Why You Want Them and How to Get Them.
Many in the tech industry are familiar with the concept of the Super User, an individual or individuals who garner a deep understanding of your ERP solution, your business processes and how the two mesh together. In traditional ERP implementations, nurturing a Super User was practically a mandate. Now, in the age of Cloud ERP solutions like Sage Intacct, it remains a valuable component of the implementation — as long as it’s done right. Here we’ve outlined five steps to identify, develop, and leverage the Sage Intacct Super User:
Define the Sage Intacct Super User Role
Just what is a Sage Intacct Super User? Often, we think of the Super User as the one in the organization who knows the software best, but there’s more to the role. Super Users know your business and are the first-line go-to people to answer software functionality and business process questions. Depending on your company’s size and its complexity, you may want multiple Super Users — subject area experts by department, for example.
Super Users understand how the software has been implemented and can provide quick responses to user requests about business processes, and system navigation, and resolve “how to” and “I can’t get it to work” issues. Super Users may also be involved in staff training, using a train-the-trainer approach. They also typically serve as the liaison between your company and your business partner.
Devote the Resources to Grow a Super User
An ERP deployment may be the most intense IT project your company ever undergoes, so you should allocate plenty of time for staff training. However, even though effective training is arguably the most important part of an effective implementation, many vendors rush the process because of pressures on the project timeline or budget.
Nurturing a Sage Intacct Super User takes time and resources. We’ve encountered frustrated companies whose implementation faltered (or failed) because the Super User concept was used by the vendor primarily as a way to lower the project’s implementation costs, by placing the entire training burden on a designated Super User. While the train-the-trainer approach can lower an organization’s upfront training costs, it’s shortsighted to make this the primary consideration.
Understand What Makes a Good Super User (and What Doesn’t)
The best Sage Intacct Super Users are naturally curious and have both the ability and the desire to take their training to the next level. They are genuinely motivated to help others learn the software. Their schedule must allow them the time to continue their education by attending user groups and conferences, to stay on top of new product releases and to consider additional ways the company can leverage the software.
While confidence is an admirable trait in a Super User, a know-it-all can be dangerous. The best Super Users know what they don’t know and are willing to bring their business partner into the mix to help strategize. It often seems easier to just “do it for them,” but the best Super Users will invest the time to help a user understand the task and how it fits into the larger picture.
Focus on Business Processes, Not System Transactions
Cloud ERP publishers are generally good at creating documentation and training that teaches people how to complete transactions in the software. However, running a business involves much more than simply completing transactions in a system. So, developing a Super User must involve the context of how employees perform their day-to-day jobs, not simply how to complete the new transactions in a system.
In short, a Cloud ERP publisher’s definition of a Super User may not be yours. It’s the publisher’s job to know the software inside and out, but it’s not their role to have the same understanding of your business. That dual understanding — the software and your business — is the core value of a business partner.
Maximize the Investment
This is one often overlooked benefit of having a Super User. Sage Intacct Super Users in particular will maximize their learning through communication and collaboration with your company’s business partner, stay abreast of new software releases and functionality, and consider how they can be put to best use within your organization. Could new functionality help streamline a previously manual or multi-step task, for example?
Sage Intacct Super Users also remain aware of changes in your company’s business environment that may affect the Cloud ERP application, such as opening a new location or acquiring a new business unit. They will also work closely with users and managers to spot trends, identify additional training needs, or suggest configuration or procedural changes that could improve how the software supports your business.
Unleash the Power
A properly motivated, trained, and empowered Sage Intacct Super User will become an invaluable internal resource. We encourage you to elevate their importance beyond the ability to speed up staff training and leverage their power to improve the long-term value of your Cloud ERP investment. Learn more about how we work with Sage Intacct Super Users by contacting us today.
Authors: Nancy McCarthy and David Thikoll
