An ERP system is one of the largest technology investments a growing business makes. Yet many organisations find, a year after go-live, that staff still rely on spreadsheets and reports still take days to prepare. The system works; it simply is not being used to its potential.
Revisit the original requirements
Compare what the business needed at the start of the project with what was actually configured. Requirements are often deferred to “phase two” and never revisited.
Remove the workarounds
Every spreadsheet that sits beside the ERP is a sign that a process, report or approval is not configured properly. List the workarounds, then decide which can be brought back into the system.
Clean up master data
Duplicate customers, inconsistent product codes and unused accounts undermine every report. A short data clean-up often delivers more value than new functionality.
Train for the role, not the screen
Staff need to understand why a process works the way it does, not just which buttons to press. Role-based refresher training helps new and existing users alike.
Build reporting on top
Connecting a business intelligence tool such as Power BI to your ERP turns stored data into dashboards that managers actually use.
An independent review of how the system is configured and used is a practical first step. It usually identifies quick wins alongside longer-term improvements.
