Assessing the Success of Your ERP Project Assessment - Key Factors to Consider

by Horizon Projects Consulting Business & Technology Consulting Firm

Simply put, project managers prevent disasters. The Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Manager and Oracle Financials Manager do this by ensuring all the moving parts of the client's transformation project work as one amazing business engine driving that project to completion, bringing client workload to the cloud in the most efficient and safest way possible. Client resources - financial, business, processes, tech and other assets - provide the fuel for that engine. But the soul of that engine is made up of the members of the team that is making it happen. Horizon principals never forget that a client's project is an organic, living thing, a very human endeavor. And the person at the wheel of this gorgeous machine is the Oracle Applications Project Manager/ERP Manager or, in some situations, the Oracle Financials Manager.

Imagine what could happen without the influence and guidance of a savvy Oracle Financials Manager to ensure, for instance, that a portion of funding isn't double-allocated due to a misunderstanding or miscommunication between project teams. But with an organized Oracle Financials Manager keeping all those moving parts well-oiled, potential disasters are averted before they start, and issues are handled as they arise so that the business engine doesn't spring a leak and waste valuable resources or cost irreplaceable time. Project manager importance to the success of any such endeavor cannot be overstated.

But which type of project manager would be best for your project? That depends on whether it involves only Oracle financials software, or if it involves other Oracle software as well. Here is the basic breakdown.

Oracle Financials Manager or ERP Manager?

Because every project is different, client needs are what determine the type of Oracle Applications Project Manager, also known as an ERP Manager, best suited for a particular situation. The scope of client needs is what determines the type of project manager who would be most appropriate. If project needs are confined to the realm of financial planning and recordkeeping, such as purchasing or accounts payable and receivable, then the client will be working with an Oracle Financials Manager, whose expertise is in the following Oracle products:

Oracle General Ledger (GL)
Oracle Accounts Payable (AP)
Oracle Accounts Receivable (AR)
Oracle Assets (FA)
Oracle Cash Management (CM)
Oracle Purchasing (PO)
Oracle Requisitions (Req)
Oracle Time & Labor (OTL)
iExpense

When things get a little more complex, then you are getting into the realm of needing an Oracle Applications Project Manager, or ERP Manager, who will handle the same things an Oracle Financials Manager does, plus a few other things as well:

Oracle Human Resources (HR)
Oracle Payroll
Oracle Advanced Benefits (OAB)
Oracle Project Costing (PA)
Oracle Project Billing (PB)
Oracle Contracts
WebCenter
Hyperion (Budgeting System)

Oracle Applications Project Managers in Every Project Phase

Oracle Applications Project Manager input is a vital part of any transformation effort, during every single part of the project, and even beyond. For example, it is easy to imagine a project as existing in four distinct phases of development:

Phase 1 : Planning

Although it is tempting to think of ERP Manager or Financials Manager contribution solely in terms of nonhuman things like financials and integrated technology, every project begins and ends with the needs of the client. Those resources being allocated by the Financials Manager are there in the service of solving very human problems for very human clients. Horizon ERP Managers first get to know the client and their unique needs so that they can work in partnership with that client to determine project scope, prepare the proposal and coordinate the allocation of resources to bring those ideas into reality. One of the things that needs to be determined at this phase is client level of hands-on involvement in the project, and whether adjustments will be made to the project continually (a slower process) or only at transition points. These are the kinds of things the Oracle ERP Manager or Oracle Financials Manager is responsible for communicating in order to correctly ascertain client needs. While assessing needs and determining available resources, the project manager also takes stock of risks and, in partnership with the client, develops contingency plans.

Phase 2 : Implementation

Once plans are created, adjusted where necessary, and approved by the client, it is time to put them into action. This is the exciting part for Horizon principals and client alike, because now we get to see all those exciting plans spring into action. With the continued guidance of the Oracle Applications Project Manager, resources are now allocated to the teams and implementation begins. In this phase, the project manager coordinates between in-house and or remote project teams and the client to ensure that everyone is on the same page and everything happens in a timely manner, and in a way that continues to meet client needs and quality standards. (Remember, in any of these scenarios, it could also be the Oracle Financials Manager, because scope of project is what determines type of project manager needed. These phases exist in all projects, no matter what the scope.)

Phase 3 : Troubleshooting and adjustments

Troubleshooting and adjustments. It is part of the ERP Manager's job to understand that, no matter what the industry, the very nature of projects is to be unpredictable from time to time. Even with diligent risk management practices and contingency plans, every project will need to be tweaked after the team determines what works and what could work better. It is just as important during the troubleshooting and adjustment phase that the teams are communicating and understanding each other, that conflict is managed, and that resources continue to be used wisely and accounted for. Therefore, the Oracle Financials Manager or Oracle ERP Manager will continue to coordinate between the teams, providing guidance and facilitating conversation so that everyone remains on the same page, throughout each and every exciting phase of transformation.

Phase 4 : Training and Support

Training and support. This is the phase where the excitement culminates, because now client and staff get to play with the new toys. In the training and support phase, the ERP Manager or Financials Manager coordinates the effort to more intensely share with the client how to use the new Oracle software implementations that the project team has created. Imagine, for instance, the delight of staff members who are experiencing the agility of the solution for the very first time, smoothly and easily sharing information and organizing their own projects. Of course, learning a new way to work takes a little bit of time, so the Horizon Oracle Applications Project Manager and team remain available to the client to provide support should anything need adjusting or should the client and staff need further training. This effort is to get the client to a certain destination, and Horizon is with them every step of the way.

Making sure client projects go according to plan, on time and efficiently, is a coordinated effort put forth by a team of many talented individuals, who need the freedom to concentrate on their particular areas of expertise, without worrying about what everyone else knows or what they are doing. The ERP Manager or the Oracle Financials Manager is the liaison and leader who makes this possible, ensuring the success of your project.