We've been using our ERP system for about nine months now, and technically everything is running smoothly—transactions are posted correctly, integrations are working, and we have reporting capabilities in place. However, in practice, things aren't so great. Many teams are still relying on spreadsheets or using their own 'shadow systems', which leads to constant data reconciliation issues that should not exist. What concerns me is that people aren't bypassing the ERP out of laziness; they find it easier or more efficient for their jobs. Some workflows seem too restrictive, require excessive clicks, and some reports don't align with how teams actually operate. We did some training before going live, but it clearly wasn't sufficient. I'm looking for practical, manageable solutions to encourage better usage, whether that's adjusting processes, tweaking the user interface, re-training, or anything else. Or is it simply too late to expect full adoption?
5 Answers
A lot of this really falls on the management and leadership side of things. If the executives weren’t fully on board before the implementation, it can lead to these issues. Getting top-level management to push for its use is crucial—without that, it’s tough for teams to feel the sense of urgency to adapt.
Honestly, this is a common scenario with ERP systems. You can either adapt your processes to the ERP, or customize the ERP to fit your existing processes. It's not uncommon for companies to choose the wrong ERP based on their needs, and that mismatch can create a lot of frustration among users. What you need might be input from business analysts who can identify these issues directly with the users.
I get that's it's frustrating to see folks avoid using it, but you might have to take a firm approach. Encourage management to remind teams of the investment made into the ERP. If needed, limit access to those shadow systems or spreadsheets to drive home the message that the ERP is the way to go. If it’s a usability issue, that’s on the leadership to prioritize fixes.
You’ve hit the nail on the head—it’s all about change management. People naturally resist changes in their routine, especially when it feels like they’re being forced to abandon practices that they find effective. Your focus should be on understanding user pain points and seeing how you can make their experience with the ERP more intuitive and aligned with their actual workflows.
Exactly! It's not just about pushing the software down; it’s about understanding how the teams currently work and adjusting the system to fit them.
Have you considered setting up a task force that includes actual users of the ERP? Gather their feedback on every element that frustrates them. You need to get into the nitty-gritty details of how the system can be enhanced to meet their needs more effectively. Until then, it might be an uphill battle trying to automate something people just plain don’t want to use.
Right! Having those analysts involved to pinpoint exactly where the system isn't meeting expectations could definitely lead to meaningful changes.