A better ERP project
starts before the build.

1. Start with the operational problem

List the work that creates delays or uncertainty today. Examples include entering the same order twice, reconciling stock manually, chasing approvals, or waiting for month-end reports. Choose a few priorities and describe what improvement would look like.

2. Map the workflow and its owner

For each priority, identify who starts the work, what information they need, who approves it, and what happens when something goes wrong. Include exceptions such as returns, cancellations, partial deliveries, and corrections. Assign a business owner who can make scope decisions.

3. Separate essentials from later improvements

Group requirements into what is needed for launch and what can follow. A first phase might cover purchasing, stock, and invoicing, while a customer portal comes later. Compare a standard product, a configured ERP, and a custom build against the same requirements.

4. Prepare your data and integrations

Identify the systems and spreadsheets holding your customer, supplier, product, employee, and transaction records. Decide what should be migrated and who will verify its accuracy. For integrations, confirm API access, credentials ownership, supported formats, and the team responsible for failures.

5. Define access and reporting

Write down which roles may view, create, approve, export, or change information. List the reports each team needs to make decisions. Include branch and company boundaries, audit needs, backup expectations, and hosting requirements in the scope discussion.

6. Plan validation and rollout

Test realistic end-to-end scenarios with the people who will use the system. Agree on acceptance criteria, training, cutover timing, a fallback plan, and who supports the team after launch. Rollout should be an operational decision as well as a technical milestone.

What to bring to your first conversation

A short business overview, your country or regions, approximate users and branches, the three biggest workflow problems, existing applications, sample documents without sensitive data, and your preferred timeline. These details help establish a useful starting scope.