Business Process Modeling for ERP Projects

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software gives your business the power to dramatically increase efficiency and boost revenue. But these enhancements don’t just happen at the snap of your fingers. Like any initiative to improve your business, successful ERP implementations require careful planning and adherence to best practices.  

One of the most critical steps for executing an effective software project is business process modeling. Business process modeling sets the foundation for project success, providing an opportunity to uncover current pain points and plan for future improvements. So what exactly is business process modeling, and what makes it essential for ERP implementation? Keep reading to find out.  

Business Process Modeling Definition

Business process modeling visually represents operations and workflows. The objective is to map out “as-is” processes as well as “to-be” processes—in other words, to graph current, unchanged processes along with future, improved processes. A myriad of charts and mediums can be used to undergo business process modeling, but the activity often begins with creating a step-by-step process flowchart with pen and paper.  

Like any other exercise, business process modeling alone doesn’t do your company much good. The idea is to gain a complete perspective of your operations by visualizing how data and tasks flow from end to end of your enterprise. With a more comprehensive understanding of your organization, you can identify inefficiencies and create an updated map that establishes new and improved workflows.  

You might be wondering how ERP comes into this. ERP software is intended to automate processes, but automating your existing workflows simply makes ineffective workflows faster. With poorly-designed workflows in place, you can’t achieve maximum ROI. But if you take the time to update processes and map them to your ERP instance, you can expect your solution to deliver the ROI and productivity necessary for eradicating critical pain points across your enterprise.  

Business Process Modeling Benefits

As we’ve already explained, understanding and updating your business processes helps you maximize the value of your ERP software. But there are even more benefits that come with business process modeling: 

• Process Standardization: While mapping current workflows, there’s a good chance you’ll find multiple people performing an operation differently—and maybe incorrectly. Business process modeling uncovers these issues and provides an opportunity to adjust workflows to enforce best practices.
• Transparency: Process documentation clarifies overall business goals and operations, fostering greater understanding and accountability.
• Project Risk Mitigation: When workflows aren’t documented, you run the risk of extending your software project’s budget or timeline. Once you recognize current pain points and model “to-be” workflows, you can prioritize project objectives and ensure essential tools are in place to optimize your business without experiencing scope creep.

Wrap Up

No enterprise can afford to skip business process modeling during their ERP implementation. By setting the baseline for project goals, business process modeling primes your software implementation for success.  

At Datix, we’re committed to following best practices to ensure each client’s solution optimizes their operations. Our consultants have over 20 years of experience in performing a variety of ERP services for manufacturers and distributors. One of those services is ERP integration. Our Unity application seamlessly connects ERP with CRM, eCommerce and Marketing Automation systems to enhance enterprise productivity and visibility.  

To start improving your business performance, click the button below to receive an evaluation of your current processes. Our ERP experts will identify gaps in your workflows and make relevant suggestions to boost your enterprise’s success. Start transforming your business with software by receiving an evaluation today!