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The questions to answer before you start an ERP project — so you begin from a position of strength, not surprises.
19 checks · 6 sections
Most ERP projects that struggle didn't fail during the build — they were under-prepared before it. Run through this checklist before you sign anything. The more boxes you can tick, the smoother and cheaper your implementation will be. Anything you can't tick yet is simply a conversation to have first.
A clear business reason for ERP
You can name the specific pains — not just 'we should modernise'.
An executive sponsor
A senior leader owns the outcome and can unblock decisions.
Defined success criteria
You know what 'good' looks like — measurable outcomes, not vibes.
Realistic expectations on time and effort
Everyone understands ERP is a project, not a plug-in.
Your core processes are documented (or can be)
Order-to-cash, procure-to-pay, inventory, payroll — at least in outline.
You're open to changing how you work
Willingness to adopt better standard flows rather than replicate every quirk.
Process owners are identified
Someone in each department can speak for how things actually run.
You know where your data lives
Accounts, customers, suppliers, items — and which system is the master.
Data quality is understood
You have a sense of how clean (or messy) the data to migrate is.
Opening balances can be produced
A trial balance and outstanding AR/AP you can reconcile against.
A project team with time allocated
Key people have bandwidth carved out — not squeezed in around day jobs.
An internal champion per department
People who'll help their teams adopt the new system.
A plan for training
You've accepted that adoption needs real training, not a one-hour demo.
A realistic budget across the full picture
Implementation, hosting, support and internal time — not just the quote.
A phased mindset
Willingness to go live on core scope first and expand, rather than boil the ocean.
Clarity on must-haves vs nice-to-haves
You can separate what you need at go-live from what can wait.
GST and statutory needs are known
GST, e-invoice, e-way bill, TDS and payroll requirements are clear.
Integration needs are listed
E-commerce, payments, banking or other apps that must connect.
A hosting preference (or openness)
Cloud for convenience or self-host for control — or happy to be advised.
Tip: print this page (Ctrl/Cmd + P) to use it as a working checklist.
You're ready when you have a clear reason for the project, an executive sponsor, documented (or documentable) processes, a sense of your data quality, a project team with real time allocated, and a realistic budget across implementation, hosting, support and internal effort. Gaps aren't blockers — they're just things to sort before you start.
Under-preparation and weak change management — not the software. Unclear goals, no sponsor, messy data and teams that were never trained are the usual culprits, which is exactly what this checklist helps you get ahead of.
No. It's a readiness picture, not a gate. A good implementation partner will help you close gaps — like documenting processes or cleaning data — as part of the scoping phase.
Get a clear plan, an honest timeline, and a fixed scope. Talk to a real expert today — whether or not you work with us.
Kochi (Kadavanthra & Infopark) · Thiruvananthapuram · across India & overseas · In business since 2011