ERP maintenance

 

The ERP system needs regular maintenance in order to function properly. The ERP plan needs revision and updating as per the changing situations in the organization. The ERP system should be reviewed regularly.

 

The review comments and suggestions should be incorporated into the system. Also the ERP system needs fine-turning as the employees become familiar with it. Once the ERP system has reached a stable state necessary action should be taken to improve the performance.

 

The ERP tools that are implemented are another area that needs maintenance. The project manager should be in regular contact with the vendors to see whether any upgrades or updates are available. All patches and upgrades should be installed to ensure that the tools are working at their maximum efficiency.

 

Employees should be given refresher courses on the new functionality that gets added with each new upgrade. The training documentation should also be updated so that it is in sync with the procedures and processes.

Enhancement: If a customer (meaning a user) wanted to add a field, change the look of a screen, or add an extra step to a process, then an enhancement would be developed. Analysts develop a functional specification and a technical specification, and then the developers code the enhancement.
 

Software customization: Once implementation begins, project teams will inevitably find at least a handful of functionality gaps that they would like to address by changing the software. It is important to prioritize and limit the amount of customization to help contain costs. Customized ERP software may have its advantages, but there are more disadvantages.

 

Creating custom code can be a time consuming process and involves inherent risks that can only be eliminated with exhaustive testing. Too often, quality assurance is undercut in order for the project to come in on time, creating risks associated with “buggy” software. This, in turn, leads to a less stable and reliable system. The focus on heavy customization efforts may also detract attention away from other, more critical, aspects of the ERP implementation.  For more detailed information about customization, you can refer to Principles of Changes Management

 

Ironically, customizations don’t add value by default. By default they subtract value, at least in the short run, through costs associated with analysis, design, and development time and in the long run, through upgrade, maintenance, and support. Firms should ensure that the net result is value added through increased productivity, higher profitability, reduced error, or another measurable benefit. Each time a customization is contemplated, the impact of these issues on the system’s ROI should be quantified and supported with an accurate and detailed business case.