Implementing Acumatica takes time and thoughtful preparation, but it’s well within the abilities of most companies—even those without a dedicated IT department—to tackle it on their own. With these steps, you’ll have both a fast and smooth rollout.
Choose the Deployment Method That Meets Your Needs
A successful Acumatica implementation begins by choosing the right system for your needs. Acumatica comes in two versions: on-premises and cloud. The main differences between on-premises and cloud software are how they are implemented and managed.
On-premises software is implemented onsite, with dedicated servers both hosting and allowing access to the system. Cloud software is hosted on the cloud or by a group of external servers and accessed through a web browser.
On-premises software often costs more during the initial rollout as companies must spend on the infrastructure as well as on the software and support needed to install, run, and maintain the system. For some companies, the added security and peace of mind of having the data on site outweighs their concerns for expenses. Other companies prefer the convenience of cloud access.
There’s no right or wrong choice. It just depends on your company’s goals, preferences, and budget.
7 Steps to Implementing Acumatica Successfully
Companies who have successfully implemented Acumatica have done so because they’ve taken a careful, considered approach to selection and implementation. These 7 steps will help you take Acumatica from selection to everyday use with ease.
- Assemble the implementation team: A good implementation team consists of representatives from various departments, not just IT and finance. Include people from customer service, marketing, operations, sales, and other areas who will interact with the software. Everyone can then contribute ideas and thoughts to the project that encompass their departments’ concerns, thus including everyone in the company.
- Define the project requirements: With the team in place, it’s time to define the project requirements. Consider what each department needs the system to do. Review data needs, access, and reporting requests.
- Outline the project plan: Tackle the project plan with goals and milestones to achieve and break it down into smaller parts. Include a one year, three year, and five-year plan, or whatever time period makes sense for your organization.
- Develop a migration plan: A migration plan outlines how data will be moved from the legacy system into the Acumatica system. Make sure you have steps in place to back up existing data and to transition departments and tasks into the new system seamlessly.
- Refine a testing strategy: A testing strategy enables you to test features of the new Acumatica system before launching them fully in the company. It is vital to test key systems first before completely shutting down the old system.
- Build a training program: A training program offers more than an introduction and tour of the new dashboards. Instead, invest in both general and role-specific training so people can get the most out of their training sessions. Training a super user is also helpful by designating one person a systems’ expert to answer questions post-rollout.
- Choose the go-live strategy: You can phase in the new implementation or create a “big bang” system in which you do it all at once. The choice is yours. It depends on your company’s comfort with new technology and how quickly you think the training program (see above) can be implemented.
3 Types of Acumatica Implementation
Acumatica actually offers 3 types of implementation. The company has long recognized that no two customers are the same, and each has unique needs. They offer an out-of-the-box implementation solution that’s literally plug and play; just start it up and start using it. Standard implementation features a system with very few customizations and add-on solutions, and uses only one currency and language. And advanced implementation is for companies that need systems programmed with multiple currencies, languages, and locations.
Emerald TC works with each business implementing Acumatica to help them choose the implementation and rollout that makes the most sense for their business needs. With these tips and our team by your side, implementing Acumatica is painless.
Emerald TC
Emerald TC provides software and consulting for manufacturing companies. We can help you choose the right ERP system for your needs and offer Acumatica and other software packages for every type and size manufacturing company. Contact us or call 678-456-6919 for more information.