Where we left off previously, we were facing a 25 item-long list of ERP customizations. Now with the list staring at us, we knew a system with that many moving parts wouldn’t last past a couple of decades.

So while we sacrificed our bottomline, we proposed an elimination process to help the company reduce the number of customizations reasonably.

Elimination Process

To put it bluntly, an elimination process in the ERP world is slugging out everyone’s requests and debating what stays and what goes. Of course, that’s when a strong ERP Project Lead and Software Vendor play an important role so that it doesn’t turn into a full-fledged war between departments.

How it works:

• Based on the customization list, first identify if there is any inter-department relationship involved in the customization. If there are, the related departments will discuss the needs of this process and identify the impact if this customization is not done.
• Next, Identify and understand the goal and objective of each customization.
• It is important to encourage participation and allow the free exchange of ideas and solutions mutually.
• Make it a point to reach a collaborative decision after each discussion.
• Then, identify mission-critical customization affecting business continuity.
• Is there any workaround solution to overcome it? Be it within the process or within the system.
• Understand and filter the list of customizations prioritizing operational needs rather than employees’ individual requirements.
• During the sessions, it is common for certain processes to become redundant and hence should be eliminated from future operations.
• Lastly, the management can consider keeping in view a “Good to have” list to be implemented in the 2^nd

Additionally, a good practice throughout the discussions is to update a simple customization list, similar to the below template after each conclusion. This will greatly help in reducing the number of ERP customizations and keep the emphasis on the list of customizations that affects business continuity.

The Importance of Employee Participation

For a successful implementation, the client company and software vendor needs to work hand-in-hand to overcome difficult decisions. Employee involvement in discussions is critical as this will let employees participate in the decision-making process, which will lessen their resistance to change and boost adoption.

On the other hand, it gives employees a chance to suggest work around solutions within an organization as they are more familiar with their current workflow, ultimately greatly reducing the customization needed.

The Importance of a Reliable Software Vendor

Having a dependable software vendor also makes a difference as their active participation in discussions and providing solutions based on can help to reduce the cost and complexity of ERP customizations.

SO, How To Recognize a Good Fit?

Selection of an ERP solution is vital to the success of a company’s digital transformation. If an ERP solution can cater to above 75% of your existing workflow, it’s safe to say that you are good to go. On the flip side, if you’re staring at a proposal that reads as a huge investment a lot on additional and complex customization, maybe it’s time to re-evaluate the solution or your vendor.

Last Takeaway

When deciding on an ERP system, remember to keep an open mind. There are many different platforms in the market that, while may not have everything you need, but are able to integrate with off-the-shelf tools. This is very helpful in eliminating some common customization requests altogether. For example, an ERP solution may not be the best reporting software, but can integrate with other tools that fill in the gap. These add-ons such as Power BI or Jet Reports can often be used in place of customizing all the reports. Some examples of ERP systems with great integration are Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Acumatica.

Before you get excited about ticking off your customization list, take a breather. Ask yourself, is this really what you set out to do? This simple question could help you save a ton of money, and your sanity.