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Chapter Summary Process Modeling, Process Improvement, and ERP Implementation
• ERP systems provide the analysis and communication tools required to support efficient
and effective business processes. Process modeling is a fundamental tool for
understanding and analyzing business processes.
• Process mapping is a process-modeling tool that uses graphical representations to document
business processes. Other process-modeling methodologies include hierarchical modeling,
deployment flowcharting, and event process chain (EPC) diagramming. Value analysis is a
technique that can be used to generate process-improvement ideas, and dynamic process
modeling uses software to evaluate process improvements prior to implementation.
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• ERP Workflow tools provide the ability to monitor and facilitate sporadic business
processes so important work does not “fall through the cracks.”
• Most challenges to ERP implementation involve managing personnel and their reactions to
the change, rather than managing technical issues. Managing the human behavior aspects
of organizational change is called organizational change management (OCM).
• SAP’s Solution Manager is a set of tools and information that helps companies manage the
implementation of SAP ERP software. In Solution Manager, the ERP implementation
project is presented in an Implementation Roadmap, consisting of five phases.
• SAP’s system landscape was introduced to show how changes to the ERP system during
implementation (and beyond) are managed. In this system landscape, there are three
completely separate SAP systems, designated as Development (DEV), Quality Assurance
(QAS), and Production (PROD).

Key Terms
deployment flowcharting (swimlane process mapping
flowcharting) process model
Development (DEV) system Production (PROD) system
dynamic process modeling Quality Assurance (QAS) system
event process chain (EPC) scope creep
flowchart transport directory
gap analysis value added
hierarchical modeling value analysis
organizational change management (OCM) workflow tools
process boundary workflow task

Exercises

1. Develop a process map for the following outdated course registration process in place at a
local university:
• Students first fill out forms listing their desired classes. They bring those completed
forms to the academic advisement office, where, working with an advisor, they create a
course selection document. Then, the student fills out a computer-readable form with

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