Maestro Technologies - Intelligent management software for the construction industry.

Getting the most out of your ERP system?

Too often, SMBs that acquire management systems (ERPs) do not enjoy all of the possible benefits. They did not follow a structured process and wonder whether their ERP system can really give them what they are looking for. Or, in more simple terms, they underuse the tool and do not know how to get the most out of it. In some cases, the company simply concludes that the ERP system is not delivering what was promised. But is this always true? It’s never too late to do the right thing. Before making a decision about the ERP system, take the time to properly analyze the situation.

Reviewing existing processes
It may be helpful to take a step back to find the improvements and additional benefits the ERP system was supposed to provide, but that have not been observed to date. A review of the processes in question and an internal analysis of the issues normally makes it possible to isolate flaws to be corrected or elements to be implemented to enjoy the desired gains. If, for example, an analysis of your processes shows useless steps, information saved outside the application (often in Excel), unacceptable processing delays or frequent errors, the situation is not acceptable and should be corrected.

Clear and accurate identification of information requirements
It is also possible that crucial management information is not available from your ERP system. This means that the information received is not always reliable and prepared in time. Your ERP system should be the source of your crucial management information. Once again, why is this not the case? Where is the problem? What can we do to correct the situation? You would be surprised to learn that a few things (incorrect understanding of your tool and its capabilities, resistance to change, etc.) may be preventing you from obtaining reliable and fast information from your ERP system.

Good communication with your solution provider
Once you have made your observations, a meeting with your implementation consultant allows you to discuss the situation and review the capabilities of the ERP system based on the elements that have been described. Changes to the software may sometimes be necessary to give the company the desired benefits. More often, however, you will see that you already have everything you need to achieve 80 to 90% of your objectives. Afterwards, deployment of this new implementation phase should be properly planned, respecting the keys to success for a successful implementation (see the section "Practical advice for a successful implementation").

It is also possible that your ERP system can provide additional benefits and productivity improvements of which you were not aware. A discussion with your implementation consultant could provide some interesting information. Some of the new developments provided by new technologies can help you save a lot of time or improve the quality of your information and management with a minimum amount of effort. The integration provided by the ERP system for all facets of an organization includes common, reliable, on-time information for the entire organization. The efficiency provided by eliminating duplicate entries, reducing errors and accessing information are key benefits that should be fully exploited.

Remote entry of certain transactions, offline access to data, electronic transmission of documents to partners and practical document filing are only some of the options provided by the ERP system and that should be examined.

Conclusion
To summarize, it is worth the effort to be informed, take the time to have a look and reflect. A meeting with your implementation consultant can help you get started with this process and will help you determine the parameters that would provide optimal results from your management system. You should not ignore this aspect. The effectiveness of your company depends on it.