Some training problems in ERP project implementation

Source: http://articles.e-works.net.cn/ERP/Article49668.htm

Through this article, I would like to discuss two issues with you.
The first question is, are ERP manufacturers' training adequate in enterprise ERP projects?

When we promote our training courses to enterprises, many people will say, "Now ERP vendors can provide training. If we need training, let ERP vendors do it ." Is it true? If so, why is the implementation of so many ERP projects ineffective?

Let's take a look at the manufacturers' training content. Generally, the training provided by ERP vendors can be divided into two types: sales training, the training provided before the contract is signed. During such training, the manufacturers will introduce their company history, their business philosophy, their service system, their implementation methods, and their successful customers, then there is a product demonstration, so such training is necessary for us to understand the manufacturers and their products. {To be more precise, this is a pre-sales demonstration and presentation, and there is still a distance from the training .}

The second type of training provided by ERP vendors is implementation training. This is the training conducted during implementation after the contract is signed. In this kind of training, we are faced with a specific set of software, so what is the focus of the training? It is to teach us how to operate this software.

This is the two types of training provided by ERP manufacturers.

Our opinion is as follows: In an ERP project, vendor training is necessary, but it is not adequate in many cases.

Why? Next we will discuss with you in three aspects.

First, can ERP manufacturers' training help us prepare for the project?

In the preliminary preparation phase of the ERP project, three things must be done well: Refining demand analysis, basic data sorting and careful evaluation of ERP software.

What is the purpose of refining demand analysis? This is to provide a basis for selection. What problems do we want to solve and what kind of software functions can be reflected in this requirement analysis report? What is the purpose of data sorting in the early stage? It is to shorten the implementation cycle, reduce the implementation cost, and improve the implementation success rate in the future implementation process. What is the purpose of carefully evaluating the ERP software? It is to avoid blind selection, and do not be confused by ERP vendors.

Facts show that it is difficult for enterprise employees to do well if they do not have a certain knowledge base on ERP. Therefore, many enterprises think that they can extract existing manual business processes when refining their needs. In fact, this is far from enough. Why? Because refining manual business processes is only the first step. What is more important? This is to sort out and optimize existing manual business processes and extract the business processes in the ERP environment in the future. This is the key and the key, right? At the same time, many enterprises do not have a unified plan or an effective data sorting strategy during the preliminary data sorting, so although it takes a lot of time and effort, but the effect is still not very good. In addition, if we do not understand the working principles of ERP during model selection, we can only look at the product demonstration and assess the vendor's software, this is not conducive to the launch of the selection.

Therefore, whether the training of ERP vendors can help us do well in the first phase of the project is the first question we need to think about.

Second, how can we ensure that employees can effectively absorb the training?

This is important. Why? Because the ERP implementation process of enterprises is more of a process of knowledge transfer, the effect of knowledge transfer actually determines the implementation effect. The facts show that if an employee does not have the knowledge base in ERP, he or she will directly participate in the implementation training, and the effect will not be good. This is like a high school student, if you do not have the knowledge of senior one, you can directly learn the knowledge of senior two and Senior Three. You can imagine the consequences.

In the implementation process, if the employees cannot effectively absorb the information, if the employees learn the knowledge, but do not know why, it is difficult to ensure the smooth development of the project. Therefore, the inability of employees to effectively absorb data is an important cause of project delays and overbudgets.

In addition, if we do not understand the core working principles of ERP, and we do not have a macro grasp of the ERP system, it is difficult for us to control the progress of the project, it is also difficult to grasp the initiative of implementation, which is not conducive to the normal development of the project.

Therefore, how to ensure that employees can effectively absorb, control the progress of the project, and master the initiative of the project is the second question we need to think about.

Third, how can employees use ERP flexibly after the system goes online?

Many enterprises have improved their efficiency after ERP, but they have not brought much benefits to the enterprise. Why? The lack of flexible use is a major reason, especially for cost management and plan management functions.

As the saying goes, we can't be afraid of it only when we master the sect. What is this sect? Is the basic principle, right? If we want to do a good job, do we first need to master the basic principles and methods for doing this? Of course.

It can be seen that to use ERP flexibly, it is not enough to learn something on the surface. We must make breakthroughs from the basic principle and the basic theory.

