Who is to blame for this ERP implementation failure?  That is for you to decide!

Each blog, a different committee member provides input regarding their role in this fiasco.  Up next: Dimitri – staff accountant.

“ I am a quick study!  When we were reviewing the different implementation proposals I insisted that training be limited to a few basic sessions.  I really wanted to impress my supervisors with my ability to self learn a new system.  After all, how difficult can it be? The QuickBooks system was a breeze!  The ERP system we picked ranked high for ease of use, so I thought we should just be able to just flip a switch and have everything work.  Who knew?”

Is Dimitri guilty or innocent of contributing to the MSEC ERP implementation failure?

You be the Jury! (Provide your verdict and rationale using the comment section)

Last time we heard from Julian, the assistant controller.

(You) The jury’s unanimous verdict:: Guilty! Reasons why:

• Implementations fail from lack of fit.  When evaluating ERP systems, the focus should be on “finding the fit” rather than “fitting the find”.  What this means is that a fit/gap analysis should be performed to determine if the software solution under consideration is adaptable to the existing and unique business processes of the organization – not the other way around.  There is always room for improvement, but a business should not have to change how they do business just to accommodate the requirements of the ERP solution.  Rather, the system under consideration should be able to accommodate and adapt to the changing needs of the business. 
• All requirements, no matter how basic they may seem, should be flushed out during the software analysis stage. Perhaps the software has the features Julian wanted, but the implementation team did not turn them on, as they were never told they were important.
• Often users think they are more willing to change their processes than they really are. Assuming software is flexible in the area you need it to be –  and then   being lazy about stating your requirements –  are two very common pitfalls.

The flexibility of a solution like Dynamics GP allows your company to integrate existing business processes with the capabilities of the software while still allowing room for future growth and change.

By: The Knaster Technology Group, Colorado based Microsoft Gold Certified Partner

The Case of the Failed ERP Implementation – Part 2 is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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• The bill increases to $500,000 the amount businesses can write off for capital purchases
• The bill provides an extension of 50% bonus depreciation which accelerates the rate at which businesses can deduct capital expenditures. 

The impact of this to business owners contemplating an ERP software purchase like Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 is huge. You can (most likely) this year write off the entire amount of the acquisition cost  to realize immediate tax savings. 

The timing is right to consider switching to Dynamics GP 2010. The Knaster Technology Group can help you assess if this award-winning solution is an appropriate fit for your business needs.

By: The Knaster Technology Group, Colorado based Microsoft Gold Certified Partner representing Dynamics GP for twenty one years

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In my world of ERP software solutions, I would love to see businesses seeking new accounting software presented a “ballot” with the various solutions available.  I would lobby for Dynamics GP 2010 as the right choice to take their business into the future –  for three very important reasons:

Dynamics GP 2010 provides role tailored insight. Each person within a business enterprise typically performs a few distinct roles and interacting with   information specific to that role enables that person to perform his job more effectively. Dynamics GP 2010 allows users to dictate exactly what information is relevant to them while eliminating distracting data that isn’t.

Dynamics GP 2010 streamlines access to information. Executives need to be able to quickly react to ever changing business conditions.  The home page within Dynamics GP 2010 displays real time metrics that measure financial health and stability.  These analytics facilitate taking timely corrective action to steer the business back to profitability.

Dynamics GP 2010 enables advanced business intelligence capabilities. Executive dashboards, key performance indicators, Excel based reports and SQL reporting services – all of these tools provide customizable views of data that allow for high level summary analytics with drill back to the underlying detail.

Choosing Dynamics GP 2010 ensures an effective ERP solution that most likely will outlast even your favorite political candidate. 

By: The Knaster Technology Group, Colorado based Microsoft Gold Certified Partner representing Dynamics GP for twenty one years

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Dealing with unruly or (more likely for a service provider) disgruntled clients  is never easy. Just a few days after the above incident a client called me up to (in their words) “beat me over the head” about some issues with their Dynamics GP implementation.  This client expressed concern that upper level executives were complaining about the (apparent) lack of meaningful reports.

In response, I did not curse them out nor jump out of my office window (although being at ground level this would have been a somewhat anticlimactic gesture). Instead I asked for specific examples of what they considered deficient.  Turns out that the problem was management’s minimal usage of the various business reporting and dashboard tools available within Dynamics GP.  Initial implementation efforts had been focused primarily on the conversion from their old ERP system and the go-live process so little time and energy had been spent  on exploring and creating new reports and views. Their complaint gave us the perfect opportunity to remind them about SmartLists,  Executive Dashboards, Analysis Cubes, Microsoft Excel Reports, SQL Server reporting services – all tools they owned (refer to Eleven Business Intelligence and Reporting Tools in Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 for an excellent summary of these tools).

