How can you align client expectations with the capabilities of standard ERP functionalities?

Early in the process it's important to gain a clear understanding of the client's business requirements and document any gaps in standard functionality. Assign someone to take point on gaps identified and communicate those with the client, making recommendations to manage expectations. Gaps should be given attention since typically these items will have an impact on your overall solution.

That's the most critical part of any ERP implementations , once you are done with requirement gathering .It's easy to plan your conference room pilots .Then demonstration is easy and relevant for the business

In this activity, 1st and foremost step is to make a crisp and bullet list out of requirement gathering which represents prime expectations from ERP system and don’t forget to cover key pain points for the customer. Once this is done: 1. Organise meeting with department heads along with one more key person from each department to finalise requirement gathering. 2. Split list in phase 1,2,3, or more to assure customer adapt new ERP in an easy manner rather than putting users and management in a tight situation. 3. Setup timeline for phase rollouts and keep a list of items which are open from each phase to assure customer that everything is on track which is discussed and decided. More points can be added but this character space 😃.

Grasping client's needs to educate about standard capabilities is an oversimplification. More often than not, gaps are ignored in the name of "we are going to stick to standard capabilities" statements. This can turn into disappointment when those edge cases as flushed out during the implementation process. It's important to clearly outline and understand standard capabilities but gaps mustn't be ignored or minimized.

Defining customization scope from your gaps list can be an important part of ensuring expectations are met. By starting with a gaps list you can have a conversation with your client so they understand options and plan for potential additional time and cost. A factor of impacts on system performance, stability, and future updates are key as well. Customizations should be evaluated with those things as considerations as well as benefits.

To this end, it is important to set expectations of what is possible, or not, while discussing the scope of customization with an ERP system, and implications. While standard features can cater to most needs of a business, every business has a few special requirements which cannot be catered by the help of standard features only. One must be aware of the fact that customizations, on one hand, make the ERP system stronger in order to meet the requirements of your business process in an even better way, but on the other hand, add some concerns: More Time and Higher Costs System Stability Future updates of the ERP system

ERP projects START when they are put in production, all to often, vendors want to call go-live a win. Sorry, you've only just begun. In fact, an ERP implementation has at least 3 goals: 1. Adoption: At least 70% to 90% adoption should be the goal for IT and the business sponsor. This goal will tune the budget to include more than just a cursory amount of training and will make people pay attention to usability 2. Productivity: Access to information should be faster and easier, and decision-making quicker and more accurate. Measure this. 3. Financial results: While complex, its not impossible when you use a Dupont model or Economic Value Add model. 4. Employee engagement scores: If done well, these should improve.

To provide the training to clients, the first 3 points are also important to consider. Without understanding client needs, aligning the client or ERP as per client needs, one cannot implement, train and support the client. The customisation scope as well as per the above said points. Without alignment of all these in a straight line, the success cannot be achieved by either party.