Following the selection of the software vendor, it is time to install the software. Right? Well, not exactly. The software will be excellent but it now must be adapted to your operations. Remember, Enterprise Software connects every facet of the company in such a way that every transaction becomes an available piece of data for the corporation.The software is not “one size fits all” but rather “one system adaptable to your business.” Chris Gray says: “ES systems are flexible in the same way that concrete is flexible when it is poured. However once it hardens, it takes a jack hammer to change it.”
Typically, for convenience in programming and use, the software will be in a number of modules that focus on particular parts of the company. Although there is variation among the providers, there will be seven to ten modules with titles like Finance and Accounting, Master Scheduling, Human Resources, Warehouse Management, and so on. Each of these must be tailored to your particular operations and business needs. Most of this tailoring will involve setting switches to control data flow and processing steps. However, in some cases, enhancements to the software package are necessary in order
to support critical business functions. (We’ll go into more detail on enhancements later in this chapter because what we have to say applies to both ES and to bolt-ons.)