Everything You Need to Know About ERP Migration

Embarking on an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) migration journey can seem like a daunting task for those unfamiliar with the world of enterprise technology. However, as businesses evolve, so do the tools they use to operate efficiently.

This article aims to demystify the concept of ERP migration, offering a clear and accessible guide for individuals who may not be well-versed in Infor ERP systems and their migration.

Whether you’re a small business owner contemplating an upgrade or someone curious about the backbone of modern operations, Reinforce Technology is here to unravel the complexities and provide you with a comprehensive understanding of ERP migration. Join us as we break down the essentials, making the journey ahead both enlightening and manageable.

ERP migration implies that you are moving from one point to another, by virtue of the definition of migration – “physical movement from one place to another”. Therefore, it is implied that there is an existing ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) solution in place that will be moved or replaced, to make way for the new system. It may not be a full ERP that is being replaced, but perhaps a junior version thereof, so just an accounting system that focuses on the financials, rather than a complete ERP that includes inventory, manufacturing, HR and other business processes. However, the planning of the migration would still be essential to ensure business continuity during the move.

ERP migration needs careful planning and a strategy, a project plan, people to plan and implement the project and a budget to ensure the process is completed. ERP migration involves the whole process of moving from one software system that manages the company’s resources and processes, to a new one and there are many steps in that migration that will need to be planned, monitored, and tracked. Reporting of progress is also important to ensure all stakeholders are kept abreast of any potential issues or delays.

The decision criteria for migration need to be shared by all stakeholders to ensure everyone has input and agrees the plan. 

Preparation – a team needs to be assembled with the right project management skills, along with the authority to act so that they can take charge of the migration process from start to completion. 

Continuity – the project plan needs to accommodate business critical continuity and so the original system needs to be maintained while the new one is being implemented and rolled-out. At no point should there be a gap with no system coverage so that information and data is lost, or perhaps invoices stop going out or suppliers aren’t paid. The key to any good ERP Migration plan is business continuity management.  

Data – as we have said before a system is only as good as the data within. Sufficient time and resources need to be set aside to ensure data integrity. Everyone needs to “believes in..” the new system. Data governance is the process whereby rules are applied and dictate who has authority to add, delete, change, and edit data, and at what point in any process and this needs to be reviewed for the current and new system. Policies need to be reviewed and updated before historical data is transferred to the new system. 

Users – there are several points at which users need to have access to test and learn the new system, again to ensure business continuity. Training is usually customised for groups of users, and there should be sufficient time given for everyone to “get up to speed” with the new system before a go live date.  

There are three key types of ERP system: Cloud, hybrid and on-premise.  On premise is exactly as it says on the tin; the system resides on the company’s premises, usually in a server, and so is accessible physically as well as connected to terminals or devices within the business. This type is still prevalent with companies who need or want to have complete control over their data and processes.   

A cloud-based ERP system resides “in the cloud” so within a 3rd party’s infrastructure of servers remotely.  This could be in another county or even another country and perhaps even underground or underwater. The 3rd party hosts the ERP system and provides access to the customer from anywhere via the internet giving the user greater flexibility and scale as they would usually have the ability to add capacity at the drop of a hat.  

The third type of ERP system is a hybrid and as the word implies is a mixture of both of the above, and some would say, bringing the benefits of both to the customer.  

Timing – we are always asked how long will an ERP migration take and this depends on many factors, such as the size of the organisation, the number of processes being automated and to some extent the amount of historical data that will need to be cleansed and ratified before transferring to the new system.  

The deployment of a new ERP system can take hours or days or week. If the deployment is in the cloud, using standard configuration it can be a relatively straightforward task and the time-consuming transfer of historical data would be the only lengthy process. However, if bespoke customisations are required, this whole processes elongates.  

Pricing – this is as ever dependent upon the time it takes to migrate from the old system to the new as described above. 

We have hinted at these already so it will come as no surprise that data is invariably the biggest challenge. If you have years of historical data that you wish to be included so that you can perhaps plot trends and therefore plan inventory, this may take considerable time and be a hindrance to moving forward. Data formats may be different and the data itself not entirely reliable. However, different people in the organisation may rely on some historical data so involve the users in the data migration process to ensure all vital data is migrated too.  

Legacy system may have dated or impractical processes, or highly bespoke customisations, that can’t be converted to the new system and a fresh approach is needed. Try not to cling to the “old ways” when adopting a new ERP system.  

Stakeholder support and user buy-in. All those who will be using the ERP in any capacity need to be involved and consulted in the decision, planning, and migration process to ensure they feel invested in the new solution. As the go live date approaches, bringing the teams together to test and confirm they are happy with the new approach is essential.  

Governance and compliance are often forgotten, or simply paid “lip-service” to, and yet it needs to be part of the project plan to ensure all regulatory considerations, or data privacy policies are up to standard.  

Having a dedicated team to see the project through is key to ensure a successful ERP system migration and using a 3rd party outsource company can be vital here as they will have done this time and again and have access to best practice guidance on all the above challenges. They will be experts at ensuring the ERP migration is delivered on time, and within budget and importantly communicate with all stakeholders to keep everyone invested.  

Using a 3rd party consulting business to take the strain is likely a good investment as it means that everyone can continue to focus on their part in the business rather than the migration. Since an ERP migration is likely to affect many people in the organisation, inserting independent 3rd parties can alleviate tension and ensure business continuity.  

ReInforce Technology have all the experts who are ready to help with all aspects of ERP Migration, from strategy and planning, to execution, testing and on-going support.

Our team of experts have done it before and bring extensive experience to the process. Please refer to our services offering here and be reassured that we are a Premier Infor ERP implementation partner.