This takes the “off the shelf” solution as a starting point and allows you to dive into the details in every area, allowing for more extensive configuration and a solution which more closely matches what your business looks like today.
Toolkit is a more traditional methodology to implement ERP, building on tried and tested processes and standards to navigate a more “bespoke” form of implementation. Taking the starting point of Kickstart and reviewing each key business process, amending the process or reproducing it in Sage X3, and adding layers of automation and auditability.
For a more mature business, or one operating in a niche field, it’s unlikely that any “off the shelf” system is going to be right for you as standard – it’s going to need some tuning.
Toolkit allows businesses to take an initial build of the Sage X3 ERP system and add the necessary layers to it in the first phase. Using the sophisticated toolset that is Sage X3, and Mysoft’s many years’ experience, we can get a full “Digital Twin” of your business up and running.
The backbone of any ERP is project is control, however in an implementation which a large amount of workshop time and bespoke work the use of extensive, professional governance is beyond essential. The tools are various but some examples include Project Management, effective workshopping & decision making, and clear change control processes.
It is a requirement for an ERP project to have a dedicated supplier and customer project manager, but in a customised ERP delivery a strong customer PM will make the difference between a smooth journey and a bumpy ride. Managing the intersecting (and potentially conflicting) requirements of the business requires a strong hand to steward the decision making and bring everyone along. However, when done right, with customer and supplier PMs working together, great things can be achieved.
A key reason to select an ERP system like Sage X3, and an approach like Toolkit, is to enable your business to build a “digital twin” – a mirror of your physical processes in a business solution – maximizing efficiency and responsiveness. This is achieved through comprehensive workshops investigating every key business processes, interrogating the reasons behind why things are done the way they are, re-evaluating existing truths (“it’s always been done that way”) and pushing through business reforms to help the business grow. The process of implementing ERP is one of digital transformation, not just building it as it is today – but how you want it to be.
While the aim is to get everything in place in phase one ready for go-live, this isn’t always possible; sometime business timescales dictate a deadline which wouldn’t allow for all aspects of the business to change or the wishlist to be included. Using Toolkit allows us to build in the foundations for future requirements in phase one, but wait until a future point to finalise them (or simply activate them). Planning today for tomorrow’s success.
The extensiveness of the Toolkit approach allows businesses to radically change throughout the process, and plan for future changes, as nothing is absolutely set in stone. Digital transformation can stimulate unforeseen changes in the business via the adoption of new technologies and processes. Being able to easily tune the project to accommodate these is crucial, and the Toolkit approach has a proven track record of supporting growing, dynamic businesses.
Unlike an “off the shelf” delivery of ERP your businesses is not going to be pushed to adopt a process that doesn’t fit perfectly. You may be advised of alternatives, but the ultimate decision is on the business. This flexibility allows core tenets of a business (e.g. company culture) to be accommodated into the ERP project. The system works for your operation, not an internal re-invention of each department.
Some businesses need functionality which works in a specific way – in a way that may not work for anyone else – and therefore the role of customisation comes into play. While as a Systems Integrator Mysoft will always look at the business process and the standard functionality first, sometimes the best and most elegant solution is a small amount of bespoke code. Mysoft develop and support enhancements to Sage X3 in compliance with Sage’s best practice and with many decades worth of real-world experience. Integrating various line-of-business systems, building custom functionality, and modifying existing behaviour are all on the table with Toolkit, but only under the proper levels of control and governance. Businesses can get the solution they need, delivered by experts, and have it for go-live.
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