6 Critical Roles Needed for a Successful ERP Implementation

In this blog post, we explain the roles needed for a successful ERP implementation.

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Julia Yeh

Introduction

The composition of your internal Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation team is a critical component to ensuring the long-term success of the new ERP system implementation project. It is important that your approach to selecting an implementation team is aligned with your new system selection, and general ERP planning, and accounts for several major internal and external factors.

6 Core Roles Needed for a Successful ERP Implementation

The two biggest factors to consider throughout your ERP implementation team selection are the size and structure of your company, as well as the complexities of the scope of implementing ERP. The needs of the implementation project will dictate the roles and responsibilities necessary to ensure all components of the project are addressed. Meanwhile, the size and structure of your company will determine how these roles are identified and assigned. With these factors, designing an effective and efficient team must be strategic.
To ensure the success of your ERP implementation, your team must be holistic and thus comprised of individuals from across the entire organization. It must also include any necessary external support. This includes senior executives, project managers, domain experts, end-users, and the implementation partner or vendor. By factoring your organization and the project scope together, you will be able to establish an ERP implementation team structure that is reflective of your company and the implementation project goals simultaneously.

Outlined below are 6 core roles necessary for your ERP implementation team.

1. Executive Sponsor

It is important to have an executive sponsor to oversee the high-level ERP responsibilities of the implementation project. They can either be an individual executive for a small to mid-sized company or a group of senior individuals that make up an executive suite in the case of an enterprise business. The executive sponsor plays a significant role in determining the right ERP software based on business needs, budget, and the readiness to implement. The implementation can be a complex process, but with the appropriate ERP software solution, it can ensure the ERP system is properly configured to support real-time business operations and data migration. The goal of ERP implementation is to use the new system to reduce costs and enhance current processes.

This can be an enormous task for a company to undertake, which is why it is important to also consider acquiring an implementation partner to assist with selecting and integrating the right ERP software for your enterprise. Outlined below are important responsibilities of the executive sponsor, and whilst the executive sponsor oversees the project, the implementation partner can assist with the various tasks necessary to align the project with the company’s needs.

The responsibilities of the executing sponsor can include, but are not limited to:

CONTENT SUGGESTION

Preparing Your Team for Successful Implementation of ERP Systems

Are you ready to ensure a successful ERP implementation for your team? Our latest blog post is a must-read for businesses in the research or implementation phase. Learn about the crucial end-to-end preparation required to maximize client success. Discover the significance of proper team preparation, essential steps at each implementation stage, and the consequences of neglecting them. Don't miss out on valuable insights that can save you time and effort. Click here to read the full article and set your ERP implementation on the path to success with Avantiico.

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The advocacy of the ERP implementation project by the executive sponsor also ensures company-wide engagement and participation, which is crucial to the successful adoption of the system during and after the go-live phase. Additionally, the executive owner is involved on a senior level in risk mitigation, and change management. They address systematic issues during the implementation project through periodic review and spearhead the change management from the top down.

2. Implementation Partner

The implementation partner is an external consultant company or vendor position and is the technical provider of the ERP software solution. The implementation partner is often a team of individuals that could include a project manager, business analyst, technical consultant, and more, depending on the project scope. They are responsible for advising on ERP software selection, making customizations, and providing technical support and training during implementation and post-go-live. Implementing an ERP system with a skilled partner ensures proper deployment and maximizes the benefits of an ERP system by integrating business functions like CRM and supply chain management.

Selecting an implementation partner is important, as they not only bring critical technical and functional expertise on the ERP software but also bring their business insight along with them. They can clearly identify how the ERP system can help provide solutions specific to your enterprise, assist with the pain points before, during, and after the project, and ensure that the implementation time is optimized to meet the project’s success criteria.

Selecting an implementation partner is important, as they not only bring critical technical and functional expertise on the ERP software, but they also bring their business insight along with them. They can clearly identify how the ERP software can be implemented to provide solutions specific to your enterprise, and assist with the pain points before, during, and after the project.

