Are you a small-to-medium size company that’s considering a change to your enterprise resource planning (ERP) system? You likely have some concerns, which is understandable, but if you said ‘yes,’ you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to discover the benefits of ERP software (specifically Workday) — plus how the right partner can alleviate your deployment hesitation.
What is an ERP?
There are many ERP solutions out there, but what do they do and why might a company choose to invest in one?
ERP typically refers to a type of software that enables an organization to manage its day-to-day business processes. This may include their financial management and human capital management but can also include their business planning, sales forecasting, inventory management, and more.
ERP software applications are valuable because they can allow companies to integrate all of the processes needed to run their business into a single system. This yields better visibility into their business operations, which helps the organization to identify where they are performing efficiently and where they need to adjust the business to operate more optimally.
If you are considering an ERP system, you’ll find that there are several different options available to you. While there are similarities between the solutions, not all ERPs are created equally. For instance, while many allow users to automate time-consuming daily tasks, some are more rigid and difficult to adjust and would therefore not be suitable to a growing organization that requires such flexibility. This type of flexibility is one of the many reasons that TopBloc believes Workday is the best choice for an ERP solution today.
Reasons Why a Company May Defer a Workday Deployment
The decision to transition your company to a new — or even an initial — ERP system is an important consideration that will have significant impacts on your business (albeit positive ones!). Companies of any size must weigh the decision carefully before jumping into a project to ensure they have adequate resources to manage such a transition. This is universally true, but especially for smaller organizations, as this stage of the process can become overwhelming.
Common reasons why a business or organization may feel unprepared or unable to take on an ERP deployment typically include:
- Pricing/budget concerns
- Personnel required for deployment
- Lack of expertise to maintain the system once live
But fear not, you’re not alone! TopBloc has managed hundreds of Workday deployments for organizations of all sizes; we are equipped to advise you through the process to ensure a successful launch. Keep reading to learn how your hesitations can be mitigated by partnering with a Workday Services Partner like us.
Is Your Business Too Small to Benefit from an ERP?
The definition of a small-to-medium-to-large business will vary depending on the industry. Small businesses are often categorized as those with fewer than 100 employees. Medium enterprise companies are thought to be between 100 and 3,500 employees while large businesses employ greater than 3,500 people.
In the enterprise software world, we find that companies should generally begin to explore ERP solutions when they approach approximately 300 employees. At this stage, a company’s needs have typically become complex enough that an ERP will help the organization execute its business more efficiently and productively.
If you have fewer than 300 employees, an ERP solution might not make sense for your organization — but that’s not always the case. There are several other factors that may justify a need for an application such as Workday, which we explain below.
Benefits of the Right ERP System
While ERP solutions, such as Workday, are ideal for companies with at least 300 employees, they are also suitable solutions for smaller companies that have employees and operations spread across multiple locations — specifically in places that have different governing laws. Why? A solution like Workday can effectively and efficiently manage the following, which will vary by state and country:
- Compliance laws
- Labor laws
- Regulations
- Policies regarding time off and maternity leave
- Taxes
Workday is compliant with national and international laws and regulations; in addition, you are immediately plugged into a community of skilled professionals who maintain compliance and can quickly answer your questions or provide you with additional information should you need it.
This is not to say that an ERP system like Workday isn’t a suitable choice for smaller companies or ones with a single location, but there may be less robust (and more cost-effective) solutions on the market for those particular companies.
In the end, whether or not Workday makes sense for you should come down to three factors — the size of your company, your geographic distribution, and your goals for growth. ERP solutions such as Workday are incredibly valuable business tools that enable an organization to establish a unified operating platform to manage all aspects of the company from financial accounting to HR and more. Choosing one that offers the features and capabilities you need is important — as is choosing a system that is agile enough to adapt with your organization as the company grows and changes over time.
Are You Ready for Workday?
Companies and organizations measure readiness in different ways, which is why it’s important to define the strategic, top-level objectives of your corporation upfront. Here are some questions to ask:
- Where is your company headed, and how do you plan to get there?
- How does technology currently support your business processes? In an ideal world, how would you enhance this?
- Would you like to save time or effort by consolidating several platforms you are currently using into one more robust system?
- Are you ready to transition from semi-manual to automated processes?
- Are you looking to grow your business? Will you be introducing new products or services? Over what timeframe? Will this require additional headcount and if so, how many new employees do you need?
Reflecting on the questions above should help you to drive alignment on your vision for the future of your organization and define how you expect an ERP solution to help you get there. Once your vision is solidified, you’re ready to get started.
How a Partner Can Mitigate Workday Deployment Concerns
Once you determine that a digital transformation to an ERP solution like Workday is the right fit, you should consider your short-term and long-term goals of a digital transformation.
Personnel Requirements
This is also the time to closely examine your workforce. Who is supporting which functions? Do you have the employee capacity to support an ERP solution? Who will maintain the data? Thinking about the future plans of your company is just as important since it will help make decisions about what you implement today and whether you need increased levels of readiness in the future.
To alleviate staffing and capacity concerns, companies can hire consultants and contractors. While deployment is undoubtedly a large undertaking, TopBloc’s unique tooling solutions such as SmartLoader help to ease resourcing requirements by automating several time-consuming menial tasks.
Expertise-related concerns can also be mitigated with the right Workday Services Partner. TopBloc, for instance, offers Change Management services to educate customers during the deployment process so that they are prepared with the knowledge they need to perform day-to-day system management when their Workday application goes live. Additionally, TopBloc’s team is available to support a company’s ongoing digital transformation after deployment; our Help Desk application management services can provide post-production Workday support with a dedicated point of contact who has the time and capability to help maintain Workday. We even offer Payroll Managed Services, which can provide advice related to Workday Payroll or even take care of payroll processing on your behalf.
This is all to say that with the right support, staffing concerns or hesitations related to lack-of Workday knowledge can be easily mitigated by partnering with a Workday Services Partner like TopBloc.
Budget Constraints
Another common concern to evaluate is budget. When it comes to your budget, you should first determine how much you are currently spending on licensing and maintenance for your existing systems, including upgrades and the team to operate those systems. Next, identify which of those costs will be eliminated when you transition to a new solution. Finally, consider the cost of implementation, new licenses, and a new or enhanced support structure needed to operate your new solution.
When you compare the two, you may find that the cost of your new technology is greater, but remember — a new ERP solution like Workday is equipped with enhanced capabilities that will streamline your workforce and automate previously manual processes. It’s also helpful to remind yourself of the cost of not implementing an ERP solution; you’ll continue to experience the challenges that led you to explore this option in the first place, such as disaggregated systems, redundant data, and time-consuming menial tasks that sometimes result in inconsistencies from human error.
The bottom line: when considering an enterprise solution, keep the total cost of operation, total cost of ownership, and return on investment in mind.
The Power of Partnering With TopBloc
TopBloc is a technology consulting firm that provides fixed-time, fixed-price Workday deployment services and on-demand Workday support. With our Advisory Services, TopBloc supports customers in assessing their Workday readiness, building the case for your digital transformation, and developing the strategy and roadmap that will bring you there. We meet you where you are, delivering tailored solutions through our unique technology-backed approach. Our goal is to help reduce timelines and eliminate inefficiencies, enabling you to focus on your business while gaining immediate value from your new Workday platform.
If you have questions about whether Workday is the right choice, contact us. We look forward to answering your questions!
