ERP stands for “Enterprise Resource Planning,” and it is an essential tool for better structuring business processes and optimizing costs. ERP is typically implemented as part of the development strategy of a company. The implementation of this solution rapidly becomes essential for the SME, which faces the laborious nature of “manual” data entry and extraction tasks. The ERP project is required when the solution does not adapt to changes in the company or when the publisher cannot provide the required updates. Both of these scenarios call for the solution to be replaced. A sufficient amount of time and human resources are required to successfully implement an ERP, beginning with selecting the most suitable software and continuing through its optimal application. The following are seven suggestions to help you manage your ERP project.
Define the company’s goals while taking into consideration the ERP project
First and foremost among the essential steps in managing your ERP project is to ascertain the requirements that the software package for the company must meet. The important thing is to make sure you ask the right questions:
• Why should we use an ERP system? Better management of the company’s activities, including improving monitoring and exploitation of data, replacing an old-fashioned solution to the evolutions of the company, and replacing a set of applications incompatible with one another… The reasons differ depending on the particulars of the activity as well as the magnitude of the company.
• What are the primary areas that need to be worked on? Controlling deadlines through standardization, speeding up processes, and coordinating services through a tool that centralizes information… It is necessary to give some thought to this question regarding the tools that are already in place within the structure.
What are the most important data for the company?
The cash flow, the stocks, the production, the supplies, etc. The information was important, making it possible to improve the ERP software development company.
The first level of decision-makers is responsible for defining the objectives of the endeavor. It is essential that all of the leaders support the undertaking as a whole and that they come to a consensus regarding the directions that should be pursued. This cohesiveness is necessary for the successful execution of the ERP implementation.
Write a complete specification
After the goals have been deliberated upon and agreed upon, it is necessary to commit them to paper. The company can establish the legitimacy of the ERP project, which is then validated upstream in writing by formalizing the ERP project in specifications. This provides the company with material support to consult if questions arise regarding the project.
The specifications take into account the needs and goals of the company and detail: • The development of internal processes that are unique to the activity. • The particularities of the business and the constraints that result from those particularities.
By refining the project specifications as much as possible, you make it simpler for yourself to choose the ERP when comparing several different solutions, which increases the likelihood that you will find the software best suited to your needs.
Assemble a special group to oversee the ERP implementation project.
The most important factor in determining whether or not the ERP project will succeed is how well its human resources are organized and used. As a result, it is important to select the appropriate number of people, strategically compose the team, and calculate the amount of time it should spend managing the ERP project.
• The company’s workforce and the tool’s degree of complexity both play a role in determining the number of people dedicated to setting up the software.
• The team must have an internally appointed project manager as part of its make-up. It is prudent to select a person currently performing a technical function and whose position affords them a cross-functional perspective of the company and its activities. The software comes with a sample that is representative of the key users who will be using it. In any event, the project manager is the only point of reference for ERP users; therefore, his legitimacy must be beyond question.
• The management must provide ERP project management monitoring in order for the project to be successful. Management involvement in the project must be timely, whether it be during planning meetings or when making strategic decisions.
It is recommended to only mobilise the responsible team in part but over the course of a longer period of time.
Make sure you use the appropriate ERP software.
The decision regarding which ERP software to use must be made at a crucial juncture in the project. The installation of the application calls for an investment of both time and money, and it must be profitable in the long run. In order to prevent making any mistakes, you should begin by compiling a list of potential solutions that meet the requirements of the position. This list was compiled based on the following three primary considerations:
1. Opt for a piece of software that can be customized to your company. Its specialized features and user-friendly interface ensure that it will be put to the best possible use and provide additional advantages.
2. Opt for a solution that can be customized. You can exercise control over the productive use of your data and achieve autonomy as a result over the long term.
3. Ensure that the publisher provides support of sufficient quality over time. For the successful execution of a sustainable project, the support service provided by the provider is absolutely necessary. Using a single interlocutor helps make the deployment process more efficient and contributes to the correct handling of the tool. Successful ERP system implementation is contingent upon a number of factors, not the least of which is the standard and frequency of training.
After you have narrowed down your choices to a shortlist, you can then request a demonstration from each of the different publishers in order to further hone your selection and customize the ERP system that is optimal for your company.
Comparing the benefits of a business ERP implementation with those of the specialisation of a generalist ERP
Do you want to get better results from your efforts?
Therefore, it is absolutely necessary that the ERP project be able to address the challenges that your company is facing. In addition to developing a tool specific to the user’s needs, it is also possible to verticalize a generalist ERP or go with an ERP focused on the needs of businesses.
Verticalization refers to tailoring a generalist ERP’s standards to the particularities of a company’s industry. This process requires the involvement of a project integrator, who is not necessarily an industry expert. The service is entirely legal, but it has significant limitations in terms of time and money. In point of fact, the ERP project integrator needs to have a comprehensive understanding of the company in order to provide accurate solutions to its many issues. In mechanical subcontracting, he will frequently be required to develop particular modules, such as those dealing with the management and definitions of materials. Without losing sight, every instance of functional specificity will, in its wake, necessitate a change in the processes! The quantity of work may be considerable, particularly considering that the introduction of each new version will necessitate migration and various other technical adjustments. Because of this, implementing a horizontal ERP’s verticalization project will be difficult, time-consuming, and expensive. Before you decide to go with this approach, you ought to be aware of this fact.
