Selecting the best ERP Implementation Consultant for your project

If you’re considering implementing a new ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) or similar business software solution, the decisions you make will be largely be driven by its ability to help your organisation take complete control of its business data and give you the actionable insights and automated workflows you need. You’ll want an enterprise application that will integrate information from every area of your operations, from your stock control, supply chain, and project management right through to your core financials, your CRM, human resources, and your marketing activities.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP implementation training session

These complex requirements provide the evidence and need for a tailored ERP solution that will deliver the requisite clarity and insight to inform your decision-making and grow with you. If this is your first foray into the life-changing world of ERP, the transition can easily appear overwhelming, so you’ll want to give serious consideration to an entry-level, ready-to-go platform that will give you the core functionality you need now and the option to add complexity when you’re ready.

If you’re looking to upgrade your legacy systems, there will be different questions to find answers to. They’ll range from how you can address the inefficiencies in your current processes to whether it’s possible to achieve the transformative change you want without compromising your operational continuity and how you can continue to meet, but preferably exceed customer expectations.

Then there’s the ongoing business support that will be so critical to the long-term viability of any ERP implementation – This calls for a team of responsive and skilled specialists , irrespective of your ERP needs. Top of your list will be the reassurance of tangible day-to-day support from a dedicated ERP implementation consultant who’ll work with you to ensure everyone gets the most from your investment and newly strengthened systems.

With so much to weigh up and deliberate over, it’s important that you select the right ERP platform and appoint the right implementation partner for your ERP installation.

Appointing the right implementation partner for your ERP roll-out

Having established that the execution of a far-reaching business roll-out without a highly experienced ERP implementation consultant onside is very risky, what exactly should you be looking for in such a partner? This will be a relationship that’s designed to take your technology, your processes and your operations to the next level and it calls for a proven consulting skill set and engagement that goes way beyond skin deep.

If your plan is to implement an end-to-end business management solution that’s designed to help your operations connect and grow as well as manage your financials, supply chain and your sales and customer service, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (formally Dynamics NAV) is likely to be your ERP application of choice. Your ERP implementation consultant should make the process of adopting, integrating, and commissioning this platform a seamless and rewarding experience.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a flexible, comprehensive ERP solutions that is designed to support businesses as they grow, and to provide them more control over their financial and business data. With anytime anywhere access, powerful financial management, purchasing, service management, item management and a suite of collaborative sales features, Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Dynamics NAV are hugely popular, transformative platforms and relied on by millions of users around the world.

Business Central on premise has a raft of functions in its armoury and remarkable customisation options that are particularly suited to larger organisations that prefer to host their ERP system on in-house servers. Meanwhile, the appeal of Business Central, which was launched in 2018 as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) modular, subscription-based platform, lies in its flexibility, simplicity and ability to enable SME business users to implement and start quickly – and scale up when the time is right. When considering Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central ensure your ERP implementation consultant is a Microsoft Dynamics Partner which is a mark of their long standing commitment, expertise and quality of service with Dynamics as recognised by Microsoft.

Whichever ERP business solution you select, its deployment will depend on the experience, the integrity and the proven track record of the ERP implementation partner you appoint. And the only way to discover that is to get up close and personal and get answers to the following kinds of questions that you should be asking:

  • How much experience did you previously have in Microsoft Dynamics NAV or Dynamics 365 Business Central?
  • Do you have experience of our particular market sector and business model?
  • Do you have experience of implementing ERP solutions in businesses of a similar size, scope and complexity as ours?
  • Do you have an appreciation of the fiscal requirements and accounting conventions in our geographic location?
  • Do you speak the language of our users across our global reach?
  • How can you support us now, as our needs change in the future?

If you’re satisfied with the answers you’re given and are comfortable with the look and feel of these early interactions, it’s time for the enduring implementation partnership to begin as your newly appointed significant other sets to work. Their mission: to deliver a new era of efficiency, control and growth with an ERP solution that’s the perfect fit for you today and as you evolve in the years ahead – and be at your side as it happens, every step of the way.

Talk to ERP implementation experts who want to deliver value over the lifetime of your investment.

profits

When it comes to the experience of Dynamics NAV and Business Central, TVision is one of the largest and most knowledgeable Microsoft ERP platform partners in the UK. With a collective in-house experience of 270 years in NAV and Dynamics deployments alone, 169 successfully implemented projects and a team of 26 dedicated professionals with expertise in every market sector, TVision’s long-lasting relationships are a testament to an ability to deliver value, support and the required outcomes over the lifetime of every ERP investment – without fail.

Of course, partnering with a Microsoft Gold Partner also gives customers the confidence they’re working alongside a credible, competent supplier with an ongoing commitment to these powerful Microsoft Dynamics platforms – not least the security of a multitude of organisations that are willing and able to support you too.

But this is about getting it right the first time and the TVision ERP implementation approach is reassuringly tried and trusted. It’s a meticulous, collaborative approach that sees project management teams embedded with client teams and taking time to understand, plan, track and monitor every step of the journey together.

What is a robust, pragmatic ERP implementation methodology?

Clear, effective project management is key to implementation success and it takes a robust, pragmatic methodology that focuses on:

  • Establishing a definitive business case for ERP through high level planning and analysis of the customer’s environment
  • Identifying an experienced project team of key stakeholders to track and monitor progress while managing issues and risks – a team to make the project work
  • Defining and blending in with key business users, transferring knowledge and working with their schedules – but without slowing down the implementation project
  • Setting project plans, timescales and objectives with users and stakeholders
  • Identifying key milestones for sign-off points
  • Adhering to a strict change control process

This hand-in-hand approach ensures everyone understands their role in the process, every problem is identified and solved as the implementation takes shape and expectations are managed ­and met.

Download our

“Sane Project Management” manifesto

When it comes to Business Central, the flexibility and scalability of this ERP solution means that a minimalist approach to the first phase of the project can be adopted. Your ERP implementation partner will have long since identified your overarching wants and, by implementing only the key features and functionality that your new system simply must have. That difficult first adoption stage will be sufficiently reduced so you can feel comfortable with your new systems as your transition takes effect.

Once you’ve started to experience Business Central and got to grips with how the software works, your Business Central ERP implementation partner can design, test and build in any additional functionality and elements you need. These are breathtakingly versatile ERP systems. So with the support and guidance of your implementation consultant, you’ll be in a strong position to scope your future projects and scale your solution accordingly.

The benefits of appointing a proven ERP implementation consultant

Partnering with an ERP implementation consultant who understands your ERP solution of choice and has a proven skillset and track record is critical. But, equally important is the collaborative relationship you develop with an ally who understands you, your industry and your business model. An ally who will challenge you consistently to ensure the most effective and worthwhile business processes are implemented and give you the peace of mind that your investment is in safe hands from deployment decision to go-live.

If you’re considering implementing an ERP such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and want to forge an alliance with a partner who’ll be at your side as it happens, please contact the TVision team.