2. 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 opportunity for established
customers to share their experience
3. Session Topics
Why ongoing support is an issue
What a support team does
Considerations in organizing a team
Nebraska’s experience
Open audience discussion
4. Why Support is an Issue>
Institutional Culture
ERP system is likely a new thing
The Business <> Technical
relationship has changed
There is a NEW business role
5. Why Support is an Issue>
Go-Live Psychology
The finish-line is system go-live
Management expectation of
completion
User expectation of a finished product
6. Why Support is an Issue>
“We want our people back!”
The ERP project was a short-term
assignment
Many team members are drafted from
your Business offices
They are also your best people for
system support
7. Why Support is an Issue>
Money
You budgeted for the maintenance
agreement
Did you plan for the human side?
8. Your Challenge>
Create a reality-based
management perspective of
system support
– Identify what support teams do
– Consider your institutional factors
– Look at peer models
9. What Support Teams Do>
Maintenance Tasks
Major upgrades
Service packs
Problem solving
Security administration
Workflow administration
Archiving
10. What Support Teams Do>
Common Business Tasks
Support the business offices
Centralized processes
– Tax reporting (US 1099 & W-2)
– Financial closing
– Payroll
– Payment runs
Data manipulation
– Mass changes
– Data loads
Ad-hoc report creation
11. What Support Teams Do>
Tend to the Users
Training
Documentation
Change Management &
Communication
Internal Influence Channels
12. What Support Teams Do>
Continuous Improvement
New initiatives and more SAP
Accountability to senior management
Priority setting - consensus building
Product evaluation and acquisition
Process redesign
License management
Define a priority setting process !
13. What Support Teams Do>
Stay Smart
Networking
Project team training
Keeping up with SAP
Advocacy and Influence
CRM
(Consultant Relationship Management)
14. What Support Teams Do>
Marketing
Publicity & Promotion
Internal Marketing – Selling SAP
15. Build a Support Team
Consider your organization
Build the right team structure
Find the right people
Create the right work environment
Create the right relationships
16. Build a Support Team>
Consider your Organization
Single or multiple-campuses?
Administratively centralized?
One size does not fit all
17. Build a Support Team>
The Right Team Structure
Define the Business > IT Relationship
Define subject-oriented business
positions
Obtain executive sponsorship, write it
down and make it official
Make the team “entity-independent”
18. Build a Support Team>
Entity-Independent?
Yes, it’s political
An issue for multi-campus universities
Your implementation was “one for all”
Ongoing support works the same way
Look at the corporate “home office”
model
19. Build a Support Team>
Find the Right People
Desired traits:
– Knows SAP
– Knows your institution
– Knows your implementation
The perfect fit
– Your implementation team member ?
View it as new position recruitment
20. Find the Right People>
“Can’t They Just do Two Jobs?”
The inevitable compromise for “We
want our people back”
The “old job” still needs to be done
The “new system” still needs support
Somehow the “old job” got done
The rest of your people just got better
21. Build a Support Team>
The right work environment
System integration requires team
integration
One team – one location
Keep the team visible
Become welcome and familiar faces in
the business offices
22. Build a Support Team>
The Right Relationships
Team Manager <> Executive Admin
Team Manager <> IT Manager
Team Members <> Team Members
Team Members <> IT Staff
Team Members <> Business Offices
Change Management <> End Users
23. The Nebraska Time Line
Late 1997 – Begin Implementation (3.1H)
July 1999 – Go Live (4.5B)
Late 1999 – Implementation team fades away
2000 – the “Virtual Team” year
2001 – Administrative Systems Group formed
24. The Nebraska Organization
Chief Financial Officer /
Associate VP
Chief Information
Officer
Director
Administrative
Systems Group
Administrative
Systems Business
Team:
Finance
Projects/FM
Human Resources
Payroll
Procurement/
Travel
Workflow
BASIS Team
Applications/
ABAP Team
Customer
Support Team
Change
Management
Communication
Documentation
Training
Chief Business
Officers / Steering
Committee
Information
Access/
Business
Warehouse
Team
Associate CIO
25. Closing Thoughts
Preserve your project momentum
Keep your key people
Find a way to do it
Some will question if you can afford it
Can you afford not to?
26. Now YOU Talk . . .
Questions
Other school’s experience
Loren Blinde
University of Nebraska
327 Nebraska Hall
Lincoln, NE 68588-0521
402-472-7023
lblinde@nebraska.edu
