How to Plan For New ERP Accounting Software

Let’s say that you feel it is time for a change and your researching new ERP accounting software, what considerations should you take into account? This is a subject that I think is very important because many things go into the decision to change ERP accounting systems.

Clearly define business requirements

The most important thing I tell customers who are thinking about changing is to establish their business requirements. This is a two-part exercise. First, identify what holes exist in the current ERP accounting software that are critical to the organization, and must be included in a new system. The second step is determining what do you love about your current system. It’s easy to assume that everything in your existing software will also be in the new system, but this is not always the case. Identifying the things that the current system does well will help you evaluate if the new system will be able to replicate, or improve upon those features.

Adjusting Workflow

That being said, I recommend being open to adjusting your workflow because implementing a new ERP accounting system is the best time to identify inefficiencies and workflows that are in place because of how the current software works.

Evaluation team

Define an evaluation team. Allow users who are using the system on a day to day basis to have input. Get everyone who uses the system excited about the change and how it will impact and improve their day-to-day. Learning a new program is difficult, and you want the users on board so the transition can be as smooth as possible.

Culture Change

Implementing a modern ERP accounting software is more than just purchasing a new system; it’s creating a culture change. Identify how that will impact individual users, departments, and the organization as a whole. What things will need to change for this project to be successful?

Available Resources

Finally, defining what internal and external resources are going to be required to convert systems. Do you have someone who can get data out of your current system, and what will that cost? Will you work with a partner or the software publisher to implement the software? What are the internal IT resources required? Who will be your internal project manager, and what other resources will be needed to ensure a successful implementation? These are all considerations when planning a software conversion.

At Milestone Information Solutions, we have helped companies just like yours to leverage the right cloud-based ERP software technology for their business. We understand exactly what it means to drive business further. We invite you to check out more information on Cloud Accounting or  our accounting ERP Software - Top 10 reasons it might be time to change, read our case studies and success stories, and contact us for a free consultation.