Post-Implementation Organization & Support Loren Blinde

Post-Implementation Organization & Support Loren Blinde Director, Administrative Systems Group

Session Objectives An appreciation of issues that new customers and recent go-live projects will face with the longterm support and enhancement of their SAP systems An opportunity for established customers to share their experience

Session Topics Why ongoing support is an issue What a support team does Considerations in organizing a team Nebraska’s experience Open audience discussion

Why Support is an Issue Institutional Culture ERP system is likely a new thing The Business Technical relationship has changed There is a NEW business role

Why Support is an Issue Go-Live Psychology The finish-line is system go-live Management expectation of completion User expectation of a finished product

Why Support is an Issue “We want our people back!” The ERP project was a short-term assignment Many team members are drafted from your Business offices They are also your best people for system support

Why Support is an Issue Money You budgeted for the maintenance agreement Did you plan for the human side?

Your Challenge Create a reality-based management perspective of system support – Identify what support teams do – Consider your institutional factors – Look at peer models

What Support Teams Do Maintenance Tasks Major upgrades Service packs Problem solving Security administration Workflow administration Archiving

What Support Teams Do Common Business Tasks Support the business offices Centralized processes – – – – Tax reporting (US 1099 & W-2) Financial closing Payroll Payment runs Data manipulation – Mass changes – Data loads Ad-hoc report creation

What Support Teams Do Tend to the Users Training Documentation Change Management & Communication Internal Influence Channels

What Support Teams Do Continuous Improvement New initiatives and more SAP Accountability to senior management Priority setting - consensus building Product evaluation and acquisition Process redesign License management Define a priority setting process !

What Support Teams Do Stay Smart Networking Project team training Keeping up with SAP Advocacy and Influence CRM (Consultant Relationship Management)

What Support Teams Do Marketing Publicity & Promotion Internal Marketing – Selling SAP

Build a Support Team Consider your organization Build the right team structure Find the right people Create the right work environment Create the right relationships

Build a Support Team Consider your Organization Single or multiple-campuses? Administratively centralized? One size does not fit all

Build a Support Team The Right Team Structure Define the Business IT Relationship Define subject-oriented business positions Obtain executive sponsorship, write it down and make it official Make the team “entity-independent”

Build a Support Team Entity-Independent? Yes, it’s political An issue for multi-campus universities Your implementation was “one for all” Ongoing support works the same way Look at the corporate “home office” model

Build a Support Team Find the Right People Desired traits: – – – Knows SAP Knows your institution Knows your implementation The perfect fit – Your implementation team member ? View it as new position recruitment

Find the Right People “Can’t They Just do Two Jobs?” The inevitable compromise for “We want our people back” The “old job” still needs to be done The “new system” still needs support Somehow the “old job” got done The rest of your people just got better

Build a Support Team The right work environment System integration requires team integration One team – one location Keep the team visible Become welcome and familiar faces in the business offices

Build a Support Team The Right Relationships Team Manager Executive Admin Team Manager IT Manager Team Members Team Members Team Members IT Staff Team Members Business Offices Change Management End Users

The Nebraska Time Line Late 1997 – Begin Implementation (3.1H) July 1999 – Go Live (4.5B) Late 1999 – Implementation team fades away 2000 – the “Virtual Team” year 2001 – Administrative Systems Group formed

The Nebraska Organization Chief Financial Officer / Associate VP Director Administrative Systems Group Administrative Systems Business Team: Finance Chief Information Officer Chief Business Officers / Steering Committee Customer Support Team Change Management Projects/FM Human Resources Payroll Workflow BASIS Team Applications/ ABAP Team Communication Documentation Training Procurement/ Travel Associate CIO Information Access/ Business Warehouse Team

Closing Thoughts Preserve your project momentum Keep your key people Find a way to do it Some will question if you can afford it Can you afford not to?

Now YOU Talk . . . Questions Other school’s experience Loren Blinde University of Nebraska 327 Nebraska Hall Lincoln, NE 68588-0521 402-472-7023 [email protected]