5 ERP Implementation Mistakes That Earn a Red Card

We’ve caught some World Cup fever here at Decision Resources. And since we live and breathe ERP, we couldn’t help but notice similarities between the plays on the pitch and the tactics that drive successful ERP implementations.

In reality, an ERP implementation is one of the most complex projects a business will undergo, and the wrong approach can lead to costly penalties. Success requires effective project planning, data management, user training, and an experienced implementation partner. Here are five common implementation mistakes to avoid and the winning plays to make instead.

Red Card #1: A Premature Kick-Off

The Foul: Rushing into an implementation without specific, mutually approved system requirements or failing to define stakeholders, roles, and responsibilities.

Decision Resources’ Winning Play: When planning an implementation, conduct a thorough process analysis with representatives from each department to define business requirements and create a future-state functional design document. This ensures the system meets your current needs while remaining flexible enough to support future growth. Establish clear project governance by defining stakeholders, decision-makers, and responsibilities from the outset to strengthen accountability and avoid duplicated effort.

Red Card #2: Playing Like It’s a Scrimmage

The Foul: Lack of executive buy-in and dedicated time, causing employees to treat the ERP implementation as a side project rather than a strategic business transformation.

Decision Resources’ Winning Play: As with any organizational change, leadership sets the tone. Secure executive sponsorship early, define clear responsibilities and time commitments, and consistently reinforce that the ERP implementation is a strategic priority.

Red Card #3: Losing Formation

The Foul: Allowing unchecked customization requests, leading to longer implementations and unnecessary system bloat.

Decision Resources’ Winning Play: Many organizations need some degree of customization to forms or reports. However, every request should have a clear business justification and be prioritized based on business value. Prioritizing standard functionality whenever possible helps reduce technical debt, maintenance complexity, and time to upgrade.

Red Card #4: Moving the Goalposts

The Foul: Enabling scope creep by adding additional features or capabilities while the project is already in progress.

Decision Resources’ Winning Play: Document any changes to your project scope or deliverables and, when necessary, execute change orders to realign time and budget. Conduct frequent status meetings (we suggest weekly for the project management team and monthly for the steering committee) to align on progress.

Red Card #5: Selecting the Wrong Coach

The Foul: Many ERP implementations fail because they don’t have the right team in place. Your partner shouldn’t only have technical know-how but also the industry and end-user expertise to understand your unique business processes.

Decision Resources’ Winning Play: As a top-awarded Infor CloudSuite Industrial ERP, we’ve led over 400 successful implementations over the last 40 years. When you partner with Decision Resources, you can expect:

• Extensive Domain Expertise: Unlike many implementation partners that support multiple ERP systems, we focus exclusively on Infor CloudSuite Industrial. Our consultants combine deep ERP expertise with real-world manufacturing experience across industries, regulatory environments, compliance requirements, workflows, and production processes.
• Attention to Detail: We ensure your data is clean, your workflows are optimized, and every detail is addressed so you can maximize the value of your ERP investment.
• End-User Experience: Many of our consultants are former SyteLine and CloudSuite Industrial users, bringing firsthand experience to every project. With an average tenure of 12 years, our team designs practical solutions that align with how your company actually works.
• Lifetime Support: Our commitment doesn’t end at go-live. From implementation through continuous optimization, we provide ongoing guidance and support to help you improve and get the most out of your ERP.

Wherever you are in your ERP journey, our team of experts are here to help. Let’s get in touch!

More About the Author: Sam Frumboli

With over 15 years’ experience partnering with businesses in the ERP and manufacturing sector, Sam has made it a passion of hers to help connect businesses with the right business partner, tools, and technology. As a demand generation leader, business coach, and freelance marketing consultant for start-ups and established brands, Sam focuses on dismantling complex ideas into actionable insights through creative marketing strategies and tactics. She has notably been featured in the Sociable, Women in Manufacturing, 40-Under-40, The Global Interview, and Forbes.