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Write, Configure, Test, Debug, and Document Computer Software

28 August, 2015 - 14:34

The next task in systems implementation is to produce or configure the software, test and debug the software, and complete the software documentation. For internally developed systems, the programming step is important because the programming task in systems development consumes more resources and time than any other development task.

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If we have purchased a software package, much of the programming step is replaced with procedures to configure the system for this application. During the implementation of an enterprise system, this process can be extensive as we configure the system to select, for example, the steps to be completed for each business process, the design of the screens to be displayed at each step of the process, and the data to be captured, stored, and output during the processes. This is the point at which we ensure matching business processes that we have reengineered within the organization to elements of the enterprise system. For example, we can configure the SAP system to create and record a customer invoice automatically upon shipment of the goods, or we can require that the billing process be triggered later.

 

Some programming may remain, however. To tie the new enterprise system modules to legacy systems, program code must be written—in ABAP for SAP and C++ for J. D. Edwards, for example.