On the other hand, business-oriented ERP is a solution already ready to be used and integrates native modules adapted to the business. An editor with specialised training has considered, developed, and improved the functionality of its components in response to the numerous user comments and suggestions. As a result, the tool provides an exact solution to all the problems unique to a particular company. If a new version is released, this standard ERP calls for very few functional adjustments and very brief testing phases, which is a significant advantage. The company’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) project appears to be the most advantageous solution on all levels because it can be deployed quickly and easily.
Provide users with ongoing training
A good ERP is one that adapts to new technological developments and the company’s growth from the inside out. Therefore, selecting a reliable publisher that can adapt its tools according to a customer’s requirements is essential to making a good investment. Additionally, for the publisher to capitalize on these developments, ERP users within the company need to be provided with ongoing training.
The significance of the ERP project in the context of the Industry 4.0 initiative
The enterprise resource planning (ERP) project has become increasingly important in the manufacturing sector due to the new method of organizing the means of production enabled by digital technologies. All the information being passed back and forth between the various departments ultimately converges on this central body, whether technical, commercial or related to design quality standards or stocks. After that, real-time coordination, analysis, and redistribution occur with the centralized data. CAD/CAM software, machine tools, measuring machines, robots, RFID solutions, storage devices, and the like all work of this data! For the purely technical aspect, we will use CQFD.
It is also important to remember that, in the context of Industry 4.0, the ERP project must contribute to meeting major challenges, regardless of the sector of activity. These challenges include creating and delivering more complex and personalized products within deadlines that are even shorter while simultaneously reducing production costs for the company. Yes, but in what way?
The constant interconnection of an ERP project’s internal systems (production tools, CAPM, CAD/CAM software, PDM, and the like) and external systems (customer/supplier platforms, stocks, and the like) is the primary factor that determines whether or not the ERP project will be successful. Why?
• At any given time, the information is the same for everyone; • Data can be viewed while the user is moving about
• Each business function is interconnected and extended to MES systems (Manufacturing Execution System); • The traceability of ascending and descending processes is guaranteed; • Collaborative work is encouraged. • Technical data is modelled very accurately and in great detail.
These advantages, which are true success factors, make it possible to simplify and speed up the work within the processes and come to pertinent decisions. Consequently, the responsiveness to adapt to the context of the production is improved, leading to an increase in efficiency. In the end, the business increases its productivity and achieves the highest possible level of customer satisfaction, both quantitatively (by meeting delivery deadlines) and qualitatively (by being responsive, providing accurate information, providing relevant advice, and adapting products to specific requirements). As a result, the ERP project is an excellent candidate for a central component of industry 4.0.
Why should you go with TopSolid’ERP?
Our experience is that when a company implements CAD/CAM software, communication with its ERP system becomes difficult and expensive. On the other hand, performance in the age of Industry 4.0 is largely dependent on the interoperability of the various digital tools and the long-term viability of the benefits resulting from this interoperability.
The incorporation of business-related processes as well as CAD/CAM data into the ERP project is what gives the TopSolid digital chain its competitive edge. The solution enjoys significant advantages, including native CAD/CAM/ERP/PDM industrial management, which includes the following:
• A business pre-configuration is open to customization so that it can always be in line with its customers’ strategic and decision-making specificities. This is done according to the specificities of the customers.
• Ergonomics that were designed to allow for quick handling and optimized use time for any search, access, and input action • An interface that could be adapted according to user profiles
• Management of the distribution and retailing processes
• Precise management of production in real-time made possible by an in-built algorithmic scheduling module
• Activity management tools to improve operational efficiency and responsiveness and as a result, make pertinent and appropriate decisions for the situation.
• A comprehensive functional scope complies with the quality standards of ISO 9001 and EN 9100.
• Integrated document management guarantees that the versioning of internal and external documents can be tracked back to their original versions.
The TopSolid software suite has a broad functional scope and a centralized system, which enables an optimal circulation of information (CAD/CAM, purchases and sales, stocks, accounting, etc.) and revitalizes the processes. Automation of input tasks, better consistency between manufacturing records and production flow, elimination of errors and traceability… choosing TopSolid’Erp means ensuring that you save time, reliability, agility, and responsiveness: the perfect cocktail for the ideal strategy to significantly increase productivity and improve business performance over the long term!
Conclusion
Unless you follow sound advice, installing ERP software can be laborious and fraught with potential pitfalls at every project stage, from preparation to conclusion. For it to be successful, careful preparation upstream of the ERP project is required. This includes the definition of your goals, the creation of the specifications, and the mobilization of a committed team… These stages are just as important as choosing the software to use in the first place. And remember to make your decision with the long term in mind! The publisher must provide individualized support, flexibility to accommodate the company’s evolving requirements and ongoing training for your teams. TopSolid’Erp is a complete ERP solution integrating CAD/CAM, targeted mechanical production, sheet metal, boiler making, and composites. It is implemented by experts who support you over time and position themselves as true partners for the success of your ERP project!
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