Regardless of the organization size, whether multinational, SME, or parastatal, technological changes are a threat and benefit that businesses and organizations must embrace. One of these new technologies is the ERP systems such as PeopleSoft. Bringing a new system into an organization is one of the most critical change processes. Systems such as PeopleSoft can be a game-changer for the organization by boosting productivity, teamwork, collaboration, and other activities good for organizational performance.
One of the main challenges leading to the failed ERP implementation processes is the lack of clear guidelines and training to familiarize the staff with the new system. One must consider various factors when implementing these systems to ensure success. Here is a protocol to follow while implementing the new PeopleSoft ERP system in your organization.
Factors to consider when implementing PeopleSoft
There are various factors the organization must first consider when implementing a new system. One of the factors is the cost-benefit analysis (CBA). The CBA refers to weighing the costs against the benefits. If the costs are higher than the benefits, then it is not a necessary venture. It would be best to consider PeopleSoft implementation once the CBA reveals the benefits exceed the costs. The costs here include the implementation, purchase, maintenance, training, and cost of running the system.
The next consideration is the availability of resources to support the implementation process. Resources, such as human and financial resources, are critical when implementing a system. If the organization lacks the resources, skills, and expertise, there is a need to focus on acquiring them before the implementation process to avoid failures or high implementation costs.
The second factor is the business future. Regardless of the organizational size, every business needs to implement new systems in anticipation of future benefits, competitive advantage, and profitability. The system may not be beneficial at the moment, but the future is promising. On such occasions, the organization should consider the implementation.
Steps when implementing PeopleSoft
Defining the scope and objectives of the implementation
Before you implement PeopleSoft, you need to design and communicate to the employees and the entire organization the objectives of the implementation and the benefits to the organization and other stakeholders. You need to define the scope and the coverage of the implementation process.
Implementation team and budget
Once you have the objectives and the scope of the implementation process, you need to create a team in charge. You can create teams responsible for different milestones in the implementation process. A good team should be diverse, inclusive, and gender-balanced, having employees from all departments and other external stakeholders if necessary. You should assign roles to the teams and create other motivational incentives to enable the team to work diligently.
You also need to create a budget for the implementation process. The budget should not ignore any costs, including minor expenses. While creating the budget, you should cover uncertainties that can lead to rising budget costs. Retain extra funds for emergencies to avoid the project stalling.
Create an implementation plan
It would be best if you created a plan to implement the new system. There are various strategies for implementing new systems, such as parallels, phased, and hybrid. You must select the best approach that will not affect the organization’s activities. The new system should not disrupt anything and cover all the departments to ensure uniformity during the process.
In the process, you should also list the anticipated risks during the implementation. It would be best if you created safety measures to prevent and deal with the impacts of these risks. You should have all the risk management measures in place to avoid the business disruptions caused by various factors.
Create a communication plan
The communication plan should be detailed and lists the people in charge. It should cover how you plan to implement the new system, the people in charge, and the role of employees. It should cover the duration of implementation and the possible risks and challenges to anticipate during the implementation process. The communication should be frequent and updated based on the project milestone and the installation process.
Training plan
The best training strategy is to train them while using the system. It should be hands-on; however, for a new system, you should do the basic and introductory training before implementing it. Once you begin the implementation process, you can train them as they use the system. This will make the training process easier, faster, and more efficient. It would be best if you also created assessment programs to determine how much the employees understand the new system.
You must also establish channels for complaints or seek clarification during the implementation process to minimize potential mistakes. You can appoint a person in charge in every department to help with that.
Plan for testing
When it passes the tests, you can begin migrating the data.
The final step is going live. This is when the new system will be in place, and the old system is eliminated to give room for the new system. Ensure you communicate the event to all the stakeholders, including customers.
Conclusion
Implementing the PeopleSoft system should be easier if you consider the necessary factors and steps. Invest in mitigating the risks, availing the necessary resources, proper training, and good communication to ensure everyone embraces the change.
