Implementing MYOB Acumatica – Project Management – not all project management methodologies are created equal

This is blog 6 in the Leverage Technologies MYOB Acumatica (formerly MYOB Advanced) implementation blog series. The aim of these blogs is to help prospective customers plan and execute great implementations of MYOB Acumatica. The team at Leverage Technologies have been implementing ERP solutions since 2005 – we know and understand how to help customers achieve their business goals through the implementation of ERP and associated technologies.

When implementing MYOB Acumatica you need to consider resources carefully.

Resource requirements when implementing new systems need two key elements:

–          MYOB Acumatica reseller resources

–          Your business / internal resources

Project management is the process by which the project is managed, resources are planned, budgets are controlled and the project methodology is followed. Project management is not a “one size fits all proposition”. There are several factors that influence the structural requirements for project management. Far too many businesses try and implement ERP solutions with project management planning designed for very large implementations of ERP – these processes and structures are not always scalable (to smaller MYOB Acumatica implementations) and do not always fit smaller ERP budgets.

There are several factors that influence the time and resource requirements to implement MYOB Acumatica:

–          Functional requirements

–          Number of users

–          Internal resource availability

–          Geographical footprint

–          Industry

–          Compliance requirements

Typical MYOB Acumatica implementation timeframes:

–          Finance only implementations – 10-20 consultancy days over a 2-3 month implementation

–          Distribution implementations – 20-40 consultancy days over a 3-4 month implementation

–          Manufacturing implementations – 30-70 consultancy days over a 4-5 month implementation

–          Services and field services – 20-40 days consultancy days over a 3-4 month implementation

These rough guidelines give you an indication of the resource timelines and requirements to implement MYOB Acumatica. The “consultancy days” referred to above are MYOB Acumatica reseller consultancy days. There will be at least an equal number of days required by the customer to provide resource assistance with multiple implementation tasks – data conversion, user acceptance testing etc.

If you want to implement an ERP solution in 2-3 months you need a streamlined implementation methodology and the associated project management needs to fit with this agile, short-term implementation structure. The goal is having enough structure and formality to manage the MYOB Acumatica implementation without unnecessary overhead and consultancy required for larger, more complex ERP implementations.

The PMO (Project Management Office) team at Leverage Technologies has divided the MYOB Acumatica project management delivery into three categories:

–          “Light” implementations – entry-level implementations of MYOB Acumatica to help companies that have outgrown entry-level accounting solutions to move to an ERP solution. These are relatively low-touch, smaller implementations of MYOB Acumatica offering out-of-the-box functionality with little or no integration/development work and no 3^rd party solutions. Project management is more project admin – administering the project through a 1-2 month implementation.

–          Small / less complex implementations – these small sites require 70% project admin and 30% project management. Project admin is designed to keep the project budget and timeline on track whilst managing resource allocation and budget deliverables. Project management addresses any timeline, budget, functional and resource challenges.

–          Medium size/complexity projects – as the level of complexity increases so does the requirement for project management. Medium-sized projects typically include a larger project management budget of 15%-20% (project management budget relative to total project budget). As complexity increases so do the number of stakeholders and the requirement for regular, clear communication.

–          Large / complex implementations – usually include some development, integration or 3^rd party solutions in the implementation. Multiple stakeholders are involved and regular project meetings are required to ensure that the project tracks according to timeline and budget. Risks of scope and budget creep are higher as complexity increases.

This matrix explains the different project management deliverables:

Project management deliverables across MYOB Acumatica implementations of varying size and complexity will vary greatly. Quite simply, a 12-day implementation of MYOB Acumatica for a small finance-only company that requires GL, banking and accounts payable will be very different from a 60 user implementation across finance, inventory and manufacturing.

Using your own resources (in-house project manager)

This is where there can be additional resource requirements with smaller companies that are implementing an ERP solution. Whilst the level of complexity (and therefore the requirement for project management) is reduced for smaller, less complex, businesses, these smaller businesses tend to have less access to internal resources to help manage the project. Superusers and internal resources are typically multi-tasking and are extremely busy doing their day to day tasks. This time pressure combined with a lack of previous ERP and project management experience can create a void when it comes to internal project management for smaller sites. Your MYOB Acumatica reseller needs to assess project management tasks carefully and should divide the project management tasks between the reseller and customer based on:

–          Customer resource availability

–          Project risks

–          Customer project management experience

–          Seniority of the project implementation team

–          Functional complexity

When implementing MYOB Acumatica (formerly MYOB Advanced) review your implementation and project management requirements carefully to create the right balance between project complexity, resources and budget to deliver an on-time and on-budget project.

The team at Leverage Technologies can help you assess your project management requirements to recommend a project management structure that works for your business. Helping you achieve your business outcomes. For more information, contact the Leverage Technologies team on 1300 045 046.