Preview

Erp Selection Criteria

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
5264 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Erp Selection Criteria
Formalising ERP Selection Criteria
Xavier Burgués Illa Univ. Politècnica Catalunya Edifici C6 Campus Nord Jordi Girona Salgado 1- 3 08034 Barcelona. Spain +34 934 017 006 diafebus@lsi.upc.es Abstract
We present a proposal for selecting ERP products from a formal description of their relevant characteristics. The work is based on a previous and successful collaboration with a midsize company in the field of software package selection. An ERP was selected following a systematic methodology called SHERPA. In this past experience, SHERPA relied on natural language descriptions of the application domain, user needs and candidate ERP solutions. In this paper, we show that a formal language may be used for modeling this application domain, translating user needs into requirements over the ERP products, and for reflecting how concrete ERP products adjust to them. Having selection criteria used during ERP acquisition formally modeled, as well as user needs and ERP product descriptions, we expect to obtain more reliable and understandable results in this process. Keywords Software selection, requirements specification, ERP.

Xavier Franch Univ. Politècnica Catalunya Edifici C6 Campus Nord Jordi Girona Salgado 1- 3 08034 Barcelona. Spain +34 934 016 965 franch@lsi.upc.es

Joan Antoni Pastor Univ. Politècnica Catalunya Edifici C6 Campus Nord Jordi Girona Salgado 1- 3 08034 Barcelona. Spain +34 934 017 021 pastor@lsi.upc.es

1. Introduction
Current practices in the software industry give an increasing importance to software procurement [3]. A significant instance of software procurement relevance growth is the clear trend in both private and public companies with regard to their current options for software-based management information systems: the fast and wide proliferation of large packaged ready-made Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, surely among the most extreme examples of current Customisable Off-The-Shelf (COTS) software packages [2]. We have


References: 1. J. Dong, P. Alencar, D.D. Cowan. "A Component Specification Template for COTS-based Software Development". In [2]. 2. First Workshop on Ensuring Successful COTS Development. Workshop at 21st ICSE, 1999. 3. A. Finkelstein, G. Spanoudakis, M. Ryan "Software Package Requirements and Procurement". 8th Int. Workshop on Software Specification and Design, Berlin (Germany), 1996. 4. X. Franch. "Systematic Formulation of Non-Functional Characteristics of Software". Int. Conf. on Requirements Engineering (ICRE), Colorado Springs (USA), 1998. 5. X. Franch, X. Burgués. "A language for stating component quality". Proceedings of 14th Brasilian Symposium on Software Engineering (SBES), Joao Pessoa (Brasil), 2000. 6. X. Franch, J.A. Pastor. "On the Formalisation of ERP Systems Procurement". Workshop on Ensuring Successful COTS Development (22nd Int. Conf. on Software Engineering). 7. S. Guerra, A. Finkelstein. "Specification of COTS-based Systems". In [2]. 8. ISO/IEC 9126:1991. Information technology – Software product evaluation – Quality characteristics and guidelines for their use, ISO, www.iso.org, 1991. 9. ISO/IEC 12207:1995. Information technology – Software life cycle processes, ISO, www.iso.org, 1995. 10. ISO/IEC 14598. Information technology - Software Product Evaluation. ISO, www.iso.org, 1999. 11. J. Kontio. "OTSO: a systematic process for reusable software component selection". Univ. of Maryland research report CS-TR-3478 UMIACS-TR-95-63, 1995. 12. D. Landes, R. Studer. "The Treatment of Non-Functional Requirements in MIKE". In Proceedings of Fifth European Software Engineering Conference (ESEC), Barcelona (Catalunya, Spain), LNCS 989, Springer-Verlag, 1995. 13. N. Maiden, L. James, C. Ncube. "Evaluating Large COTS Software Packages: Why Requirements and Use Cases are Important". In [2]. 14. N. Maiden, C. Ncube. "Acquiring COTS Software Selection Requirements". IEEE Software, Vol. 15, No. 2, March/April, 1998. 15. J. Mayrand, F. Coallier. "System Acquisition Based on Software Product Assessment", Proc. of ICSE-18, 1996. 16. J. Mylopoulos, L. Chung, B.A. Nixon. "Representing and Using Nonfunctional Requirements: A Process-Oriented Approach". IEEE Trans. on Software Engineering, 18(6) 17. SEI. Software Acquisition Capability Maturity Model Version 1.01, Technical Report CMU/SEI-96-TR-020, http://www.sei.cmu.edu, December 1996. 18. F. Sistach, L.F. Fernández, J.A. Pastor. "Towards the methodological acquisition of ERP Solutions". Research Report LSI-98-63-R, http://www.lsi.upc.es, December 1998. 19. F. Sistach, J.A. Pastor. "Methodological acquisition of ERP solutions with SHERPA", in First World Class IT Service Management Guide (Ed. J. van Bon), tenHagenStam, 2000. 20. F. Sistach, J.A. Pastor, L.F. Fernández. "Towards the methodological acquisition of ERP solutions for SMEs", keynote paper in Proc. of the First Int. Workshop on Enterprise Management and Resource Planning: Methods, Tools and Architectures (EMRPS’99), Venice (Italy) , 1999. 21. Y. van Everdingen, J. van Hillegersberg, E. Waarts. "ERP Adoption by European Midsize Companies". Communications of the ACM, Vol. 43, N. 4, April 2000. Proceedings of the Tenth International Workshop on Software Specification and Design (IWSSD '00) 0-7695-0884-7/00 $10.00 © 2000 IEEE
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    Ts Group Erp Systems Decision
    • 1800 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Ts Group Erp Systems Decision

