ERP Development is crucial when it comes to tailoring your chosen software to your businesses specific needs, thus ensuring you are able to formulate the most out of your ERP system going forward.
The problem many businesses make though is that they simply draw-up a wish list and pass this on to their internal development lineup, or a team of external development consultants they have contracted to carry out the work.
To ensure your ERP developments are going to be fit for purpose and have a positive substantial impact on your business, you need to take the time en route for prepare and include all the relevant stakeholders within your business, all the way from the initial idea, through to testing.
One of the keys to having success with your ERP development is finding a team who you can rely upon. If you can trust them to deliver on their promises, there’s a much better chance everything will vocation out as planned.
This goes hand in hand with communication. If you can’t get a hold of your developer, or if they aren’t giving you the answers you need, there may well be a problem.
Clarifying hope with them from the outset can help ensure you can rely on them to deliver what you need.
Don’t present your development team with a half-baked plan. They will be developing your application based on your specifications, along with if you leave anything to chance, the result may not be what you expected. The developer is acting on the information you provide them with.
Therefore, it is imperative you create a detailed list of specifications and lay them out in a document. Whether it’s data samples, process rations or timeline expectations, the more information you can provide the better.
Ensure that your development team has conversations with the people liable for using the system.
It’s not uncommon for developers to only talk to executive level people. While this is a good starting point, it doesn’t take the end user into account.
The software should be developed to reflect the needs of those who will be engaging with it.
Give your developer entrée to reliable data (i.e. not just “test data” to get a sense of how it will all work). If the data is a good reflection of what you’re using now, there’s a better chance the development will work as expected. Additionally, you’ll be able to see how the application reacts when it’s been fed data that is inputted mistakenly.
It’s a given that the developer will test the software to ensure its stability. But you must also test it. Those who will be responsible for with the ERP development must also test it.
Ensure that it is capturing figures correctly. Also, check to see that all your needs and specifications have been met.
Successful ERP development requires a commitment to the process.
As already noted, you will need to find a skilled development team, offer them a comprehensive list of specifications, talk to various members of your team and provide real-world data. Success relies heavily on buy-in from the end users.
Recognize that building the right ERP solution requires both a time and financial assurance. If you know this upfront, you’ll be less likely to balk at the costs or effort involved later. Follow through with the process though, because it is ultimately a rewarding one that will more than justify the financial and time outlay.