ERP training is essential for successful business operation

ERP implementations bring significant change to the way employees work. However, no ERP implementation can succeed without proper employee training. What is commonly experienced is that though ERP training is an integral part of ERP system deployment, many such training does not bring out an effective result.

Many enterprise system training initiatives erroneously focus on transactional training. Also many ERP training fail to accomplish several key goals, including putting changes in a context that is easily understood by employees, reinforcing changes over time, and providing multiple mechanisms to address different learning styles.

Key elements

Running a business entails much more than merely completing transactions: ERP developers are generally good at creating documentation and training that teaches people how to complete transactions in the system. However, running a business entails much more than merely completing transactions in a system. ERP training courses must deliver knowledge in the context of how employees perform their day-to-day jobs, not simply how to complete the new transactions in a system.

It won’t be that easy to get away with business processes, since they are going to change in the new ERP environment. The employees must be trained thoroughly to understand the new things. It will help them migrate to the new environment. Apart from that, relating to as-is processes helps highlight the most significant changes affecting employees.

Different people learn in different ways, and it often takes repetition and multiple channels to transform understanding and behavior. While most ERP implementations leverage classroom training, a majority of companies deploying a new ERP system fail to leverage cheat sheets, user instructions, Web-based ERP tutorials, hands-on simulations, and other effective learning tools. It is necessary to include a variety of formal and informal training tools to make sure the changes stick.

Also Read – ERP Software for Manufacturing

People who must get ERP training

In an organization, the decision makers need to have sufficient understanding of what is involved in an implementation project so that they appreciate the potential problems and are able to give the commitment and support that is required.

The members of the project team need to get thorough training and skills that will enable them to establish how to best use the functionality for the operation and maintenance phase. Since the members of the project team will become the trainers of other employees in the organization, they must be provided with the skill to able to formulate and deliver a training course.

The users of the ERP system need to have the skill for using the functionality relevant to their roles. They should understand the basic concepts of ERP and also how to perform the day-to-day activities in the ERP system. Others who require training include managers, who should have at least an appreciation of what the system does. Ideally, the project manager should have a good understanding o fall aspects of the system so that he can be effective in dealing with any issues raised.

A select number of people will require more specific technical training so that they can design databases, write scripts, manage users, generate reports and query the database for specific requirements.

The system administrators need to be able to setup the system and then maintain it. They will require knowledge about how to handle system security and deal with technical problems. They will need to develop a level of understanding of the functionality so that, at some stage after implementation when the project team is disbanded, they are able to manage the system smoothly.

Additionally, over the period it can be expected that the ERP tool will evolve to some degree along with the company and projects that it serves. From time to time it may be necessary to conduct additional training sessions to keep everyone abreast of the changes that have been implemented.

eresource academy, the training wing of eresource Infotech Pvt. Ltd. has developed program dedicated to training users in every aspect of the Integrated ERP software system. Its exclusive two-day basic ERP training course gives an opportunity to the users of ERP systems and other IT professionals to get acquainted with ERP software. This course caters to the vocational needs of the students and is concurrent with the software engineering and technology syllabus covered by the major universities.

Also read – ERP for Packaging industry