Huron Education Provides 15 Tips for Developing and Implementing a Successful Enterprise Resource Planning System

Implementing ERP System Among Most Costly, Time-Consuming for Universities

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Huron Education offers 15 tips for a successful Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system implementation for universities and research institutions.

“Universities are under financial pressures from every direction, from reduced government funding to expectations by students and parents to deliver ever higher quality services at lower costs”

ERP systems are essential to the efficient operations of large higher education organizations, but the installations of new systems are expensive, time-consuming and complicated. By some estimates, half of all implementations fail, nearly 90 percent are finished after stated deadlines, and two-thirds do not meet institutional goals. However, many institutions have had success in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of business process, workflow and service levels through focused, well-governed implementation.

“Universities are under financial pressures from every direction, from reduced government funding to expectations by students and parents to deliver ever higher quality services at lower costs,” said Jason Moebius, managing director, Huron Education. “ERP systems can help university leaders to better face these challenges by aligning their business processes and providing essential information to facilitate timely and more-informed decision making. A successful system is one that starts producing actionable information and insights as soon as it begins operation.”

In the interest of doing an ERP installation correctly the first time, Huron Education created guidelines for developing and choosing the appropriate system, installation and maintenance:

Tip #1:	Assess the institution’s readiness to take on an ERP initiative.
Tip #2:	Make sure to get the right ERP system for the institution’s needs.
Tip #3:	Planning (and vision) is everything.
Tip #4:	The times (and technology) are a changing
Tip #5:	Commit to change.
Tip #6:	Make sure you have an adequate budget and responsible timeline for the project.
Tip #7:	Buy-in is critical.
Tip #8:	The ERP implementation is a full-time job.
Tip #9:	Don’t underestimate the system integration effort.
Tip #10:	Invest in training and change management.
Tip #11:	Accurate and accessible data is vital.
Tip #12:	Be realistic.
Tip #13:	Decommission legacy systems.
Tip #14:	Vigorously test the system before going live.
Tip #15:	Installation is important; so is maintenance.

For additional information on each tip or to access the full ERP briefing: http://www.huronconsultinggroup.com/researchdetails.aspx?articleId=3346

“Rock solid executive leadership, proper planning, and a commitment to providing resources for the long haul are all essential for each project,” said Kevin Fitzgerald, assistant vice provost, Project Management at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

If you are interested in speaking with Jason Moebius or another Huron Education expert on issues affecting universities and research institutions, please contact:

Jennifer Frost Hennagir

312-880-3260

[e-mail]

Jenna Nichols

312-880-5693

[e-mail]

About Huron Education

Huron Education is the premier provider serving the unique needs of the higher education industry. Our team of professionals, each with extensive knowledge and experience in the business of higher education and academic medical centers, delivers comprehensive services to the industry and partners with institutions to improve business performance across the enterprise. Our professionals draw from their experience working in the strategic, financial, operational, and regulatory aspects of higher education to develop and implement the most effective consulting and software solutions. Huron Education has helped more than 90 of the nation’s top 100 research institutions improve their performance so they can continue their traditions of extraordinary achievement. Learn more at www.huronconsultinggroup.com/highereducation or follow us on Twitter: @Huron.

About Huron Consulting Group

Huron Consulting Group helps clients in diverse industries improve performance, comply with complex regulations, reduce costs, recover from distress, leverage technology, and stimulate growth. The Company teams with its clients to deliver sustainable and measurable results. Huron provides services to a wide variety of both financially sound and distressed organizations, including healthcare organizations, Fortune 500 companies, leading academic institutions, medium-sized businesses, and the law firms that represent these various organizations. Learn more at www.huronconsultinggroup.com.