ERP Maintenance: How To Best Use Your ERP After Implementation

Who cares how you implemented your ERP? It’s about how you use it.

Implementing an ERP system is no small feat. It takes careful planning, resources, and time. But let’s be honest: The success of your ERP doesn’t stop at go-live. What really matters is how well you use it after implementation. Unfortunately, many businesses struggle with ERP maintenance, and their systems slowly lose effectiveness.

Think of your ERP like a plane

Buying an ERP is like buying an airplane. You’ve invested in something powerful and reliable. But if the pilots (your team) don’t stay trained on the latest features and updates, would you trust them to fly you where you need to go?

The same principle applies to ERP. The system only works as well as the people using it. Consistent ERP maintenance—which includes training, ongoing support, and regular check-ins—keep your team confident and your ERP delivering value.

Why your ERP may not be working as well as you’d like

There are plenty of reasons why ERP systems don’t perform the way they should:

1. Turnover: When employees leave, their ERP knowledge leaves with them.
2. Business changes: Processes and priorities evolve, and your ERP needs to evolve too.
3. Lack of training: If your team doesn’t stay up to date, they can’t use the ERP to its full potential.
4. Poor data management: Bad data leads to bad decisions, and trust in the system erodes.
5. No long-term plan: Many companies put all their energy into implementation but forget about what comes next.

When these things happen, people lose confidence in the ERP. They start solving problems outside the system—spreadsheets and workarounds creep back in. Suddenly, you’re right back where you started when you began evaluating vendors for a new ERP.

Avoiding ERP neglect

Your ERP system is like any other critical tool in your business: it needs attention to stay effective. Without ERP maintenance, processes break down, data quality suffers, and your team moves further away from the system they’re supposed to rely on. To avoid this, you need a plan for keeping your ERP in top shape.

This plan should include creating documented procedures for core ERP tasks, such as entering orders, managing work orders, and reporting labor. Clear documentation ensures new employees can be trained consistently and prevents the loss of valuable knowledge when key staff leave.

Cross-functional ERP teams are another critical component. By involving representatives from different areas of the business, you can address system issues, improve processes, and drive continuous improvement.

How to keep your ERP running smoothly

Here’s what it takes to maintain your ERP and get the most out of it:

• Train your team regularly
  Training doesn’t stop after go-live. Whenever there’s an update or a new feature, your team needs to know how to use it. Bring in ERP consultants when needed to help identify gaps or teach best practices.
• Revisit goals from implementation
  During implementation, you probably pushed some things to “Phase two” or “Phase three.” Go back and revisit those plans. They were important enough to save for later—make sure they’re not forgotten.
• Keep your data clean
  Your ERP is only as good as the data inside it. Build routines for checking, cleaning, and updating your data to keep it accurate and useful.
• Use ERP to drive business goals
  Your ERP isn’t just software—it’s a tool to help your business achieve its goals. Whether it’s improving inventory accuracy, better tracking labor costs, or something else, tie your ERP’s performance to measurable outcomes.
• Do regular check-ups
  Set aside time to review your ERP processes. Are they still working the way you need them to? Are there features you’re not using but could benefit from? These regular evaluations keep the system aligned with your business.

ERP performance is a mindset

Think about the equipment on your shop floor. You wouldn’t skip maintenance on a machine you rely on every day. ERP maintenance is no different—the system a critical part of your business, and it needs the same level of care and attention.

Companies that get the most out of their ERP are the ones that invest in it long-term. They make training a priority, clean up data regularly, and bring in outside expertise when needed.

Final thoughts

ERP isn’t just something you set up and forget. It’s a tool to make your business better every day, but only if you commit to maintaining it. By developing ERP maintenance processes that focus on training, revisiting goals, and keeping the system aligned with your needs, you can ensure it keeps delivering value for years to come.