ERP and Business Process Terminology - Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key ERP, BPR, BPI, and BPM concepts from the provided notes.

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)

Integrated software system that coordinates core business processes across an organization; guides process redesign and configurations; can constrain design (technology-enabled reengineering).

As-Is Process

The current process that exists and is often flawed, needing change.

To-Be Process

The future design of the business process after redesign.

Clean Slate Reengineering

Redesign from scratch on a blank sheet of paper to create new processes; encourages innovative thinking.

Technology-Enabled Reengineering

BPR where ERP/system constraints shape the new process design; also called constrained reengineering.

BPR (Business Process Reengineering)

Fundamental, radical redesign of business processes to achieve breakthrough performance; focuses on processes, not core competencies.

BPI (Business Process Improvement)

Incremental, gradual improvements to existing processes; smaller in scope than BPR.

Business Process

A linked collection of activities that produces a product or service; can be generic/unique, supporting/core, simple/complex.

End-to-End Process

The complete process from start to finish across the organization.

As-Is vs To-Be

Comparison between the current process (As-Is) and the redesigned future process (To-Be).

Paving the Cow Paths

Recreating outdated, inefficient processes inside ERP by copying old practices; costly to customize.

Three-Way Match

Process of matching purchase orders, goods receipts, and vendor invoices to ensure accuracy.

Stakeholder Analysis

Identify influential groups, assess risks and support, and plan communication for change initiatives.

Process Owner

Person responsible for the performance and daily management of a process.

Subject Matter Expert (SME)

Individual who designs technical features or leads the team on process redesign.

Leader (Role)

Person who sanctions and oversees process work and aligns it with the company mission.

Architect (Role)

Expert with deep knowledge of end-to-end processes and ERP implementation methodologies.

Analyst (Role)

Elicits business requirements and understands ERP–process linkages.

Coordinator (Role)

Project manager who allocates work and manages budget.

Modeler (Role)

Documents processes and governs information about processes.

Process Inventory

Compiled list of key business processes and their subprocesses/activities.

BPM (Business Process Management)

Ongoing management and improvement of business processes.

Bottleneck

Point where multiple information flows converge, limiting performance.

Cycle Time

Total time from the start to the end of a process.

Data Duplication

Repeated data due to non-integrated systems and non-standard processes.

Handoffs

Transfer of responsibility between people that can cause mistakes or delays.

Lack of Visibility

Management does not have a clear end-to-end view of the process.

Standardization

Ensuring work is performed the same way across locations or units.

Value-Added Activities

Processes or tasks that add value to the product/service from the customer's view.

Scalability

Ability of processes to handle predicted future workload and growth.

Cost Efficiencies

Reducing costs by streamlining processes.

Customer Satisfaction and Differentiation

Processes that improve service and provide clear competitive differentiation.

Flexibility/Agility

Ability of processes to adapt quickly to market or requirement changes.

Legacy System

Outdated technology that traps a company in inefficient processes.

Digital Transformation

Using digital technologies to create or modify processes, culture, and customer experiences.

Clean Slate vs Technology-Enabled Reengineering

Two BPR approaches: Clean Slate designs from scratch; Technology-Enabled follows ERP as roadmap with constraints.