Logan’s Approach for Effective QAD Training

Posted on: January 21, 2025 | By: Alexa Leitner | ERP Selection, QAD Business Process

In the rapidly evolving business landscape, ensuring your QAD team is adequately trained is a cornerstone of organizational success. ERP systems are the backbone of many manufacturers and distributors, streamlining operations and providing critical business insights. However, the true value of these systems can only be realized if your team is equipped with the knowledge and skills to utilize them effectively. In this blog, we will explore practical steps to ensure proper training for your QAD team, enhancing their capabilities and your organization’s overall efficiency. 

Start with Clear Goals 

The foundation of any successful training program is clarity in goals. Start by defining what you want your team to achieve. Goals can be divided into two tiers: 

  1. General Training Goals: Establish a baseline understanding of QAD concepts, such as system fundamentals to foster a shared vocabulary and quicker knowledge transfer across the team. 
  1. Role-Specific Goals: Tailor goals to individual roles, ensuring that team members have the expertise needed to excel in their specific job functions. For instance, an inventory manager’s training should focus on modules relevant to inventory tracking, while a financial analyst may need in-depth training on reporting and accounting functionalities. 

By beginning with the end in mind, you create a roadmap that aligns your training efforts with your business objectives. 

Develop a Training Matrix 

A training matrix is a powerful tool that outlines the skills and knowledge required for each role within your QAD team. This matrix helps identify gaps in expertise and ensures that training is targeted and comprehensive. 

For example: 

  • Inventory Management Roles: Training on MRP (Material Requirements Planning), inventory forecasting, and stock reconciliation. 
  • Finance Roles: Focus on financial reporting, general ledger, and accounts payable modules. 
  • Production Roles: Understanding of scheduling, shop floor management, and production reporting. 

With this framework, you can efficiently allocate training resources and track progress for each team member. 

Gather Supporting Documentation 

Typically, in large full-scale projects this includes process maps, process narratives and work instructions. A maintainable system must include documentation that will guide the training and onboarding of new hires. 

If you are going through this process and determine that you don’t have the proper support material, taking the action to find or create for the training documentation is pivotal to a successful training.  

Group Training Sessions for Collaboration 

Group training sessions can significantly enhance learning outcomes. Bringing together employees with similar responsibilities from different departments or locations fosters collaboration and cross-functional understanding. 

For instance, a multi-day group session for all inventory managers across your organization can cover: 

  • Navigating inventory modules. 
  • Best practices for inventory management. 
  • Hands-on exercises in inventory adjustment scenarios. 

This collaborative approach not only enhances learning but also strengthens team dynamics and encourages the exchange of best practices. 

Establish a Training Calendar 

Once you’ve identified who needs training, what they need to learn, and how long it will take, the next step is to create a training calendar. This calendar serves as a structured timeline to ensure that training is delivered consistently and regularly. 

Gather Feedback and Refine 

The final and critical step in the training process is to measure its effectiveness and refine your approach based on feedback. Use pre- and post-training assessments to gauge improvements in knowledge and skill. For example: 

  • Before training, 40% of employees might understand MRP; after training, this could increase to 80%. 
  • Test results can show significant improvements in operational understanding, such as creating a Master Production Schedule (MPS). 

Employee feedback can provide valuable insights into areas for improvement or additional training requirements. 

Tailor Training to Your Team’s Unique Needs 

Every QAD implementation is unique, and training should reflect that. Consider involving your team in discussions about their challenges and goals. This collaboration ensures that training addresses specific pain points, making it more relevant and effective. 

The Long-Term Benefits of Effective QAD Training 

Properly trained QAD teams are not just operationally effective—they are strategic assets. They can identify inefficiencies, recommend process improvements, and adapt quickly to new system functionalities. 

Next Steps 

If you’re ready to elevate your team’s QAD expertise, we’re here to help. Logan Consulting specializes in QAD training tailored to your organization’s unique needs. Contact us today at info@loganconsulting.com or call (312) 345-8817 to learn more about how we can support your team’s growth and development.