ERP Implementation Strategy: Costs, Timelines and Proven Steps for Success

ERP Implementation: 9 Steps That Actually Work

Most ERP projects fail, and it’s rarely down to the software itself. After working on implementations across different industries, here’s what separates the successes from the expensive failures.

1. Assign a Dedicated Project Leader

This can’t be someone’s side project. I’ve watched finance directors try to manage ERP rollouts between quarterly closes and budget reviews — it simply doesn’t work. The project stalls every time they get pulled into their day job.

You need someone who understands both the business and how people actually work. They’ll spend half their time translating between frustrated users and technical teams. Give them proper authority to make decisions, not just the responsibility to implement what others decide.

The wrong person will accept vendor promises at face value and scramble when reality hits during testing.

2. Break It Into Manageable Phases

Every failed implementation I’ve seen tried to do everything at once. Plan your rollout in sensible phases — start with core functions that keep the business running, usually financials and basic inventory. Add modules only after the previous phase is stable and users are comfortable.

Build in regular check-ins every fortnight, not quarterly reviews. Problems cost hundreds to fix early, millions to fix late. Always buffer your timeline by 20% for unexpected challenges, because there will be unexpected challenges.

3. Learn From Others’ Case Studies

Find companies similar to yours who’ve implemented the same system recently. Most will share lessons learned over coffee, particularly the painful ones. Ask about what nearly derailed their project, which vendor promises didn’t pan out, and what they’d do differently.

Keep a simple log of these insights organised by project phases. When consultants say something will be “straightforward,” cross-check that against what others experienced in their case studies.

4. Centralise All Project Information

Projects die from information chaos. Decisions made in email threads get lost. Progress updates scatter across different spreadsheets. Meeting notes disappear into personal folders.

Everything goes in one central system — budget tracking, timeline updates, decision logs, risk assessments. Daily team updates, weekly department reviews, monthly executive steering. When leadership asks why you’re behind schedule, you need answers immediately, not after days of digging through files.

5. Start With Small, Visible Wins

Your first go-live should be low-risk but highly visible. Holiday requests, basic reporting, or customer order tracking work well. These create early advocates who’ll support the system when you tackle harder challenges later.

Document what made these wins successful — you’ll need to replicate it in more complex phases. Early disasters create permanent sceptics; early wins build momentum and help overcome future failures.

6. Demonstrate Real Functionality Regularly

Every fortnight, show actual working software processing real data, not mockups or slides. Include the messy scenarios — what happens with bad data entry or network issues. Get feedback quickly and respond to it.

Regular demonstrations keep stakeholders engaged and reveal problems whilst they’re still fixable. Organise feedback into “fix now,” “fix soon,” and “maybe later” categories, and communicate which bucket each suggestion falls into.

7. Test in Production-Like Environments

Your test environment should mirror production exactly — same infrastructure, security settings, and data volumes. This is where you discover problems when fixing them costs hours instead of headlines.

Test individual features, data integration between modules, complete business workflows, and performance under realistic loads. Nothing goes live until it passes every test. Bugs found after go-live turn users into permanent critics and lead to project failures.

8. Train Users on Complete Workflows

Put users in the test environment with scenarios they’ll handle daily. Let them make mistakes and learn from them without consequences. Focus on complete business processes, not isolated system features, and include exception handling because real business is always messier than training scenarios.

Test competency with practical assessments before production access. Users who feel prepared become system champions; those thrown in unprepared become resisters of every future change.

9. Plan for Ongoing Evolution

Implementation continues long after successful login. Business needs change, technology evolves, and your system must adapt or become expensive legacy baggage.

Establish governance structures: steering committees for strategic decisions, technical boards for architecture, user groups for requirements. Monthly operational reviews, quarterly strategic assessments, annual planning cycles. Each step builds on the previous phases.

Organisations treating ERP as ongoing evolution consistently outperform those treating it as a one-time project.

9 Steps Leading to ERP Implementation Success

ERP implementation success doesn’t hinge on luck. Instead, it comes from disciplined planning, agile execution, and smart stakeholder management. Here are nine proven steps to keep your rollout on track:

1. Appoint a Dedicated Internal Lead

Assign an internal project manager to act as the bridge between your team and the ERP vendor. Their role is to translate business needs, keep progress visible, and drive accountability.

