ERP Transformation Services
ERP investments are among the largest investments any school will make and every aspect of these projects – from pre-implementation planning to the implementation itself, to the post-implementation planning period – is massive and complex. Because most staff at any given institution haven’t gone through an ERP implementation before, many schools find that there are a variety of support areas where they could use some external guidance.
We know the ERP transformation space, and we have designed our ERP Transformation Services to help you design the combination of solutions you need to make your implementation a success, whether for all of Finance, Purchasing, HR, Payroll, Student Information, or any combination thereof.
Pre-Implementation ERP Transformation Support
We work with institutions in both assessing whether to transition ERP platforms and throughout the process of reviewing and selecting an ERP platform(s).
ERP Assessment and Roadmap Planning (pre-selection)
For institutions that are trying to determine whether to replace their ERP platform(s) and understand alternatives:
- Change Readiness Assessment
- Assess Current and Future ERP Needs
- ERP Vendor Marketplace Analysis
- Develop Roadmap and Strategy for Future ERP Solution(s) (including cost analysis)
ERP Selection Planning and Execution
For institutions that are ready to replace their ERP platform(s): :
- Change Readiness Assessment
- Current State Assessment and ERP Requirements Development (or requirements validation, if you prefer to develop them in-house and want support reviewing them)
- ERP Implementation Strategy and Timeline (incl. governance model)
- ERP Implementation Staffing Model
- ERP Software and Systems Implementation Vendor Selection RFP and SOW
- Vendor Evaluation and Selection Support
- Contract Negotiation Assistance
Replacement Preparation
A set of services to help institutions prepare for an efficient ERP replacement:
- Organizational Change Management Support
- ERP Business Case Development
- Business Process Transformation / Re-design
- Data Quality Planning
- Data Conversion Readiness
- Reporting and Integration Readiness
- IAM Strategic Plan and Roadmap (with or without IAM Vendor Evaluation)
ERP Implementation Support
We offer several areas of support for institutions going through an implementation project, such as:
- Client-Side Project Management
- Risk Management / Project Health Checks
- Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) Project Audits
- Data Conversion Advisory Services
Post-Implementation ERP Support
We have found several areas where institutions benefit from post-implementation planning and support, including:
- Post Go-Live Ongoing Support Model Planning
- Post-Implementation Organizational Change Management Review
- Post-Implementation Governance Planning
Proven Methodologies
Technology-Enhanced Transformation Methodology
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Efficiently engaging hundreds of stakeholders in ERP requirements planning and leveraging process re-design and change management prior to implementation. Any new system involves some amount of process re-design and change management. The successful management of these two key components can make or break a project. We bring the expertise and resources necessary to assist our clients with a successful implementation.
Our Technology-Enabled Transformation Methodology (TETM) defines outcomes for each project and utilizes structured tools and methods to achieve a successful project. Within our methodology, there are the following phases:
Transformational Roadmap Development:
ERP solutions, business processes, and data impact the entire institution. Changes to this environment result in significant opportunities for transformational change and require a strategic roadmap that identifies critical integration points, dependencies, and opportunities to add value.
Vision Focused Requirements Development:
Utilizes broad stakeholder participation to define the tactical business and technical needs that must be addressed to achieve the transformation ‘vision’.
We have successfully utilized an approach to requirements gathering and package selection that enables us to focus on defining the tactical business, technical and functional needs of an organization’s stakeholders.
Vision-Driven Process Re-Design & Change Management:
This uses the process requirements defined earlier to identify and re-engineer. If buying, a Gap/Fit assessment is conducted to identify places where the package doesn’t support the transformed processes of the institution. The goal is to streamline any process gaps to optimize the software and reduce maintenance costs whether buying or building.
Any project that an institution undertakes involves some amount of process re design and/or change management. The successful management of these two key components can make or break a project. We have helped institutions:
- To re-think how they provide services to stakeholders
- To streamline workflows to improve staff efficiency and eliminate redundant or unnecessary steps
- To improve stakeholder experience with self service functionality
- To accept change and take ownership of new processes
Project Oversight Reviews / Audits:
On highly complex IT projects, large numbers of client and vendor staff are engaged in a large number of complex, inter-related tasks and projects over an extended period. Even with the best intentions by all parties, projects can move outside acceptable boundaries of time and cost. Our project audits can focus in many areas, including:
- Project Management
- Project Budget Management
- Communications & Business Process methodology & Standards
- Planning, Issue & Risk Management
- Metrics & Reporting