How to Leverage Training for a Successful ERP Implementation

The relationship between training and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation is often understated. With implementations, the understanding usually lies with the consultant as they guide you through the process.

There is an inherent learning experience that is happening. The question is, is that all you need to learn the platform?

Canadian manufacturers know how critical resource planning is to the success of their product and their business, which means that implementations can make or break the foundation for a company to grow. ERP implementations run smoothest once the staff has been able to absorb the foundational knowledge of the platform, so why wait until after your implementation begins?

Here are some key reasons why training is crucial to a successful ERP implementation to maximize your ERP technology investment.

Keep on Schedule

Implementations must take into consideration numerous variables at once. There are the timelines, team, communication, dedicated resources, and more that all come into play before you learn the platform. By taking foundational training on a new platform before you begin your implementation, you set your team and company up for a more predictable, efficient, and on-time turnaround. Less time will be spent teaching on the spot and more time will be spent customizing and configuring to your company’s needs.

Knowledgeable Team

Having a successful implementation depends on a strong team. Foundational ERP implementation training is designed to quickly ramp up staff to engage with new tools. Foundational training engages learners from all capacities in order that they may have a safe pre-established learning environment rather running the risk of working in a live production. This also ensures that all team members are presented the same information. Without a solid training experience, different team members may be approaching situations without all the information that they need, and addressing that on an ad hoc basis is time consuming and can create redundancies down the road.

Broad to Narrow

An implementation requires companies to filter through numerous settings, features, and setups that all require an understanding of the system at large. Consider the platform to be like a neighbourhood of houses. Each house is a feature or function that adds up to the greater sum of its parts, a neighbourhood. If you spend time going into each house, you’ll find that you can lose sight of where that house is in relation to the other houses. During an implementation, it’s critical to have a broader framework to keep sight of how all the components interact with each other. Foundational training offers a walk around the neighbourhood so that you can easily learn the lay of the land.

By taking the time to train before the implementation begins, your team will be able to avoid many obstacles or detours without succumbing to the common pitfalls that other Canadian manufacturers may face during implementation. Staying on schedule, enabling your team, and keeping a broad view will ensure a smoother implementation.

Author Profile

Natasa Koledin is Vice President, Education at Plex Systems, Inc. In this role, she is responsible for customer, partner, and internal training programs to help foster product adoption, onboarding, and certification. Plex delivers industry-leading ERP, MES, and Industrial IoT solutions to manufacturers across process and discrete industries.