Frequently Asked Questions

As a general rule, an ERP or CE implementation can take 6 to 12 months or more, depending upon many factors, including your requirements, the complexity and scope of the project, changes to the initial scope, responsiveness during the project, and so on. It’s important to work closely with your implementation partner to determine your timeline, accommodating all applicable variables.  

Determining your core team is one of the most important steps you will take in preparation for the project. With the right resources in place, your project will run much more efficiently. Think of who in your organization is best suited to handle the project's demands and knows your current system and workflows well. Roles include a project sponsor, project manager, and subject matter experts who understand your processes and can be available to answer questions and provide guidance to your partner. 

The biggest risk to any project is lack of communication and commitment of resources. To reduce the risk of derailing your implementation, ensure that you have: 

• A project team that is committed and available, 

• Managers or executives, including a project sponsor, who are prepared to make decisions, and 

• A plan for keeping stakeholders informed of what's going on with the project 

The most common causes for delays are turnover of key personnel—either on the customer’s or their partner’s side, change orders, scope creep, data that has not been properly prepared for migration, and lack of responsiveness or decision-making by leadership on the customer’s side. It is important to be aware of and have a plan to address these issues before the project starts.  

This can vary depending on which application you choose. If you are implementing Microsoft Dynamics, we recommend that you buy your licenses in phases: a few licenses at first to support a small project team, then more licenses as your users are brought onto the new system to start testing. This approach is flexible and cost-saving. 

This is often what companies assume when planning an implementation. However, while the idea of starting fresh on a new system on January 1 sounds appealing, be aware that the most intensive, time-consuming stages of the project will occur over the holidays. Make sure you have a solid understanding of your project timeline, then look at your calendar to determine the best date for go-live. 

Typically, you will continue to have the support of your partner’s project team for four to six weeks after go-live. At that point, you have the option of engaging with your partner for managed services. Western Computer offers Managed Support Services experts who provide committed IT service and guidance, projecting your support costs, alerting you of potential issues, and keeping your solution performing and delivering. Also, we encourage all users of Dynamics products to engage with the user community and attend conferences and other educational events. In an environment where software is constantly evolving, it’s important to stay up to date on technology and best practices.