Oracle Cloud Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are well known for their ability to provide businesses with greater control and efficiency of their operations and better insights for decision-making. The advantage of a Cloud ERP implementation is obvious.
However, for organizations contemplating an ERP system implementation–whether a brand-new implementation, a migration from one vendor’s ERP system to another, or a migration from an on-premise implementation to the cloud–understanding how to start can be daunting.
Part of the problem for many businesses is that “you don’t know what you don’t know.” Even companies with existing ERP systems may have had them for many years; the people who were involved with the original ERP implementation may have moved on, and in any case, the capabilities of modern ERP systems have evolved quite a bit in the last few years. In 2018, Gartner estimated that 90% of ERP implementations would suffer integration disorder and inefficiencies.
Cloud ERP vs. On-Premise ERP
ERP for Healthcare
Aerospace ERP Systems
Higher Education ERP Systems
Either way, these businesses are starting from square one.
So where do you start in your implementation of an ERP system? This article presents a high-level checklist of things to think about when developing your ERP implementation plan, including ERP implementation methodology choices, ERP implementation strategies, ERP implementation costs, and more.
Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP Implementation Stages
What is an Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP implementation? In simple terms, the Cloud ERP system implementation process takes you from running your business with the systems you have now (which may be an existing ERP solution, spreadsheets, or nothing) to doing it with a completely integrated cloud-based ERP system.
Most successful ERP implementation plans have a handful of high-level steps for Cloud ERP implementation:
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Discovery
Determining the business problems to be solved, the business processes to be included, the condition of the data that currently exists, and the high-level system requirements. -
Planning
Drawing up a detailed project plan that outlines what resources are needed on the project team, basic timelines for completion, and the cost of the ERP implementation. -
Design
Documenting the system configuration, customizations, integrations with other systems, and data migrations. -
Execution
Configuring the system, coding the customizations, performing end-to-end testing, resolving any defects, and training the end users and administrators. -
Post-implementation support
A period of hyper-care, followed by ongoing support for enhancements, bug fixes, and software updates.
Before-You-Start Checklist
But before you even start down the Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP planning and implementation path, you need to do some homework in preparation for your Cloud ERP implementation process. As a company, you should ask yourself these Cloud ERP implementation checklist questions:
- Why do you need a new Cloud ERP system? Are your current systems out of date, or are they incapable of scaling up to support your growth targets? Are there compliance requirements that aren’t being met? If the answer to all of these is “no,” you might not actually need a new Cloud ERP system.
- On-premise or cloud? Or both? It’s not too early to think about high-level system architecture. Do some research on various ERP vendor cloud offerings and learn the advantages, disadvantages, and pricing models of cloud, on-premise, and hybrid cloud options.
- What’s your budget? For small Cloud ERP software implementations, the average ERP implementation cost can run to several million dollars and can be $100 million or more for large, complex implementations.
- Who’s on your shortlist? Of all the Cloud ERP offerings out there, which three or four seem best suited for your needs and budget?
- Who will perform your Cloud ERP system implementation? Hint: Not you, by yourself, and probably not the ERP vendor. You will need to choose one of the many Cloud ERP implementation companies that specialize in your chosen system.
Vendor selection and partner selection are each topic worthy of their own articles. To make informed decisions about Cloud ERP implementation, take the time to evaluate options, read case studies, and interview references.
Choosing the Right Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP Solutions Partner
When implementing Oracle Cloud ERP, choosing the right consultant is crucial, even after selecting the best vendor and determining the need for implementation.
A good partner knows the different types of ERP implementation and the best practices for ERP implementation. Their expertise can guide you through the ERP implementation process, avoid failure, and successfully deploy your ERP system.
Implementation of ERP systems is a complex task. Even Fortune 500 companies find that outsourcing ERP implementation is the best path to ERP implementation success stories. Any discussion of what ERP system implementation should include how to choose the best partner.
NexInfo has many years of success with ERP implementation projects. NexInfo excels in ERP implementation through advanced methodologies, project management, and industry expertise.
Contact us today to learn how NexInfo’ can be your trusted Cloud ERP implementation partner, creating a roadmap and detailed ERP implementation checklist templates can help bring your Cloud ERP projects to implementation success while minimizing implementation costs.
