ERP implementation projects have a notoriously high failure rate. One of the things conveniently left out of reports containing these troubling statistics is why so many implementation projects fail to deliver expected results on time or on budget. Of course, there is an infinite number of reasons that ERP projects fail, but the truth is that poor project planning is one of the most common.
Without clarity on project structure, activities, roles, and responsibilities, projects can often suffer from confusion and resistance, making execution extremely difficult. Lack of a clearly developed and articulated project structure may cause the team to duplicate efforts or leave key tasks unaddressed as they try to figure out where they should be and what they are specifically responsible for. Inevitably, a poorly put together or articulated project plan will cause delays and redundancies before the project gets in gear, raising costs and jeopardizing budgets and schedules.
In order to keep the implementation team on time and on budget, your team should work with your ERP partner, meaning your consultant and/or Value Added Reseller (VAR)/implementation service provider, to establish a project plan based on clear, measurable goals and objectives. KPIs should be translated into project milestones with a realistic timeline. ERP implementation projects, like many projects of a similar scale, will never be wrinkle free. With that in mind, various trial runs and testing phases should be incorporated into the project plan to anticipate any delays while also preempting future issues by fine-tuning configuration before the system goes live.
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