How to Upgrade Your Existing ERP Solution

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Develop the scope and understand the impact and timescales of the implementation.

   The user population should act as a steering group, ensuring functional requirements, existing processes, current challenges and features they would benefit from in a future system are taken into account in the selection of a system. ,,,,,,, These visits provide the opportunity to understand the implementation process and support offered by the potential supplier, however do not burn your bridges with the other suppliers, just in case. ,
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   Step 2: Build a team (a steering group) of key representatives to aid the planning

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   Step 3: development and implementation of the project.

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   Step 4: The purchase decision maker needs to ensure the user

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   Step 5: business

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   Step 6: functional

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   Step 7: and financial requirements are reviewed.

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   Step 8: Put together a specification of key requirements including: Business strategy

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   Step 9: Collation of requirements

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    Step 10: Any key requirements that may be non standard

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    Step 11: Determine the elements that make the right supplier/partner and be sure to consider: Networking with contemporaries in similar industries to learn from their experiences can be very educational.

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    Step 12: Put together a Request For Information(RFI) to present/send out to potential suppliers

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    Step 13: detail the following topics when structuring your RFI: Background information on buyer organisation

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    Step 14: Summary of the application requirement

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    Step 15: Hardware requirements

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    Step 16: Scalability (data volume/users)

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    Step 17: Integration skills

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    Step 18: Project timescales and selected milestones

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    Step 19: Schedule of estimated cost

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    Step 20: Work with the project team to evaluate the response of potential suppliers and the solutions they present; ensure the following aspects are considered: Project management and business consulting skills

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    Step 21: Vertical market expertise

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    Step 22: High quality service and local support

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    Step 23: Close links with software author

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    Step 24: Nationwide/international user base

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    Step 25: Equal levels of consultancy expertise in the event of a PM being absent for any period of time where the project needs to be handed over

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    Step 26: Integration skills

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    Step 27: Develop value add enhancements to software

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    Step 28: Implementation process

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    Step 29: Specialists add-ons

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    Step 30: Industry knowledge.

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    Step 31: Evaluate the responses

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    Step 32: as part of this evaluation; shortlist down to three vendors

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    Step 33: request high level and detailed demonstrations (at their offices to meet the teams involved)

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    Step 34: get an impression of the size and scale of their operation

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    Step 35: work through the RFI with the vendors during these meetings to ensure they fully understand your requirements and take telephone references.

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    Step 36: Request detailed departmental evaluations/demonstrations and reference site visits to the preferred supplier.

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    Step 37: Prepare the project plan with the supplier; review the contracts

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    Step 38: finalise costs and place a contract.

Detailed Guide

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