Large-scale ERP programs touch almost every part of an organisation. They change processes, systems, roles, reporting lines, data flows and ways of working, and that complexity is exactly why success is rarely determined by the technology alone. It's determined by how clearly the program is planned, governed, tested, adopted and supported from the beginning.
As Nick Doyle, Director - Business Applications at Avec, puts it:
“ERP implementations can be tough, but they don’t have to be.”
With over 20 years’ experience navigating complex business application and ERP programs, Nick has seen what separates a successful implementation from one that runs over time, over budget or underdelivers on value.
Here are his top 10 learnings for driving ERP success.
1. Build one consolidated project plan
ERP programs usually involve multiple parties: the customer, software vendor, implementation partner, internal SMEs, third-party providers and sometimes several delivery teams working in parallel.
Without one consolidated project plan, accountability can fragment quickly.
Nick advises:
“Create and maintain a consolidated project plan outlining all activities, deliverables, milestones and resources across all parties. Customer, vendor and delivery partners all need collective responsibility and accountability.”
A consolidated plan provides a single source of truth for the program, making dependencies visible, aligning priorities across teams and helping identify risks before they impact delivery. It also ensures decisions are made with a clear understanding of downstream impacts, reducing the likelihood of surprises later in the implementation.
2. Prioritise change management and training from the start
ERP transformation changes how people work, meaning a detailed change management and training strategy should be in place from the start.
As Nick puts it:
“A detailed change management and training strategy and plan, including a comprehensive communication strategy, is crucial from the start to avoid project issues and ensure acceptance, adoption and perception of the solution across the organisation.”
People need to understand what’s changing, why it’s changing, how it affects them and what support they will receive. Otherwise, even technically sound implementations can struggle with adoption.
3. Establish a detailed test framework early
Testing is often underestimated in ERP programs, yet it plays a critical role in reducing risk before go-live.
An effective approach covers everything from planning and governance through to execution and defect resolution. That includes business process validation, integration checks, data migration verification, user acceptance testing and regression testing, all supported by clear ownership and reporting.
As Nick advises:
“A detailed test framework—including a test strategy, test plan and dedicated management of testing cycles—is essential for project success. Hire your Test Manager from day one.”
Testing should not be treated as an end-stage quality check. It is a core delivery discipline that needs leadership from the beginning.
4. Agree the governance framework upfront
A strong governance framework creates clarity, accountability and faster decision-making throughout the program.
When multiple stakeholders are involved, clear ownership and escalation pathways become essential. Teams need to understand who is responsible for decisions, how risks and issues are managed, and what happens when priorities conflict or scope changes.
As Nick notes:
“A detailed governance framework with clearly defined roles, responsibilities and processes for managing risks, issues, changes and escalations is critical.”
Rather than adding bureaucracy, effective governance helps programs maintain momentum by ensuring decisions are made consistently and at the right level.
5. Secure the right skills and dedicated resources
Successful ERP programs rely on having the right people involved at the right time. That means experienced delivery specialists, knowledgeable business stakeholders and customer-side resources with sufficient capacity to contribute meaningfully throughout the project.
One of the most common challenges is expecting key SMEs to balance project responsibilities alongside their existing workloads. When critical decisions, reviews and approvals compete with day-to-day priorities, momentum can quickly stall.
As Nick puts it:
“Access to skilled resources with the relevant experience and project-dedicated customer resources are vital for project success. Make it their day job, not something else they need to juggle.”
The people closest to the business play a crucial role in shaping the solution and ensuring it delivers the intended outcomes. Giving them the time and focus to participate fully is an investment that pays dividends throughout the implementation.
6. Define the business case in detail
A strong business case creates a clear link between the investment being made and the outcomes the organisation expects to achieve.
As Nick explains:
“A detailed business case defining the problem, proposed solution and most importantly the expected benefits, including measurement criteria, sets the framework for scope and governance, enabling consistent and ongoing measurement of progress and success.”
When priorities shift or difficult trade-offs arise, the business case becomes the benchmark that keeps the program focused on delivering measurable value rather than simply implementing new technology.
7. Set clear design principles and stick to them
Clear design principles provide a framework for making decisions as the implementation progresses, guiding key areas such as process design, configuration, integrations, data management and user experience.
As Nick explains:
“Establishing and managing clear design principles to be applied throughout the lifecycle with a structured Design Authority ensuring designs are reviewed and signed off against defined criteria is vital.”
This approach helps maintain consistency, improves decision quality and prevents unnecessary complexity from creeping into the solution.
8. Adopt, don’t over-adapt
Customisation can be tempting, particularly when stakeholders want the new system to replicate existing processes. However, every modification introduces additional complexity, cost and long-term maintenance considerations.
Where possible, organisations should take advantage of standard ERP functionality and reserve customisation for areas that deliver genuine business value or competitive differentiation.
As Nick explains:
“Following an adopt not adapt approach reduces implementation complexity and simplifies ongoing supportability of the solution.”
The goal is not to compromise critical business requirements, but to avoid carrying forward legacy processes simply because they are familiar. Often, implementation presents an opportunity to simplify and modernise the way work gets done.
9. Include contingency in the budget
ERP programs carry uncertainty. Requirements evolve, integration challenges emerge, data issues surface and business priorities shift, and a realistic budget should account for this.
Nick recommends building in contingency from the outset:
“Ensure the project budget includes a contingency to cover changes and unexpected costs and issues that may arise during the implementation.”
Contingency reflects a realistic understanding of complex delivery environments. It gives the program enough resilience to respond to unexpected challenges, evolving requirements and emerging issues without compromising quality or control.
10. Start with the end in mind
Go-live marks the start of operating with the new solution and realising its benefits, meaning the support model, team and transition approach should be planned from the outset. Involving support teams early helps build capability and ensure a smooth handover.
Nick’s final learning is one of the most important:
“Define and build your support framework and team at the start of the project and involve the support team in the project from day one.”
A strong support framework protects the value of the implementation after go-live. It ensures the organisation can stabilise, optimise and continue improving the solution over time.
ERP success is built early
Successful ERP implementation is the result of disciplined decisions made consistently from the very beginning.
Each of these outlined elements reduces risk, and together, they create the conditions for ERP delivery that's controlled, adopted and built to last.
Because ERP implementations can be tough. But with the right approach, they can also deliver lasting business value.
