ERP Best Practices: ERP Data Cleaning
By Steve Leadbeater
There is generally a lot of focus and effort at the start of an ERP implementation project on the transfer of ‘clean’ data. Companies often hoard data and the focus during implementation is generally to get all of that hoarded data (whether it’s up to date, obsolete or accurate) into a format that can be uploaded to the new system. Formatting data is not the same as cleaning data.
Why ERP Data Cleaning Is Important
Companies and individuals are often reluctant to invest the time and resources to ERP data cleaning. Let’s face it is not the most interesting of tasks and there is no immediate payback. However cleaning and updating data rather than hoarding data will get the best results from your ERP system and ultimately give you data that you can trust which then enables you to make the best decisions and implement an effective strategy for your company’s success and growth.
Don’t think of data cleansing as a once in a blue moon activity (e.g. when implementing a new ERP system) think of it as a necessary process to keeping operations running properly. The most important part of an ERP system is clean data. The best way to maintain this is by creating a proper plan.
What Cleaning ERP Data Entails
The process of data cleansing should include looking at the following:
- Outdated, inconsistent customer & Supplier data
- Obsolete product data
- Duplicate data
- Incomplete Data
- Closure of order / data balances
- Incomplete data fields
ERP Process Cleaning
As well as data cleansing also look at process cleansing.
Process and ERP systems evolve and as they evolve you must ensure that the process and work instruction documents are kept up to date. This is important when you have new starters or people change roles and can help prevent issues that cause dirty data or loss of data that affect the smooth running of the organization.
