8 ways to avoid business disruption from a new ERP system

Implementing anything new to your business is a huge and challenging process, often disrupting your day-to-day operations. With major implementations such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, it’s no exception. A major disruption that can occur during an ERP implementation is employee training on the new system, resulting in less time to complete their normal work. But how do you avoid potential disruptors so you don’t lose valuable time and money? Tech consultant Eric St-Jean shares an article on TechTarget on how to avoid business disruption from a new ERP system. To limit disruptions, St-Jean says, project leaders should take the following steps as they begin planning for an ERP system implementation.

Develop a detailed schedule. “The schedule will help guide the project and ensure key deadlines are met while also providing project team members with information about their time commitments.”
Allocate sufficient resources. “To avoid overloading project team members, the project leader should carefully calculate how many project members the implementation will require. Doing so will help ensure that employees aren’t neglecting ongoing business needs.”
Create checklists. “The project leader should use checklists to track tasks so project team members know what others have completed and can plan next steps.”
Develop a roadmap. “The roadmap should include key dates and high-level tasks for each stage of the project. The roadmap can also highlight future phases, which could help managers and others who take care of workforce planning.”
Conduct ongoing risk assessments. “The risk assessment process will enable the project leader to stay on top of potential issues and those that have already affected the business. The organization may be able to limit unplanned interruptions that could negatively affect the company and project team members.”
Provide clear communication. “The project team should provide employees with clear and concise communication about the implementation as often as possible. The team should tailor messaging so employees get the details they need without overloading them.”
Plan post go-live support. “Once the ERP system is live, the project team will need to be able to provide all-hands-on-deck support. As employees begin using the new system, they’ll likely have questions and run into issues, so subject matter experts should be available to help.”
Provide multiple training options. “The organization could offer some in-person training, live online courses, e-learning courses and documentation. Employees could save time by only taking training that is directly related to their role. Micro-learning options could also be helpful.”

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