Søren Kirchheiner Hansen, Partner, DA Network
Published: October 2025
ERP implementations are among the most extensive transformation projects an organisation can undertake. They are known for being complex, lengthy and costly – and many end up exceeding both budget and timeline. Experience shows, however, that the projects which succeed share one thing in common: a strong and structured preparation phase, where direction, objectives and decision foundations are clearly defined.
An ERP implementation is not only about technology. It directly affects business processes, roles, data and the organisation’s way of working. Thorough preparation is therefore essential to create alignment between business and IT, and to ensure that the programme is anchored at leadership level with clear priorities and realistic expectations.
A solid preparation phase gives executive management and IT leadership the opportunity to:
Ensure that the ERP programme supports the company’s strategic goals
Establish a shared decision-making foundation across business and IT
Identify and reduce major risks before the project scales
Validate budget, timeline and resources based on realistic assumptions
Create organisational ownership and clear areas of responsibility
Once implementation begins and the project is fully staffed, costs rise quickly. Changes in scope, strategy or governance at that point often become both expensive and time-consuming. It is therefore crucial to create clarity and alignment early in the process.
The purpose of further dialogue is to discuss how your company can best structure the preparation of your ERP transformation, and how the decision foundation can be strengthened before a full programme is launched. Topics may include:
How preparation links to the overall strategic objectives
How to balance standardisation with business flexibility
Which experiences from previous programmes can be reused or need attention
How governance and role allocation should be established from the outset
Which approach and timeline best support the organisation’s maturity
The aim is to create a shared understanding of what needs to be in place before entering a full ERP implementation. Well-designed preparation is not about delaying the project, but about ensuring a faster and more successful transformation, where business benefits are realised earlier and with lower risk.