Page 184 - DCAP302_ENTERPRISE_RESOURCE_PLANNING

Enterprise Resource Planning

notes 10.4 faster implementation methodologies

All ERP vendors have suffered from the perception that their software is difficult and costly to
implement. This perception has provided huge profits to the ‘Big 6’ accounting firms (now Big 5
with the merger of Price Waterhouse and Coppers SB Laybrand) that have generated billions in
fees from their ERP software implementation ‘practices.’
Even though only 10-15% of the implementations have taken years to complete and have eaten
up millions of dollars of consulting costs, the fact remains that implementing ERP packages is
difficult.
An ERP system may consist of dozens of modules that are deployed on a multinational basis to
service hundreds of users from many different business departments.
There may also be a complete change of infrastructure—say from a mainframe to a UNIX
platform—while a number of core business processes are being simultaneously reengineered.

ERP vendors have thus begun to focus their effort on making the implementation process easier
by:
1. Providing more effective tools
2. Better methodologies to speed up the process,

3. Creating elite consulting teams to intensify resources when required, and
4. Using model-based approaches and opening up their systems for easier integration.

Example: SAP has introduced a program called Accelerated SAP (ASAP) that takes
the knowledge gained from thousands of R/3 implementations to date and consolidates this
expertise in a product called the Business Engineer.
This product helps implementation teams configure the SAP modules to conform to the processing
style of some 100 business operating scenarios.
Methodologies such as ASAP help reduce SAP implementation times to less than six months in
many cases.

Oracle recently introduced a similar program called Fast Forward, to help speed up
implementations of Oracle Applications suites and nail down the costs up-front.
As to implement the whole business it has to go through reengineering process. This may cause
the complete change in business model working previously and thus also find it difficult to
implement. Some times only 10-15% of the implementation takes years to complete and by the
times implementation cost may increase.
To make the implementation of packages more convenient, the ERP vendors are searching for
faster implementation methodologies e.g. Accelerated SAP (ASAP) is a program introduced by
SAP. This program takes the knowledge gained from R / 3 implementations and consolidates
this expertise in a product called the Business engineer. This helps to configure the SAP modules
to confirm to the processing style of same 100 business operating scenarios. This methodology
reduces SAP implementation time to less than six months in many cases. Oracle also introduced a
faster implementation methodology called Fast – Forward. This program speed up implementation
of Oracle application suites and nail down the costs up front.
As there is dearth of skilled consultants, ERP systems implementation often becomes a difficult
task. To achieve system implementations the ERP vendors also provide the consulting services
with highly skilled consulting teams and charged with delivering fully trained experienced
consultant on a worldwide basis e.g. Oracle’s OracleOne or SAP’s Platinum Consulting Services
with highly skilled consulting teams providing their services along with new channel partners
and implementation methodologies.

178 LoveLy professionaL university