Do It Yourself ERP and HCM Implementations | How to Manage a DIY Digital Transformation

While many organizations are over-dependent on consultants and systems integrators, other organizations take more of a do it yourself approach to their digital transformation, ERP, and HCM implementations. This video provides tips on how to navigate and manage a DIY ERP implementation.
FOR MORE ERP AND HCM BEST PRACTICES, DOWNLOAD THE 2020 ERP REPORT:
resource.thirdstage-consulting...
CONTACT ME TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR ONLINE ERP / HCM COACHING PROGRAM:
[e-mail]
REGISTER FOR THE DIGITAL STRATOSPHERE CONFERENCE TO GAIN THE TOOLS YOU NEED TO MAKE YOUR ERP OR HCM IMPLEMENTATION MORE SUCCESSFUL:
stratosphere2020.com

[@danaldridge]

Hmmm.... Where can DIY customers go for help if they go off the rails? Seriously, I think that Third Stage Consulting Group provides great advice on how to save troubled projects, either ERP upgrades or digital transformations. And, in the case of over-dependence on SI's, they act as a buffer between the SI and the customer. Nice.
Great content as usual! Shout out to Kyler Cheatham, Greg Benton, Craig Andrie, Adam Cheatham and the other talented folks at Third Stage. Consult them for:
#digitaltransformation #erpsoftwaresolutions #changemanagement

[@danaldridge]

Love the rock music background too! 😀

[@rickfearn3663]

Thanks for your comments Eric. We are a small and growing manufacturer of innovative building products. We are looking carefully at a cloud-based integrated solution to replace our CRM (Goldmine) and Accounting (QBs Enterprise) software. In 2019, we had 6,400 accounting transactions (double that to include non-accounting transactions such as sales and purchase orders). In our CRM system we had about 20,000 transactions. So the total transactions were about 33,000 for the year which amounts to 33,000/4 work stations/220 days = 40 transactions per day or one transaction per person per 12 minutes.
Clearly this is a very manageable amount per person. As the interface sheets for Goldmine (CRM) and QBs are very similar to the interface sheets of integrated solutions, we don't view the training to be that difficult an obstacle. With respect to transitioning from our legacy systems to the integrated solution, we are proposing to simply (on DAY 1) enter all new transactions into the cloud system. All old transactions would by expunged over time in the legacy systems. Month end reports and bank reconciliations would be consolidated by additioning the new and old.
After about 6 months, the old system would be "dead" and we would be live on the new cloud based system. All contacts, items and assemblies would be entered manually into the new system with each new transaction so that we can clean up the corrupt data we have been accumulating over the last 25 years. We view the "clean-up data" process to be one of the biggest advantages of the transition.
Could I have your thoughts on this strategy? Sincerely, Rick Fearn

[@erickimberling]

Hi Rick, it’s a good strategy that will minimize the mess of bringing too much data over. I would just suggest testing the new system in parallel as part of the user acceptance / testing process to work out kinks before cutting over. And I would be careful not to underestimate training - it’s more difficult for employees to transition than most people expect, but manageable with just a handful of employees. Hope this helps and speak soon!

[@rickfearn3663]

@@erickimberling Our intention was not to "cut over" to the new system. But rather on day 1 we would enter those transactions into the new system. The new and old systems would run concurrently. With each new transaction the appropriate customer or vendor details, items, assemblies, balance sheet accounts and P&L accounts would be set up. After some time we would do an inventory transfer using a control account between the two systems. Nice and simple. In the winter, we have a single transaction about every 40 minutes per work station, this would be very easy to achieve.

[@LaloFP]

Thank you so much Eric. I have a question: I´m growing a small business and I have a good programming background, so I developed myself all our current software from scratch (laravel+VueJS+mysql) (ecommerce, sales and stock). And I was looking at how to write a financial/accounting module for it (to better manage our cashflow) when I came across Odoo, an opensource ERP. Im not being able to discern if its better for me to continue to grow my custom system from scratch or to invest time in the skills needed to implement Odoo (and maybe then migrate some or all existing system parts if needed).
Every advice I see about ERP implementations are for non-technical business people, so I cant get the sense if I, like a programmer, am really going to benefit on speed and flexibility from an opensource ERP (adding and customizing modules myself), or if its is just going to be a waste of time or a stone in my foot.
I would really appreciate your thoughts on that!
PD: the product we sell is highly customized and with growing options, so im going to need a "manufacture" module too if we continue to grow.
PD2: Im not only thinking on this business, I want to learn and form myself with the best "system tools" to grow this one and potentially future business

[@erickimberling]

Hi Laureano, based on what you described above, I would say that learning a common open source or off the shelf system would be more advantageous on the short and long term. Especially now with the global economy hurting, vendors will be more willing to offer a steep discount. Plus, the skills will be more transferable than custom dev.
Hope this helps and good luck!

[@LaloFP]

Thank you! So... I know how to program, Its my business, I already have a custom dev running (my dilemma is to extend it or change before is too late). If in my case is not preferible a custom dev, is hard to me to see a situation when its convenient. One week later im strugling to make the ERPNext fit my needs (I keep trying)
Thanks!! @@erickimberling

[@Richardduffy]

Great examples of training provided by other users of the software and user community members can be found by looking at what is available for SAP Business One on UA-cam and LinkedIn learning