Maximizing ERP Lessons Learned in Higher Education: Vendor Solutions and Workarounds

This article is part eight of a ten-part series that will focus on lessons learned from decades of project and program management within higher education.

Implementing an ERP system in higher education brings both opportunities and challenges, particularly when it comes to vendor solutions and the need for workarounds. Workarounds are solutions that are developed to resolve issues with functionality. The delivered capabilities of the vendor solution may be vastly different than the functionality of your legacy system that has been customized over the years to meet your specific needs. Here are some key lessons learned to help navigate this complex landscape:

Vendor Solutions

Core Business Processes Support

• Comprehensive Solutions: Most vendor products are designed to support core business processes at any institution, ensuring a robust foundation for operations.
• Unique Business Processes: However, business processes which are truly unique (differentiators) to your institution may be difficult to recreate in the new ERP solution. It is crucial to identify these areas early and plan accordingly.

Common Shortcomings

• Typical Areas of Shortfall: Vendor products often fall short in areas such as time tracking, grants (pre-award and effort certification), faculty recruiting, tax calculation, and bank reconciliation (just to name a few). Identifying these gaps is essential for effective planning and change management.
• Tailoring Through Configuration: Cloud solutions can be tailored through configuration, but this may fall short of the capabilities developed over time in your legacy systems. Ensure that any configuration meets your institutional needs while adhering to vendor guidelines.

Custom Capabilities

• Vetting and Approval: Although some cloud solutions offer tools to deliver custom capabilities, these must be vetted and approved by the vendor. This ensures compatibility and supportability.
• Maintenance of Custom Solutions: Whether integrating a third-party solution or developing a customization, it must be maintained according to the vendor’s regular release schedule. Plan for ongoing maintenance to avoid disruptions.

Decision-Making and Implementation

• Vendor Product Usage: Confirm the usage of the vendor product during the design phase and plan accordingly. If the decision is to use the vendor solution, strong executive support is necessary to ensure compliance.
• Third-Party Solutions: If opting for a third-party solution, expedite the procurement of necessary software and services to ensure timely implementation.

Workarounds

Definition and Impact

• Workarounds: These are solutions developed to resolve business process issues due to system limitations. They are often a temporary fix until a more permanent solution can be implemented.
• Design Considerations: The design of workarounds may not be optimal and could be seen as a step backward from legacy capabilities. Account for these impacts by business process area to understand the full effect at deployment.

Early Resolution

• Post Go-Live: Workarounds are candidates for early resolution post go-live. However, they often require vendor releases to fully address the issues. Prioritize and plan for these resolutions in your post-implementation strategy.

Conclusion

Navigating vendor solutions and workarounds is a critical aspect of successful ERP implementation in higher education. By understanding the limitations and planning for both vendor solutions and necessary workarounds, institutions can better manage their ERP transition, ensuring smoother operations and fewer disruptions.

Implementing these lessons learned will help institutions maximize the benefits of their ERP systems, addressing unique business needs while maintaining the flexibility to adapt and grow with evolving requirements.

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Charlie Moran

Moran Technology Consulting, Chief Executive Officer

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