From the very beginnings of ERP, stability of operation and continuous improvement have been a constant preoccupation for managers. By its very nature, a company is constantly evolving: products, flows, organization and players all change, and operating methods and the information system must adapt accordingly.
Adaptation has often proved difficult, with changes being made in leaps and bounds, often driven by the realization that the ERP was losing its effectiveness. The response is often a decision to upgrade the ERP, or even to replace it.
Conversely, some companies are able to continually upgrade their information systems to maintain their performance levels.
In terms of continuous improvement, the Lean principles used by a growing number of companies for their "manufacturing" and "office" activities are fully applicable to information systems.
In this respect, data reliability is both an objective and a major operating indicator.
In this company, which implemented an ERP to replace 4 interfaced systems, a number of malfunctions quickly became apparent: random data accuracy, uncontrolled management lead times resulting in an information flow that was out of sync with the physical flow, an accounting and finance function at the end of the chain that no longer had direct control over its data, ultimately casting doubt on the smooth running of the ERP and the risk of parallel circuits (office automation, Excel, etc.) being recreated.
In the spirit of the Lean approach, the "data quality" project we have embarked upon has enabled us to turn things around, and has become the witness and guarantor of continuous improvement, for the efficient use of the ERP:
- Definition of clear data consistency rules
Beyond basic ERP controls
On static and dynamic data
Adapted as the organization evolves, thanks to continuous improvement on a daily basis
- Definition of responsibilities (management, department, individual), strengthening of the "key user" function
- Causal link between daily malfunctions and erroneous basic data (continuous improvement chart, 5 whys)
- "It's not the one who enters who exploits" - Awareness of the process and "upstream/downstream" interactions, knowledge of the impact on the downstream user, of the action induced by a decision to set parameters or enter data.
The dashboards implemented have become visual indicators of data quality. They bear witness to the ERP's successful adaptation to the company's flow system.
They ensure that the ERP system in which the company has invested a great deal of effort and resources is sustainable and does not drift over time.
