Enterprise Resource Planning Systems Streamlining Upgrade Decisions

Few organizations choose to upgrade their systems despite the benefits of new features and additional functionality such as web based services offered by upgrading Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. The reason for this is upgrading an ERP system remains a complex undertaking which requires strategies to minimise disruption to business operations. High costs and risks associated with upgrading imply that the decision to upgrade is not trivial and should be undertaken for the right reasons that make business sense and have clear benefits. Conversely opting not to upgrade has long term implications such as using outdated ERP systems which lack continued technical support or obtaining support at a very steep price. The paper will explore factors and challenges that influence ERP upgrade decisions and identify key features to streamline ERP upgrade. The outcome identifies that decision support methodologies and techniques could play a significant role in streamlining ERP upgrading decision.