As a rule, your
But is this even possible? After all, research from Panorama Consulting Solutions suggests that nearly two-thirds of full ERP implementations exceed anticipated schedules. The average length of an Oracle ERP implementation is 18 months, according to an article on ZDNet.com.
Thankfully, a timely accounting software implementation is truly possible. In fact, it should be expected. But it doesn’t just happen like magic — you have to do your part. Here are several tips and best practices for saving time on your next implementation.
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Be ready to work hard: It's important to understand that an implementation is not something that’s done FOR you. You’ll need to dedicate resources to work with your partner on the implementation. This is a good time to look at your processes and make improvements that are supported by the new system. “The right partner plus the right system is really key, but nobody does it all for you ... it takes active participation,” confirms William Robertson, founder of WLMR5 LLC, in a question-and-answer discussion about vendor selection criteria on the Proformative website.
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Define and prioritize your requirements: Nicole Lucarelli, a transformational director at Fannie Mae, suggests defining your requirements and categorizing them by importance. This makes it much easier to know what you want in a system and match your needs with a vendor, she explains in the Proformative Q&A. Consider whether you need a DCAA-compliant system if you’re working with government contracts or if you need modules to address industry-specific requirements like warehouse
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Perform a process review: Why do you do Accounts Payable or Accounts Receivable in a certain way? What is the procedure for posting a payment? What processes are outdated and which can they be streamlined? Can you take advantage of these processes because they’re already based on best practices? You have to ask yourself if your business is really that different, or will the standard processes work. These are all questions that should be answered during a process review.
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Select a vendor: Choose a vendor that has industry knowledge, is accessible (able to spend time in your office), has good industry references and meets timelines. “This is a great time to lean on your peer networks,” says Scott Smith, a consultant and former CFO of TravelClick. “Use your contacts aggressively to find partners that will be a good match. If they handled implementations, get advice on what went well, what was bad, and how they addressed any problems.” Remember, any new system, especially an accounting system implementation, requires asking a series of questions. “We can do it however you want it” is something you’ll hear often from potential vendors, but it takes a skilled partner to lead you and your team through the discussions that help you make those decisions.
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Verify the competence of the vendor’s employees: You want to ensure the vendor has experienced staff to work on your engagement. The employees should know your industry and have implemented the system before in companies similar to yours. On your end, put together an implementation team to work with the vendor. This team should comprise select end users, the IT department/staff, aprogram manager and an executive sponsor.
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Build a winning team: The most successful implementations have an internal core team that comes to an agreement on “guiding principles.” It’s best to limit customizations, be open to changing your process and ask “why” when looking at legacy processes. As you’re deep in the implementation process, it’s good to have some guidelines to keep things on track.
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Plan for the future: Keep scalability in mind for future growth. Make sure the software can grow with your business.
An accounting software implementation, like all