ERP Project Teams

The way a company organizes its ERP project team can greatly influence the outcome of an ERP
implementation.
ERP project teams are formed not just for implementing ERP software but also for the ongoing
maintenance required of an ERP system.
Team structures vary tremendously from company to company and situation to situation.
The company management should do the ERP team formation in consultation with the
consultants and vendors.
The ERP teams should contain the consultants and vendor representatives before, during and
after the implementation.
The vendor representatives will come into the ERP team only after the selection of the ERP
package, but the external consultants (the experts) should be there to help in the package
selection and vendor negotiations.
The most critical factor that decides the success of any ERP system implementation is the
support of the people who use the system. So the ERP project team members and the
management should do everything in their power to get the support of the end users.

PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE ERP IMPLEMENTATION

The participants of people in an implementation can fall into several different positions.
Project sponsor the role of the project sponsor is to ensure that the ERP implementation gets
all the assistance it needs from resources to management backing.
Executive committee This committee formulates the long term goals, objectives and strategies
regarding the implementation of the ERP system in the company.
Project Manager Person responsible for translating the vision and goals into reality. Reports to
the executive committee and heads the project management team.
Implementation or work team This team consists of selected employees from the company in
addition to vendor representatives and consultants. These employees will perform the various
tasks in implementing the ERP system from installing the hardware, software, customizing,
documenting, training and so on.
Functional participants Functional participants answer questions, and review the training
programs and business process flows that are proposed in the new software.
Consultants They are expects who will assist the organizations team all matters related to the
implementation and operation of the system.
Package vendors They are people who have developed the ERP packages and they also will
assist the organization in the implementation, customization, training etc.
End-users End users are the general mass of people who will use the new ERP system.

ERP IMPLEMENTATION TEAM

The CEO, CIO or COO sponsors the project and ensures full support of the management

The executive committee comprising the top management team formulates guidelines and
monitors the project, take corrective actions when required. The project managers report to
the executive committee.
The Project Manager heads the project management team. This team includes the head of
vendor representatives, the chief consultants and the work team leaders.
The implementation teams carry out the various tasks for implementing the system. If the
implementation team is comprises of people from all departments and from all levels, they can
convey what that have learned about the ERP system and thus help overcome the initial
resistance the system is bound to face.
The external consultants help the project manager and the work team members in all aspects of
the implementation.
Vendor representatives advise about best working practices, software functionally and assist the
technical issues.
The implementation team with the help of the consultants and vendor representatives help the
end-users on how to use the system.
The technical and administrative support teams ensures that the implementation team has all
the resources they need, when they need it.