Early Morning Go-Live
It’s 5 a.m. The mall parking lot is still quiet, save for the distant hum of delivery trucks lining up at the hypermarket. I make my way through the concrete maze, heading toward the familiar staff entrance of Carrefour. Today isn’t just another day—it’s the first day of SAP S/4HANA go-live at this store.
Inside, no one is sleepy. The air is thick with anticipation. Functional Leads, managers, and more than 200 colleagues on Microsoft Teams are tuned in, all eyes on the first delivery bay. At the center of it all: a picker with his handheld scanner, ready to receive the day’s very first pallet.
He climbs onto his forklift, unloads the delivery, and tears back the protective cover. Then—beep. The barcode is accepted instantly. No lag, no dreaded “spiral of death.” The system responds immediately, displaying the expected delivery list. Smiles ripple across the room. He selects the blanket purchase order for the goods, and with a second beep, the item is officially received.
On Teams, those watching can’t see the confirmation, but they hear the cheers. The moment is real.
The Store Manager, a little restless with excitement, nudges me: “How do I refresh?” He’s got the Manage Purchase Orders app open, filtered for today’s deliveries. Their screen is still blank. “Press Go again,” I remind him. He does—and there it is. One line item appears. A broad smile spreads across his face just as the office printer comes alive, spitting out the lorry driver’s receipt.
The other bays begin to open, one after the other, and the day’s work truly begins.
What It Takes to Get Here.
This may seem like a smooth launch is the result of weeks of preparation. Getting a team of this size—200 strong—to a level of confidence and competence requires not just technology, but training that sticks. At iTrain, we take pride in making sure that when the critical moment arrives, everyone knows what to do, and why.
Our approach is simple but powerful:
We collaborate closely with the Systems Integrator and business leaders to ensure the solution is aligned with real-world workflows.
We design rollout training that isn’t just classroom-based but deeply practical; scenarios built from the ground up to mirror exactly what users will face on go-live day.
iTrain stays on the ground with the team, bridging the gap between process and technology, and coaching managers on how to support their teams through change.
The result? Confidence. Not just in the system, but in the people using it.
Beyond the First Day
Go-live is only the beginning. For us, the real measure of success is seeing the system embedded in daily operations—when scanning, refreshing, and printing become second nature, and when users don’t just follow steps but understand the logic behind them.
That’s the heart of what we do at iTrain. We don’t just deliver training. We deliver capability, resilience, and readiness on the ground. Whether it’s the first beep of a barcode scanner at dawn or the last receipt printed at night, we ensure every user is equipped to succeed with S/4.
Because at the end of the day, technology is only as strong as the people who use it—and training is the bridge that makes that strength possible.
Contact iTrain Today
This is one of the recent experiences from our in-house S/4 training team. It iTrain’s extensive experience in SAP S/4HANA go-live and ERP training and transformation projects that ensures your people will also be confident, capable and go-live ready. Our mission is to provide our clients with ready-to-perform users on day one.
Do contact iTrain today to discuss how we can help tailor an effective training strategy for your ERP initiative. Let’s set your team up for success in your digital transformation.