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The New Rules of ERP:

10 Keys to ERP Go Live in an Agile Era
With the introduction of ERP 6.0 and NetWeaver Enhancement Packages, SAP mini go lives happen frequently,
bringing the same testing and change management issues associated with a full blown SAP implementation.
Whatever the size of the go live, here are some tips to ensure that when you flip the switch, you’ll like what you see.

1 Decide on the measurements for success.

No matter how small the go live, it cannot be judged a success without success metrics.
Call them KPIs, call them “performance milestones,” but find a way to measure gains in
productive and performance.

SAP Solution Manager, properly configured, can help to measure

! system performance which can be tied to internal KPIs.

2 Develop a “center of excellence” mindset.

ERP is a long term commitment. Without a center of excellence approach, employees take
undocumented knowledge with them when they leave. Dependence on consultants leads
to cost overruns.

ASUG and other use groups are developing a growing body of

! knowledge on building a center of excellence.

3 Pick MVPs for your go live team.

Successful go live stories are filled with talented representatives from key business units.
The “folks that cannot be spared” for the go live are the exact ones that need to be there.
Backfill/cross-train/plan for their presence on the ERP project.

Pick team members who have a combination of deep company process

! know-how and high influence amongst their workgroup peers.

4 Seize the opportunity to standardize and consolidate.

In many cases, SAP’s new releases provide opportunities to drop redundant systems and
standardize on out-of-the-box functionality. Previous customizations are not always needed.

Firms like Panaya provide the capability to identify obsolete code prior
! to upgrade.
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5 Anticipate integration snafus.

One of the most common ERP go live snafus is third party incompatibility. Develop a pre-go-
live roadmap of all the applications implicated in the go live and plan for integration testing
accordingly.

When possible, move away from vendors that are not certified to
! integrate with SAP and lean towards partners with close ties to SAP
going forward.

6 Engage independent voices on the project.

Many projects take a bad turn due to excessive reliance on one vendor with a vested
interest. A third party auditor or a well respected subject matter expert like an SAP Mentor
can provide a valuable (and sometimes dissenting) perspective prior to crucial decisions. They
may know of workarounds and alternative approaches not proposed by your main vendor.

Select one top notch independent in the specific focus of your go live
! (Xcelsius, New GL, NetWeaver Portals, XI/PI, etc.).

7 Respect the distinction between change management and training.

Companies often merge change management and training tasks to save on costs. But if
change management gets pushed too far into the training cycle, users will not buy into the
new system. Involve users early on in the process, prior to crucial workflow decisions.

With more frequent go lives in the “Enhancement Package era,” don’t rely
! on outside consultancies for all your organizational change management.
Find (and promote) an internal champion.

8 When you customize, head to the cloud.

The latest ERP systems are highly configurable, making the route of standardized ERP
functionality less problematic. But there are always areas where customizations are needed.
Save those for the vital competitive processes that separate you from your peers. And when
you do plan to customize, go to the “cloud” whenever possible. Look into SOA and REST-
based approaches that allow you to “compose” your killer app on top of your ERP system –
without altering source code.

! The SAP Developer Network has a vibrant community of “smart geeks”

who are always experimenting with nifty ways of building new web
apps on top of SAP.
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9 Post-implementation audits determine the value of the installation.

“Go live with no problems” is not enough to justify a modern ERP go live. Plan for post-
implementation audits at appropriate intervals (e.g. one month/three months/six months) to
assess go live benchmarks and troubleshoot areas of disappointment.

An outside expert like Eric Kimberling of Panorama Consulting, one not

! affiliated with a particular vendor, can help define the goals of an “ROI
audit.”

10 Reward those who achieve the targets.

Those who can complete successful go lives and measure those results are going to receive
their share of job offers and project solicitations. Reward the high achievers.

Financial bonuses are not always the best reward for high performance
! ERP talent. Send them all expenses paid to the trade show of their
choosing instead, or offer to match dollar for dollar their next training
and certification.