An IT leader at Monsanto discusses managing the company's Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. ERP systems help organizations manage core business functions like inventory, ordering, and finances. Monsanto implemented a PeopleSoft ERP system in 1991 to manage HR, payroll, benefits and other functions across multiple countries. Key challenges of managing the complex ERP system include application upgrades, addressing needs of acquisitions and divestures, and communicating the value of IT to business stakeholders. The future of ERP involves moving more to internet-based and self-service applications.

1. Managing an Enterprise Resource Planning System in a Dynamic Business Environment Steve Savis IT Team Leader, PeopleSoft Project Monsanto Company

2. Enterprise Resource Planning What Is Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)? The Evolution of ERP ERP at Monsanto Challenges of Managing the ERP System The Future of ERP Questions

3. What Is ERP? multi-module application software that helps organization manage its core business product planning, inventory maintenance, supplier interaction, order tracking, financial and HR management relational database system, client/server distributed architecture business process analysis and retraining rich functionality across all areas

4. The Evolution of ERP 1960s: Inventory Control 1970s: Material Requirement Planning (MRP) 1980s: Manufacturing Resources Planning (MRP-II) 1990s: Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

5. ERP at Monsanto PeopleSoft project began in 1991 First major company to implement PeopleSoft HR, Payroll, and Benefits Oracle platform Team of 20 developers U.S., Canada, Asia/Pacific, Latin America North

6. ERP at Monsanto U.S. Salaried and Wage Payrolls Center for Employee Services Total Compensation Employee Stock Purchase Plans Position Management EEO/AAP External Vendor Interfaces

7. Challenges of Managing the ERP Application Development Upgrades Globalization Mergers, Acquisitions, and Divestitures Communicating IT Value

8. Application Development Change Control Impact Analysis Testing and Documenting Training and Support Demand Management

9. Upgrades Development Freeze Dealing with Customizations Hardware Requirements of Other Applications Beware of New Features Intrateam Communication Client Commitment

10. Globalization Requirements Definition Language Barriers Data Integrity Client Resistance “Follow-the-sun” Support

11. Mergers, Acquisitions, and Divestitures Understanding the Business Asking the Right Questions Collecting Data Clarifying Roles and Responsibilities Holding Debriefing Meetings

12. Communicating IT Value Budgetary Crosshairs Quantifying the Benefits Providing Realistic Estimates Linking to New Technology

13. The Future of ERP move from client/server applications to Internet-based applications “Enterprise applications for the Internet economy” electronic commerce, sales force customization, and customer relationship management software self-service applications; Web-based order entry

14. Questions