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Migration MIGR-02. Preparing for an Implementation. David Cervelli Managing Consultant Strategic Systems Group (SSG) June 2007. ERP LN IMPLEMENTATION. Why Upgrade? Environment Resources Project Management Data Migration Pilot Testing End-User Training Go-Live Planning Conclusion.
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Preparing for an Implementation David Cervelli Managing Consultant Strategic Systems Group (SSG) June 2007
ERPLNIMPLEMENTATION • Why Upgrade? • Environment • Resources • Project Management • Data Migration • Pilot Testing • End-User Training • Go-Live Planning • Conclusion
WHY UPGRADE ? • Version will not be supported • Need new functionality • Users not happy with current version • Corporate requirement
LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP ! Identify . . . • What is important • What needs to be delivered to . . . • Users • Business • Management • Corporate • I/T • Long-term plans
CURRENT APPLICATION AND ENVIRONMENT ASSESSMENT Conduct assessment of current systems and processes • Document current processes • Document business requirements • Rank requirements • Must have • Nice to have • That would be nice
DATA MIGRATION ENVIRONMENT • Pilot test company • Data migration company • ‘Pristine’ company • Patch company – separate VRC • Development company – separate VRC
RESOURCES Identify resources early in the process • Project Sponsor • Implementation Team • Power Users • Cross-functional Participation • Project Leader • Systems • Data Migration Tools
CROSS-FUNCTIONAL IMPLEMENTATION TEAMS Input from multiple sources improves the outcome • Get the Management perspective – make sure the right business goals will be met • Get the front line workers – they do the work and understand better than most • Leverage the power users’ knowledge of the business and systems • Need participation from each department • When one person covers many departments • Opportunities are missed • Assumptions may be incorrect
INTERNAL RESOURCES Strong leadership internally ensures success • Project scheduling and management • Requirements definition • Process decisions • Deliverables definition and tracking • Testing • Sign-offs
OUTSIDE RESOURCES Use external experts to fill the gaps and meet resource requirements • Programming • Data conversion • Pilot testing and training support • Software and hardware installation • Documentation • Free up internal resources to do more important tasks
PROJECT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Managing the project is key to success • Project scope • Decision-making powers • Communication • Risk assessment and management • Issue tracking • Identify milestones • Budget • Expectations • Process ownership
DECISION MAKING Don’t make process decision in a vacuum • Include cross-functional teams in pilot testing • Don’t assume you know all the upstream and downstream processes • Ask the people who do the work
DATA MIGRATION PROCESS • Use tools designed to make this an ‘easy’ process • Make your migrated data available early in project • Incorporate into ERPLN Implementation schedule • Schedule data refreshes to coincide with key project events • Involve key users who ‘know’ the data • Validate, validate, validate
DATA MIGRATION INSIGHTS • Don’t use migrated data too early in pilot testing • Data cleansing is always a lengthy process • Convert and consolidate the data early in the processes • Don’t assume since data was validated once it does not need to be validated again • Refresh data often
PILOT TESTING APPROACH • Create test scenarios • Create new transactions • Process migrated transactions • Document results • Schedule formal pilot test cycles
PILOT TESTING • Perform thorough pilot test early in the implementation process • Identify and document issues / gaps / additional requirements • Assign resources to issues, gaps and additional requirements • Pilot test environment is critical to success • The right equipment • The right people • The right leadership
TRAINING END USERS • Thorough training required • Train all users not just a few • Don’t shortcut training – you’ll pay for it later • People have different styles of learning • Wait until • Pilot testing is complete • Initial procedures are finalized • Test company set-up and configuration is complete • Your company’s data has been migrated to a test company • Major customizations are complete • Training must be full time – part-time students don’t learn well • Training should be very close to go-live date
GO-LIVE PLANNING • Timing • Resources • Data validation • System management • Expectations • Anticipate the unexpected
CONCLUSIONS • Planning • Resources • Time • Project Communication • The Right Tools
Q U E S T I O N S ? David Cervelli, Managing Consultant Nobo Nazuka, Senior Systems Consultant Strategic Systems Group, Inc. inquiry@ssgnet.com