You will find that one of the most tedious tasks but also one of the most important tasks is converting data from your previous ERP system ready for your new ERP system. Whilst in theory, converting ERP data is relatively easy, the task itself is full of potential pitfalls that could hinder the successful implementation of your new ERP system.
In our latest blog article, we will provide you with 8 common mistakes to avoid when moving data to a new ERP system.
1 – Bad data cleansing
You will find that data cleansing is a vital step in successfully converting data for your new ERP system. Furthermore, if this part of the process goes badly it will lead to inconsistent, inaccurate and duplicate data being migrated across to your new system which can result in data quality issues that are both tricky and time-consuming to resolve post implementation so getting it right before you move is vital.
2 – Lack of or unrealistic migration strategies
For any significant project you are involved in, it is best to produce a comprehensive strategy that enables you to keep the project on track, avoid confusion amongst your team and enable you to plan for any potential issues that could hold back your project. Not investing the time in doing this at the start could have significant consequences and delays later on in the project. As well as having a detailed plan in place, your strategy will need to contain specific deadlines that have contingency built in if there are hold-ups in the project. Choosing to rush through the data conversion process could lead to data inconsistencies, failed migrations and compromised systems.
3 – Inaccurate data mapping
By having inaccurate data mapping could lead to missing, misinterpreted or misplaced data being around during the conversion process. These issues could have a significant impact and result in data inconsistencies, incorrect calculations as well as trouble in building accurate reports inside the new ERP system which could then stall business processes and decision making.
4 – Precarious data governance
By not having stringent data governance in place, businesses could find it hard to have consistent data formats, have tight security controls and ambiguity around who is in charge of certain data. From this, you could find that these problems lead to data mapping errors, compromised data integrity and security weaknesses both throughout and after the data has been migrated. Furthermore, a lack of standardised naming conventions, data quality controls as well as data stewardship could all have a significant impact on both reliability and usability.
5 – Poor data transformation
Poor data transformation could make it tricky when it comes to the overall accuracy of reports which in itself impacts on both the effectiveness and efficiency of the ERP. You will also find that other issues such as data loss, data corruption and data integrity can all come out of poor data transformation. As well as this, the ineffective conversion of data formats, types or relationships can bring with it inconsistencies, calculation errors and difficulties in being able to extract useful insights from these data streams.
6 – Poor analysis of historical data
Assessing how much of your old data to pull across from your old system to your new ERP can be a tough task to complete. Granted, historical data can be extremely useful to analyse, reporting, compliance as well as providing a benchmark for comparison, however you don’t need it all! If you have too much historical data in your system it can slow it down, open the door for inaccurate or duplicate data and makes making sense of anything almost impossible.
7 – Poor data validation and testing
If you don’t undertake in-depth validation and testing, errors can become common in your new ERP system via improperly converted data. This can accelerate further into more serious issues with data integrity, data migration, inaccurate reports and incomplete processes. As well as this, poor testing can lead to operational disruptions, unsatisfied users and significant delays in being able to identify and take action against any other data related issues.
8 – Poor training and communication
Choosing not to take responsibility for training will mean that the end-users are unsure how to use the system, unsure about the data structure and unsure about data entry processes. These knowledge gaps can contribute to data entry errors & inaccurate and inconsistent reporting. As well as confusion amongst employees can escalate to become a major resistance to change resulting in less people wanting to get involved with the new system.
Next Steps?
If you are a business that is struggling to migrate data from one system to another one or are looking to implement a new ERP system such as Business Central then please call our team of ERP experts now to discuss all your specific needs.
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