Options When Managing an ERP Implementation
Epicor® ERP Project Management Approaches
Managing an ERP implementation is like setting out on a major expedition. The right guide can make all the difference between smooth sailing and getting stuck halfway to your destination (without a single fish!). Read on to make your Epicor® Kinetic or Epicor® Prophet 21 project easier today.
Fishing for You: Full-service Team Project Management Model
In traditional “Big ERP,” a fish-for-you method is often used. People in the industry sometimes call this “Big ERP,” and this approach was popularized in SAP implementations. In this case, the consulting partner comes in and extracts business information from your subject matter experts (SMEs), then uses that information to configure the system.
Often, the individuals who are extracting this information are quite different from those actually performing the system configuration. This model expects less of a time investment from your subject-matter-expert community, but it requires a significantly larger team of consultants and business analysts. As such, the consulting cost to an organization can be significantly higher. This model also tends to take longer to complete, which is typical for the big fish-for-them format.
In a full-service project management model, a consulting partner like EstesGroup takes the lead role. We handle the detailed planning, day-to-day management, and problem-solving so your team can stay focused on operations.
Teaching You to Fish: The Core Team Model
The other approach is often referred to as the core team model. In this model, a core team is assembled from the company’s subject matter expert community. These SMEs form a core team that operates in conjunction with the consultants’ core team. The core team is responsible for understanding and communicating the organization’s core requirements, and then working with the consultants to configure the system.
This model expects a much larger time investment from the subject matter experts — often requiring full-time commitment.
In the coaching model, your team stays deeply involved. A team like EstesGroup comes in to guide, mentor, and support, but you lead the charge. This approach focuses on building in-house ERP project management capabilities so your business isn’t just implementing a system—you’re growing internal experts who can optimize it for years to come.
How do companies decide between options when managing an ERP implementation?
The truth is, many successful Epicor® ERP projects use a blend of both approaches. You might start with full-service project leadership to hit critical milestones and transition to a coaching model as your team grows more confident. At EstesGroup, we tailor project management to your unique needs — whether that means handing you the fishing pole or helping you “reel in” the challenging bits and bytes, such as supply chain management or cybersecurity protocols.
What Full-Service ERP Management Looks Like
- Project Planning and Roadmapping: Aligning system goals with business strategy.
- Timeline and Milestone Tracking: Keeping all work-streams moving smoothly.
- Task Management: Overseeing everything from system builds to user acceptance testing.
- Risk and Issue Resolution: Proactively identifying and addressing roadblocks.
- Vendor and Stakeholder Coordination: Managing communication so your leadership team stays informed.
Advantages of Full-Service Project Management
- Faster Timelines: Seasoned project managers keep things moving efficiently.
- Minimal Business Disruption: Your employees don’t have to juggle day jobs with project work.
- Proven Playbooks: Experienced teams bring best practices honed across many ERP implementations and new risks like tariff volatility.
Considerations for Project Costs and Culture
- Higher Costs: You’re paying for a complete service, start to finish.
- Knowledge Retention Risk: Your team may feel less connected to the system if they weren’t hands-on during the build.
- Culture disruption: Your team will be stressed by too much interference, which is why EstesGroup focuses on the partnership aspect of projects throughout every step.
Full-service ERP project management is a great fit if your team is bandwidth-constrained or if hitting a tight go-live deadline is critical.
What Coaching and ERP Partner Empowerment Looks Like
- Collaborative Roadmapping: Your team helps design the project plan.
- Training and Skill Development: We coach your team on best practices for project leadership.
- Guided Execution: Your employees manage tasks, with access to expert advice whenever needed.
- Ownership and Confidence Building: Your team grows into a force of independent ERP stewardship.
Advantages of the Core Team Model
- Sustainable Success: Your organization develops strong ERP project management skills.
- Lower Total Cost of Ownership: Consulting hours are often lower since your team leads key tasks.
- Higher System Adoption: When users are involved early, change management feels more natural.
Considerations for Project Costs and Culture
- Time and Resources: Team members must invest time to learn and lead.
- Longer Implementation Timelines: Learning curves can extend project schedules.
- Culture, Culture, Culture: Long-term internal expertise requires that employees are content and will stay to coach others.
Building in-house ERP project management capabilities is essential for organizations that want not only to implement a system successfully, but also to develop lasting internal expertise that drives continuous optimization over time.
When considering all options when managing an ERP implementation, why partner with EstesGroup?
Choosing the right Epicor® project management approach shouldn’t be overwhelming. Our team has helped businesses across manufacturing, distribution, and services industries implement ERP successfully — with flexible support models that build lasting success. We’re here to manage your project if you need a steady hand. We’re also here to coach your team to become future ERP champions if that’s your goal. Teaching ERP project management skills is what we do every day. We’re not only here to help you choose your path forward — we’re here at every step on your ERP implementation project. ERP implementation. On-premise or cloud deployment. ERP upgrades. We have the ERP expertise to help you know your options for every little detail of your Epicor® ERP implementation approach.
Want to explore your options for managing an Epicor® ERP implementation? Chat will us now, give us a call, or fill out the form below and we’ll email and call you faster than you can say ERP!
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