ERP go-live checklist

8.2 min read

Published on: 28 April 2024

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After months of planning, building, and testing, you’re on the verge of your ERP go-live – a checklist is invaluable at this stage.

Planning for go-live

Months prior to go-live set your roll-out strategy
It’s important to set your go-live date before starting the implementation plan process. Your team should work backwards from your go-live date and set realistic timelines and targets. If appropriate, consider whether you will roll out all at once, by branch or by module. Whatever your plan ensure that all parties involved in the implementation process are aware.

Schedule the go-live

Typically, go-live is scheduled at a time that will cause the least amount of impact on a business, which makes weekends perfect for most organisations.

Choose a go-live approach

Big bang approach – the new system is activated and used exclusively going forward. The legacy systems are deactivated and used for archival information only.
Phased approach – the new system is activated in phases to minimise operational disruption. Phases can be broken down by module, geographical area, or business unit.
Parallel operation approach – both the legacy and new system run at the same time. Users learn the new system while simultaneously working on the old one.

A checklist will help your implementation project teams confirm they’ve carried out all necessary steps and ensure your software, users, and data are ready.

The following are things to consider:

Prepare key resources
Having a team of ERP experts, process specialists, and change management champions equipped with all the necessary resources is equally important as checking the readiness of systems.

Document the roles and responsibilities of your team members during the go-live process.
Make sure essential personnel on your team (and from elsewhere, if needed) will be available for go-live.
Agree a process for how to handle any issues that crop up after roll-out.
Ensure support and helpdesk teams are briefed and ready to answer the inevitable questions as well as help users through any issues they may face.

Communicate with stakeholders
Establish clear and transparent communication channels with stakeholders at all levels. Communicate the go-live schedule, processes, and expectations effectively to all impacted business units, relevant parties, including staff, management, and IT support teams.

Implement a change management strategy that addresses employee concerns and resistance. Effective communication about the benefits of the new system can help gain acceptance.
Notifiy customers and vendors about your cutover date and how it impacts their interactions with you.
Ensure that there is a process for how to handle any issues that crop up after go-live and to provide feedback.

Prioritise system testing
You might think that a few test scenarios will suffice, but there could be underlying issues that only appear under specific testing circumstances. Thorough unit testing, process testing, systems integration testing, and user acceptance testing are all crucial steps in ensuring that your software, customisations, configurations, and integrations are ready.

A number of stakeholders should be involved in system testing, from programmers and developers to end-users, to make sure not only that the system works, but importantly that it is user-friendly for all.

When testing the ERP software, it’s also important to test the hardware, network requirements, and interface compatibility of the deployment environment. A high pass rate in all these tests is a good indicator that you are well prepared to go live.

Some of the tests you’ll need to perform include:

Functionality testing – check the ERP system functions as expected and meets business requirements. Input test data and compare outputs to the expected results. Unit testing like sample reports, dashboards, and templates need to be completed with all data of all sizes. This will help you analyse usability and check for errors throughout your database, interface and APIs.
Performance testing – evaluate the system’s performance under various conditions to validate that the ERP can handle the business’s current and future workload expectations. As you test software features, find and eradicate bottlenecks. Complete functional tests beforehand.
Integration testing – check that the ERP system seamlessly integrates with other necessary business software and systems; it also makes sure that individual modules within the ERP communicate with one another.
Workflow testing – test process maps to determine if your workflows correspond with business operations. Eradicate defects as you develop test cases, verify the flow and perform positive and negative tests.
Security testing – as ERP systems hold vast amounts of sensitive employee, employer, supplier and customer data, security tests are essential to identify vulnerabilities. These tests ensure that the system is protected against unauthorised access and that sensitive data is encrypted. They also confirm that only authorised personnel can access specific sensitive data on a need-to-know basis.
Backup testing – check your backup processes and system. Ensure that backups occur as planned to protect your system from lost or corrupt data.

