Consider a Business Intelligence (BI) Solution as Part of Your ERP Implementation

When organizations implement their ERP system, they are faced with a number of challenges. For example, the areas of data conversion and report conversion are uniquely challenging. However, a number of these challenges can be alleviated by implementing a Data Warehouse and Business Intelligence (BI) solution during the ERP system upgrade.  

First, many organizations struggle with analyzing the quality and quantity of master records to convert into the new ERP system.  Furthermore, the amount of transaction history to convert can be a sticking point with many organizations. Usually there is apprehension associated with “losing” the data, or having to maintain the legacy ERP system for a number of years. 

Using a data warehouse to store the ERP’s master records and transaction history can help organizations in a number of ways. For example, it can provide the organization with a tool to analyze the data for accuracy and relevancy before converting the data to the new ERP system. In addition, using a data warehouse that stores the transaction history allows organizations to report or inquire on the history, and thus realize considerable cost savings by not converting historical data into the new ERP system or having to maintain their legacy system.

During the report conversion step organizations should spend time developing a report “inventory” of their existing and planned reports that need converted.  Even though many of these reports will come from the new ERP system, a large portion of them could come from a data warehouse BI solution.  The development of most ERP system custom reports usually requires expertise that organizational resources may lack to develop the reports on their own. However, many data warehouse BI solutions have user-friendly report design interfaces meant for users at all levels within the organization.

By considering incorporating a data warehouse BI solution during an ERP implementation, organizations can help alleviate the challenges around data conversion and report conversion, providing them with significant savings in both time and money over the life of the implementation and years to come.

Contact us if you would like more information on Business Intelligence systems, or would like to learn more about ERP system upgrades.  To learn about our services and our business intelligence product, BI360, visit our technology services page.