Forming a successful ERP Implementation Team

Implementing an ERP solution is not always an easy task and it doesn’t need to be a complicated causing major hiccups. To smoothen the project implementation as simple as possible and to accelerate the project progress of an ERP, you just need to bring in a right team, right people to do the job.

So how can you bring in a successful implementation team in your organization? Let’s take a look at the roles and responsibilities of the key members to be involved in the ERP implementation.

What is an ERP implementation team?

“If Everyone is Moving Forward Together, Then Success Takes Care of Itself” – Henry Ford 

This is the mantra for success and form implementing any large project requires a skilled and committed team that works together, and an ERP implementation is not an exception of it. 

For a successful implementation, an ERP implementation plan should include a team of key members across all department and at senior levels, which includes executives, project managers, subject matter experts, end-users and IT department employees. Because they provide all needed insights of the business process.

What will the implementation team do?

The ERP implementation team is responsible for managing the overall smoothness, ensuring best practices are followed and bringing success to the new ERP system operates as expected. They take care of the project from the very beginning, helping aligning the solution with business goals and bringing in all the functionality and features needed by the organization. The team helps map the ERP system requirement, set implementation milestones and identify how it solves business goals and completely test before going live.

Key members and responsibilities for successful implementation

Executive or Project Sponsor

Because an ERP implementation can affect almost every aspect of the organization, every project needs an executive sponsor—someone at or near the top of the organization who will champion and drive the implementation strategy. The executive sponsor helps assess risks and devise action plans, and often serves as the company cheerleader and internal face of the project. During the implementation, the executive sponsor receives updates from the project manager and sometimes from core team members. 

The executive sponsor typically makes final decisions about the project, based partly on input from the implementation team while continuing to align to the customer’s business needs. These decisions may include whether to increase the project budget, which business processes to automate, and whether to add or remove personnel.

Project Manager

The Executive managers will not be handling everything in the implementation progress, as they have other distinct role to play in taking care of the entire business. The daily tasks associated with the ERP implementation for the smooth running will be handled by the project manager.

The project manager makes sure timelines are met and the project progress within its planned scope. They communicate between the executive sponsor and the team about the progress and any challenges that occur during the implementation.

Team of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)

The Subject Matter Experts devote their work time to make sure the project goes as planned and execute tasks from the implementation expert and project manager. They act as a project evangelist, infecting their teammates with their enthusiasm for the project. Each department has a team of members to ensure practical implementation success on an individual scale. They get the complete usability of the ERP that are specific to their department and trains the end-users end users in the business.

Report Writer

The most valuable feature of an ERP system is the ability to generate accurate reports that helps business in key analysis. The reporter writer plays a key role in customize the software reports to the specific business needs. The responsibilities of the report writer include

• Need to develop detail knowledge of the ERP’s reporting tool and data
• Analyze the existing reporting procedure
• Develop process enhancing strategy with new solution
• Write and maintain reporting process
• Modify and create new reports as on when needed.

Functional/Technical Implementation Partner

Organizations usually get help from the implementation partners or the software providers to handle all the technical works involved in deploying an ERP system and share some of the responsibilities of the implementation team.

If your implementation is the solution provider then there is no need to take much care about it. But, if the implementer is an implementation partner, then it often takes a time as much it took in choosing your vendor. When you plan for the implementation, you should focus on

• Their proven expertise over years
• Their intrusive nature
• The plan defined by them for the project
• How responsive and good they are in communication
• How transparent their implementation progress 

Need Help?

Talk to an ERP Implementation Expert. We have successfully implemented 1000+ Horizon EBS solution for various industry in MENA region. Our team experts will help provide you with the appropriate consultants for your implementation. You can write to us at sales@fit.ae or call us at +971 4 353 3727