A key user plays an active and important role in the implementation of an ERP package, and that can be tremendous fun. Drive and enthusiasm are important qualities of a key user, but it remains a difficult task. The role of key user is new for many employees, as you only experience an implementation of an ERP system a few times in your active career. Hence in this blog a few tips that you can take advantage of.
1. Take responsibility
During the implementation, you speak a lot with the software vendor's consultants. They usually know the industry in which you operate, know the software inside and out, and have a wealth of experience through implementations at similar companies. Still, you shouldn't blindly trust what they tell you. You and your department ultimately have to work with the solution, and you are responsible for the process. So check and test carefully what the consultant tells you.
2. Create work instructions
During the implementation of an ERP package, as a key user, you determine the way of working that supports your process. It is crucial that you document this, even if it is still only a concept. If you don't, you will soon forget about it. While the work instructions provide support for you and the colleagues in your department.
3. Be critical of the current process
As a key user, you must always ask yourself the reason for a particular action in a process. Why are you printing this document? Why are you recording this data? The software consultant helps you by continually asking these questions as well. In any case, "We always do it this way" is the wrong answer. Often the current way of working has indeed been created by the (im)possibilities of the current package and the desired way of working from years ago. But you have to let go of the current package and think about tomorrow's desired way of working.
4. Ensure improvement
Perhaps the most important tip: start looking for improvements! This is quite difficult, because you are not used to it. But the implementation of a new ERP package is the time to make improvements in business processes. If no one had ever thought about improvements, we would still be living in a cave and running after animals with a spear to be able to put something on the table in the evening. By the way, that table also came because we were looking for improvements....
Peter Gerhardt is Senior Lead Consultant Logistics at Dysel and helps customers achieve maximum results with its business software.
