What are the risks of underprioritizing Output Management?
Go-live delays in 75% of ERP projects
“In approximately 75% of ERP projects, the go-live date is postponed one or more times. In some cases, the delay can be caused by documentation. Common reasons include forgetting Output Management at the start of the project, underestimating the complexity of the documents, or insufficient testing to ensure the documents work properly” Christian Ank explains.
It is important to prioritize Output Management during an ERP upgrade. Some ERP customers simply want the new ERP system to look like the old one and do the same things, just in a newer version. However, a 1:1 upgrade is often not the best approach.
Making an upgrade a good business case requires a new approach and adjustments to the business. Going live with a document setup that is not optimal or only meets the bare minimum legal requirements may necessitate adjustments and modifications after the go-live, which can become costly.
Good Output Management can prevent these problems, ensuring that the customer avoids a number of potential challenges immediately after the ERP go-live.
Christian Ank, Project Manager, Tabellae A/S
Output Management is often underprioritized in ERP implementations as it is outside the core competencies of ERP providers.
By leaving this task to specialists, you can avoid wasting time and eliminate the risk of “gaps” having to be closed with ad hoc solutions that can lead to extra bills and a postponed go-live.
The scope of ERP outputs, including dependencies, is typically misunderstood until the end of the ERP project.
This can lead to complexity and unforeseen challenges at the end of the implementation process.
Learning happens throughout an ERP project. Often, you realize too late who needs to receive what and what the dependencies are, which can cause delays.
Document requirements may mean that the correct data is not included in the ERP solution for things like EDI, certificates, or logistics, which can delay go-live.
Lack of document security results in severe consequences for your company’s liquidity and, in the worst case, reputation.
Failure to comply with local and international legal requirements means you cannot do business with certain countries or customers.
Capturing images, serial numbers, and production data from other data sources is vital for creating correct business documents. E.g. integration to the CE platform, CRM systems, WMS, and logistics systems.
The wrong Output Management solutions can lead to extra costs for programming, testing, and secondary solutions, increasing both acquisition and maintenance costs.
Implementing ERP is already a big challenge for employees. Therefore, the document part should preferably be in order from the initial stream tests to avoid resistance to using the ERP system.
Lack of adaptability and scalability can limit a company’s ability to expand, such as by acquiring other companies or entering new markets.
When implementing a new ERP system, there are several specific requirements for Output Management that should be included.
The closer you are connected in time to your customers and suppliers, the more business-critical Output Management is.
Get more insights into “functionality in the standard ERP system” and “functionality in the ERP system with standard Best-of-Breed.
