How to Tell Whether You Have a People, Process, or ERP Problem

Estimated read time: 5 minutes

When orders require workarounds, reports cannot be trusted, or employees complete the same task differently, the ERP often receives the blame.

Sometimes the system really is the problem. In other cases, the ERP exposes a process that was never clearly defined or a team that did not receive the training and support needed to follow it.

Before investing in a new system, customization, or automation, leadership needs to answer a more important question:

Do we have a people, process, or ERP problem?

The answer determines what you should fix first.

Signs You May Have a People Problem

A people problem does not automatically mean employees are unwilling or incapable. It often means they lack clear expectations, sufficient training, ownership, or confidence in the system.

Common warning signs include:

• Employees perform the same task in different ways

• Only one person knows how an important workflow operates

• Users maintain spreadsheets because they do not trust the ERP

• Employees skip required fields or system steps

• New processes disappear shortly after training

• Questions and exceptions always go to the same superuser

One useful test is to observe two employees completing the same transaction. If the process and ERP configuration remain the same but the outcome changes depending on the user, training, role clarity, or adoption may be contributing to the problem.

However, additional training will not fix a workflow that is poorly designed. Before assuming the employee needs to change, confirm that the expected process is practical and clearly documented.

Scaled Solutions provides role-based Prophet 21 training using the organization’s actual workflows. This helps users understand both how to complete a task and why each step matters.

Signs You May Have a Process Problem

A process problem exists when the workflow itself creates delays, duplicate work, unclear decisions, or inconsistent results.

Watch for signs such as:

• Approvals depend on email, memory, or hallway conversations

• Employees enter the same information into multiple systems

• Departments use different rules for the same transaction

• Exceptions have become part of the normal workflow

• No one can explain who owns a decision

• The process has not been reviewed as the company has grown

• Employees follow steps simply because “that is how we have always done it”

A process can produce a completed transaction and still be inefficient. The order may reach the customer, but only after unnecessary touches, re-entry, approvals, or corrections.

To test the process, map one transaction from beginning to end. Include every handoff, approval, spreadsheet, email, correction, and system entry. If the process remains confusing before the ERP is discussed, technology alone is unlikely to solve it.

This is why Scaled Solutions emphasizes business process optimization before major configuration or implementation work. Improving the process first prevents the organization from carrying the same inefficiencies into a new system.

Signs You May Have an ERP Problem

An ERP problem occurs when the system’s configuration, functionality, integration, or data prevents employees from following an otherwise sound process.

Possible indicators include:

• The ERP requires unnecessary manual entry

• Important fields or controls are missing

• System permissions prevent users from completing their responsibilities

• Reports produce conflicting or unreliable information

• Integrations fail or create duplicate data

• Existing functionality does not support current operating requirements

• Employees need offline workarounds to complete routine transactions

• The system was configured around an outdated process

The key distinction is consistency. If trained users following a clearly defined process encounter the same system limitation, the ERP or its configuration deserves closer review.

The answer is not always a new ERP. The organization may need better configuration, cleaner data, improved reporting, an integration, targeted development, or functionality it already owns but has not fully adopted.

Scaled Solutions helps companies evaluate and improve existing ERP environments as well as plan and manage ERP implementations. The goal is to apply the right level of technology after the operational need is understood.

Most Operational Problems Cross All Three Areas

People, process, and ERP problems rarely remain separate.

For example, employees may create a spreadsheet because an ERP screen does not support the information they need. The spreadsheet becomes part of the process. New employees then learn the workaround instead of the intended workflow.

What began as a configuration gap becomes a process problem and eventually an adoption problem.

That is why isolated fixes often fail:

• Training cannot repair a broken workflow

• Automation cannot correct unclear ownership

• A customization cannot create user adoption

• A new ERP cannot standardize decisions leadership has not defined

The root cause must be identified before the solution is selected.

A Simple Diagnostic Test

When a recurring problem appears, ask these questions in order:

1. Is the expected outcome clearly defined?

If departments disagree about what should happen, begin with the process.

2. Can the workflow be completed consistently without relying on one person?

If success depends on individual knowledge, address documentation, ownership, and training.

3. Can trained users follow the agreed process inside the ERP?

If the system prevents a well-defined process from being completed, review the configuration, data, integration, or functionality.

4. Does the problem appear across teams or only with certain users?

A widespread and repeatable limitation may indicate a system or process issue. Differences between users may indicate training or adoption gaps.

5. Are workarounds solving an exception or running the operation?

An occasional workaround may be reasonable. A workaround used every day signals that the operating model and the ERP are no longer aligned.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should we replace our ERP if employees rely heavily on spreadsheets?

Not necessarily. First determine why the spreadsheets exist. They may compensate for missing reporting, poor configuration, limited training, unreliable data, or a process that was never built into the ERP. Replacing the system before identifying the cause could reproduce the same problem.

Can an ERP problem be fixed without a full implementation?

Often, yes. Configuration changes, process redesign, training, reporting improvements, data cleanup, integrations, or targeted development may solve the issue. An assessment helps determine whether optimization or replacement is the better path.

Who should participate in diagnosing the problem?

Include leadership, process owners, regular system users, and technical stakeholders. Each group sees a different part of the workflow. The clearest picture comes from comparing what leadership expects, what the process requires, what users actually do, and what the ERP supports.

Fix the Right Problem First

Recurring operational problems should not automatically become software projects.

Before buying another application, requesting a customization, or replacing the ERP, determine whether the real constraint comes from the people using the system, the process they are expected to follow, or the technology supporting the work.

Scaled Solutions conducts Business Operational Assessments that examine people, processes, technology, and data together. We identify the root causes behind recurring problems and build a prioritized roadmap for process improvement, ERP optimization, training, automation, or implementation.

Not sure what is causing the problem in your operation?

Contact Scaled Solutions to schedule a Business Operational Assessment.