During ERP implementation, you may feel pressured to speed up the implementation process. Timelines may be dragging, deadlines missed, and problems arise. Everyone is anxious to get started and have this great new business tool at their fingertips. While a good project manager can tighten timelines, and shave a day or two off of an average project, there’s one step you should never sacrifice for speed or quality. That’s testing, an important component of any ERP implementation project.
Testing Defined
Testing is an important component of any complex software implementation project. Depending on which software packages you need to tie together into one system, your testing situation may be simple or complex. Testing involves running mock scenarios through the system to ensure that every aspect of it is running accurately and correctly.
For example, you may need to tie together Sage 100 or Acumatica ERP with legacy systems. You may need data from an older accounting program to be imported into your new Sage 100 or Acumatica ERP packages. Testing ensures that any potential bugs in the system are located and fixed before the system is rolled out throughout the company.
Another situation that may require testing is when your company requires custom dashboards to be constructed. Customization is always possible, but it should also be tested to ensure that the customization is pulling data correctly from the various systems or parts of the system. Anytime you customize software you open up the potential for mistakes. Testing helps you find and correct those mistakes before the final rollout of the project.
Testing is one of those project components that really shouldn’t be rushed. Rushed testing can be a disaster for your project. With an ERP implementation, your company depends on accurate and timely data. Sage and Acumatica software are both reliable and stable, but any customization should always be tested.
Accuracy and Speed
Working with software from a well-known company such as Sage or Acumatica provides many benefits. Two such benefits are accuracy and speed. Both software packages offer great accuracy and speedy ‘out of the box’ implementation. Still, even with a simple implementation, a testing phase is necessary to ensure that everything is in working order before you begin using the software daily.
Never sacrifice quality for speed. Testing may slow down your project, but it prevents small mistakes from turning into big headaches. Testing any new software is a great idea but especially important when it’s been customized. Make sure that even with aggressive project timelines you preserve time in the schedule for testing.
Avoid a Speed Trap
To avoid the dreaded ‘speed trap’ or ‘we needed it yesterday’, try scheduling your ERP implementation for a slow time in the business cycle. This will give you a bit of a breather and ensure that people needed for the ERP project aren’t distracted with more pressing work. It will also ensure that the systems you need to work with can be taken offline; people aren’t pressing to use them during slower seasons. It gives you flexibility as you approach your implementation project and takes some of the pressure off of everyone.
ERP implementation is an exciting time for your company. While it’s natural to be eager and want it completed quickly so that you can immediately reap the benefits of a new ERP system, taking a measured and methodical approach is the key to success. Testing is part of that approach. It should never be sacrificed for a faster project launch.
ERP Implementation with ASI
Accounting Systems Incorporated (ASI) provides accounting software and systems to help your company grow. We focus on helping small to mid-sized companies improve operational efficiencies through the power of software and technology. Software such as Sage 100 and Acumatica ERP offers excellent ERP services in a reliable and stable system. For more information, visit our website, or call us at 803-252-6154.