Ten years of fucking ERP development
I am writing this post after I once again saw the fruits of self-development of an ERP system.
I was invited to a meeting at a company that had developed a software product for managing business processes for ten (!!!) years on its own (language doesn’t turn this product into an erp system).
And after ten years the company management understands that ... does not understand anything. In the literal sense of the word. The software product perfectly solves issues related to logistics. In other words, all issues, from the moment of receiving the order to the time of delivery of the goods to the client, are solved very, very well. Really nice. And that's all. Nothing else.
But if ten years ago it was precisely these problems that were at the forefront, now, when 150 employees work in the company, the main problem is not at all logistics and not a warehouse. Or rather, the main problems are simply much more than ten years ago.
')
Moreover, as for the warehouse, not all problems have been solved there either. For example, there is no batch accounting. This means that the initial shipping documents of the software are not generated. After all, without the parties can not properly reflect the CCD in the invoice. Although, according to company representatives, they are already adding batch accounting, and it will soon work. But I know how much time it actually takes to develop such complex things. He did not argue, time will tell (it has already shown that in 10 years there have not been any games). However, this is the little things in life, compared to other problems.
The company's management does not understand the true financial condition of the business. Yes, there are some financial reports that someone does with their hands in excel. But their veracity is doubtful, the quality is low, it is impossible to check the numbers, and the reporting is very late. And mistakes, mistakes. And now this is becoming a major headache.
The company constantly works with bank loans. This means that you need to be able to separate the wheat from the chaff. Many enterprises in 2008 lost themselves precisely because they did not know the true state of affairs. When from the bank side you constantly receive financial injections, you think that everything is fine. After all, there is money in the account! But the problem is that this is not your money. And when they stop giving you injections, and they even ask you to return everything you owe, you understand the true state of affairs. But it's' too late.
In short, the company's management simply came to realize, as a result of evolution, that we need good P & L, Cash & Flow, managerial balance. Otherwise, to understand what is actually happening in the company is simply no longer possible. Turns such that it’s already impossible to put all this in my head.
I’m not talking about the problems associated with such parts of the business as contract management, costs, working with clients, etc. These things also became problems.
And so I ended up in negotiations at this company. In order to discuss with the owner ways to solve these problems.
The company just stumped itself. How? Very simple. The company has been working for ten years with a product to which everyone has simply become attached. Employees not ten and not twenty. There are one hundred and fifty. And they are all used to. And it seems to all of them that everything in their product is damn convenient. This is normal - when you get used to something, it seems convenient to you. And when they give you something that is actually more convenient, but not familiar, it seems to you that this is inconvenient.
To abandon the operation of this product is simply impossible. In it, the history of the company for 10 years. It will be very difficult to convert all this economy into a new product, but rather impossible.
And now the owner tells me the phrase: “We can spend ten more fucking (that is, he admitted that they were just fucking) years to develop these damn finances, but we do not know how to make them .
How to get out of this situation? Stop using your own product and implement a new ERP system? It is almost unreal. The company has become attached, accustomed and the majority of employees are satisfied with everything! Ordinary employee what is needed? Convenient quick customer entry, order, well, something else. How should he know that, as a result, the leadership does not get what it is all about? He is comfortable! Try to replace and you will get mega-sabotage , moans, scandals.
Dead end?
The only way out in this situation is to buy another product where you can get all the necessary financial statements. But pre-develop a system for integrating these two completely dissimilar products. Will it work out? Is not a fact!
Self-development has led to:
UPD. I did not get involved in the project.
I was invited to a meeting at a company that had developed a software product for managing business processes for ten (!!!) years on its own (language doesn’t turn this product into an erp system).
And after ten years the company management understands that ... does not understand anything. In the literal sense of the word. The software product perfectly solves issues related to logistics. In other words, all issues, from the moment of receiving the order to the time of delivery of the goods to the client, are solved very, very well. Really nice. And that's all. Nothing else.
But if ten years ago it was precisely these problems that were at the forefront, now, when 150 employees work in the company, the main problem is not at all logistics and not a warehouse. Or rather, the main problems are simply much more than ten years ago.
')
Moreover, as for the warehouse, not all problems have been solved there either. For example, there is no batch accounting. This means that the initial shipping documents of the software are not generated. After all, without the parties can not properly reflect the CCD in the invoice. Although, according to company representatives, they are already adding batch accounting, and it will soon work. But I know how much time it actually takes to develop such complex things. He did not argue, time will tell (it has already shown that in 10 years there have not been any games). However, this is the little things in life, compared to other problems.
The company's management does not understand the true financial condition of the business. Yes, there are some financial reports that someone does with their hands in excel. But their veracity is doubtful, the quality is low, it is impossible to check the numbers, and the reporting is very late. And mistakes, mistakes. And now this is becoming a major headache.
The company constantly works with bank loans. This means that you need to be able to separate the wheat from the chaff. Many enterprises in 2008 lost themselves precisely because they did not know the true state of affairs. When from the bank side you constantly receive financial injections, you think that everything is fine. After all, there is money in the account! But the problem is that this is not your money. And when they stop giving you injections, and they even ask you to return everything you owe, you understand the true state of affairs. But it's' too late.
In short, the company's management simply came to realize, as a result of evolution, that we need good P & L, Cash & Flow, managerial balance. Otherwise, to understand what is actually happening in the company is simply no longer possible. Turns such that it’s already impossible to put all this in my head.
I’m not talking about the problems associated with such parts of the business as contract management, costs, working with clients, etc. These things also became problems.
And so I ended up in negotiations at this company. In order to discuss with the owner ways to solve these problems.
The company just stumped itself. How? Very simple. The company has been working for ten years with a product to which everyone has simply become attached. Employees not ten and not twenty. There are one hundred and fifty. And they are all used to. And it seems to all of them that everything in their product is damn convenient. This is normal - when you get used to something, it seems convenient to you. And when they give you something that is actually more convenient, but not familiar, it seems to you that this is inconvenient.
To abandon the operation of this product is simply impossible. In it, the history of the company for 10 years. It will be very difficult to convert all this economy into a new product, but rather impossible.
And now the owner tells me the phrase: “We can spend ten more fucking (that is, he admitted that they were just fucking) years to develop these damn finances, but we do not know how to make them .
How to get out of this situation? Stop using your own product and implement a new ERP system? It is almost unreal. The company has become attached, accustomed and the majority of employees are satisfied with everything! Ordinary employee what is needed? Convenient quick customer entry, order, well, something else. How should he know that, as a result, the leadership does not get what it is all about? He is comfortable! Try to replace and you will get mega-sabotage , moans, scandals.
Dead end?
The only way out in this situation is to buy another product where you can get all the necessary financial statements. But pre-develop a system for integrating these two completely dissimilar products. Will it work out? Is not a fact!
Self-development has led to:
- still need to buy ERP-system
- spent 10 years
- the situation is significantly complicated by the integration
UPD. I did not get involved in the project.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/129075/
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