News & views - 180Systems

Evaluating the Statement of Work – Project Management

December 21, 2021 | 0 Comments | 180systems

The Statement of Work (SOW) provided by the vendor for an ERP implementation is a critical document. It is the vendor’s way of defining the terms of the engagement and it is understandably used by them to maximize their profitability and to protect themselves when things go wrong. The SOW is not like other contracts that have been vetted by the lawyers many times and very difficult to change. The vendors will negotiate the terms in the SOW, and you need to review it carefully especially with regard to scope and roles and responsibilities. We are going to write a […]

Are ERP Implementations Doomed to Fail?

December 17, 2021 | 0 Comments | 180systems

You have probably read something like the following: “A recent (2021) survey found that more than half of organizations deploying ERP strategies to modernize their legacy technology experienced failure.” “Research has found out that globally from 55% up to 75% of all ERP projects fail.” But have you ever wondered whether? The authority is exaggerating the facts to attract new clients Whether the facts are accurate Whether the organizations included in the research are very large companies with more risk What was the basis for failure? Our experience is that ERP selection and implementation projects are not doomed to failure. […]

Hitchhiker’s Guide to Technology Solutions

May 18, 2021 | 0 Comments | 180systems

180 Systems is presenting a workshop for CPA Canada on June 16, 2021 from 1 pm to 4 pm EST with guidance and best practice for: Business Case System Optimization System Selection Contract Negotiation Implementation Transition Management Emerging Technology RPA Project Management Change Management You can register for this workshop by clicking here or contacting Michael at mburns@180systems.com if you have questions. […]

ERP Optimization

May 18, 2021 | 0 Comments | 180systems

We have helped many clients in selecting a new system, but as you know it’s not an easy process. The risks and costs associated with a new ERP system are significant not just in payments for the software and external consultants, but also in internal costs. You need to assign your best people (the A team) to the implementation, and their daily contribution in their regular work will take a big hit. We recommend you explore ways to optimize your existing system before taking the plunge. Give us a call at 416-485-2200 if you want to talk about it or […]

ERP Training Tips

May 18, 2021 | 0 Comments | 180systems

You will often hear that training is critical to the success of an ERP implementation. Despite its importance, training is often neglected until it’s too late. During the selection process, the focus is on features and functionality, roles and responsibilities, and contract negotiation; and training is assumed. The vendors are often vague about training as a detailed discussion about it will lead to concerns about whether it’s enough, who will be doing it, how it will be done, and what materials are provided. We highly recommend that a detailed training plan is included in the vendor’s Statement of Work. Assuming […]

Personal Message from Michael Burns

October 27, 2020 | 0 Comments | 180systems

I hope all is well with you and your family. Like everyone else, I look forward to the day when we can resume our lives, which we took for granted before Covid. Let’s stay positive about our future, and not despair or let “the old man in” as shown in a video starring Clint Eastwood or be despondent when there is sunshine ahead per the Jive Five Aces. Just click on the image below to see the videos. […]

National Technology Forum CPA (NTF)

October 6, 2020 | 0 Comments | 180systems

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Change Management in an ERP Implementation

October 6, 2020 | 0 Comments | 180systems

The commonly held belief is that people are resistant to change, which is the leading cause for failed ERP implementations/changes. It is our opinion that the resistance to change is a symptom of the problem, and not the cause. The primary cause is not being prepared for the implementation, which will then lead to resistance as employees face huge, unexpected problems, work overtime for months or more, and question leadership who brought about the change. Change management experts focus on remedies that include support from leadership and communication plans, which don’t fix the primary problem. To fix the primary problem, organizations […]

Defining Scope in an ERP Selection Project

October 6, 2020 | 0 Comments | 180systems

Vendors will define scope at the highest level possible to avoid contractual problems during the implementation. Ideally scope is defined at a low level (the requirements in an RFP) but vendors will resist this partly because they would now be contractually responsible to implement detailed requirements that may turn out to be more challenging than initially thought. So, if vendors are willing to define scope at the requirements level, they need to spend a lot of time during the sales cycle to make sure that they can actually do exactly what is required. They will try to qualify their response […]

Understanding ERP Deployment Options Continued

October 6, 2020 | 0 Comments | 180systems

Back in February, we tried to shed some light on the various ERP deployment options (https://www.180systems.com/understanding-erp-deployment-options/). One of the most confusing options was whether the vendor offered multi-tenant architecture, which allows one instance of the software to serve multiple companies at the same time, and brings down the costs of the hosting fees. Some vendors have not built multi-tenant from the ground-up or changed their code to accommodate it. Instead they have used middleware and Platform-as-a-service (PaaS) to get something equivalent. Sorry – I realize that these terms also lead to more confusion and so another approach is needed. We […]