Adjusting processes after implementation leads to unnecessary costs and new inefficiencies. That is a waste of time and budget.

Proper preparation begins even before implementation. Be sure to read our article on ERP selection, in which we show you how to compare different ERP solutions in a structured way and make a choice that aligns with your processes and goals.

Once the current processes are clear, we translate them into a blueprint: this is how we want to work and how you want to set up SAP Business One.

That blueprint document is not brochure material, but your working drawing. It enforces choices. Which variant is the standard? Which exception can stay? Which one cannot?

Before implementing anything, you want to know how the process is running. You don't need an extensive report for that, because a simple analysis from start to finish will do the trick: when does it start, when is it finished, who does what, what data do you use and where does it come from?

Apart from the basics, any exceptions are very important to get a complete picture of the business process. It is precisely in the exceptions that time leaks away and most errors occur. Also pay attention to the combination of systems and manual work.

Our advice is to carry out this process step by step together with the people who do the work every day. This way, the risk of wrongly defined steps remains low because people on the work floor immediately see where things get stuck and which step no one can explain.

Make it small and concrete:

• Start and end point - when does the process start and when is it "done"?
• Roles: Who decides? Who executes? Who controls?
• What data do you need where? Where does it come from?
• Systems vs. manual work: what's automated, what's in Excel or mail?
• Exceptions and wait times - where does it stall? Where is duplicate entry?

Draw it in a simple flow chart. Nothing more is needed. At a glance you can see the route from lead to invoice, or from purchase request to receipt. "Simple visibility" is half the battle.

A sharp evaluation can be confronting. Processes have grown over time and inefficient parts can creep in. It is also possible that the findings of an earlier process are already outdated or no longer appropriate due to changes in strategy. A critical evaluation prevents the process from taking a different turn every week during implementation.

Our advice is to work to standards wherever possible. This makes the system manageable, clear and future-proof.

However: every process is different and where the process cannot be optimized, we customize it. Adjustments work best as a targeted, small implementation with proper justification. After all, wanting everything 'as before' sounds safe, but is often the fastest route to expensive complexity and permanent inefficiency.

SAP Business One is built on best practices. If your process fits these, the system remains clear and manageable. If something really doesn't fit, there is plenty of room for adjustments.

Thanks to the wide range of software extensions of SAP Business One, which can tackle most of the processes per industry or business process, real customization is not necessary in most cases. Still, it is good to streamline processes as much as possible even in the extensions.

Our conviction is clear: a system completely moulded to the old way of working rarely works out well. Then you work "as always", only with a new icon.

A great example is Platinum, a specialist in outdoor products. They had been working with SAP Business One for years, but work-arounds and manual work had developed. Management decided: clean house first, then tight live. The choice fell on implementing according to best practices, without unnecessary customization.

The result: on time live, peace in the warehouse thanks to the WMS and faster switching based on figures instead of gut feeling. "It was almost boring how smoothly it went," joked Diederik Schneemann COO after the project. That is exactly the benefit of getting the processes right first and then the tooling.

Our business consultants are highly experienced. We walk along on the shop floor, ask difficult questions and make the exceptions visible. We map out the current situation, simplify it where possible and translate that into a set-up that is correct. We help make choices: what becomes standard, what remains exceptional, and advise when customization is logical.

We don't stop at a nice document. We stay with it until it works. That means: testing on real data, involving colleagues, and adjusting where necessary after going live. No thick theory, but results in practice.