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ERP implementation: configure, customise or integrate?
By Micah Ondiwa, Senior Software Engineer 1 min read
Configure what the ERP does well, integrate specialised systems around it, and customise the core only when nothing else works.
Enterprise resource planning systems promise one place for finance, procurement, stock and HR. How you adapt the ERP to your organisation largely determines the long-term cost.
Configure first
Modern ERPs offer extensive configuration: workflows, approval levels, document templates, reports. Use it fully before changing code.
Integrate specialist systems
Industry-specific needs — a weighbridge, a hospital system, a hotel booking engine — are often better served by a specialist system connected to the ERP than by bending the ERP.
Customise sparingly
Code changes to the ERP core make upgrades harder and more expensive. When customisation is unavoidable, keep it separate and documented.
Clean the data
An ERP depends on accurate master data: items, customers, suppliers, accounts. Clean and standardise it before go-live.
Train by process
Train users on end-to-end processes — procure to pay, order to cash — not just screens.
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About the author
Micah Ondiwa
Senior Software Engineer
Micah Ondiwa writes about software engineering — application architecture, APIs and integration, data and AI-assisted development, and reliable delivery.