Customer services, domestic managers, export managers

These user groups are typically heavy users of the ERP solution and have strong cross-over activities with Production and Distribution. Their training will include rebates, sales order processing, invoicing/billing and credits.

Classroom training should be provided to this audience to provide them with the opportunity to practice tasks which they must be competent with in readiness for go live.

Factory operators, planners, tools engineers

Factory operators (depending on the ERP solution) will have limited exposure to the system with access through handhelds, touch screens or customised portals. It is beneficial to simulate the factory environment so as to make the training delivered task-focussed.

Planners and tools engineers might benefit from more structured training in the classroom but this would depend on the content.

Inventory controllers, packing operators, logistics managers

Optimum has delivered training programmes in mocked up warehouses to simulate the different locations such as quarantine, goods in, goods out, and so on. This ensures the training delivered is an exact replica of what the audience will be doing when the ERP solution goes live.

Training sessions should be short so the user is not taken out of the business for long periods of time.

Management accountants, finance assistants, treasurers

Timing for the training of finance users is paramount and cannot disrupt their end of month/quarter commitments. Your training programme should train on a build which will be familiar to the audience when they go live, introducing walkthroughs using your COA, approval hierarchy and data.

Classroom training is popular with these audiences, however, if the audiences are overseas, modular delivery across WebEx/Skype can be delivered in shorter durations.

HR administrators, HR business partners, Line managers

HR works closely with the departmental administrators as well as recruitment. Their core system users are normally the HR administrators who will require hands-on training so they are competent for go live.

Users such as HR business partners and line manager approvers will not require classroom training but a short session on the core benefits, their role in the process and the functionality they are required to use.