How many hours for the typical ERP implementation?
As a continuation to my Q & A session with Forrest Burnson, market researcher for Software Advice’s recently published Enterprise Resource Planning Software BuyerView | 2015, I would like to address the third question I had for Forrest, specifically for process manufacturers.
BatchMaster: How many hours do you find that a company typically budgets for a full ERP implementation today? 40 hours? 400 hours? Please explain.
Burnson: This, of course, depends on several factors including the size of the company, whether the company has in-house IT support, whether the company is migrating from an existing ERP platform and the amount of customization they might need. Typically, we see implementations run anywhere between six months to two years. Process manufacturers have unique requirements as well for which these need to be factored.
Hudson: Yes, I agree with Burnson on all his points. As stated in my previous blog, one of the critical components to a successful implementation is having a BatchMaster Implementation Champion (at the customer site) that can drive customer involvement. Customers need to be prepared to take an active role in implementation! Our experience has shown that with customer commitment and focus, implementations can be completed in as little as two months to six months.
Where can the customer participate best to help make the BatchMaster implementation as efficient as possible? Using the Project Implementation Roadmap below, I’ll point out a few key areas. The Implementation Roadmap includes:
- Project Preparation (kickoff meetings, installation, gap analysis etc.)
- Customer participation – determining gaps with current and new processes
- Business Blueprint (process mapping, master data input, etc.)
- Customer participation – master data clean-up and input
- Project Realization (pilot sessions, etc.)
- Customer participation – conference room pilot sessions
- Final Preparation (user training, readiness assessment)
- Customer participation – training and practice
- Go-Live and Support
With the customer committed to a high level of involvement, the project can stay on track and move towards the anticipated Go-Live and Support phase.
Please check in for the next installment of the ERP Software BuyerView Q&A. Get more information on BatchMaster for your organization at ERP for Process Manufacturing
Christy Hudson is a Sr. Marketing Manager at BatchMaster Software. She is approaching the 30-year mark working with and for organizations providing ERP solutions to the for process manufacturing industry. Christy has a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a Teaching Credential from Cal State Long Beach. She has also completed numerous courses in Marketing and Accounting.
Forrest Burnson is a market research associate at Software Advice, a firm that connects software buyers with vendors where he covers the ERP, inventory management and supply chain markets. He graduated from the University of the South with degrees in political science and French studies. In 2013, he earned a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Texas. Prior to joining Software Advice, he was a writer and researcher for Global Water Intelligence and he was published in a number of other outlets, including the Texas Tribune, the Austin Business Journal, Market News International and the Austin American-Statesman.
