In short, the project is not easy and the client always considers the implementation a failure. Sometimes, the reason is a mere report.

There are two pillars which hold the organization:

  • The procedures
  • The ERP/Accounting system

Procedures help the organization run and help make decisions when faced with dilemmas, like who should approve leave when the manager is on leave. Based on this, we can adapt delegation to the workflow approval process in the Dynamics FO.

However, sometimes the procedure is out of practice and needs to change when adapting to the ERP system. Like in a company, everyone submits invoice copies to the accounts department and the solution is to provide access to submit purchase invoices directly in the system.

In many cases, there are no direct fits and the solution is customization and this creates a conflict, usually clients need everything free and at the other end, the partner will charge a high price for simple tasks.

Teams/Groups

The ERP implementation consists of four teams.

  • Client
  • Partner
  • IT
  • ERP hybrid team (yes they are different from IT and still under IT)

If the organization is missing the fourth team then the implementation is challenging and leads to the implementation failure. IT core team consists of people more focused on tech and less interaction with business users and business processes. For example, the IT team can arrange the attendance system, gate weighing tech, store related software.

The ERP hybrid team is a mix of business analysts, system analysts, functional consultants, technical architecture related to the data flow, and domain expertise in Finance, supply chain, HR, SQL, and many more. Additionally, the most crucial part is how to deal with CXOs, managers, workers, and from top to down in the hierarchy. The hard part is to be proactive all the time and deal with pain from both the client and partner side.

Project phases expectation vs reality

Below are the honeymoon period phases, there is chit chat and everyone is happy:

  • Kick-off meeting: Meet and greet, see other faces, everyone is in their best attire.
  • Project Planning: As the saying goes to tell a God joke just share your plans. Whatever is being planned never goes, the usual practice I have seen Partners plan projects to complete in 8 months. However, we need to plan with realistic expectations and keep the teams aligned. Please update the plan every month and compare it with the original plan periodically
  • Requirement Gathering: The client will ask for unrealistic wishes deviating from actual requirements, they want to show off. It is fine, let them have that moment do not interrupt however, at the same time keep them back to reality and focus on the important process. Partners, please explain during this process that you will be dividing the requirements into 4 buckets: Direct mapping, workaround, customization, and not feasible.
  • FDD: The requirement is filtered and it is mapped into 4 buckets

Post honeymoon period.

  • SDD: The solution consists of wire diagrams or expected screenshots with interfaces developed in paint software, and it also shows the end result. Here the client will not agree on many points as they were snoozing during the honeymoon period and will ask to make amendments.
  • Technical Documentation: Partner will never share it with the client, because it is useless if there is no hybrid team, this is where the failure occurs. Even if a partner shares who will understand and approve? please don’t say just IT.
  • UAT: I have seen the users on the client side leave everything to IT for testing, also the partner cleverly arranges all the data in UAT for easy testing. The client should dirty their hands in the testing phase and destroy the keyboards. The hybrid team needs to run behind the clients keep all six senses open every moment, and not take any breaks. The moment they blink their eyes the UAT is passed. In reality, the UAT will occur many times UAT 1, UAT 2, and even UAT after going live.

Its complicated relationship phase

  • Go-live (or Hypercare): The most stressful period is either the project will end in a divorce or definitely an estranged relationship. It is like I hate you like a love you phase.
  • The time is limited and is usually quoted less by the partner to cut that project discount. There are many ways to start, I suggest stopping the old system and using the new system, there is no parallel system going live. Yes, align every team to reach this status. Try 1 time or many times by going UAT 1, UAT 2, and so on. Also, this can be achieved by going live in phases.

Core ERP modules

Go-live in phases and it depends on a case-to-case basis:

  • Migrating old ERP like AX 2012 to the new D365FO
  • Migrating from old accounting software to the new D365FO
  • Migrating from Excel (the biggest enemy of ERP) to the new D365FO

In any case, remember to give priority to the Finance and SCM modules. Sacrifice any integration and make a plan of the manual process then integrate with new systems gradually over time. However, the client will never understand this because their teams consist of management pleasing, and promising each other tomorrow’s land.