Don’t Let Your Microsoft Dynamics ERP Solution Fall Short: 5 Tips for a Successful Implementation

Based on an unscientific poll on my blog, ERP system utilization rates seem to reflect a disappointing trend that I have observed anecdotally for years. 

When asked "How much of your ERP system does your company use?", 56% of the vote indicates 30-40%, 21% of the vote indicates 50-60%, and the remainder indicates 70-80%.  If you weight these results, the average is less than 50% - a result that would not surprise many ERP consultants and VARs, whether or not they'd like to admit it.  (Note:  results of the poll are incomplete at this point as there is still about a week left before the poll closes.  Please go to the blog and register your vote.)

Why is it that the average company responding indicates that they use less than half the functionality of their system?

Were they oversold when they decided to go with the product and ended up purchasing more functionality than was needed?  Possibly - it happens once in awhile.

Did they get most of the way through the implementation and run out of time, patience, or money?  That happens too.

Were they not trained as thoroughly as the might have been and are not even aware of some of the functionality that exists?   A perfectly reasonable possibility also.

I've always thought it a shame that a company gears up for a big implementation of an exciting new ERP system and then ends up never really gaining the productivity they had hoped for when the decision was made to implement.  Most likely one or more of the above factors play a part in why the investment isn't producing the desired returns.

So what can be done before, ...