rush implementation. Our change management activities keep everyone’s attention on driving business process improvement.

Your Resource for Effective ERP Implementation

Enterprise Resource Planning software is a game-changer for manufacturers who are staying ahead of the competition. With a wide variety of business functions built in, such as human resources management, customer relationship management, supply chain management, inventory management, reporting capabilities, cash management and resource allocation capabilities, ERP solutions slow key stakeholders to have access to existing data for the entire organization that can help drive better decisions. Experienced ERP experts implement a new ERP system more efficiently than inexperienced business users. In our experience working with mid-market manufacturers, we’ve successfully minimized the time required for this process.

Ultra’s knowledge of ERP coupled with our knowledge of your company’s future state goals becomes a key ingredient to the success of the project and time-to-benefit.

Our manufacturing clients can attest that our ERP experience saved them time and money, and that we were crucial for the effective ERP project management. Our ERP implementation consultants support all of the activities needed for a successful transformation to a modern information system.

Note that Ultra ERP implementation services do not replace the need for your chosen ERP software vendor consultant services that bring product knowledge and user training to the project. Ultra focuses on supporting your manufacturing company in the ERP implementation project. For more information and additional resources on how to bring our expertise right to your doorstep, schedule your free discovery call today.

What our customers are saying...

“It was important for us to team up with experts who created an overall plan and were able to identify potential risks – and mitigate those risks before they could become obstacles that could disrupt the flow of the project.”

Industry Insights

Exploring industry insights highlights how ERP solutions empower manufacturers and distributors, streamlining process and setting the stage for growth.