Implementing an ERP
Implementing an ERP is a big project that can take months to years, and it follows a clear methodology. SAP Activate is a well-known example with six phases, and its ideas apply to any implementation:
| 1 · Discover | Understand the need and expected value, and choose the solution. |
| 2 · Prepare | Project plan, team, roles and governance. |
| 3 · Explore | Workshops comparing the company's processes with the standard system (fit-to-standard), documenting the gaps. |
| 4 · Realize | Configure and build in iterations, trial data loads, and testing. |
| 5 · Deploy | Training, final data migration, and go-live. |
| 6 · Run | Post-go-live support and continuous improvement. |
Fit-gap analysis: for each requirement we ask whether the system covers it as is (a fit) or not (a gap). A gap has three fixes: change the way of working, configure the system, or customise with code as a last resort. This is exactly where your systems-analysis skills come in.
| Data migration | Extract from old systems, cleanse, transform to the new format, load and verify. Most surprises appear here. |
| Unit testing | Each setting or development on its own. |
| Integration testing | Whole cycles across modules: from sales order to journal entry. |
| User acceptance testing (UAT) | Real staff run their daily work and sign off that the system is ready. |