Before jumping into migration, it is important to evaluate what your business is working with today. Legacy systems often include fragmented databases, disconnected spreadsheets and outdated software that may not integrate with modern tools.

Start with a detailed system audit:

• What data sources exist and how accurate are they?
• Which workflows are most critical for business continuity?
• What integrations are non-negotiable?

This stage helps businesses identify pain points such as duplicate data, poor reporting capabilities or manual processes. It also clarifies what absolutely must be retained during migration.

Migration should never be about technology alone. The real question is what your business hopes to achieve with SAP B1.

Objectives could include:

• Gaining real-time visibility across sales, finance and inventory
• Automating compliance reporting for taxes and regulations
• Improving customer experience through faster order fulfillment

When objectives are clearly defined, the ERP implementation partner can customize SAP B1 accordingly. For example, an Indian trading company may prioritize GST-ready reports while a manufacturer may focus on production planning and batch traceability.

Data is the lifeblood of ERP. Migrating to SAP B1 requires not only moving data but also cleansing it. Outdated records, duplicates and incomplete entries must be eliminated before migration.

The data strategy typically includes::

• Data mapping: Aligning legacy fields to SAP B1 modules
• Data cleansing: Removing or correcting inaccurate records
• Test migration: Running a trial move to ensure integrity
• Validation: Cross-checking that reports in SAP B1 match historical records

A phased approach helps avoid disruptions. For example, a company might first migrate finance and sales data before moving on to inventory and production records.

One advantage of SAP B1 is flexibility. InfoWorld provides add-ons and extensions that map to real business needs. Common picks include the Sub-Contracting Add-On that links outsourced processes with production, the Bank Integration Add-On that streamlines banking inside SAP B1 and Web Portals and Mobile Apps so customers and vendors can view orders and invoices without back-and-forth.

Sales teams benefit from a CRM Mobile App for Sales while leaders use Mobile Reports and Dashboards for real-time visibility. B-One View by InfoWorld gives secure view-only access for teams who need data without edit rights.

For statutory workflows, InfoWorld also offers E-Invoice solutions and InfoWorld’s industry pages highlight support for GST, e-invoicing, and e-way bills within SAP B1 deployments. Select the extensions that match your goals, then configure roles, approvals and reports so the system mirrors daily operations.

Implementing SAP B1 is not about copying legacy processes into a new system. It is an opportunity to streamline. During gap analysis, consultants compare your existing workflows with SAP B1 best practices.

For example:

• A company that manually generates invoices may shift to automated billing linked with sales orders
• A business relying on Excel for inventory may adopt barcode-enabled warehouse management
• Finance teams that reconcile accounts monthly may start using real-time dashboards for instant visibility

This step ensures businesses benefit from ERP-driven efficiency rather than just digitizing old inefficiencies.

One of the biggest challenges in ERP adoption is people, not technology. Employees are used to legacy systems and may resist change.

To address this, training should start early. Sessions tailored by role help employees understand how SAP B1 makes their tasks easier. For example, sales teams learn how to generate instant pipeline reports while finance staff explore automated reconciliations.

Clear communication about the benefits of SAP B1 builds buy-in and reduces resistance. Leadership must also set the tone by actively supporting the transition.

Before going live, businesses should test the system thoroughly. A pilot run with select departments helps identify errors or missing configurations.

For example:

• Does the inventory module reflect accurate stock levels?
• Are GST reports generating correctly?
• Do workflows like purchase-to-pay and order-to-cash run smoothly?

Resolving these issues in a controlled environment minimizes disruptions once the system goes live.

With testing complete, it is time for the go-live phase. Businesses may opt for a “big bang” approach, switching all processes at once or a phased rollout, starting with finance and sales before extending to production and inventory.

After go-live, support is crucial. Employees need access to help desks and knowledge resources to resolve queries quickly. Continuous monitoring also ensures system performance remains stable.

ERP migration is not a one-time project but an ongoing journey. Over time, businesses discover new opportunities to optimize processes, adopt additional SAP B1 modules or integrate with third-party tools.

For example, a company might start with finance and sales, then expand into customer relationship management, advanced analytics or e-commerce integration. Continuous improvement ensures that the ERP evolves with the business.