What is a ‘Golden Image’?
‘A
Golden Image (also known as a
base image or
master image) is a pre-configured, standardised image of a software environment, operating system, or application setup. It’s used as a template to create multiple, identical systems with the same configurations, applications, and settings.’ –
courtesy Chat GPT.
How does this relate to Acumatica?
Acumatica is a massively flexible and powerful cloud ERP system. However, with flexibility comes choice and with choice comes workshop time, decision-making and, potentially, extensive refinement.
An alternative approach is to deploy a pre-packaged solution optimised for a specific sector - in this case a ‘Distribution Golden Image’. Once the Golden Image is deployed, the solution can then iteratively evolve from its baseline state.
The Onesys Acumatica Distribution Golden Image is optimised for the needs of a typical small to medium-sized distribution business.
What are the advantages of this approach?
- Greater Efficiency: This approach speeds up deployment by allowing pre-configured modules, functions and settings to be cloned. The commensurate services elements are also repeatable due to the subject matter being consistent.
- Reduced Risk: Most people will have heard horror stories of ERP implementations taking years, stalling or, worse still, failing totally. This pre-packaged approach, done properly, mitigates many of these risks.
- Cost Savings: The efficiencies outlined above mean fewer scoping, implementation, project management and training days. Fewer days mean lower costs. In addition, because you’ll also be up and running on Acumatica ERP quicker, you’ll start to realise the financial and operational benefits that attracted you to the solution quicker too.
- Certainty: You know what you’re getting, what you’re not getting, how much it will cost and how long it will take right from the outset.
- Scalability: Just because we’ve implemented your Acumatica ERP system using this approach doesn’t mean it’s locked down to those options. You’re free to purchase extra modules, add workflows or change the configuration at any time. This ‘land and expand’ approach works very well for many of our customers.
Any downsides to this approach?
- Too Restrictive: If your business has more complex or niche requirements, our standard deployment may be too restrictive and a ‘traditional’ implementation might be more appropriate.
- Redundant Features: Our Golden Image could have more modules or features than you need resulting in you paying more than you need to.
- Not Progressing: You land but you don’t expand. Some businesses don’t put time aside to push on to the next phase because the baseline deployment is ‘good enough for now’, so they never realise the full potential of the platform.
How do I find out more?
Please get in touch with us and one of our consultants will go through your requirements with you. We can then assess whether you would be a good candidate for an Acumatica ERP Golden Image or if another approach or solution would be a better fit.