When a North American subsidiary of a global industrial equipment manufacturer replaced its legacy Baan ERP with Infor CloudSuite Industrial Enterprise (LN), success depended on more than just technology. For ~340 employees across the U.S. and Canada, the challenge was clear: ensure users could confidently adopt the new system while guaranteeing ongoing support for day-to-day operations.
The answer was a role-based training program combined with a scalable, on-demand functional support model, designed to empower key users and stabilize the global rollout.
Project Highlights
- Company: Global manufacturer of hydraulic equipment (anonymous)
- Industry: Construction & demolition attachments
- Employees: ~340 in North America, global HQ in Europe
- ERP: Infor CloudSuite Industrial Enterprise (LN, Cloud)
Key Challenges:
- Migration from legacy Baan ERP
- Intensive user training required in finance, logistics, production, sales, and service
- On-site workshops in Canada, hybrid training in the U.S.
- Long-term functional and technical remote support post-go-live
Building a Structured Enablement Program
The rollout team quickly realized that user adoption would make or break the project. A tailored approach was designed to meet the needs of each department:
- Role-Based Training: Finance, logistics, production, service, and sales each received content directly relevant to daily tasks.
- Hybrid Delivery: On-site sessions in Burlington (Canada) and Buffalo (USA) supported by additional remote training.
- Documentation & Tracking: Attendance logs, content summaries, and follow-up actions ensured accountability.
- Support Framework: A clear process for issue resolution, escalation, and vendor ticket handling was established before go-live.
Solution in Action
Modules Trained & Supported:
- Finance: General ledger, AP/AR, tax setup, monthly closings
- Procurement & Logistics: Purchasing, receiving, warehouse operations
- Sales & Billing: Orders, pricing, shipping, invoicing
- Production & Planning: Shop floor control, MRP, engineering
- Service: Service order planning, execution, and follow-up
Key Add-ons: Infor Ming.le, Birst In-Context BI, IDM, Workflow Engine, Data Lake
Training Week (Nov 7–11, 2022):
- Sessions structured in AM/PM blocks, 6–10 participants each
- Hands-on exercises with pre-configured access for practical learning
- Remote participants joined seamlessly to ensure global coverage
Support Model:
- Remote functional support activated on-demand after go-live
- Services included user assistance, issue troubleshooting, and vendor coordination
- Transparent billing: only hours consumed were charged, with prior approval required for additional hours
Timeline & Milestones
- Training Week (Canada): Nov 14–25, 2022
- ERP Go-Live (North America): Dec 2022
- Additional Training Rounds: Jan–Feb 2023 (on-site + remote)
- Ongoing Functional Support: From 2023 to present
Lessons Learned & Best Practices
This project reinforced critical principles for global ERP rollouts:
- Role-specific enablement drives adoption. Training tailored to daily responsibilities builds confidence and reduces errors.
- Real scenarios matter. Using business data in training accelerates retention and practical application.
- Support must be transparent. Defined routing, prioritization, and time-tracking keep costs predictable and services efficient.
- Preparation is key. Early setup of demo access and environments streamlines training and reduces delays.
Conclusion
By combining modular, role-based training with a scalable functional support model, the company ensured a smooth ERP transition and established a foundation for continuous improvement in global operations.