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ERP Implementation Tips: Ensure a Smooth Business Transition

Making the decision to implement an ERP system is like choosing a new engine for your business. It’s not just about finding the right fit—it’s about preparing for the road ahead. An ERP implementation may seem daunting, but with the right approach, you can keep your business running smoothly through the process.

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably already decided that ERP system implementation is the way forward. Now, the question is: how do you get from Point A (your current operations) to Point B (a fully functioning ERP system) without derailing your daily workflow? Let’s take a look at how to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Start with Clear Goals

Every successful ERP implementation begins with clarity. Before diving into the technical details, you need to ask yourself: what exactly do you want this ERP system to achieve for your business? Whether it’s simplifying your financial tracking, improving order fulfillment, or better managing customer relationships, your goals should be specific and actionable. Having clear objectives will help guide every decision throughout the ERP system implementation process.

Select an ERP That Matches Your Business

Not all ERP systems are the same, and that’s a good thing. Your business has its own unique challenges and needs, so your ERP should reflect that. Choosing the right system isn’t about picking the most popular option—it’s about finding the one that works for your specific situation. If you’re a small or mid-sized business, for example, look for an all-in-one ERP solution that offers the flexibility to grow with you. The right system will make your ERP implementation smoother, without the unnecessary complexity that larger organizations may require.

Work with an ERP Implementation Consultant

You don’t have to go it alone. An ERP implementation consultant can be your best ally during this transition. They bring a wealth of experience and can provide insights you might not have considered. Whether you need help customizing the system to fit your existing workflows or simply need advice on best practices, a consultant can make sure your ERP implementation is on the right track. More importantly, they can help avoid costly mistakes that could set your project back.

Test, Test, and Test Again

Testing isn’t just a box to check off—it’s the phase that can make or break your ERP system implementation. Before your system goes live, you’ll need to put it through its paces. This means running real-world scenarios and making sure every feature functions as expected. Your team should be involved in this process, as they’ll be the ones using the system day in and day out. Testing might seem tedious, but it’s better to catch issues now rather than when you’re trying to meet a critical deadline.

Support Your Team with Training

When it comes to ERP implementations, your system is only as good as the people using it. Once your system is up and running, make sure your team is prepared. Training should be tailored to the roles and responsibilities of each user. Some might need to understand the big picture, while others need a more in-depth understanding of specific features. Whatever the case, ongoing training and support will help ensure that your ERP implementation is not just a one-time event, but a long-term success.

Monitor and Adapt Post-Launch

Once your ERP system implementation is live, the work isn’t over. In fact, this is just the beginning. You’ll need to keep an eye on how the system is performing and make adjustments as needed. New challenges will arise, and your business needs might evolve. That’s why it’s crucial to stay engaged with your system and be ready to adapt. Working with your ERP implementation consultant, you can fine-tune the system to meet changing demands and ensure that it continues to drive value for your business.

Final Thoughts

ERP implementations are more than just a technical project—they’re a transformation of how your business operates. By starting with clear goals, selecting the right system, leveraging expert help, and providing ongoing training and support, you can ensure a successful transition. The road to ERP system implementation may be long, but with the right preparation and mindset, you’ll get to your destination without unnecessary detours.

What Your Employees Wish You Knew About ERP Software Implementation

Open communication: the key to employee satisfaction and productivity when a business is changing its daily operations. That’s why one of the most effective things you can do when attempting to solve roadblocks during periods of change is to keep it simple: ask your employees what they need.

Implementing new software forces internal changes like few other events in a company’s lifecycle. Employee needs will multiply, their time will be strained, and there will be a lot of new information to learn. Adaptation for everyone is key, and it will be your responsibility to help facilitate it.

Implementation concept illustration. Idea of innovation and development.

Managing change through ERP software implementation goes deeper, and is more profound than an isolated process. Proper change management and employee support through the duration of a major shift in your office’s digital makeup determines their future engagement in company culture. It impacts responsiveness to requests for collaboration, fuels their motivation to set long-term career goals, and cements their understanding of company leadership’s authenticity.

Here are some of the things your employees wish they could tell you about the right way to handle change management when switching to a new cloud software system, sourced from employees of small businesses.

Know Your Employees’ Needs (and Set Expectations)

“I wish management had thoroughly researched our needs beforehand – asked what could improve our overall process, and created a viable timeline for our software implementation.”

How you anticipate the need of your workforce is a powerful tool that significantly improves the process of software implementation. And that extends through the life of the project—from the research stage through what comes after ERP implementation.

When it comes to change management, your success requires one critical component: that you listen to your team. 

It’s vitally important to source information from those who work with your systems and data directly, because, as Liz Ryan writes in Forbes: ”Your employees know a lot more about hundreds of aspects of your business than you do.” They’re your touchstone for the things you don’t personally encounter on a day-to-day basis. 

Ask yourself questions designed to help guide your team toward success: Does accounting need a fully integrated way to track hours, salaries, expenses, and generally streamline the way it does payroll? Do your departments need a better way to track project management across multiple teams? 

erp software communication

Transparency between you and your staff is your best friend before and during the onboarding process. It helps you evaluate both the scope of the shift and its timeline.

After you’ve exhausted your team’s input, it’s time to go beyond your immediate knowledge base. Absorb the information that other business owners and consultants can offer to see whether there is a system that addresses most or all of the needs your employees have expressed. 

This kind of research also helps you get a good sense of how long the onboarding process is going to take from multiple sources. And when you create your projected timeline for the transition, don’t forget to share it in detail with your employees. They’re relying on you and your plan to formulate their own expectations of workload.

Get a Responsive Support Team 

“I wish we had access to a live support person in our time zone for help with data importing, training on a particular part of the system, or just general technical help.”

When you’re looking at a new system, the last thing you want to worry about is having adequate support to guide you through the process. It should be standard.

A good support team is there for you every step of the way and provides a baseline for the onboarding process that every office should have. The relationship between an office in transition and the support team in charge of implementation needs to: 

  • include members who are thoroughly trained on the system,
  • have a process to report any software issues you may be having, and
  • be available to you during your team’s hours of operation.

Otherwise, they aren’t supporting your business—they’re creating a roadblock on your speedway.

That same support team also needs to be available to you after deployment of the new system to discuss how things can be made even better. Companies move forward and become more effective when the tools they need to grow aren’t just handed to them.

Provide Access to User Documentation

how to use erp software

“The onboarding process was difficult because management wasn’t completely trained on how to use the system. And the support staff wasn’t in our time zone. I would have loved to have user documentation or a manual on hand that is written by the software developer and distributed to all users.”

In addition to a great support team, having support documentation readily available is a necessity. 

Even if support is accessible, no one wants to be on the phone all the time when they have an issue. They may not have the ability. Especially if they consider it to be minor, or if they know that there’s a simple fix. Maybe it’s something as easy as finding a support article that illustrates a small function they learned while on a training module. 

Either way, distributing a web-accessible manual and video instructions can save your team time and considerable effort while they learn the basics of the new system. And speeding up your employees’ understanding of a new system while creating a manageable workload is what it’s all about.

Conclusion

Sometimes all it takes to be successful is reinforcing your own common sense: get your employees to speak up about their needs and concerns. You will only know what they know if you ask.

Provide an ERP software implementation that streamlines your employees’ process, supplies the framework for a smooth transition, and ensures an atmosphere of future transparency. Do it in a way that promotes a healthy work transition for your team.