    This paper is an attempt to understand why TS Group chose JDE over SAP, SYSPRO, and Microsoft Dynamics. Within this paper all four ERP products (JDE, SAP, SYSPRO and Microsoft Dynamics) are evaluated for their strengths and weaknesses. From this evaluation a hypothesis is made as to why TS Group preferred the JDE ERP system. Considering any consultants available for these products, an argument is presented as to which constituents (stakeholders) had the most influence on this decision.…

    • 1800 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Cisco Systems, Inc.: Implementing ERP
    • 440 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Cisco Systems, Inc.: Implementing ERP

    The managers at Cisco were apprehensive about the risk involved in converting the existing legacy systems with ERP systems. They were worried because they thought that the implementation of ERP systems would turn out to be a “mega project” consuming lot of time and resources. Also, they preferred not to choose ERP systems in order to maintain Cisco’s strong tradition of standardization and consistency in budgetary structures which were in place in Cisco. The managers who were asked to make their own decision regarding the software packages were not ready to try any packages individually as they considered it a huge risk financially and in terms of time and so they preferred to keep going with their existing legacy systems by updating/repairing it when needed until it completely failed.…

    • 440 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    ADN vs BSN
    • 941 Words
    • 4 Pages

    ADN vs BSN

    References: Blegen, M.A., Goode, C.J., Park, S.H., Vaughn, T. & Spetz, J. (2013, February). Baccalaureate…

    • 941 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Choose the Best Software Package: Material, Capacity Requirement and Enterprise Resource Planning
    • 1487 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Choose the Best Software Package: Material, Capacity Requirement and Enterprise Resource Planning

    As part of the management team at PPQ Parts, I have been charged with selecting the best software packages for several of the firm 's needs. These needs include materials requirement planning (MRP), capacity requirement planning (CRP), and enterprise resource planning (ERP). Before we can choose among the various software programs, we need to first identify the needs as listed above.…

    • 1487 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Cisco Implementing Erp
    • 2143 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Cisco Implementing Erp

