ERP Change Management Plan: A 30, 60, 90 rollout with comms, training, and hypercare
Quick answer
ERP programs fail when the people shift lags the system shift. Run change work in the same cadence as design, build, test, and cutover, and measure adoption during hypercare. A 30, 60, 90 plan keeps sponsors, managers, and users aligned through go-live.
What is ERP change management?
ERP change management is the work that helps people adopt the new ERP processes, roles, and tools with minimal disruption. It connects four streams that often drift apart: leadership alignment, employee communications, training and performance support, and go-live support (hypercare).
Related searches include ERP change management best practices, ERP implementation change management, and ERP change management jobs.
If you searched “change management solutions” for ERP, the most effective solutions are usually operational: clear ownership, a manager plan, and weekly adoption metrics.
Sources: [S1], [S2], External: Prosci, Microsoft Learn
Internal support: change management, digital and technology, business transformation.
ERP change management plan: 30, 60, 90
This 30, 60, 90 rollout is designed for the period leading into go-live and through early stabilization. Adjust the dates to match your cutover schedule and testing milestones.
| Window | Comms | Training and readiness | Hypercare setup | Adoption metrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 0 to 30 | Launch sponsor message, publish what changes vs. what stays, confirm impacted audiences and channels | Role mapping, training needs analysis, draft job aids, identify super users, schedule training waves | Define hypercare operating model, triage categories, and escalation path | Define baseline measures and target behaviors by role |
| Day 31 to 60 | Cutover countdown, manager talking points, “what to expect” for key teams | Deliver training, run practice scenarios, confirm access and credentials, complete readiness checks | Staff hypercare desk, confirm issue logging, define daily standup cadence | Start leading indicators: training completion, practice pass rate, access readiness |
| Day 61 to 90 | Go-live announcement, daily updates, stabilization progress, recognition for teams | Refresher modules, targeted coaching, fix job aids, manager reinforcement | Run hypercare (daily triage, fixes, releases), transition to run support | Weekly adoption dashboard: usage, proficiency, business impact |
Sources: [S3], [S4], External: SAP Activate, Microsoft Learn
Cutover comms: what to send and when
Cutover comms should reduce uncertainty, prevent workarounds, and protect customers. The minimum set is: who is impacted, what to do differently, where to get help, and what is temporarily unavailable during cutover.
Cutover comms checklist
- One message owner, one approval path, and one distribution list per audience
- Clear downtime window and what changes at go-live
- Where to log issues and what information to include
- Customer-facing script for high-risk processes (billing, orders, service)
- Daily update cadence during go-live and hypercare
Cutover comms template (copy/paste)
Subject: ERP cutover schedule and what to expect
What is happening:
- We are moving to the new ERP system on [Go-live date].
Who is impacted:
- [Teams / roles / locations]
Cutover window:
- [Start date/time] to [End date/time]
- During this time, [process/tool] will be [unavailable/limited].
What you must do:
- Before cutover: [complete tasks, approvals, data entry cutoff]
- After go-live: [new steps, new login link, where to find job aids]
Where to get help:
- Hypercare help desk: [channel / phone / portal]
- Issue logging: [link] (include: role, process, steps, screenshots, severity)
Daily updates:
- We will send a daily update at [time] with fixes, known issues, and next steps.
Sources: [S1], External: Microsoft Learn
ERP training plan and change management training for employees
ERP training fails when it teaches screens instead of scenarios. Build training around what employees must do in the workplace: the top workflows, the exceptions, and how to get help. If you searched “ERP training plan” or “ERP change management plan template”, use the columns below to build the plan in one sheet.
| Training element | What to include | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Role-based scenarios | Top 5 workflows and top 5 exceptions | AP invoice entry, match exceptions, approvals |
| Practice and proficiency | Hands-on exercises and a pass check | Complete 3 cases with less than 2 errors |
| Job aids | One-page steps and decision trees | Refund flow, return flow, credit memo flow |
| Manager reinforcement | Talking points and what to watch for | Workaround prevention, quality checks |
| Post go-live support | Office hours and targeted refreshers | Daily office hours in weeks 1 to 2 |
ERP training plan template (copy/paste columns)
Role,Team/Location,Workflow scenario,Exceptions to practice,Training format,Job aids,Proficiency check,Trainer/owner,Training date,Completion %,Notes
Sources: [S4], [S5], External: Microsoft Learn training strategy, Microsoft Learn adoption and change strategy
Change management in the workplace and enterprise change management
ERP change management in the workplace is mostly about managers. Employees adopt faster when managers can answer three questions: what changes, how to succeed in the new process, and where to get help. At the enterprise level, align leaders on decisions that drive behavior: policy, controls, role definitions, and performance expectations.
Manager toolkit (minimum set)
- Two-minute “what changes vs. what stays” script
- Team-specific readiness checklist
- What to escalate during hypercare and how
- Weekly adoption scorecard for the team
If you searched “change management toolkit” or “change management solutions,” use this section as the operating model: owner, cadence, and measures.
Sources: [S1], [S6], External: Prosci metrics
ERP go-live hypercare: a simple playbook
“ERP go-live hypercare” is the stabilization period right after cutover. The goal is to restore predictable operations quickly and prevent shadow processes. Hypercare should have one intake, one triage, and clear escalation.
