These are the people who will be using the ERP system once it is in place. These are the people who are doing the function;-ih~t are being automated or computerized by the ERP system. With the implementation of ERP system, the old job descriptions will change, the nature of t~e job will undergo drastic transformation. It is human nature to resist change. When we are talking about implementation an ERP system we are talking about change in a very massive scale. Employees will fear that system will replace existing jobs, as many functions will be automated. Also people will afraid of the amount of training they have to undergo and learning they have to do to use the new system. Job profiles will change, job responsibilities will undergo drastic alterations, and people will be forced to develop new skill sets. If these fears are not addressed and alleviated well in advance, it will cause trouble for the organization.

It should be worth nothing the fact, that while the SRP systems eliminate many existing jobs, it creates many new ones - ones with more responsibilities and value addition. It is easy to see that the automation of the business processes, through technology, can eliminate the jobs of many employees whose function it is record, control, calculate, analyze file or prepare reports. But it must be pointed out to the employees that the same automation creates many more opportunities for them, because they can get away from the mOflotonous clerical work and transform themselves into highly valued individual~, in a new and challenging working environment using modern technology. If 1he company can succeed in making its employees accept this fact and assist in making the transformation (by giving them training), then the major (and most critical) obstacle in the path of an ERP implementation is solved.One of the main roles of the members of the executive committee is check and verify that the work that is being done is satisfactory and that the momentum, morale and enthusiasm of the work team who is performing these tasks are maintained. During the executive committee meetings, the members should receive reports and other information from the project managers as to how the work is progressing and whether everything is going according to schedule. The executive committee should receive data that includes them to maintain their confidence in the implementation process.

Before the implementation starts, the consultants and the company representatives should sit together and prepare a work plan. This plan details each and every activity that needs to be carried out and when it should be carried out. The consultants should lead the process of the work plan preparation, because they have the experience of implementing the same package in similar conditions. The in-house team should point out the issues that are specific to the company and help the consultants in creating a realistic work plan. The work plan or the project plan forms the basis for project tracking and monitoring. The project plan contains numerous activities, the man-hours required to complete them, and the resources nee~ed to perform the tasks. Usually, the project plan is built using a project management package (like MS project) that permits one to focus on planned activities from various perspectives - the chronological sequence or timetable, specific activities and who is responsible for them, the prerequisites for carrying out a specific task or a PERT chart of the activities.The post ERP organization will need a different set of roles and skills than those with less integrated kinds of systems. At a minimum, everyone who uses these systems needs to be trained on how they work, how they relate to the business process and how a transaction ripples through the" entire company whenever they press a key. The training will never end; it is an ongoing process. New people will always be coming in, and new functionality will always be entering the organization. Most companies use consultants to help with the implementation process. This,
in itself, is not a bad idea. The problem lies in 'how most companies use consultants in ERP implementations. They do nQt transfer knowledge from consultants to internal employees. Since these systems are going to be around for quite sometime, it is very important that the company employees have a good knowledge (as good as the consultants) about how these systems work and how they can be configured to fit the organization. The CIO, or whoever is in-charge of the implementation, must make sure that the consultants allow the employees to work side by side with them on the implementation project. Before they leave, the employees should tap the most knowledgeable consultants on long term system evolution issues.

In every business function and department that is affected by ERP you will need one or more persons who know the system and its relationship to the departmental processes. It is these people who have to save the system in the early days after you turn the system on. It is these people who have to guide, motivate and help their colleagues by working along them. They will answer questions, find needed work-around and let you know what's working and what isn't. These people will be the ERP team representatives in each department. It is a good idea to ensure that these people have a dual reporting relationship with their managers and the ERP in-charge. It will also be useful to convene meetings of these people once in a while so that they can share knowledge and compare notes.