An ERP change management plan is a vital part of any ERP implementation or upgrade project. It helps organizations to effectively plan, implement, and manage the changes to their ERP system, processes and workforce. The benefits of an ERP change management plan include:
Failing to correctly implement an ERP change management plan can have disastrous consequences on your ERP implementation including low adoption rates, employee dissatisfaction and more.
Overall, an ERP change management plan is a key tool for managing the complexity and uncertainty of an ERP implementation or upgrade project, and for ensuring that the organization can realize the full benefits of its ERP system.
Define the scope of the project, including the specific changes that will be made to the ERP system and the business processes that will be affected. For example, the scope of the project may include upgrading from an older version of the ERP software to a newer version, implementing new modules such as inventory management or CRM, or integrating the ERP system with other business systems.
At a high level, your ERP project scope should define:
1. Functional/Departmental Scope
2. Entity/Geographical Scope
3. Integration to other business applications & services
Identify the individuals who will be responsible for the project, including project managers, ERP experts, and representatives from the business units that will be impacted by the changes. For example, the ERP project team may include an ERP administrator, a business analyst, a process improvement specialist, and representatives from the finance, supply chain, and sales departments.
Establish a communication plan that includes how stakeholders will be informed about the project, how progress will be reported, and how feedback will be collected. For example, the communication plan may include regular project status meetings, email updates, and a dedicated project website or portal where stakeholders can access project information and provide feedback.
Develop a training plan that includes the training that will be required for users of the ERP system, and how it will be delivered. For example, the training plan may include online tutorials, classroom training, and one-on-one coaching sessions. You may also choose to have a superuser approach, where key individuals are trained as champions and are responsible for upskilling others within their teams, locations or departments.
Create a test plan that outlines how the changes will be tested and validated, including the testing schedule and the test cases that will be used. For example, the test plan may include unit testing, integration testing, system testing, and user acceptance testing.
Develop a deployment plan that includes the steps that will be taken to deploy the changes to the ERP system, including the schedule and the roll-out plan. For example, the deployment plan may include a phased approach, where the changes are deployed to a small group of users first and then gradually rolled out to the rest of the organization.
Schedule a post-implementation review to assess the success of the project and to identify any areas for improvement. For example, the post-implementation review may include a survey of users to gather feedback on the changes, an analysis of system performance and usage data, and a review of project costs and timelines.
Identify potential risks and develop a contingency plan to address them, including how to roll back the changes if necessary. For example, the contingency plan may include a backup plan for critical data, procedures for restoring the system to a previous state, and a communication plan for informing stakeholders of any issues or disruptions.