So the lesson learned is the extreme importance for both the client contact and service provider to constantly remind all users throughout the implementation process of the variety and flexibility of reporting tools available within Dynamics GP. In most cases these business intelligence and reporting tools are the reason Dynamics GP was selected as the ERP solution of choice in the first place.  Keeping their relevance and benefit in the forefront is certain to minimize the likelihood of any implementation angst.

By the The Knaster Technology Group, Colorado Microsoft Dynamics GP partner since 1989

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Without giving too much away (no SPOILER ALERT necessary!) this summer thriller succeeds in capturing and keeping your attention for its entire two hours plus duration. The basic premise of dream (subconscious) manipulation by others for the purpose of gaining a desired outcome is by no means a new one but this film succeeds at a whole new level.

The buzz at the recently concluded Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference put to rest once and for all the “dream world” that competitors of Microsoft Dynamics GP have been living in for years – a world in which Microsoft plans to eliminate this premier and flagship ERP solution. It’s time for the competition to wake up and stop spreading fear, uncertainty and doubt regarding Dynamics GP.  And here are the top five reasons why:

No Dream: Dynamics GP 2010 achieved record breaking new customer adds in June 2010

No Dream: Dynamics GP 2010 is the most successful update ever

No Dream: Dynamics GP “12” is scheduled for release in 2012-2013 and the product roadmap extends even further

No Dream: Dynamics GP  contributes substantially to total Microsoft ERP solutions revenue

No Dream: Dynamics GP customer satisfaction is at an all time high

It is no dream that Dynamics GP will be around for quite some time. Of course there is no doubt that this is what gives the competition nightmares.

By The Knaster Technology Group,   Colorado Microsoft Dynamics GP partner  since 1989

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Most business software technology experts will tell you that the average “playing time” for any ERP solution is typically around five years.  After that, companies replace their worn out solutions with something more in vogue and a better fit for their current needs. However, in my experience, I found this mainly to be true of businesses switching to Microsoft Dynamics GP and not from. Within my client base, I have several dozen clients who are into their tenth year or more using Dynamics GP. For any ERP solution to endure this long, it must also posses characteristics of stamina, skill and strength.

Stamina: I attribute the incredible staying power of Dynamics GP to it maintaining its relevancy to what businesses need to operate successfully and profitably.   Especially with Dynamics GP 2010 but including prior updates as well, the ever evolving functionality and features of this business software solution not only fit the current needs of businesses but adeptly adapt to changing and future needs as well.  As an example, the evolution of business analytics, so prevalent in GP 2010, is exactly what the business owner and manager of today needs and gets, on the same tried and true solution they have already been using for years.

Skill: Proficiency promotes longevity, which makes the case for ongoing training.  Installing a new version update is only the first step in the process.  Learning what new features are applicable provides the catalyst for ongoing and expanded usage. Investing in training ensures future utilization instead of abandonment because of frustration.

Strength: In one word – Microsoft.  Their commitment to the Dynamics GP solution is unwavering, and the published product life cycle extends several years into the future.  New updates will continue, new interfaces are certain to evolve. The viability of this solution is as strong as ever, and Dynamics GP will continue to offer unsurpassed value while the competition eventually loses out.

By: The Knaster Technology Group, Denver, Colorado Microsoft Gold Certified Dynamics GP Partner for over twenty years

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Rather then elaborating my position in this debate,  I instead would like to relate it to the world of ERP software, and in particular Dynamics GP 2010.  More then ever, I believe ERP solutions have evolved to the point where technology is no longer replacing the human element but rather peacefully and successfully coexisting with it.

If you think about how business software has evolved over the years, early on the focus was on “automating” repetitive and redundant manual tasks (remember “T” accounts and “footing” ledgers?).  Manual ledgers became one write systems which became spreadsheet and general ledger accounting systems which ultimately became full blown ERP systems, automating every aspect of the accounting process from data entry through the printing of financial statements.  Efficiency improved exponentially and today the mere thought of keeping the books “by hand” would be considered dark ages mentality.

Fast forward to Dynamics GP 2010.  Yes, this ERP solution is as technologically advanced as any, for reasons elaborated in several of the blogs posted by my peers.  And yet, for me, Dynamics GP 2010 is not about the technology, it’s about how the user interacts with the technology.  By focusing on roles, each user can define what information is relevant for him, and on doing so, choose how he wants to access and manipulate that information.  The CEO of an organization is most likely interested in key business metrics that measure the financial health of the company – with Dynamics GP 2010 that person can identify and isolate that business intelligence from the rest of the data.  At the same time, the accounts receivable clerk can access menus and reports that provide day to day information about sales and outstanding customer account balances – information critical to his job responsibilities. And in both cases, extraneous information is filtered out so that the focus is only on what is relevant for that user.