2. Adopt a Phased, Milestone-Driven Approach

Plan for staged rollouts with clear milestones. Be realistic, assume 80% will go to plan. Expect and prepare for unknowns. Resilience and adaptability are key to staying on course.

3. Learn from Existing ERP Users

Speak directly with customers of your chosen ERP. Ask about what worked, what didn’t, and what they’d do differently. Their hindsight can fast-track your foresight.

4. Centralise Your Implementation Plan

Maintain one master document for tracking progress, feedback, and updates. Avoid scattered notes. Consolidation keeps the team aligned and avoids version confusion.

5. Begin with Small, Simple Wins

Launch with low-complexity features to build confidence and reduce early risk. This approach creates momentum and sets the foundation for more complex phases.

6. Deliver Early, Deliver Often

Start showing working software, even if it’s basic. Seeing live data in the system accelerates feedback and fuels engagement from stakeholders.

7. Use a Staging Environment for Testing

Create a safe space to test rollouts. Early-stage bugs or data gaps can erode trust, so validate each phase in a virtual environment before going live.

8. Train Users in the Test Environment

Let users practise in the staging environment. This boosts confidence, highlights usability issues, and reduces go-live friction.

9. Treat Implementation as an Ongoing Process

Business needs evolve. Your ERP setup should, too. Regularly review workflows and configurations to ensure the system remains fit for purpose long after go-live.

Breaking Down the Cost of ERP Implementation

The average cost of ERP implementation ranges from £5,000 for SMEs to more than £1 million for larger enterprises. Costs vary depending on:

• Type of ERP
• Deployment method (cloud vs on-premise)
• Industry
• Complexity of workflows
• Business size
• Volume of data to migrate
• Hiring an implementation partner or consultant

When budgeting for ERP, it’s critical to look beyond the software licence fee. In many cases, implementation can cost up to 200% of the licence fee. A comprehensive cost plan should factor in not just the software, but the entire implementation lifecycle.

It’s also wise to assess the expected return on investment (ROI). Most businesses begin to see ROI between 12 and 36 months after implementation. This is measured through gains in operational efficiency, data accuracy, reduced manual effort, and reporting cycles.

How Long Does ERP Implementation Take?

Much like cost, ERP implementation timelines vary. Several factors influence how long it takes. Business size is one of the most significant variables. It also depends on how many functions are automated and how much data must be migrated. The ERP type and deployment model, cloud or on-premise, are key as well.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Small businesses (10–50 users) using cloud ERP often go live in 1 week to 6 months
• Mid-size and large firms (500+ users) usually need 9 to 18 months for cloud ERP
• Global firms using on-premise systems may take up to 3 years to complete rollout

Interestingly, implementation speed isn’t just about scale. A study found mid-size firms ($100M–$250M) were fastest. Their average time to go live was just 6.6 months. In contrast, very large firms (over $25B) took 12.35 months on average.

Going live on time is also a challenge. Just 49% of ERP projects meet their planned launch date. Of those, 13% went live early, 27% saw minor delays, and 11% missed the mark entirely.

Understanding the 4 Main ERP Implementation Approaches

Choosing the right ERP implementation strategy is critical to ensuring a smooth rollout. Your approach should reflect your business size, risk tolerance, and the complexity of your systems.

1. Big Bang Implementation

All modules and systems are switched to the new ERP in one go, on a single launch date.

Best suited for:

• Small businesses with simple workflows and limited system dependencies
• Organisations with tight timelines and clear change management plans

Risks:

• High risk of disruption if a process fails across departments (e.g. supply chain, finance, or sales)
• Requires intense preparation, training, and contingency planning

2. Phased Implementation

A system is rolled out module by module or department by department over time.

Best suited for:

• Medium to large businesses with multiple departments
• Complex organisations that need to manage risk and change gradually

Risks:

• Longer overall implementation time
• Potential for data or process inconsistencies during transition

3. Parallel Operations

Old and new systems run side-by-side until the new ERP is fully validated and stable.

