RE: We go live one month from now... (Mike Ellis /ISI)

Geoff,

Let me take a slightly different approach on this question.

First, let me congratulate you on choosing (or accepting the choice) of 
MAPICS for your business.   I've seen a number of  other systems up close 
& personal and my view is that they all have their warts.   MAPICS is no 
exception.  But with good IT management of the system, MAPICS works 
reliably.  As with ANY system, you should test updates BEFORE applying 
them to your live system.  You are therefore in control over how satisfied 
you are with the software quality (because you prevent the bugs from 
getting to users).  That being said, MAPICS is for sure not perfect.  And 
the bugs we DO get are annoying.   I am just one of those people who 
believes that the grass only APPEARS to be greener on the other side of 
the fence.  Once you get over in the neighbor's yard, you see all the 
crabgrass and dandelions.

All that being said, there are still some holes (some would say gaping 
chasms) in MAPICS functionality that we would all like to see 
plugged/filled.  But if you have DESIGNED your business process, MODELLED 
your procedures in advance, and PREPARED your users to execute those 
procedures, you will be very happy with MAPICS.  But you could substitute, 
practically speaking, any other major ERP system in that sentence and have 
it be equally true.

It's a difficult, exciting, and rewarding journey you've embarked upon - 
fraught with frustrations and challenges.  I, too, wish you good luck 
along the way.  Keep using the group as your sounding board - they are 
FULL of helpful insights.

Michael G. Ellis
Information Systems International, Inc.
A Global ERP Consulting Firm
815-398-1670 x23
 
Choose ISI consultants to ensure consistently top quality implementation 
services at all levels of your organization.

"To enjoy the things we ought and to hate the things we ought has the 
greatest bearing on excellence of character. "
Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics


-----Original Message-----
From: Geoff Richardson [mailto:grichardson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2003 10:49 AM
To: mapics-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: We go live one month from now...


Hi to everyone on the mailing list.

My name is Geoff Richardson and my company have spent the last 22 months
preparing to implement MAPICS XA 6.0  We are finally ready to go live at
the first sites.  I don't really have a specific question for y'all, but
I would be very interested to hear your memories, lessons, experiences
and advice relating to the implementation and roll out of MAPICS at your
companies...

TIA,
Geoff