The point is that with the features present in Dynamics GP 2010 the user is always in the driver’s seat and the technology is only the means to an end. Each person can feel confident that the ERP technology is improving, rather than replacing, his role, resulting in a much more productive working environment and improved financial reporting.

By: The Knaster Technology Group, Denver, Colorado Microsoft Gold Certified Dynamics GP Partner for over twenty years

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Typically my preparation for this day begins about a month in advance so I am constantly on the alert for anything newsworthy that I can use as the foundation for my elaborate prank.  Because, you see, part of the challenge (and fun) of April Fool’s day is distinguishing between the trick and the truth.  So while in this (warped) frame of mind I come to learn about a special Microsoft promotion, offering new customers three Dynamics GP users for only $1.  Surely they jest I thought, so I set out to learn what fact might be in this obvious fiction. 

Believe it or not, the Dynamics user offer is true.  Through June 25, 2010 new customers can acquire up to three user licenses of Microsoft Dynamics GP for only $1.  In her March 16 post, my fellow blogger Anya Ciecierski provides great commentary regarding reasons and conditions of this promotion. Rather than repeating those here instead I will provide some additional perspective. 

To me, the real value behind what many may think is a foolish offer is that business executives can renew their focus on how their business will eventually evolve.  By eliminating or significantly reducing upfront software acquisition costs (especially for a startup company), attention can be better spent on evaluating the applicability of the Dynamics GP 2010 solution over time.  At a very little risk, in many cases you can deploy Dynamics GP and receive all the benefits of business ready licensing for only the costs of implementation and yearly software maintenance.  And that my friends is no joke…

By  The Knaster Technology Group, Denver, Colorado Microsoft Gold Certified Dynamics GP Partner for over twenty years (no kidding!)

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I asked my many clients who had been using Dynamics GP (Great Plains) for over 10 years to share the secrets of their “love affair” with Great Plains and why they have remained faithful to this “relationship” for so many years.  These were some of the answers they shared:

Open communication.  Dynamics GP has always in one form or another provided various means to easily communicate with other applications. Be they legacy or productivity, importing information for efficient data entry or exporting information for additional analysis are features customers truly appreciate to accommodate their goal of a better together solution which marries the front office, back office and other day to day applications.

Reliability.  Trust in the integrity of the system was of paramount importance to many. Knowing that the original transaction details (accessible via drill downs and audit trails) stay intact from the initial source document through the financial statement promotes great confidence in the financial reports.

Growth.  Like people, business software changes over time and accepting and benefiting from those changes is key to the success of any long term relationship.  Loyal Dynamics GP users know that each new release (Dynamics GP 2010 for example) not only improves upon existing functionality but more importantly provides additional business intelligence that allows the user to make educated decisions impacting the profitability of the company.

Freedom.  Allowing each user to pursue their own interests creates a tight bond between the individual and the software solution. Dynamics GP promotes usability specific to the role of the individual within the organization.  This allows the user to become “one” with the software, providing the flexibility necessary to effectively and timely accomplish day to day tasks.

Supportive.  Perhaps tops on the list was partnering with a value added reseller who truly understood the needs and desires of the client. In (business) sickness and in health,  the knowledge and support provided by the reseller often is the key to the longevity of the relationship and the successful implementation and ongoing maintenance and applicability of the Dynamics GP solution. Here at the Knaster Technology Group we have, for over twenty years, fostered relationships of mutual success with all of our clients.

By Barry Knaster of The Knaster Technology Group, Denver, Colorado Microsoft Gold Certified Dynamics GP Partner for over twenty years and loving every minute of it.

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I wonder how many ERP implementations fail in 7 months or less because of “low ratings” from the users.  Here are my top ten tips to prevent the replacement of  your ERP solution (Note – the links provided are all to other blog postings that provide a deep dive into each mentioned item)

10: Selection - Focus on finding the right fit for your business and not fitting your  business to a predetermined find.

9: Discovery – Identify key business proceses and requirements before you begin your evaluation efforts.

8: Implementation Partner – Choose a strategic partner to guide your implementation.

7: Planning – Microsoft Sure Step for Dynamics provides proven best practices and methodologies.

6: Project Management - Tracking all aspects of the engagement, including task assignments, resource availablity, budget, timeline and communication between team members.

5. Training – Sucessful knowledge transfer between implementation partner and users before, during and after the implementation.

4. Testing – Early and often provides mimimized surprises and failures.

3. Documentation - From discovery through Go Live –  documentation preserves and protects your implementation invesment.

2. Ongoing support – Resolving post implementation issues correctly and timely.

1. Continuing education – Webinars, conferences and user groups keep existing knowledge fresh while providing new ideas on getting the most out of your ERP investment.

By The Knaster Technology Group, Colorado based Microsoft Gold Certified Dynamics GP Partner for over twenty years.

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