What does ERP maintenance consist of

Key Aspects of Maintaining an ERP

If you already have an ERP or are considering implementing one, it is essential to understand in detail what ERP maintenance entails. Only in this way will you be able to improve business processes and decision-making, ensuring optimal system performance, minimizing risks, and maximizing the return on investment in the software implementation. Below, we break down the main components of maintaining an ERP.

Support and Technical Assistance

Support and technical assistance are fundamental tasks in the maintenance of an ERP and include the following aspects:

• Software updates: To prevent security breaches, fix potential bugs, or improve system performance, it is essential that ERP maintenance includes regularly scheduled updates and patches.
• Resolution of queries and problems: This involves specifically addressing the doubts or issues that users may encounter. For example, difficulties in accessing a certain functionality, questions about the interface, or inquiries about integration with other systems, such as time management software or a CRM.
• Error and failure correction: Today, ERP maintenance benefits from continuous monitoring tools and processes, enabling predictive maintenance that can detect possible errors or problems in the system before they occur. Once bugs or vulnerabilities are identified, the necessary patches and updates are deployed, data is repaired if necessary, and the ERP code is optimized. A testing phase follows, including load, integration, and regression tests, as well as tests in development environments to ensure that the issue has been resolved. Importantly, many ERPs now offer remote assistance capabilities for problem identification and resolution.

User Management

Not all ERP users have access to the same information and functionalities. For this reason, user permissions are implemented based on the company's roles and access policies, which must be regularly reviewed and updated to maintain the integrity and security of the system and ensure regulatory compliance.

Documentation

To carry out effective ERP maintenance, it is crucial to document all activities. A historical record should be kept of all changes and processes made, such as updates or patches. Documentation not only makes it easier to resolve errors—avoiding problems that could arise without clear guidance on how to use each feature—but it is also essential for maintenance work by providing an accessible record of all previous maintenance.

In addition, it is advisable to have documentation aimed at establishing and standardizing processes and workflows with the company's best practices. This ensures that a guide of good practices is available for all departments over time, preserving critical information even in cases such as personnel changes, where new hires may not have received adequate training.

Data Management and Backups

One of the most determining factors for the proper functioning of the ERP is the quality of the data. Therefore, it is essential to include tasks such as storage space management, SQL query optimization, and identifying and reducing table and index fragmentation in maintenance to optimize the database. Additionally, tasks like the establishment of data standards and policies, regular data cleaning and validation, and audits ensure that the information is reliable, complete, and rigorous.

Staff Training

The full potential of an ERP can only be harnessed if the team has the necessary training, which will also significantly improve the return on investment (ROI) of the ERP implementation. To ensure that every user of the system has the required knowledge, the technology partner must, together with the company, identify training needs, assess competencies, and define roles. Based on these needs, the training content and necessary documentation are developed and scheduled, along with the planning of training sessions for the different teams.

Integration with Other Systems

The interconnection between the ERP and the other systems of the company guarantees a free flow of information in real time, allows certain processes to be automated, eliminates duplication and unnecessary tasks, and ensures that the information is complete, leading to greater cohesion and collaboration between the different areas and processes of the company. There are different integration methods, such as P2P, APIs, ESB, or IPaaS, among others. However, the most important aspect is that the company performing the maintenance ensures the consistency, security, and accuracy of the data through continuous monitoring.

Security and Compliance

In addition to applying security patches and monitoring vulnerabilities, ERP maintenance includes many other activities aimed at protecting the integrity and security of data, ensuring that the system guarantees privacy and is aligned with the rules and regulations applicable to the company.

Some of the tasks in this area include:

• Regular security and cybersecurity audits.
• Data encryption to prevent vulnerabilities with sensitive information and keep security certificates updated and configured.
• Preparation and implementation of a disaster recovery plan and compliance policies.

Contact SEIDOR for the Maintenance of Your ERP

At SEIDOR, we have been offering digital solutions worldwide for more than 40 years. When it comes to ERPs specifically, we work with market leaders, such as SAP Business One. In fact, we are a global SAP reference partner. ERP maintenance, as you've seen throughout this article, is crucial; leave it in the best hands—leave it in the hands of SEIDOR.