10 ERP Tips from College CIOs for All CIOs
Don't go to the school of hard knocks; learn from those who've already been there.
- Make sure you analyze and define business processes first; then choose the system that will work best for your organization.
- Don't forget about training; if people don't know how to use the system, they won't.
- Test the system for traffic loads that represent your actual traffic, especially during peak times.
- Don't buy all of your ERP systems from one vendor: A best-of-breed approach can work better because not all of one vendor's modules may best fit your needs.
- Don't go live with an implementation or upgrade at a crucial time of year (higher ed: avoid the weeks before classes start; retail: avoid the weeks before Christmas).
- Make as few modifications to the source codes possible.
- Keep an eye on scope creep. It's much worse on campus than in the Fortune 500.
- Before you sign a contract with an integrator, have the integrator conduct trials with the software on your systems to see if they will mesh. It costs a bit more, but it's worth it.
- Use certified project managers on your staff to run the implementation—not just the person in the room who starts taking notes at the first meeting.
- ERP needs constant human interaction (ideally from CIOs) to keep it up and running. Ninety-five percent of getting ERP right is social and political skills; 5 percent is the actual technology.
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