Double check data quality
Effective data management is an essential element of any ERP project, and it becomes increasingly important as the go-live date approaches. If data quality issues are identified and not resolved during an ERP implementation, the implementation may fail.

Ensuring data quality during your ERP implementation requires planning, validating, cross-checking, and creating workflows to audit information. Establish data governance policies.

To avoid any last-minute issues, it’s recommended to conduct a dry run in advance. It’s advisable to perform multiple go-live cutovers testing, as you may discover additional duplicated or corrupt data. If poor data is imported it can severely affect the integrity of your new system.

Ensure you have complete, consistent and accurate data – check there are no missing values, errors, duplicates or inaccurate or outdated information to ensure data accuracy and reduce storage requirements.
Ensure you have timely data – Real-time data is key for informed decision-making. Ensure your ERP data is current and accurate with mandatory fields or auto-completion. If data is not up to date, document the schedule for updating it and inform stakeholders.
Establish data validation rules and constraints – maintain data integrity during the migration process and in the new
ERP system.
Standardise data formats and map data – ensure that all data is formatted consistently according to established naming conventions and data type requirements and that data is mapped to the corresponding fields in the new ERP System.

Confirm all bugs are resolved
Bugs are inevitable in software development. Bugs, anomalies, and errors need to be identified, recorded, and resolved. Comprehensive testing aims to reduce the risk of implementation failure by identifying any issues or problems and establish fixes.

Before going live, fix all critical bugs found during the final phase of implementation.
Prioritise bugs based on severity and address minor ones in the next phase.
Once all testers agree that the system is working and will meet the business’s requirements, the testing team can sign off.

Complete user training
It is important to train your users on the new ERP system before its implementation. If users are not comfortable with the software, it could lead to inefficiencies, decreased productivity, and user satisfaction and take longer to see your ROI. Reinforce how the ERP software will help users become more productive and effective in their roles. This will encourage them to adopt the system into their daily routines.

Ensure training covers the basics such as logging in, navigating dashboards, reporting and analytics tools, and workflows.

Tailor training to specific users based on their job roles. For instance, accountants need to be familiar with the financial management module, shop floor managers require extensive production and supply chain knowledge.

Complete subject matter expert and user training. Verify that all end-users have received and completed the necessary training.
Provide additional resources, user manuals, training materials and documentation that outlines key processes.
Adopt a train-the-trainer approach to ensure that there are internal experts who can provide ongoing support and training to users. These ERP ‘super-users’ need extensive training as they address end-user issues.
Ask for feedback and look for ways to make the software as intuitive as possible so everyone will be eager to use the new system when it’s time to do so.
Assess any remaining gaps in skills or knowledge and design follow-up training to address these gaps.

Prepare the production environment
Make sure the infrastructure is in place and ready to handle the new ERP system. Make sure your environment is ready and these administrative steps are complete:

Activate configurations
Enable security roles and all the security features
Add users to the system
Set up all necessary hardware configurations
Define system integration points (and verify responses)
Define the criteria and timeline for discontinuing the use of the former ERP system.

Develop contingency plans
Develop contingency plans by identifying potential issues such as system failures, data loss, or other critical incidents, and develop strategies to address them promptly. This ensures minimal disruption in case of unexpected challenges.

Establish a backup plan in the event the go-live is not successful.
Have backup systems and processes in place to handle emergencies. This ensures that business operations can continue even in the event of system downtime.
Ensure that all staff members are aware of these plans and are trained to manage effectively and equip staff with the necessary tools and resources to handle such situations.

Continuous evaluation and optimisation
Continuous improvement should be an ongoing process, with regular assessments conducted to identify areas for improvement and optimisation.

Continuously monitor the system’s performance and gather user feedback.

Thorough planning, rigorous testing, effective communication, and continuous support are key elements in ensuring a smooth transition.

By following these steps, businesses can maximise the benefits of their new ERP system, streamline operations, and enhance overall efficiency.

Our ERP consultants can help you ensure a successful go-live. Contact us below for a free consultation.

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