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

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

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

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

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

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

Your Challenge> Create a reality-based management perspective of system support 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 Major upgrades Service packs Service packs Problem solving Problem solving Security administration Security administration Workflow administration Workflow administration Archiving Archiving

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Build a Support Team> Find the Right People Desired traits: Desired traits: –Knows SAP –Knows your institution –Knows your implementation The perfect fit The perfect fit –Your implementation team member ? View it as new position recruitment 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 inevitable compromise for “We want our people back” The “old job” still needs to be done The “old job” still needs to be done The “new system” still needs support The “new system” still needs support Somehow the “old job” got done Somehow the “old job” got done The rest of your people just got better The rest of your people just got better

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

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

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

The Nebraska Organization

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

Now YOU Talk... Questions Questions Other school’s experience Other school’s experience Loren Blinde University of Nebraska 327 Nebraska Hall Lincoln, NE