See How Long It Takes to Implement an ERP System

According to a 2013 study by Panorama Consulting Solutions, ERP implementation takes an average of 18 months. Moreover, the same study found that 61% of projects experience delays. Such delays can be very inconvenient, especially when the go-live date is tied to specific deadlines such as the start of a fiscal year or the expiration of existing system licenses.

Besides high costs, long implementations often have a negative psychological impact. Key stakeholders, especially on the client’s side, tend to lose motivation and drive over time, as implementation is not their “main job.” This creates a vicious cycle. So, how can we make implementation as fast as possible without compromising quality? Let’s look at the main factors that determine a successful and efficient implementation.

Choosing the Right System

It’s essential to consider both current and future business needs. Clear and accurate system requirements must be defined based on identifying real weaknesses. The worst outcome is implementing a system you don’t actually need. The company’s long-term vision must also be clear — where it’s headed and what it will need to support future growth. The system must enable growth, not limit it.

Requirements should be categorized by priority, reflecting the importance of the processes they originate from.

When defining requirements, start from critical processes and move toward less important ones. Requirements should be prioritized based on the importance of the business process. A good solution provider can also assist in defining or revising requirements, offering an objective view of the company’s operations. Implementation then focuses on these essential needs, without wasting time on unnecessary features.

It’s worth choosing an experienced vendor who acts as a true partner in system configuration. The vendor should not only understand the technology but also have expertise in the specific industry. This saves time on learning the client’s business and allows the implementation team to bring valuable ideas and suggestions for process optimization.

Project Management

Once system requirements are defined, clear project goals must be established. To ensure fast implementation, focus only on activities that contribute directly to those goals. This requires a solid project plan with measurable milestones that track progress and detect potential delays early.

However, a plan alone is not enough. Strong project management is needed on both sides — vendor and client. Effective management ensures oversight, communication, and optimal working conditions for all team members. Unfortunately, many companies underestimate this role. Project management often appears as an abstract budget item, leading clients to minimize its cost — a mistake that frequently backfires.

Client-side project leadership is also often underestimated. Typically, this role is assigned to someone who understands internal operations but lacks experience managing large-scale projects. If the company doesn’t have a qualified project manager, it’s better to hire an external one. Experience shows that good project management is often the key difference between successful and failed implementations.

A skilled project manager constantly monitors goals and keeps the team aligned. Sometimes, well-meaning team members focus on useful but nonessential tasks. This scope creep — often caused by end users suggesting new features — is one of the most common causes of project failure.

Methodology

Most implementation projects follow a specific methodology. Reputable ERP solution providers use proven approaches. Whether agile or traditional “waterfall,” the chosen methodology must suit the project’s nature and, most importantly, the team’s working style. Forcing unfamiliar or “trendy” methods on the team is rarely effective.

Prototyping has proven to be highly effective. A common issue with the waterfall approach is that early project phases remain abstract, and clients see tangible results only after a long time. Since most clients are unfamiliar with ERP systems, abstract specifications are difficult to visualize. Prototypes, on the other hand, make the project concrete early on, helping users engage faster and provide precise feedback — reducing the risk of misaligned final outcomes.

Implementation Team

The quality of both vendor and client implementation teams largely determines project success. The teams should work together as closely as possible. Remote or disconnected implementations — where the vendor works in isolation and occasionally consults the client — rarely succeed. The ideal scenario is a unified team treating the implementation as a joint project.

If team members don’t get along, it’s important not to ignore it. Team chemistry truly matters.

Executive Support

Even with a solid plan, strong management, and a skilled team, success is not guaranteed without explicit executive support. If the ERP project is not seen as a strategic priority by top management, it will lack the necessary commitment. In that case, internal users often treat it as a secondary task, focusing on their daily work instead.

Even the best plan, project management, and team cannot ensure success without declared executive support.

Lack of leadership support usually appears early, during goal definition. If the project doesn’t cover the company’s key strategic areas, the ERP implementation will never be seen as successful — even if it meets deadlines and budgets. It will simply become an expensive operational tool, not a system delivering a real competitive advantage.