Looking to implement a new ERP system for your business? If you want to ensure that you are gathering the right requirements for your new ERP, it’s important to approach the process with careful planning and attention to detail.



First, start by taking stock of all of your current systems and processes. This will give you a clear idea of what areas will need to be addressed by your new ERP, and where there may be room for improvement.



Here is where it could get tricky. Right off the bat, you will be tempted to replicate your old processes into the shiny new system that you’re contemplating. This is a huge mistake. Chances are, your current processes are the result of workarounds and hacks because there is no better system. Once you have a proper ERP system, you may find that you can streamline and even eliminate a lot of the old make-work steps in your old business processes. Hence, when contemplating the requirements of your new ERP, it’s important to focus on the desired outcome of the process, not the process itself.



You should also be sure to involve all key stakeholders in the process. Whether it’s your team, your clients, or even your vendors and suppliers, everyone’s input is important when identifying how and where an ERP system can best support your business goals. We can’t stress this enough. Far too many ERP implementations include only a small group of business people only to find that there were requirements of the system that were missed because that select group of individuals didn’t know enough about what needed to be done.



What happens then? Scope creep, additional reporting requirements, and even customizations of the system are needed because the original business requirement wasn’t uncovered.



Taking the time to carefully plan your requirements-gathering process can help you ensure that your new ERP system will be the right fit for your business, and help you achieve your business goals more quickly and effectively. So don’t rush it – do it right from the start, and enjoy all of the benefits that a well-implemented.



What are a few simple things to ensure you have great requirements?



Use of Flow charts to illustrate the business process:

One effective way to ensure that you have great requirements for your new ERP system is to use flow charts or other visual tools to illustrate business processes. This allows you to clearly see the steps involved, identify any gaps or inefficiencies, and ensure that key stakeholders are all on the same page when it comes to what’s needed from your new system.



Give everyone a Voice

Another important step is to involve all key stakeholders in the process. Whether you are working with your team, your clients, or even vendors and suppliers, it’s critical to get their input and feedback as you identify business requirements for your ERP implementation. This will help ensure that everyone is on board with the final requirements, and can help uncover any business requirements that may otherwise have been missed.



Craft business process flows that are outcome-focused, not system-focused:

To ensure that you are gathering the right business requirements for your new ERP system, it’s important to focus on the outcomes of business processes rather than the process itself. This will help you avoid getting caught up in replicating old systems and workflows that may no longer be efficient or effective, and instead focus on what actually needs to be done to achieve business goals. Additionally, by engaging all key stakeholders in the requirements-gathering process, you can ensure that business needs from a wide range of perspectives are considered and incorporated into your final requirements. It’s important to prioritize and focus on the outcomes rather than the processes themselves. Like we said above, while you may be tempted to simply replicate your existing business processes into your new ERP system, there is a good chance that these processes were developed as a result of inefficiencies and gaps in your business. By focusing on business outcomes, you can streamline and even eliminate a lot of the old make-work steps in your processes and ensure that your new ERP system is truly optimized to support your business goals.





At the end of the day, an ERP system is only as effective as the requirements that you put into it. By approaching your new implementation with a clear focus on what’s best for your business, you can be sure to get the most value out of your investment.