Transitioning to NetSuite – or any enterprise resource planning (ERP) system – is no mean feat.
It involves a bit of initial pain.
The good news is that proper planning and professional support help make the transition to NetSuite manageable, smooth and productive.
NetSuite offers a fantastic range of advantages for businesses. However, you may encounter obstacles and worries about the complexity of your implementation. Not to worry; this blog explains everything you need to know.
Understanding ERP transition
No matter your ERP provider, implementations always come with unique challenges. NetSuite is no different. The complexity of your NetSuite transition will vary depending on several factors, including:
- Existing system – the more complex your current system (or the more customised it is), the more challenging your NetSuite deployment might be. Bespoke solutions usually require much more work for a successful migration. The same applies to fragmented or disorganised systems. In these cases, it may be best to re-plan and re-engineer your new deployment from scratch, rather than trying to make your existing system fit your new one.
- Organisation size – in general, the larger your business, the more complex your NetSuite transition will be. With more employees, departments and processes, there’s a greater volume of data to migrate and protect, and more stakeholders to involve. Even smaller enterprises may face some hurdles if their existing systems are intricate or disjointed.
- Change readiness – your organisation’s ability to embrace change is critical to your NetSuite transition. If your business culture is all about utilising change to drive efficiency, then your NetSuite deployment will likely be a much smoother experience. On the other hand, workforce resistance to change introduces further hurdles, slowing down the process and affecting the project’s success. So, ensure you have adequate change management protocols in place before your new system launches.
Phases of a NetSuite implementation
Giving yourself the best chance of success in a NetSuite migration includes several key factors.
The planning phase is the foundation of your NetSuite deployment. It involves setting clear objectives, defining the project scope and creating a detailed timeline with realistic deadlines. With proper risk management and roadmaps, you give yourself a realistic understanding of the project from conception to implementation to ongoing maintenance. At this stage, you’ll also put your team together. Using the right internal stakeholders and external consultants is usually the most efficient and cost-effective approach.
Most people find data migration to be one of the most challenging aspects of transitioning to NetSuite. You’ll need to extract data from your existing system, cleanse it to remove errors and convert it into a NetSuite-compatible format. Attention to detail is critical here, or your new NetSuite implementation might be based on incorrect, corrupted or outdated data.
Once you’ve migrated your data, it’s time to configure NetSuite to align with your organisation’s processes and objectives. This involves setting up workflows, financial modules, reporting structures and so on. Configuration is vital to ensure workflow efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Testing is a vital cog in the deployment process. Here, your team thoroughly evaluates the system before it goes live, identifying and eliminating bugs before they impact your operations. This stage involves unit testing individual components, integration testing between modules and user acceptance testing to check that the interface is appropriate for the relevant stakeholders.
Finally, comprehensive training is essential to increase user adoption rates. Educating your end-users on using NetSuite helps boost process efficiency, save time and cut costs. Ongoing support and resources are also essential to address any post-implementation questions or challenges.
How to overcome common NetSuite deployment hurdles
Most NetSuite transitions encounter common hurdles.
The data cleansing phase is critical. It must be done thoroughly. Inconsistent or fragmented data leads to reporting inaccuracies and even system errors. So, invest sufficient time and resources in data cleansing to avoid these issues.
Changing your ERP system may require a re-evaluation of your existing business workflows. It can be a challenge, but use this time to assess all your processes, taking the opportunity to streamline and optimise your operations across all departments.
And in any end-user-focused operation, adoption challenges can rear their ugly head. Get your staff and contractors on board by involving key stakeholders early in the planning phase, communicating the new system’s benefits and providing comprehensive and ongoing training. Address any concerns by explaining how the new deployment will make their roles easier or more enjoyable.
Working with an experienced NetSuite consultant
Partnering with a NetSuite consultant is the best way to approach your NetSuite transition. These experts bring a wealth of knowledge in managing complex deployments and help you devise tailored solutions to meet your objectives and needs. With all this expertise, they’ll guide you over complex hurdles and suggest the optimal ways to streamline your new system and processes.
SuiteSparkle has specialised in NetSuite consultancy for over eight years. Our dedicated team will take the time to get to know you and your organisation. Then, we’ll help you develop a detailed NetSuite transition strategy, showing you all the benefits along the way.
To learn more about how we can help support your NetSuite transition to make it a smooth, streamlined and stress-free experience, get in touch today for a free, no-obligation consultation. We’d love to hear from you.