How to Successfully Implement an EPM Solution

Choosing the Right EPM Solution: a Key Challenge for Businesses

The first thing to do before even thinking about deploying an EPM solution is to pick the right software. Given the range of offers available, it is essential to carry out a thorough selection process based on a business’s actual needs.

First, organisations need to choose the most appropriate solution tailored to specific business functions. EPM tools should adapt to a business’s internal processes, its type of corporate governance and strategic goals. Flexibility is therefore key when it comes to EPM software, as well as its ability to easily integrate with other building blocks of information systems.

User experience is another key aspect to consider. The more intuitive the interface is, the smoother the user adaptation process will be. Furthermore, the tool’s ability to generate insightful reports, customise dashboards and model advanced scenarios brings greater added value.

Lastly, the long-term sustainability of a software vendor, the quality of support provided (integration, assistance and training) and compatibility with security and compliance standards should also be taken into account.

Key Stages of Implementation: From Vision to Application

Implementing a successful EPM solution requires a structured approach that encompasses several stages.

1. Project scope

This is a strategic step — and often a pivotal one. The aim is to:

• clearly define the project’s goals,
• identify stakeholders,
• analyse existing processes, and
• formalise business requirements.

Project scoping should be a collaborative process to ensure all relevant business functions take on an active role in the project from the start.

2. Setup and rollout

The team begins setting up the EPM solution once the project’s scope has been defined. This step includes:

• modelling processes,
• defining metrics,
• integrating data.

This stage involves regular testing with timely feedback from pilot users, followed by a full-scale or phased rollout (in batches or by division), in line with the chosen strategy.

3. Tests, acceptance testing and launch

Before launching the EPM solution, tests must be performed to verify the accuracy of calculations, the quality of the interfaces and alignment with the needs of the company. This phase also provides an opportunity to train the first users to ensure they are fully operational when the solution is launched.

Team Buy-In: an Often-Overlooked Driver of Successful EMP Implementation

While technology is the backbone of an EPM project, people are the driving force behind it. Too many EPM implementations fail or stall due to poor end-user adoption.

The barriers to successful implementation can be many: resistance to change, attachment to legacy systems, poor understanding of the benefits, and a sense of exclusion from the decision-making process. There are a number of proactive steps organisations can take to address these issues:

• Involving key users from the start: they can help to identify needs, approve functional choices and liaise with their respective teams.
• Taking a train-the-trainer approach: the aim is to train a group of in-house users who can then share knowledge and best practices with their peers.
• Ensuring consistent internal communication: by sharing project developments, prototype demos or mockups and helping employees to familiarise themselves with the EPM solution.

Successful adoption is not a given — it relies on adequate training and transparency.

Managing Project Performance and Maintaining Momentum

The work doesn’t stop once the solution has been rolled out. EPM software will continue to deliver lasting value only if business performance is monitored on an ongoing basis.

Organisations need to determine the right key performance indicators (KPIs) that the EPM system will track and measure:

• connection rate,
• data update frequency,
• reporting quality, and
• user satisfaction.

These metrics allow businesses to identify pain points, modify parameters and identify additional needs.

Establishing a continuous improvement framework is also highly recommended. Setting up regular check-ins with users, leveraging feedback and taking account of business-critical developments are necessary to ensure the EPM solution remains aligned with business expectations.

Ongoing training or personalised coaching sessions can also be offered to support new hires or enhance the skills of existing employees.

The success of an EPM project depends not only on the quality of the technology solution deployed, but also on the rollout strategy defined. It’s not just about the implementation of high-performance software; it’s also about ensuring its successful adoption, acceptance and use among teams.

Every stage counts — from selecting software to managing post-rollout performance and change. This why at VISEO, we believe that providing technical and functional expertise to businesses can be a game-changer for their success.