    This case describes the deliberations, process, problems, solutions and outcome of Cisco Systems’ implementation of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. In 1993, Pete Solvik, Cisco Systems CIO, was convinced that the company needed to move away from its UNIX-based software package in order to prepare the company for growth. Initially, he was inclined not to consider an ERP implementation, concerned about the overall costs and scope of such a project. However, in 1994, after a major crash of Cisco’s legacy environment, Solvik concluded that not only should they initiate a major ERP implementation, but that they should do it all at once rather than in phased manner. Solvik and his team secured KMPG as its integration partner, and KMPG aided the team in narrowing the candidate software packages to Oracle and another player in the ERP market. Due to its strength in manufacturing capability, its promise to develop the ERP functionality over the long-term, and its proximity to Cisco, Oracle was chosen, a mere 75 days after the inception of the project. With Oracle chosen, Solvik and his team needed the approval of Cisco’s board to proceed. At an estimated cost of $15 million, the Cisco’s CEO and board were concerned, but ultimately approved the project. With the green light, the core ERP team expanded from 20 to 100 members and was organized into five tracks managed by a Project Management Office that was overseen by an Executive Steering Committee. Implementation of the ERP system occurred in phases called Conference Room Pilots (CRP). CRP0 involved the training of the implementation team and setting-up the technical environment. In CRP0, it was determined that the ERP software would need to be modified substantially. CRP1 involved each track ensuring that the ERP stem worked within its specific area. In CRP1, gaps in the system were identified and developers worked to modify the system. In…

    • 2143 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Geneva Pharmaceuticals and ERP Implementation
    • 2232 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Geneva Pharmaceuticals and ERP Implementation

    This case discusses Geneva Pharmaceuticals and the much needed ERP implementation within the organization. Geneva is one of the world’s largest generic drug manufacturers. Geneva needed new organization within the company to help better manage the over 200 SKUs in different size packages. Their old way of doing business caused confusion and errors resulting in setbacks and overall negatively affecting the company. Realizing this, management at Geneva searched for a new ERP system to implement to solve these issues. After weighing the pros and cons of two different ERP systems, Geneva decided on implementing BPCS in their branded drug divisions and the generics agreed to implement R/3. That plan would be implemented in three phases which each had separate goals to fulfill to improve operations within Geneva. The case discusses some of the setbacks Geneva encounters with implementation and how an initial switch to a new ERP system can be challenging. Getting through the implementation challenges opened new doors for Geneva and allowed them to compete in the competitive industry of pharmaceutical drugs.…

    • 2232 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (Erp)
    • 3123 Words
    • 13 Pages

    Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (Erp)

    ERP software includes a set of interdependent software modules, linked to a common database, that provide support for the internal business processes in the following functional areas: finance and accounting, sales and marketing, manufacturing and production, and human resources. The modules are built around predefined business processes, and users access them through a single interface. The business processes in ERP software are often predefined by the best practices that the ERP vendor has developed. Best practices are the most successful solutions or problem solving methods for achieving a business objective.…

    • 3123 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    6 Key Decision Drivers Erp
    • 7938 Words
    • 32 Pages

    6 Key Decision Drivers Erp

    This white paper discusses the 6 Key Decision Drivers that you should consider as you evaluate ERP software products. These 6 criteria are: • Functionality • Technology • Software Vendor • Implementation Vendor • Support & Maintenance • Total Cost of Ownership If you ask the right questions of software vendors you will collect the right information to make an informed decision when selecting an ERP solution. The software should provide you with more than a basic functional fit, it should provide a strategic advantage to drive efficiency and expand your business. You are buying a tool that you can use to support the business functions of your company and give you a competitive advantage. Because the technology business environment is constantly changing, evaluation of the software vendor is as crucial as the evaluation of the functionality. The right implementation partner brings experience, industry knowledge, best practices, and technical capabilities to the table. You should regard your ERP software as a key component of your organization that requires care, maintenance, and upgrading. By focusing on what you need and understanding the total cost of ownership of your software options, you make sure you pay the right amount for your software. When all six decision drivers are used, you gather the information you need to give you confidence that you have made the right decision.…

