QuickStart - ERP for life in a week!

The abundant functionality and complexity of an ERP application can often leave VARs and end clients reluctant to take the next step of adopting an enteprise application.

At Openbravo, we have noticed that smaller companies that are at the point of needing to switch to an integrated ERP system often hesitate to do so for the following reasons:

1. installation, implementation and management of an ERP instance can be uncertain and costly
   
   
2. overwhelming amount of features and modules to chose from and configure
   
   
3. slow learning curve to adopt the application
   

Openbravo estimated around 400 hours of consultant work were required for the standard implementation of our ERP application. Consequently, many small companies can not afford the costs and the length of the process.

In order to address the bottlenecks listed above as well as bring the number of implementation hours down to a minimum, Openbravo started an internal project codenamed Xpress earlier this year. The objective of the project was quite simple: Kick starting partners and end-customers by delivering a toolkit that leverages the modularity of Openbravo ERP 2.50 and localization efforts with a fixed scope implementation methodology.

In a nutshell, the QuickStart toolkit, as it was renamed for release, addresses the above issues with three main groups of deliverables:

1. the QuickStart template of simplified application screens and predefined roles
2. the Consultant's Manual that contains the full step-by-step guide of a fixed scope implementation
3. end user documentation and tutorials based on business process diagrams
   

Specifically, these deliverables address the hesitations stated above:

1. installation, implementation and management of an ERP instance can be uncertain and costly
   * a Consultant's Manual combined with an Initial Interview Form guides the consultant throughout all phases required to bring up an instance of Openbravo ERP and configure it according to end user requirements
   * a Professional Subscription Appliance takes care of easy and secure deployment of an instance on the cloud as well as simplifies the instance management such as backup, updates, etc
   * a localization pack that is prepackaged within the appliance offers out of the box full functionality for a specific country
   * import templates enable fast import of legacy data into the application such as customers/vendors and products of the end client
   
   
2. overwhelming amount of features and modules to chose from and configure
   * a QuickStart template preconfigures the application with rich functional footprint a smaller company should start with. Simplified windows, menu and predefined roles enable the end-users to pick up the application faster
   * the Consultant's Manual guides the consultant through a fixed scope implementation methodology
   
   
3. slow learning curve to adopt the application
   * UI Navigation Tutorial is a set of interactive videos that teach the end users how to use the application, this way cutting down training requirements
   * Business Process User Manual - an end-user manual designed to show how everyday tasks that enterprise users are well acquainted with are done in Openbravo ERP.
   

We are happy to announce that the fruits of these efforts are finally available and hope they will boost Openbravo adoption with partners and end-users even more. The toolkit aims at providing benefits to the partners as well as end customers:

1. Fixed scope implementations based on the Amazon cloud are faster, more cost effective and more clear on the deliverables and expectations > Less risk, high return for the customer
   
2. The toolkit enables partners to get up to speed and be ready to implement Openbravo quicker
3. First class business process oriented documentation for end users assists with smooth daily operations
   

For more information, please follow the link http://www.openbravo.com/product/erp/quickstart.

Rok Lenardic
QuickStart Project Manager