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The fact, that midsize business ERP system implementation should be planned andthought through what-ifs and rollbacks. This is not a recent management sciencediscovery. Plus it also known from the managerial theory that key people and thewhole company team involvement is highly recommended, and even required. In thissmall article we will concentrate on the generic technology pitfalls as well as thecoordination with several high-tech contractors and you internal IT team. We willassume that you are on Microsoft Windows platform and implementing MicrosoftDynamics GP Great Plains, however similar advises are applicable to Navision,Solomon, Axapta and Microsoft CRM implementation scenarios Computer network factor. When you implement ERP, you have to use your WindowsDomain or Workgroup as a platform with multiple tunings and connectors to make yourERP hosted and implemented in this environment: shared network folders, networkprinters (preferred printers with their driver for specific GP documents printing),Reporting access and security (in the case of GP you restring access you your FRxsysdata, where reports are stored in metadata, for example) Contractors management. If you deploy different companies to build your ITnetwork and implement ERP both companies may be pretty confident in their coreexpertise, however if they do not work out shared vision of implementation it mayfail in the interoperability area. This is especially possible when IT contractormoves ERP system to new hardware (new more scalable server) without MRP consultantsbeing involved. General advise consider having one of your employees or insidersplaying project management role to coordinate your contractors Documentation and Control. When you are small, you probably just have businessowner or your trusted employee to keep in her/his mind the system and support it asneeded. However, when you are in the midsize business category, when your ITdepartment has several people, and you don t have documentation and businessprocesses MRP automation workflow there is the risk of losing control, especiallywhen you decide to change ERP consulting contractor, or if you have to replace yourIT internal workforce. Specific GP case would be keeping Dexterity source code ofyour custom piece DYNAMICS.DIC with your scripts Traditional ERP Implementation Wisdom. In this article we don t repeat it indetail, however, we recognize its importance and encourage you to familiarizeyourself with traditional ERP implementation success factors. It may orient you andprevent you from repeating common errors. If you need quick directions, in googleenter ERP Implementation and read few articles on the top
Andrew Karasev, Alba Spectrum Group, http://www.albaspectrum.comhe lp@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918, serving Microsoft Dynamics GPUSA and Canada nationwide: Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Windsor, New York,San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, Pittsburg, Toledo, Indianapolis,Detroit, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, Seattle, San Diego, Phoenix, Austin. Local service is available in Chicago and Houston metros: Rosenberg, Katy, Richmond,Dallas, Galveston, Sugar Land, Naperville, Wheaton, Plainfield, Aurora, Wheaton,Downers Grove, Lisle, Oakbrook, Morris, Marseilles, Joliet, Montgomery, Oswego,DeKalb. With reasonable travel we serve Springfield, Bloomington, Normal, Peoria,LaSalle, Ottawa, Dixon
