Accounting / ERP systems - critical success factors & common weaknesses

Information systems: critical success factors

• Clean all input data and be rigorous in maintaining data quality
• Data structures must reflect the organisation & flex as the organisation changes (e.g. Chart of Accounts, Projects, Stock locations)
• Ensure business processes and IT systems work together, not against each other
• Configure or customise system functionality and/or business processes as necessary to achieve synergy between systems and processes
• Embed full knowledge/understanding of systems, data and processes within staff

Information systems: common weaknesses

• System doesn’t deliver user benefits/efficiencies
• Lack of senior management support/interest in system & outputs
• Insufficient budget – both monetary and time
• Inexperienced or uninformed staff / failure to involve all relevant stakeholders / expectation gap
• Incorrect functionality / undefined requirements
• Poor system administration / data control

Technology moves very quickly - we are constantly learning about new technologies and advances to existing technologies and working out how to apply it for customer benefit. But these critical success factors and common weaknesses remain constant!