What do you think is the best implementation order of BPM and ERP solutions? Should we implement BPM after a mature ERP implementation? Or should we do both in parallel?
The abovementioned question was raised on LinkedIn – in a group called ‘Business Process Management Professionals Group’. First I couldn´t believe what I read: a majority of these so-called experts recommended to start with the ERP implementation first. Do you agree – does ERP come before BPM?
Well, I don´t agree……
Throughout the years we have seen ERP implementations fail – or only
being launched after 7 years… Or even implementations which have been cancelled because of cost or time. Why does it happen – do you know? It is because of the lacking of well managed processes.
One of my teachers of BPM, Ann Rosenberg (Leading BPM writer and Goddess of BPM) said as follows:
- You can buy a world-class ERP system (SAP – Oracle ect.) – and implement it. But you haven´t used its potential, if you don´t know your processes!
I agree with Ann, not because she taught me in BPM, but because of the experience I have gathered the last 5 years working with SAP. How can IT support the Business, if they haven´t described their processes first, before buying or implementing the ERP system? What processes shall the ERP system support? Who – what – when shall the ERP system support?
An ERP implementation will fail if you don´t know your processes!
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