8 Survival Steps for a Successful M3 Upgrade · Optimizing IT •Multi-Platform Solutions •Systems Management – Halcyon solutions from HelpSystems •Data Sharing - Double-Take

www.origsoft.com | © Original Software 1 www.origsoft.com | © Original Software

8 Survival Steps for a

Successful M3 Upgrade

Your Guide to a Robust Quality Assurance Process

for an M3 Upgrade

Tim Bower – Original Software

and

Helle Mering - SOSY

http://www.origsoft.com


Optimizing IT

• Multi-Platform Solutions • Systems Management – Halcyon solutions from HelpSystems

• Data Sharing - Double-Take SHARE from Vision Solutions

• Software TEST Management – Solutions from Original Software

• Software CHANGE Management – Aldon Lifecycle Manager from Rocket

• IBM i Solutions • Performance – GiAPA from iPerformance

• Security – PowerTech solutions from HelpSystems

SOSY Today…

www.origsoft.com | © Original Software 3



Vote in this Quick Poll What is your company’s current situation?

1. Migrating to M3

2. Upgrading M3

3. Patching M3

4. Not planning to Upgrade or Patch

5. Discontinuing Use



Preparation



Preparation Method

Establish responsibilities, communication and collaboration

Assemble experts

Red Flags Availability, skills gaps

Goals Ensure expertise available for areas of high risk/importance

Best Practice Commitment from key stakeholders

External expertise where appropriate/necessary

Who Project Managers / Business Owners / SMEs

Documentation Establish Knowledge Base repository

Technology Knowledge Base / Resource Management



Preparation

What do you see as the

biggest challenge in an

ERP upgrade?

Top Challenges



Evaluation



Evaluation Method

Review: Documentation, Functionality, CEMLIs

Cost/Benefit Analysis

Red Flags Failure to include all stakeholders

Goals Create a ‘watertight’ business case and obtain ‘buy-in’

Best Practice Select the correct project approach

Consider benefits from : New functionality, technology improvements

Who Steering Group, Business SMEs, IT, external consultants

Documentation Project Scope, Impact, Risk Factors

Capture existing business processes

Technology Automated capture of business processes

Analysis of customisations



Evaluation

Documentation review

Create a watertight business case

Ensure buy in from management



Planning



How well documented are your business processes?

1. Poorly

2. Some documentation, likely out of date

3. Customizations documented, little else

4. Well documented

Vote in this Quick Poll



Planning Method

Define process, tools and people involved

Ensure project has objectives, new features, customisations and down-time documented

Red Flags No detailed project plan, no ‘Go Live’ checklist defined

Goals Provide clear communication between all stakeholders’

Best Practice Ensure project is formal, company-wide project

Ensure team has broad, complimentary skills

Who PM, Steering Group, IT

Documentation Plan resource requirements and timescales

Create test plan

Technology Common planning solution

Common test repository



Planning



Technical Upgrade



Technical Upgrade Method

Evaluate architecture, create technical upgrade document and perform practice upgrade first

CEMLI retrofit and verify installation

Red Flags Failure to correctly size hardware, failure to perform, performance and load tests

Goals Ensure architecture will support new / upgraded system

Best Practice Regular checkpoints, document lessons learned

Get ‘code current’ and optimise/re-organise the database

Who IT, DBA, Dev, QA, BA

Documentation Capture upgrade task steps, record results of ‘smoke’ tests

Provide stakeholders with visibility of project progress

Technology Automate Upgrade steps

Automate ‘smoke’ tests and other environment validation



Technical Upgrade

Check if architecture change is required

Calculate hardware sizing requirements

Document lessons learned in the practice upgrade



Business Validation



Business Validation Method

Conference Room Pilots (CRP), System Integration Test (SIT)

Final User Acceptance Test (UAT)

Red Flags Failure to test all business processes, failure to set test acceptance criteria

Goals Use tooling to facilitate automatic documentation of validation

Best Practice Use each test phase to further tune the upgrade

Enable testers to document their progress, the results of their testing and provide data for user guides

Who PM, key business users, Dev and QA

Documentation Capture proof-of-testing, record test results incorporating evidence of issues

Provide stakeholders with real-time progress updates

Technology Knowledge base and collaboration platform

Automated validation and capture of issues



Business Validation

Ensure all processes are used in

test cycle

Get functional user buy in

Collect proof-of-testing for audit purposes



How many Business Users do you expect to involve in

Testing & Validation?

1. Less than 10

2. 10 to 30

3. 31 to 50

4. 50 to 70

5. Over 70

Vote in this Quick Poll



Adoption



Adoption Method

Prepare training materials and deliver end-user and IT training

Review new/amended business processes

Red Flags Failure to make all users aware of the new/changed functionality

Goals Create a clear and effective training plan

Best Practice Ensure correct timing for the training of business users

Optimise the training process

Who All system users, trainers

Documentation Repurpose test results to produce training documents

Consider self-help training through videos and documents

Technology Automatically created training documents

Conversion of documents into videos



Adoption

Ensure all users are aware of new

functionality

Re-purpose tests recorded by

business users to produce

documentation and videos

Ensure correct timing for training



Go-Live



Go-Live Method

Cut to live and support users

Red Flags Failure to ensure all compliance requirements are met

Goals Create a defensible ‘go’ / ‘no-go’ decision

Best Practice Determine best time to cut over

Use the downtime assessment to plan cut over

Who Steering Group, PM, IT, All Users

Documentation Review outstanding issues and captured test results

Technology Automatically capture production issues





Post-Live Support



Post-Live Support Method

Rapid response to user issues

Streamline issue reporting

Red Flags Unclear issue reports

Goals Early capture of issues and fast response to issues

Best Practice Live monitoring of users actions to capture issues immediately

Clear and simple issue logging/management process

Who Support desk, users and SMEs

Documentation Maintain knowledge base for future patches/upgrades

Capture evidence of production issues for speedy resolution

Technology Status and project metrics

Automated capture of production issues



Post-Live Support

Early and easy capture of issues

Proactive response to users

Clear issue logging/processing



Total Project Savings

Eliminate risk

Meet business /project

deadlines

Reduce cost by 30%



Thank you for listening It’s Q & A time….

Please post your questions via the

question panel

origsoft.com/contact | UK +44 (0)1256 338666 | USA +1 630 321 0092 | [email protected]

sosy.dk/index.php/contact | [email protected]

If you would like to receive our 8 Step ERP

Upgrade Best Practice infographic visit:

origsoft.com/8-steps-erp



mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


Did You Know… You can access great video content that

shows you how our solutions are

challenging the status quo and can be

used by non-technical users.

origsoft.com/contact | UK +44 (0)1256 338666 | USA +1 630 321 0092 | [email protected]

Visit: origsoft.com/quality-assurance-videos



Documents

8 Survival Steps for a Successful M3 Upgrade · Optimizing IT •Multi-Platform Solutions •Systems Management – Halcyon solutions from HelpSystems •Data Sharing - Double-Take