Common Risks of Underestimating ERP Testing Timelines

The biggest businesses can get major programmes horribly wrong. Here are 4 famous examples, the fundamental reasons for failure and how that might have been avoided. Hershey: Sought to replace its legacy IT systems with a more powerful ERP system. However, due to a rushed timeline and inadequate testing, the implementation encountered severe issues. Orders worth over $100 million were not fulfilled. Quarterly revenues fell by 19% and the share price by 8% Key Failures: ❌ Rushed implementation without sufficient testing ❌ Lack of clear goals for the transition ❌ Inadequate attention and resource allocation Hewlett Packard: Wanted to consolidate its IT systems into one ERP. They planned to migrate to SAP, expecting any issues to be resolved within 3 weeks. However, due to the lack of configuration between the new ERP and the old systems, 20% of customer orders were not fulfilled. Insufficient investment in change management and the absence of manual workarounds added to the problems. This entire project cost HP an estimated $160 million in lost revenue and delayed orders. Key Failures: ❌ Failure to address potential migration complications. ❌ Lack of interim solutions and supply chain management strategies. ❌ Inadequate change management planning. Miller Coors: Spent almost $100 million on an ERP implementation to streamline procurement, accounting, and supply chain operations. There were significant delays, leading to the termination of the implementation partner and subsequent legal action. Mistakes included insufficient research on ERP options, choosing an inexperienced implementation partner, and the absence of capable in-house advisers overseeing the project. Key Failures: ❌ Inadequate research and evaluation of ERP options. ❌ Selection of an inexperienced implementation partner. ❌ Lack of in-house expertise and oversight. Revlon: Another ERP implementation disaster. Inadequate planning and testing disrupted production and caused delays in fulfilling customer orders across 22 countries. The consequences included a loss of over $64 million in unshipped orders, a 6.9% drop in share price, and investor lawsuits for financial damages. Key Failures: ❌ Insufficient planning and testing of the ERP system. ❌ Lack of robust backup solutions. ❌ Absence of a comprehensive change management strategy. Lessons to be learned: ✅ Thoroughly test and evaluate new software before deployment. ✅ Establish robust backup solutions to address unforeseen challenges. ✅ Design and implement a comprehensive change management strategy during the transition to new tools and solutions. ✅ Ensure sufficient in-house expertise is available; consider capacity of those people as well as their expertise ✅ Plan as much as is practical and sensible ✅ Don’t try to do too much too quickly with too few people ✅ Don’t expect ERP implementation to be straightforward; it rarely is

Five years ago, I was part of an ERP rollout that FAILED—spectacularly. It was a mid-sized manufacturing company, and they were ready to take their operations to the next level. The leadership team was enthusiastic, the ERP system was top-tier, and the budget? Healthy. But within three months, the cracks began to show: ❌ Teams were overwhelmed and disengaged. ❌ Processes didn’t align with the system. ❌ UAT was rushed, leaving critical issues unresolved. By the time we hit go-live, it was chaos. Orders were delayed, inventory was misplaced, and morale hit rock bottom. What went wrong? Looking back, the mistakes were clear: #1. We prioritized speed over alignment. Discovery was rushed, and the implementation partner didn’t fully understand the nuances of the business. #2. Change management was an afterthought. People didn’t know how this “new system” fit into their day-to-day workflows. #3. We underestimated testing. The team treated UAT like a checkbox instead of a critical safety net. It was a hard pill to swallow, but here’s the silver lining: failure taught us exactly how to do it better. What did we learn? When we rebooted the project months later, here’s what made the difference: ✓ Listening deeply. We revisited processes, engaged teams, and ensured the system fit the business—not the other way around. ✓ Prioritizing people. We brought end-users into the fold early and often, with hands-on training and a focus on “what’s in it for them.” ✓ Testing like our lives depended on it. We pressure-tested every scenario, uncovering critical issues before go-live. The second launch wasn’t just successful—it became a turning point for the company. 📈 Five years later, they’re thriving, and that ERP system has scaled with them every step of the way. Here’s the truth: ERP projects don’t fail because of technology—they fail because people, processes, and systems aren’t aligned. 💬 What’s your biggest “lesson learned” during an ERP rollout? Share your story. I’d love to hear it. 👇 Follow me at Shobha Moni to get the best out of your favourite ERP system.

''We can get you live in 3-6 months'' If ever you hear these words as you embark on your ERP programme... run away Time & again, I've seen customers led down the garden path This is one of those very cases that will lead to upset and more money spent in the long run ERP implementations take time, and require adequate preparation 99% of customers that I've ever spoken to, who have said something along these lines have been bitterly disappointed Here are just some of the reasons why failing to adhere to an adequate timeline will ruin your project: 1) Inadequate system config 2) Incomplete Data Migration 3) Insufficient user training 4) Lack of testing & validation leading to user issues 5) Limited post go-live support 6) Poor Change Management 7) Increased risk of scope creep 8) Missed opportunities for process improvement 9) Unrealistic expectations 10) Poor long term ROI In summary, take time to prepare, don't rush into bed with those that can get you live the quickest & therefore the cheapest Does this resonate with my ERP network?

🔵 Post 9 of 10 The Testing Fallacy: Why Most Teams Underestimate S/4 Validation Think your testing is done? Double-check. Because in a Brownfield conversion, what you miss silently can become what breaks publicly. Testing isn’t just about coverage.It’s about confidence. Regression Integration UAT Volume Edge cases Output logic If you haven’t validated every critical scenario, you're not mitigating risk , you're taking it. Ask your team now: Have you tested your most complex order-to-cash scenario, with the longest line items and edge-volume logic ... as it happens in real life? Has every region signed off on margin analysis and financial reconciliation? Did you validate output formats across customers, countries, and templates? Here’s what happens when even one test is skipped: A global telecom missed a single print form logic scenario. Customer invoices misfired across 14 countries. No red flags. No test failures. Just delayed payments, confused customers, and an emergency fix after go-live. The system technically “worked.” But no one verified it worked right. Brownfield success is measured by silence. No escalations. No rollbacks. Just a calm, quiet go-live. That only happens when you test beyond the scripts ... and pressure-test the scenarios that carry real risk. Which test case almost caught your team off guard? What did you learn from the near miss? That one insight could save another team months. #Post9of10 #S4HANA #SAP #TestingStrategy #UAT #IntegrationTesting #ERPGoLive #Brownfield #Quantaglobal #SAPPMO #S4Validation