3. Project Manager

The internal project manager is responsible for driving the ERP implementation within the organization. This involves working with the executive sponsor to facilitate the vision for the project, it’s necessary to align with the business objectives. Important responsibilities for the role include, but are not limited to:

The project manager oversees the ERP implementation process to make sure that it is on schedule and meeting the goals of the organization. Depending on the project scope, there can be a project management team. This can include the internal project manager, the implementation partner project manager, and a site manager.

4. Change Management Team

The role of the internal change management team, or individual change agent is responsible for overseeing the ERP system changes, managing expectations, and assisting with the knowledge transfer between the implementation partner and the rest of the company. They are responsible for internally driving the change management strategy to meet the implementation project requirements. Key responsibilities of the change management or change agent include:
The change management team is a critical intermediary in the ERP implementation process. Their position is vital to the integration of the new software as they work with the implementation partner to provide the support and training necessary throughout the whole project and set up the company for success in the adoption, and post go-live phases of the ERP implementation project. They ensure that the needs of the organization are met, helping organizations use the system and processes effectively to gain a competitive edge, manage issues that arise, and leverage real-time data for better decision-making.

5. Functional Team Members

Functional team members can be selected from the core functions of the company such as finance, manufacturing, sales, and logistics. They are responsible for defining the needs of the department to the project manager, and ERP partner or vendor. They are also responsible for explaining the processes and future requirements to the implementation team and to future end-users.  
Building a cross-functional team ensures cohesion in the ERP implementation process. A cross-functional team means that individuals across the company understand the system in its entirety and how it interrelates. By establishing a functional team within the overall ERP implementation team, the business needs of each department will be factored into the ERP solution. Ultimately these departments will contain the employees who use the ERP software daily, so their input and needs form the basis of the ERP software solution.   Therefore, they are important members of the ERP implementation team structure by providing details for project scope and needs.

6. Super Users

Super Users are responsible for learning the new ERP software and are considered the cross-functional internal experts once the implementation is completed. The super-user is critical to the post-implementation stage of the project however by identifying and including the super-user throughout the implementation process, they can gain the requisite knowledge and insight into the ERP solution necessary for the knowledge transfer to the rest of the organization.
With smaller companies, or less complex ERP solutions, the super-user can also be the project manager. Whilst for larger companies, there may be multiple super-users that represent the different functional areas of the company. The super-user works closely with the change management team and the implementation partner or vendor to receive the necessary software training and provide support to the implementation process through their feedback.

The super-user has several key responsibilities: 

The super-user is important to the ERP implementation team structure because they provide the necessary user experience of software for the implementation project, as well as disseminating information regarding the software to the rest of the company. This impacts the user adoption of the solution within the company, which in turn, drives the overall success of the ERP implementation project.  

Streamline Roles, Goals and Objectives Choosing the Right Team

There are several factors when establishing your ERP implementation team that will be unique to your implementation project. The outlined positions in this article will give you a baseline for understanding the roles and responsibilities required for an ERP implementation. Additionally, this outline will convey how your team can be structured to align with your company, and project needs.

Conclusion

There are several factors when establishing your ERP implementation team that will be unique to your implementation project. The outlined positions in this article will give you a baseline for understanding the roles and responsibilities required for an ERP implementation. Additionally, this outline will convey how your team can be structured to align with your company, and project needs.

CONTENT SUGGESTION

Preparing Your Team for an ERP Implementation

Are you ready to ensure a successful ERP implementation for your team? Our latest blog post is a must-read for businesses in the research or implementation phase. Learn about the crucial end-to-end preparation required to maximize client success. Discover the significance of proper team preparation, essential steps at each implementation stage, and the consequences of neglecting them. Don't miss out on valuable insights that can save you time and effort. Click here to read the full article and set your ERP implementation on the path to success with Avantiico.

Read more

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