Operational and Post-implementation of ERP

To assess the readiness of an ERP process, all planned tasks and activities must be completed so that project management runs smoothly without disturbing the Go-Live date. Go-Live is the most important thing to assess the success of projects or business processes where companies have used ERP software regularly and become the basis for employee work steps in doing their work. Several processes must be considered in an ERP implementation project, such as worker preparation, post-production support processes, continuous monitoring, and training during the readiness and stabilization process. In this step, the company will focus and involve many parties such as members of the developer to managers and users to better understand the implementation process and the changes that will occur. This readiness process is generally called post-implementation. 

Often companies are so focused on Go-Live dates that they forget about post-implementation. Whereas post-implementation is very important in determining the success of the system in the long term. Support in post-implementation itself is divided into several parts and processes: 

1. Readiness check review, in this process there is a detailed report and executive summary for senior management, a table showing the status of each area with main activities that must be completed before Go-Live, a series of meetings to discuss status and activities, as well as the need for a Project Manager Officer to ensure project teamwork with a proper period between assessment and Go-Live. 
2. ERP Training, usually this training is carried out before the go-live date with different durations depending on the strategy and training planning implemented. ERP training is provided to all workers on systems and data usage through real-world examples. The training will capture a quarter of the system that workers will see every day. The training party will approach trainers who work for software vendors, third-party trainers, or those who have special experience in ERP systems. A training system will also be developed and ensure the effectiveness of the training. This training activity is also supported by senior management and is ensured to have adequate funding. 
3. Transfer of knowledge and skills, this process is generally completed after the implementation process. Such as monitoring and tracking of ongoing projects then documentation and stored materials. This plan or phase is intended to ensure that all materials and knowledge from the training are delivered properly and can be implemented into the project quickly, effectively, and efficiently. 
4. Go-Live Support, this support process is carried out when users need help using the system or there are errors and problems with the new system. IT staff will monitor its processes and infrastructure and ensure that the required response times and backups are appropriate. Training experts are also on hand to help workers from various departments to use the system properly. Generally, this support is also provided during the stabilization process, which is when the software is still in production and the initial training has been completed. 
5. Data Validation, this process must be carried out periodically to ensure the system used is by the plan and the data entry process has been followed correctly. This process plays an important role in ERP implementation such as developing detailed reports that identify data problems in the system. 
6. Data Correction, the ability to identify bad data and correct it will be part of the stabilization process. An automatic bulk update process should be available and used to correct data. However, sometimes correcting large amounts of data can cause other data and system problems if not done carefully. 
7. New features, change control processes must be managed and handled by the implementation process. This upgrade will incorporate new and updated features into the system. All improvements need to be evaluated to determine whether or how the feature will be implemented in the business. This process needs to be planned and managed as updates are released. The best timing for implementing the upgrade needs to be discussed with the user. 
8. Additions and improvements, in the ERP implementation process, errors and bugs are often found and reported to vendors for improvements or solutions. Vendors also have teams to reproduce errors and resolve issues. A well-defined process needs to be done because patching/fixing is part of the implementation process and production support. After all processes and support are carried out, the system is expected to become more organized and can realize the ROI (Return on Investment) of the ongoing ERP project. 
9. Evaluation and review, conducting an evaluation will ensure that the system settings are following user expectations and there are no obstacles to completing the work. Performing an evaluation also provides a feedback mechanism to users and provides a way to catch problems early before they cause significant problems. 
10. Maintenance plan, ERP system will require proper scheduled and implemented maintenance. Along with system maintenance, functionality will also be developed internally to ensure proper maintenance and update plans. 

References:

• Enterprise Systems for Management second edition (2014) Luvai F. Motiwalla; Jeff Thompson
  Pearson Education Limited, England ISBN: 978-1-29202-348-9, Chapter 7
• https://www.erpandmore.com/2016/03/20/erp-post-implementation-activities/