The document discusses the importance of ongoing support for organizations after implementing an SAP system. It notes that establishing a dedicated support team is crucial to maintain the system long-term. An effective support team handles tasks like system upgrades, problem solving, user training, and process improvement. The document provides guidance on structuring a support team, finding qualified staff, and developing the right relationships. It also shares Nebraska's experience of transitioning their implementation team into a long-term Administrative Systems Group after their SAP go-live.

1. Post-Implementation
Organization & Support
Loren Blinde
Director, Administrative Systems Group

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