So how to make employees use ERP flexibly is the third question we need to think about.

By thinking about these three questions, we will find that in the ERP project, the training provided by the ERP vendor or implementation consultant is necessary, but not adequate, therefore, in order to implement ERP well, it is very important to make good use of ERP and give employees a good knowledge base in advance.

This is the first question to be discussed.

The second question we want to discuss: Do business owners and general managers need to learn ERP knowledge?

Many people say that because the boss or general manager does not have much time to operate ERP, they don't have to learn, or they just need to give them a few mouse clicks, you can view several reports. Is that true? Of course, it is wrong. On the contrary, the boss and general manager of the company should be the first to receive training.

Why? There are three purposes:

The first goal is to ensure correct decision-making.

As the highest decision maker of the ERP project, senior enterprise leaders must first understand what ERP is, what problems can be solved, and what benefits can be brought to the enterprise. Only in this way can they make correct decisions on the ERP project.
Many business owners lack the understanding of ERP, or leave them alone, resulting in endless troubles; or they lack the confidence to drag ERP projects and dare not start.

The second goal is to ensure successful implementation.

Since enterprises use new management tools to import ERP systems, it is necessary to optimize business processes, adjust organizational structures, and reform management systems. In this process, there must be a lot of problems to solve, and there will be a lot of contradictions to resolve.

In the face of problems and contradictions, who can immediately make a wise decision, who can balance the power of all aspects, so as to promote the smooth development of the project, of course, only the boss and general manager of the company, such a rapid and wise decision must be based on a full understanding of ERP.

The third goal is to ensure successful use.

After the ERP system is launched, the direct participation and correct decision-making by senior leaders of enterprises are also essential to fully embody the value of ERP.

In addition, it should be emphasized that, in the work, if the enterprise boss can skillfully operate ERP, there will be three advantages:

The first advantage is that problems can be detected in a timely manner.

In a manual environment, what are the main means for the boss to understand the production and operation conditions? It means reading reports and listening to work reports. This method has two drawbacks: first, it is a bit late; second, at this time, the problem may have increased. If it is an early minor problem, the management personnel at the grass-roots or middle-level rarely report to the boss, right? With ERP, it is different because ERP is a mirror that can reflect the actual production and operation of enterprises. Therefore, the boss can detect problems in a timely manner through ERP.

The second advantage is that the problem can be solved more quickly.

After the boss finds the problem, the next step is to analyze the cause. How can this problem be done manually? It is to find the responsible person or everyone to hold a meeting. This method takes up everyone's time, and the effect is not necessarily good.

The ERP is different. First, the boss can use ERP to find the cause, because the reverse query function in ERP is very powerful. For each report data, you can query them one by one, and you can always find the source of your business;

Then, if you need to know the situation and solve the problem through the meeting, you can put an electronic display in front of the meeting table. If the meeting topic requires data support, you can extract data from the ERP, and it is displayed on the screen directly. Because numbers can speak, whoever does the job well, who does the job well, will be clear on the screen, and no one needs to talk about it. With the support of ERP, the boss can reduce the number of meetings, improve the efficiency of meetings, and speed up problem solving.

The third advantage is that it can play a very exemplary leading role.

The value of ERP can only be reflected through our correct use. The more people you use, the better you use. The greater the value of ERP, the more people you use. If the boss of an enterprise does not use ERP, the vice president of other businesses may not use ERP, managers of various business departments can only work together. If so, ERP is just a tool for grass-roots employees of enterprises to improve their work efficiency, rather than being a powerful weapon for middle-level management personnel to optimize their decisions. In this way, ERP will be difficult to bring benefits to enterprises.

On the contrary, if the boss is proficient in ERP operations, it can play a very exemplary role and lead other employees to skillfully operate ERP, the value of ERP will be fully reflected, right?

Therefore, as a senior leader of the enterprise, if ERP is understood and ERP is used, the positive effect on the entire ERP project is still great, so should our boss and general manager carefully study the working principles of ERP?

Through the analysis of the above two problems, we can find that, to make the enterprise's ERP project win at the starting point, a good pre-project training is the key, only to do a good job in the pre-project training, we can do a good job in all aspects of the ERP project.