10 common ERP integration mistakes

Apr 16, 2025

..And how to avoid them. We'll help you steer clear of common ERP implementation pitfalls. 

Implementing a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is a significant undertaking, promising streamlined operations and improved efficiency.  


However, many organisations find their ERP integration projects riddled with challenges, leading to delays, budget overruns, and even complete failures.  

Understanding the common pitfalls is crucial to ensuring a successful implementation. 


Let's delve into some key mistakes and how to steer clear of them. 

1. Underestimating the importance of team composition

One of the most critical errors is failing to dedicate your best team members to the ERP project. This isn't just about technical expertise; it's about having individuals who understand your business processes, possess strong problem-solving skills, and can communicate effectively. 

  • The Mistake: Assigning junior or less experienced staff to the project, or pulling key people away for other priorities. 
  • The Solution: Assemble a dedicated team comprising your top performers from various departments. Ensure they have the authority and resources to make critical decisions. 

2. Overburdening team members

ERP integration is a demanding process. Expecting team members to juggle their regular day jobs alongside project responsibilities is a recipe for burnout and errors. 

  • The Mistake: Not allocating sufficient time for team members to focus on the ERP project. 

  • The Solution: Consider temporarily backfilling their regular roles or adjusting workloads to ensure they have the bandwidth to dedicate to the project. 

3. Lack of robust governance

Without clear governance structures, projects can quickly descend into chaos. This includes poorly defined roles, responsibilities, and decision-making processes. 

  • The Mistake: Failing to establish the right governance forums that combine both business and IT perspectives on programme progress, risks and issues. 

  • The Solution: Implement a comprehensive governance framework, that includes the business, with clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and escalation procedures. Regular steering committee meetings and progress reports are essential. 

4. Misalignment on goals and objectives: 

If stakeholders aren't aligned on the project's goals and objectives, confusion and conflict are inevitable. 

  • The Mistake: Having different understanding between Executives, delivery teams and end users about what the project is designed to achieve.  

  • The Solution: Conduct thorough workshops and planning sessions to define project goals, objectives, and success metrics. Ensure all stakeholders are on the same page and consistently share messages, repeatedly communicating these to the project team to ensure everyone remains aligned with the original objectives. 

5. Siloed Sales and Delivery Teams

A disconnect between sales and delivery teams can lead to unrealistic expectations and misaligned project scope. 

  • The Mistake: Not ensuring sales and delivery teams communicate and hand over effectively before the project begins. 

  • The Solution: Facilitate early and ongoing communication between sales and delivery teams through a robust handover process. Ensure the project scope aligns with what was promised to the client. 

6. Overlooking business readiness

ERP implementations often require significant organisational change. Failing to address organisational readiness alongside system readiness will derail an ERP project and substantially increase risk and cost. 

  • The Mistake: Underestimating the impact of change to your business and failing to address critical activities needed to prepare the entire business, not just the people. 

  • The Solution: Implementing a comprehensive change management strategy that includes change impact definition, business readiness planning and robust communication, training, and support for employees. 

7. Treating ERP as a purely technical upgrade

Many organisations make the mistake of viewing ERP integration as simply a technology upgrade, overlooking the significant business process changes it entails. 

  • The Mistake: Focusing solely on the technical implementation without addressing the impact on workflows, roles, and responsibilities. 

  • The Solution: Recognise that ERP implementation is a business transformation project. Prioritise process redesign, structural changes to teams and roles as well as change management, and user adoption alongside the technical aspects. 

8. Not distinguishing between delays and project failure

It's crucial to differentiate between normal project delays and signs of imminent failure. Not all setbacks indicate disaster, but ignoring critical warning signs can be fatal. 

  • The Mistake: Failing to recognise the difference between a temporary setback and a systemic project failure. 

  • The Solution: Ensure the wider project team are involved and bought into the project plan from the start, creating a sense of broader ownership. Establish clear project health indicators and regularly monitor progress against them. Define trigger points for escalation and intervention when the project deviates significantly from the plan. 

9. Ineffective scope creep management

Scope creep, the uncontrolled expansion of project scope, is a common culprit in ERP project failures. 

  • The Mistake: Allowing scope to expand without proper assessment and approval. 

  • The Solution: With buy-in critical up to the C-Suite level, a robust change management process must be implemented. Define clear scope boundaries and establish a formal process for evaluating and approving change requests. 

10. Misunderstanding risk and responsibility

A clear understanding of risk and responsibility is essential for both the customer and the integration partner. Misaligned expectations can lead to conflict and project failure. 

  • The Mistake: Failing to clearly define risk ownership and responsibilities between the customer and the integration partner. 

  • The Solution: Conduct thorough risk assessments and clearly define risk mitigation strategies. Establish a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities in the project contract, particularly regarding data migration, testing, and training. 

Don't let common ERP integration mistakes derail your business transformation. By being aware of these pitfalls, you're already one step ahead. However, if your project is struggling, time is of the essence. Our experienced Project Recovery team specialises in rapidly assessing and rectifying troubled ERP implementations. Get your project back on course, fast. Contact us now for immediate assistance.

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