    • 7938 Words
    • 32 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Powerit Case Study
    • 1011 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Powerit Case Study

    In order to survive in this competitive business world, every business must produce or provide not only a better product or service, they must also provide better customer service, minimize their production costs and overhead costs, have a more efficient management system, a highly reliable infrastructure…the list is endless. Many of these can be achieved through a customized enterprise resource planning system (ERP). ERPs serve as “one comprehensive database to house all of [the company’s] corporate information” so that “when you enter new information in one place, the system automatically updates related information.” However, if these systems are not implemented correctly with the necessary change in management of people and technology it can result in failure…..…

    • 1011 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Male Dominance And Female Oppression in A Midsummer Night’s Dream
    • 1437 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Male Dominance And Female Oppression in A Midsummer Night’s Dream

    Lopez, Vicente F., Dr. "First Paper." First Paper. Universitat De València Press, 2006-2007. Web. 24 Oct. 2013.…

    • 1437 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Cisco Systems,Inc: Implementing ERP : Case Analysis
    • 2334 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Cisco Systems,Inc: Implementing ERP : Case Analysis

    In 1994, Cisco Systems, Inc. was on the verge of an internal breakdown. The company experienced exponential growth in response to businesses’ demand for Internet technologies and data systems. Unfortunately, the UNIX-based software package the company used at the time couldn’t keep up with its sudden growth. After a system failure that caused Cisco to shut down for two days, the management team decided to proceed with plans to implement a new ERP system. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of the process used to implement the new system, and an assessment of its overall effectiveness.…

    • 2334 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Cisco
    • 2357 Words
    • 10 Pages

    Cisco

    Cisco Systems made the decision to implement a new company wide ERP system. Cisco initially was running a UNIX-based software package to support its core transaction processing. However, the legacy system in place constantly needed maintenance and the available upgrade was much too small for Cisco, which was growing at a rate of 80% per year. Our analysis details Cisco’s choices during the implementation process, and the circumstances involving decisions associated with the success of the project. Also, discussed is the degree of success the implementation had in terms of cost and performance. And finally, our analysis contains summaries of the major success drivers and flaws in place, which contributed to the successful rollout of Cisco’s 15 million dollar ERP project in only nine months.…

    • 2357 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Case: Cisco Systems, Inc. Implementing Erp, 9-699-022
    • 1806 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Case: Cisco Systems, Inc. Implementing Erp, 9-699-022

    It comes as no surprise, then, that companies have been beating paths to the doors of enterprise-system developers. The sales of the largest vendor, Germany’s SAP, have soared from less than $500 million in 1992 to approximately $3.3 billion in 1997, making it the fastest-growing software company in the world. SAP’s competitors, including such companies as Baan, Oracle, and PeopleSoft, have also seen rapid growth in demand for their packages. It is estimated that businesses around the world are now spending $10 billion per year on enterprise systems—also commonly referred to as enterprise resource planning, or ERP, systems—and that figure probably doubles when you add in associated consulting expenditures. While the rise of the Internet has received most of the media attention in recent years, the business world’s embrace of enterprise systems may in fact be the most important development in the corporate use of information technology in the 1990s.…

    • 1806 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Software Design Document
    • 854 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Software Design Document

    IEEE. IEEE Std 1016-1998 IEEE Recommended Practice for Software Design Descriptions. IEEE Computer Society, 1998.…

    • 854 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Software Requirements Specification Template
    • 1662 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Software Requirements Specification Template

    Sections of this document are based upon the IEEE Guide to Software Requirements Specification (ANSI/IEEE Std. 830-1984). The SRS templates of Dr. Orest Pilskalns (WSU, Vancover) and Jack Hagemeister (WSU, Pullman) have also be used as guides in developing this template for the WSU-TC Spring 2005 CptS 322 course.…

    • 1662 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More

Related Topics