During an ERP project, the team should document data conversion requirements as part of the current state review and the development of the future state process.Data as well as processes need to be documented and understood.
From this review of processes and data, the team can identify all of the databases that will need to be converted. The documentation of the databases becomes a requirement that vendors need to address in the vendor evaluation phase.
Immediately upon commencement of the ERP Implementation project, the project management and the project team, assisted by FAIC Group, need to map out a strategy to convert the databases to the new system.
At this time, process owners need to take ownership of the successful version of the data.
The ERP project plan should include tasks and responsibilities. FAIC Group clients usually employ their IT resources to prepare the data for conversion. They know the source of the data and are usually best suited to this task.
The process owner(s) that work with IT will own the data and is responsible for ensuring the data is converted and cleansed for the new system. Data conversion issues are often encountered in the testing process.
The project team needs to develop a conversion strategy for the following types of data:
- Static files – master data such as customers
- Dynamic files – transaction data such as open Purchase orders
- History – transaction history
