5 Questions Every Business Should Ask 
Before Configuring Prophet 21 

When organizations prepare to implement Prophet 21, the natural instinct is to dive straight into system configuration—mapping screens, loading data, and setting user permissions. But while the technical side of implementation is essential, there’s a critical step that too often gets skipped: reviewing and realigning business processes. 

Without this step, companies risk falling into the trap of “digitizing dysfunction.” They simply lift outdated, inefficient workflows from their legacy system and drop them into Prophet 21. The result? The shiny new ERP system feels just like the old one, only more structured and harder to change. 

A Prophet 21 implementation isn’t just an IT project—it’s a digital transformation. The most successful transformations begin with tough questions about how work gets done today, how it should get done tomorrow, and how the system can bridge the gap while fostering user engagement, user buy-in, and user participation. 

At Sandesta Labs, we help organizations use implementation as a rare opportunity to rethink processes from the ground up. To get started, here are five key questions every business should ask before configuring Prophet 21. 

1. If we were starting fresh today, would we still do it this way? 
Processes often outlive their original purpose. A step added years ago to satisfy a customer request may no longer be needed. A manual approval put in place to prevent errors may now be automated. 

By asking, “If we were designing this from scratch, would this process still make sense?” companies uncover inefficiencies and create opportunities to implement change management strategies, engage users, and ensure leadership backing for improvement initiatives. 

2. Are there wasteful steps we can eliminate? 
Every organization has bottlenecks, redundant approvals, or duplicative data entry that consume time and frustrate employees. 

Prophet 21 offers powerful automation capabilities—but automation only pays off if workflows are streamlined first. Removing unnecessary steps increases efficiency, improves user engagement, and ensures employees are holding users accountable for following optimized business processes. 

3. How do our workflows align across departments? 
One of the biggest benefits of Prophet 21 is integration. Sales, purchasing, inventory, finance, and customer service all share the same source of truth. That benefit is lost if each department brings siloed processes into the system. 

When workflows are misaligned, handoffs break down. Standardizing processes across departments requires user participation, clear training, and leadership backing to ensure everyone is on the same page and understands the importance of the new system. 

4. What can we automate that’s currently manual? 
Manual tasks not only consume time—they increase errors. Prophet 21 provides automation opportunities that reduce rework, accelerate order processing, and improve accuracy. 

Ask: Which steps could be automated? 

●      Can purchase orders be generated automatically when inventory falls below thresholds? 
●      Can invoices be created directly from shipment confirmations instead of manual entry? 
●      Can customer updates sync in real time rather than being entered twice? 

Eliminating manual steps frees employees for higher-value work, improves adoption, and strengthens user buy-in. 

5. How will this process improve the experience for our team and our customers? 
Processes aren’t abstract—they impact people. Employees want workflows that make their jobs easier, reduce frustration, and help them succeed. Customers want faster service, fewer errors, and smoother experiences. 

Every redesigned business process should answer two questions: 

●      Does this make work easier for employees? 
●      Does this create a better experience for customers? 

When the answer is yes, you foster user engagement, build user buy-in, and create momentum for successful adoption. 

Why These Questions Matter 

Asking these five questions before configuration isn’t just a best practice—it’s a safeguard against wasted investment. Without process realignment, companies risk: 

●      Spending months configuring Prophet 21 only to replicate outdated workflows 
●      Frustrating employees who expected improvement but see little change 
●      Missing opportunities to automate, streamline, and reduce errors 
●      Delaying ROI because the system can’t deliver its full potential 

By contrast, organizations that align technology with business processes and engage users see smoother implementations, faster adoption, and stronger results. They don’t just digitize the past—they design the future. 

The Sandesta Labs Approach 

At Sandesta Labs, we guide organizations through this critical change management step. We facilitate workflow mapping sessions, bring cross-departmental voices together, and help clients design business processes that align with both their goals and Prophet 21’s capabilities. 

Our philosophy is simple: technology and business processes must move forward together. When they do, Prophet 21becomes more than a system—it becomes a foundation for digital transformation, strengthened by training, user participation, holding users accountable, and leadership backing. 

Final Thoughts 

A new system without new processes is a missed opportunity. Prophet 21 gives organizations the chance to eliminate waste, align departments, automate routine tasks, and create better experiences for employees and customers. 

But it doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when leaders pause before configuration, ask tough questions, engage their users, and ensure change management, training, and leadership backing are in place. 

Before you flip the switch on Prophet 21, step back. Map workflows. Challenge old assumptions. Ask the five questions that will ensure your new system doesn’t just replicate the past—it redefines your future. 

Because when business processes, technology, and people align, the results aren’t just efficient—they’re transformative.