Best suited for:

• Businesses in highly regulated sectors like finance or healthcare
• Companies that rely on mission-critical processes and can’t afford downtime

Risks:

• Higher resource demand (users may have to enter data twice)
• Temporary inefficiencies during the dual-system phase

4. Hybrid (Balanced) Approach

Combines elements of Big Bang, Phased, and Parallel strategies, adapting them to different parts of the business.

Best suited for:

• Large or multinational companies with diverse needs
• Businesses aiming to balance speed, cost, and risk across departments

Risks:

• Increased planning complexity
• Needs strong governance to avoid fragmentation

Choosing the Right ERP Implementation Methodology

There are two primary methodologies for ERP implementation; waterfall and agile. Each are well-established project management techniques with varying benefits for quicker delivery, removing waste, and greater efficiency.

Waterfall Methodology

Seen as the most traditional way, waterfall methodologies are synonymous with the implementation of large-scale, complex ERP systems because of their linear tendencies. It incorporates a start and end point for each phase of an implementation plan, ensuring each phase is complete before the next phase begins.

This is the most common methodology as it’s a repeatable step-by-step method familiar to everyone, providing:

• Clear structures/frameworks
• Easy way to track phase progress
• Set start and end dates

However, there are downsides to the waterfall methodology. It’s time-consuming and the robust phase scheduling leaves little room for changes as the project progresses.

Agile Methodology

An agile methodology is a lean-thinking approach to implementing an ERP system. Instead of meticulously completing each phase in a set order – like the waterfall method – the aim is to get the system operational as quickly as possible.

This methodology means shorter planning times, greater project flexibility, more frequent project inspections, and increased collaboration among business functions and departments.

The two main drawbacks of agile project management are the risk of going live with an incomplete system and having an unstructured implementation plan.

The Benefits of Getting ERP Implementation Right

A good ERP rollout does more than shift how teams work—it brings clear gains to the business. The top business objectives for ERP adoption include:

• Cut costs (46%)
• Improve how processes are tracked (46%)
• Speed up business transactions (40%)
• Support growth (36%)

To reach these goals, implementation must go beyond just installing software. It needs strong prep, close teamwork, and clear steps. These include setup, moving data, linking systems, and testing. CIOs and project leads must plan early and stay close to the rollout at all times.

The cost-saving benefits of ERP are both immediate and long-term. Many teams reduce the number of standalone applications. This cuts overlap and lowers recurring license or cloud subscription costs.

It also helps leaders see the big picture. Real-time analytics and dashboards show key trends and flag issues early. Teams can fix supply or stock chain gaps fast, before they cause harm.

ERP also enables smarter decision-making. With clean data and linked flows, staff spend less time on manual reporting and more time on strategic planning.

Getting ERP implementation right means more than going live. It means creating a system that actively supports your business goals, fuels efficiency, and scales with growth.

Why Do 75% of ERP Implementations Fail?

ERP implementation is a complex, high-stakes project. It affects each core business function, from ops and HR to finance and manufacturing. It requires teams to work as one. Yet, despite its strategic importance, 3 out of 4 ERP rollouts fall short.

The reasons behind this failure rate are rarely due to the software itself. Poor software is the least cited cause. Most issues come from weak plans and gaps in skills.

ERP Software implementation failure stems from four key factors:

1. Budget overruns (scope creep)
2. Unreal goals and poor time plans
3. Gaps in staff or vendor training
4. Weak tests before go-live

Scope creep leads the list. Of those who went over budget, 35% blamed expansion of initial project scope. Others cited underestimating staffing plans (38%) and tech or data challenges (34%). As a result, 57% of ERP rollouts suffer cost overruns.

Timelines are a big risk too. Just 58% of ERP implementation projects end on time. The remaining 42% face delays. This is often due to poor links between the plan and what teams need.

Poor testing and weak process reviews are two other red flags. Missed bugs or poor workflows lead to bottlenecks, user resistance, and low adoption. This undermines potential ROI, leading to pushback and poor use.

The core truth? ERP fails are not tech fails—they’re execution and planning fails. Without clear goals, strong governance, realistic resourcing, and process-focused change management, even the most sophisticated ERP solution can fall short.