ERP consulting & ERP selection

ERP selection

We guide you successfully through the provider jungle

The selection of a new or initial ERP system is a very complex and far-reaching decision. One of the biggest challenges is that the changeover has consequences for all areas of the company and therefore a comprehensive solution must be found. In addition, structures in the system landscape and process execution have often evolved over the years that are highly individual, partially non-transparent and often unknown. In these cases, it is often almost impossible to check whether the processes in place are compatible with the provider’s offering.

The large number of providers, whether industry-specific or general, makes ERP selection even more difficult, as the differences between the solutions are often not recognizable to outsiders. To enable you to benefit from our experience, our operations and process specialists will guide you through the entire ERP selection process and, if desired, beyond. Together with the most important stakeholders and key users, we plan a structured approach, document the current processes and, if necessary, define new target processes as the basis for an initial shortlist of systems.

The providers then present their solutions to you in workshops, for which we develop an evaluation scheme together with you. This results in a recommendation for action and a roadmap for the introduction of the specific system. We will also be happy to advise you on specific contract negotiations with a provider.

Our service packages:

• Develop longlist and shortlist
• Create requirements catalog after process development
• Create tender documents and specifications for system and supplier selection
• Develop and carry out beauty contests with potential providers
• Develop a recommendation for action
• Create a roadmap for the introduction

Your benefit:

1. Customized system for your core processes in operations and beyond
2. Your personal roadmap for introducing the system
3. Holistic support of the selection process from the perspective of a process consultant

ERP introduction

Taking the right steps towards a successful launch

The selection process is over and the decision for a system provider has been made. The first big step has been taken, but now the task of introducing the selected system in your company and successfully replacing the old system is on the agenda. The system must be configured to your requirements and interfaces to existing systems must be created. In addition, the introduction of the system usually requires an adaptation of the work organization or the design of new, lean processes. To ensure that your employees can work successfully in the new system when it goes live, it is important to train them in the newly created structures and system functions.

The central challenge is to manage the complexity of the project efficiently and to build a sustainable organization with lean but effective workflows. We are your partner for the successful ERP implementation in your company – from planning and managing the project to developing lean target processes with the new system, training specialists as part of change management and supporting system configuration and business integration from a process perspective.

Our service packages:

• Project and stakeholder management in order to meet defined project goals (e.g. time frame, costs, requirements)
• Develop target processes to design an optimal workflow with the new system
• Derive the need for changes (e.g. organizational adjustments)
• Managing and supporting change and transformation processes
• Business integration tests support processes
• Compare the success of the implementation with the defined requirements

Your benefit:

1. Efficient implementation of the implementation project
2. Establishment of lean, optimized processes
3. Implementation of the defined requirements
4. Involvement of all stakeholders, key users and process owners

Organizational development

Using the potential of your employees to develop a successful and sustainable organization

Are you familiar with the situation where there is enormous potential in your organization, but it is not being fully exploited? Improvements are barely initiated, too little is implemented and the further development of your organization is stagnating. In order to build a successful and sustainable company, you first need to develop a clear vision, mission and strategy. Based on this, it is important to create a breeding ground for stability, progress and development. At the same time, it is important that you constantly drive forward and balance the development of corporate structures, competencies and their culture.

An ERP transformation not only entails structural changes, but also has an impact on the skills of employees and the corporate culture. For this reason, this process is a challenge for every company, but at the same time offers a great opportunity to initiate change in your organization. Join us in setting the starting point for building a vibrant organization with intrinsically motivated employees.

Our service packages:

• Define vision and mission, derive corporate strategy
• Developing targets and key performance indicator systems
• Developing structural elements with your teams
• Develop a goal- and solution-oriented management culture
• Continuously support and empower stakeholders in change and development processes
• Implement agile ways of working and thinking in the organization

Your benefit:

1. Defined vision, mission and corporate strategy
2. Intrinsically motivated employees
3. Goal- and solution-oriented managers and employees

Process consulting

Introducing lean, value-oriented end-to-end processes

Business processes are often not or only incompletely documented. Or the processes have been documented, but the documentation does not correspond to the current status or the processes in use. Processes have often only been developed within individual departments, but are neither value-oriented from a customer perspective nor cross-departmental. Such processes are not suitable as a basis for the selection and introduction of an ERP system. The introduction of an ERP system offers great potential for optimization by developing end-to-end processes with the key users that are oriented towards customer value (e.g. short delivery times or order processing times).

We are happy to support you in analyzing your current processes, identifying optimization potential and deriving value-oriented end-to-end target processes. On this basis, we first define use cases for provider selection (beauty contests) and determine standard and customizing solutions. During system implementation, the end-to-end target processes are specified and adapted to the individual characteristics of the new system. The aim of these measures is to ensure that employees work with system support in the most efficient and effective workflows possible at go-live – and that they themselves have helped to develop these new workflows.

