What this article covers
- How to confirm why the current procedures became necessary
- How to judge whether GRANDIT standard functions can achieve the same purpose
- How to weigh additional development costs against daily workload
- Checking with related departments using realistic transactions
“If we fit our work to GRANDIT, won’t it become harder to meet our business partners’ requirements?” On the other hand, rebuilding the current system as it is increases the burden of additional development and maintenance. In an ERP implementation, you need to decide what to carry over and what to change.
A Fit & Gap compares the requirements the business needs with the standard functions of the ERP, and confirms what can be covered and where gaps exist. In a GRANDIT implementation as well, sorting out why each gap arises leads to an implementation plan that fits the business.
Confirm why the current procedures became necessary
Rewriting delivery note details for each business partner. Copying orders into Excel to track shipping status. Practices like these often contain arrangements built up over time for business partner requirements and for answering delivery dates.
The first thing to confirm is who does the task, for what purpose, and what would go wrong if it were dropped. Information required by agreements with business partners and checks that prevent shipping errors become requirements to carry over. On the other hand, copying that was only needed because the old system could not handle it, and forms that are no longer used, may be reviewed.
Something needed at the time may no longer be needed as conditions change. We confirm both the history and the reasons it is still needed today.
Can the standard functions achieve the same purpose?
GRANDIT has functions such as item numbers and prices for each business partner, and inventory management by product, warehouse and department.
For example, if a conversion table is used to translate business partners’ item numbers into internal product codes, we check whether the standard functions can reduce the matching work. While keeping the purpose of handling item numbers correctly, we consider whether the way of checking can change.
Even if screens and forms differ from today, it may be possible to move to a new procedure as long as the necessary information can be checked at the right time. It is important to confirm what can be covered against the modules and settings to be used and the actual trading terms.
Consider implementation cost and daily workload together
When a gap with the standard functions is found, we compare options such as changing settings, reviewing the business procedure, connecting with surrounding systems, and additional development or customization.
With additional development, you need to consider not only the initial cost but also the checks required for maintenance and version upgrades. On the other hand, adding daily copying and matching work to reduce development leaves a lasting burden on the people doing it. We decide while considering the number of transactions, the working time and the impact if an error occurs.
For each requirement you decide to keep, record the reason and the person responsible for the decision. It is important to be able to trace why it was needed when the specifications are reviewed later.
Check with the related departments using real transactions
In a Fit & Gap, we confirm the flow from order to shipping and billing using transaction examples close to real ones. Including split deliveries, returns and quantity changes reveals gaps that are hard to find with the normal flow alone.
People from sales, logistics and accounting check together and judge whether the work holds up across departments. For procedures that will change, the implementation plan also includes the time needed to explain them, train the people involved and prepare master data.
Drawing on business knowledge built up in trading, wholesale and distribution, SYSLABO supports GRANDIT requirements definition, design, development, implementation, operations and maintenance.
Using your current forms, spreadsheets and the work people do to fill the gaps as clues, we sort out the work that is needed and the procedures that can be reviewed. While carrying over the promises made to business partners and the knowledge on site, we think together with you about a way of working that is easy to keep up after go live.
