End User

REPORT

Accounting and specifically, management accounting is a profession which has changed dramatically of the last 30 years. The days of straight “bean counting” accountants are long gone, replaced by a new breed of accountant with a growing involvement in the management of business enterprises. Not only proficient in the mechanics of financial record keeping, accountants have developed skills in areas such as systems design, basic programming and semi-technical IT expertise.

Running a manufacturing company, profitably (is there any other way to run any company?), requires an intimate understanding of, not only, the cost drivers of the business, but also the specific peculiarities of the internal business processes. The company is now considering implementation of an ERP system to integrate and streamline the inefficient duplication of time and effort, minimise costly errors in re-keying data and dramatically speeding up the production of vital management reports. Which team in the company has the best knowledge of the pitfalls of the current procedures and the requirements, desires and frustrations of the end users? The accounting department team of course!

End users are one of the major keys to the successful adoption of a new ERP system. They need to be fully consulted as to the specific requirements for each of their roles in the company’s operations. Involving the end-user in the specification and design of any new system will engage these users to become a stakeholder in the systems success. Their enthusiasm to have taken part in the analysis of the new system is crucial to their ownership and successful implementation. As we have stated above, unlike external consultants, we as a department have an existing understanding of their requirements. The IT department, who are also under consideration to lead the system development, are not known for their visibility; they are have demonstrated a liking for the “fix when broken” approach. Their expertise...