Hypercare operating model (copy/paste)
Hypercare duration: [weeks]
Daily cadence: triage [time], fix review [time], release notes [time]
Intake channels:
- Primary: [portal/link]
- Backup: [email/channel]
Severity definitions:
- Sev 1: customer impact or financial close blocked
- Sev 2: workaround exists but adds time or risk
- Sev 3: minor defect or usability issue
Triage fields:
Date, Reporter, Role, Process, Steps, Expected vs. actual, Screenshots, Severity, Workaround, Owner, ETA, Status
Escalation path:
Triage lead -> Process owner -> IT lead -> Program sponsor
Exit criteria to transition to run:
- Sev 1 at zero for [X] days
- Known issues list stable and owned
- Adoption metrics trending to targets
Sources: [S3], External: SAP Activate (run support)
ERP adoption metrics: what to measure in hypercare
If you searched “ERP adoption metrics,” keep the set small and role-based. Track usage, proficiency, and business impact, plus a few leading indicators that predict whether users will revert to workarounds.
| Metric group | What it answers | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Are users using the new workflow? | Transactions by role, workflow completion rate, login frequency |
| Proficiency | Are they doing it correctly? | Error rate, rework rate, approval cycle time, exception volume |
| Business impact | Is the change delivering outcomes? | Order-to-cash cycle time, close timing, inventory accuracy, customer complaints |
| Support signal | Where are users stuck? | Top 10 ticket themes, time-to-resolution, repeat issues by team |
ERP implementation change management toolkit
If you searched “change management toolkit” for ERP, the toolkit is a small set of templates that keep ownership clear. Use this list as your minimum viable kit.
- Stakeholder list and sponsor map
- Role impact map and training needs analysis
- Cutover comms plan and message calendar
- Manager toolkit (talking points, readiness checks)
- Hypercare playbook and issue log
- Adoption scorecard
GenAI change management for ERP rollouts
Many ERP platforms now include AI features (for example, suggested coding, anomaly detection, or copilots). Treat these as behavior changes, not feature releases. Add two items to the plan: role-based guardrails and scenario practice (what to do when the AI suggestion is wrong).
Two additions to your plan
- AI usage policy: what is allowed, what is not allowed, and how to review exceptions
- Training updates: include AI-assisted scenarios and a quality check for critical transactions
Sources: [S1], External: Microsoft (ERP overview)
ERP change management plan template (PDF-ready)
If you searched “ERP change management plan template PDF,” use the templates in this page, then export to PDF with page numbers and a version date in the footer. Keep one owner for each plan component.
ERP change management plan template (copy/paste columns)
Workstream,Activity,Audience,Owner,Start date,Due date,Dependencies,Proof of completion,Status,Risk/issue,Notes
Change plan for ERP rollout (starter rows)
Leadership alignment,Weekly sponsor update,Sponsors,[Owner],[Date],[Date],Cutover plan,Decision log updated,Planned,,
Comms,Cutover countdown comms,All impacted,[Owner],[Date],[Date],Approved message calendar,Sent,Planned,,
Training,Role-based scenario training,End users,[Owner],[Date],[Date],UAT scripts,Completion and proficiency results,Planned,,
Hypercare,Hypercare intake and triage live,All impacted,[Owner],[Date],[Date],Support staffing plan,Daily triage running,Planned,,
Metrics,Adoption dashboard baseline,Program team,[Owner],[Date],[Date],Data access,Dashboard published,Planned,,
If you want an ERP change management plan tailored to your ERP rollout, including cutover comms, an ERP training plan, hypercare setup, and adoption metrics:
contact NMS Consulting.
FAQ
What is ERP in change management?
In change management, ERP refers to the new system and operating model people must adopt. ERP change management aligns communications, training, manager actions, and support to reduce disruption at cutover and speed adoption during hypercare.
What are the 5 C’s of change management?
A practical 5 C’s checklist is: clarity (what changes), case (why now), coalition (who leads), capability (training and tools), and cadence (how progress is measured weekly through go-live and hypercare).
What are the 7 stages of implementation of ERP?
A practical 7-stage view is: decide and align, design the future state, configure and build, validate data and integrations, test with business users, cutover and go live, and stabilize in hypercare then optimize.
Sources: [S3], External: SAP Activate
What is an ERP training plan?
An ERP training plan defines who needs training, the scenarios to practice, the job aids required, and how proficiency will be checked before go-live and during hypercare.
Sources: [S4]
What is ERP go-live hypercare?
Hypercare is the stabilization period after go-live. It provides a focused operating model for intake, triage, fixes, releases, and communication until the program transitions to normal run support.
Sources: [S3]
Sources
- S1. Microsoft Learn (Dynamics 365 guidance), “Change management.” Accessed 2025-12-26. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/guidance/implementation-guide/change-management
- S2. Microsoft Learn (Dynamics 365 guidance), “Define a strategy for adoption and change management.” Accessed 2025-12-26. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/guidance/implementation-guide/implementation-strategy-define-strategy-adoption-change-management
- S3. SAP Learning, “Describing the Methodology Structure” (SAP Activate). Accessed 2025-12-26. https://learning.sap.com/courses/discovering-sap-activate-implementation-tools-and-methodology/describing-the-methodology-structure
- S4. Microsoft Learn (Dynamics 365 guidance), “Training strategy.” Accessed 2025-12-26. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/guidance/implementation-guide/training-strategy
- S5. Microsoft Learn (Dynamics 365 guidance), “Define a strategy for adoption and change management” (implementation strategy section). Accessed 2025-12-26. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/guidance/implementation-guide/implementation-strategy-define-strategy-adoption-change-management
- S6. Prosci, “Metrics for Measuring Change Management.” Accessed 2025-12-26. https://www.prosci.com/blog/metrics-for-measuring-change-management
- S7. Microsoft Dynamics 365, “What is ERP?” Accessed 2025-12-26. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics-365/resources/what-is-erp
- S8. Oracle, “What Is ERP?” Accessed 2025-12-26. https://www.oracle.com/erp/what-is-erp/