Our service packages:

• Record and document actual processes with the key users
• Initial and pragmatic development of target processes together with key users
• Define use cases for the beauty contest and provider selection
• Further develop end-to-end target processes based on the functions in the new system

Your benefit:

1. Identification of optimization potential along the process chain
2. Development of sustainable and value-oriented target processes
3. Provider selection on the basis of target process structures
4. Harmonious interaction between ERP system and target processes

System landscape and configuration

Transparent inventory: identify risks and weak points, define target image

The speed at which new solutions are developed in the IT sector is a challenge for many specialist departments. There was often no time for a holistic approach, as the rapid implementation of new solutions was and is often decisive for the economic success of the company.

As a result, the IT landscape of many companies is a collection of isolated solutions. This not only makes maintenance much more complex, but a lot of potential is also lost in the interfaces between the different systems. This results in two crucial problems: New technologies are often difficult or impossible to apply to the distributed systems. And if individual systems or versions are phased out, this poses major challenges, especially as there are hardly any knowledge carriers for older systems. A risk assessment of the IT landscape is therefore almost impossible.

In order to successfully implement an ERP system, we analyze your entire system landscape. With extensive operational and process experience, we document and analyze the key systems and processes of all departments. This creates a digital picture of your system landscape, which also includes existing and missing interfaces.

In joint workshops with the various departments, we develop the digital target image for your system landscape – while keeping a close eye on the latest state-of-the-art solutions. We work with you to decide which systems and processes should be continued independently and which should be covered by the ERP system. Throughout the entire implementation phase, we act as a link between the implementation provider and the specialist department, ensuring that the configuration is tailored to your requirements.

Our service packages:

• Create transparency
• Documenting the status quo
• Identify relevant systems
• Developing the ideal system landscape

Your benefit:

1. Transparent overview of the status of your current system landscape
2. Optimization potentials are identified
3. Risk minimization for your system landscape
4. New system landscape for optimized use of your data

Change management

Mastering the ERP transformation with structured change management

The introduction of a new ERP system brings major changes and challenges for all employees. Daily processes change, routines have to be abandoned, new workflows and structures are created. Ideally, these changes should be supported by the specialists themselves, so that they remain motivated during the introduction and beyond. In order to achieve this, structured and individual change management is required for the specialists, which accompanies the project phases and sets the right measures for communication, training and empowerment.

We are happy to work with you to develop a change management strategy, from which we then derive specific measures that are individually tailored to the needs of your employees in each project phase. In this way, you can ensure that the performance and motivation of your specialists does not decline during and after the system introduction and that your employees actively participate in the change process.

Our service packages:

• Develop a change management concept
• Derive concrete measures to support change
• Develop a communication strategy
• Derive concrete communication measures
• Develop training and qualification concepts with corresponding measures
• Track all measures introduced and evaluate their effectiveness

Your benefit:

1. Efficient introduction of the new system in your organization
2. Clear communication of the changes
3. Employees have the necessary know-how to operate the new system
4. Employees remain motivated during the system introduction

PMO

Leading the ERP project to success with stringent project management

The introduction of an ERP system is a complex and challenging project. A large number of stakeholders are involved during the project before the comprehensive rollout takes place. Stringent project management is essential in order to effectively involve all those involved and at the same time meet the diverse requirements. The project will only be a success if you have defined clear project goals and content and established a functioning cooperation model with all those involved. This also includes making progress as well as challenges and risks transparent at all times.

We are happy to support you and use our many years of diverse experience in project management to make your ERP transformation a success. We set up the project in a structured manner, define the project scope with clearly described goals and milestones and create transparent structures for collaboration. We continuously measure the status and progress of the project, assess the risks and derive countermeasures. We ensure that your ERP implementation project has the right project management framework so that you achieve your goals and project scope with the planned resources in the defined quality and time.

Our service packages:

• Define project goals and milestones
• Develop a detailed phase and milestone plan
• Derive specific tasks and responsibilities
• Define collaboration model
• Monitor project progress and carry out risk assessment in the event of schedule deviations (project controlling)
• If required: Set up an agile project management framework for planning and controlling project tasks (e.g. based on Scrum, Safe, etc.)

Your benefit:

1. Transparency regarding project progress and risks in the project
2. Experienced project management
3. Efficient and effective collaboration in the project team
4. Stringent implementation of the project

What are ERP systems?

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) describes the planning, control and management of all resources available to a company. This includes personnel, materials, inventories, capital and logistics as well as information and communication technology. The aim of ERP is to use all these resources sensibly for the purpose of the company.

An ERP system is a complex application software (or several interconnected and communicating systems) that supports ERP according to this definition. Complex ERP systems are often divided into individual modules that are used in different areas but can be combined and coordinated with each other as required.

How does an ERP system work?

The aim of complex ERP systems is generally to digitally map all of a company’s existing business processes so that the data obtained can be used to manage resources as effectively as possible.

The complexity and diversity of existing processes makes it necessary to adapt the system used very specifically to the processes. Good ERP systems are therefore also characterized by the fact that customizing is possible without any problems, i.e. they are highly adaptable.