Task Area 7 - Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
ERP is an integrated set of software applications used to control, monitor, and coordinate key business activities across an enterprise. ERP applications generally fall into the following categories: Financials, Human Resources, Supply Chain Management, Manufacturing, Projects, and Front Office. A non-exhaustive list of examples of the type of work to be performed under this task area is:
- Business transformation (BT)
- IT software package selection (PS)
- ERP package implementation
- Supply chain package implementation
- Streamlined package implementation
- ERP IT infrastructure
- ERP end user training
- Networking planning
- ERP installation and tuning
- Capacity planning and performance load testing
Technical Approach to Enterprise Resource Planning
Our approach is based on disciplined application of Ascendant™ methodology that is tailored to needs of each specific task order and ensures we deliver a high quality system on time and within budget.
The ERP portion of PWC’s Acendant ERP methodology guides activities in each of these subtask areas to ensure delivery of an ERP system that meets our customer’s requirements.
- Business Transformation
- Identify/document agency’s mission, goals, and objectives
- Identify high level business processes/ interrelationships
- Identify enabling technologies
- Identify support infrastructure
- Define technology standards
- Assess/modify business processes per goals/objectives
- Define roles/responsibilities for implementing transformation
- Generate detailed change management plan
- Communications
- Training
- Transformation metrics
- Package Selection
- Identify business processes
- Determine size requirements
- Number of users
- Transaction volume
- Number of locations
- Expected growth of organization
- Survey/assess legacy systems
- Perform functional fit/gap analysis per candidate ERP packages
- Determine willingness to accept ERP system "best practices”
- Assess ease of customization for each ERP system
- Do cost-benefit/trade-off analysis
- Present final recommendation
- ERP or Supply Chain, or Streamline Package Implementation
- Select implementation approach (based on willingness of organization to adopt "best business practices” embedded in ERP package)
- If supply chain package required, coordinate implementation with ERP package
- Define supply chain management requirements
- Survey/select SCM package (e.g. i2, Manugistics)
- Integrate SCM
- Develop detailed project/rollout plans
- Complete detailed business requirements definition
- Implement business requirements
- Configure system
- Develop interfaces, conversions, or enhancements
- Conduct detailed functional testing
- Conduct system test in test environment
- Conduct final preparation for go live
- Provide support during go live and post-go live
- Result: Compliant ERP system delivered on time and within budget.
Other Life-cycle Activities Occurring On All ERP Implementations include:
- ERP IT Infrastructure
- Survey existing IT infrastructure
- Determine ERP system requirements
- Recommend needed changes
- ERP End User Training
- Identify user roles and responsibilities
- Identify required skills for each role
- Design and develop role-based training program
- Execute training program
- Networking Planning
- Identify network requirements
- Evaluate alternatives
- Propose network strategy
- Implement strategy
- ERP Installation and Tuning
- Determine ERP system architecture/ roll out strategy
- Coordinate with implementation team to develop installation plan
- Identify system performance goals
- Monitor system performance and tune database and system as needed
- Capacity Planning/Performance Load Testing
- Use capacity planning tools to determine needed hardware
- Ensure sufficient capacity to accommodate system growth
- Plan/execute performance load testing