Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementations are high-stakes initiatives that demand strategic focus, cross-functional expertise, and strong executive backing. Yet, one of the most frequent—and most costly—mistakes organizations make is failing to resource these projects appropriately.
According to Tim Holter, S4A’s VP of Delivery, under-resourcing can undermine even the most carefully planned implementations. “Sometimes ERP projects aren’t seen as strategic or revenue-generating, so clients hesitate to allocate their top talent,” he explains. “Rather than assigning the people who know the business inside and out, they’ll rely on junior staff while their senior experts remain focused on day-to-day operations.”
This is a mistake with long-term consequences.
In this fourth installment of our multi-part series on common project pitfalls, we take a closer look at the risks of improper resourcing—and what it takes to get it right.
What Does It Mean to “Resource Properly”?
Resourcing properly doesn’t just mean assigning warm bodies to a project. It means thoughtfully building a team that includes both capacity and capability.
“On any ERP project, you need a core team—whose main focus is the implementation—and an extended team made up of subject matter experts (SMEs) and stakeholders from across the business,” says Holter. “If senior leadership doesn’t truly support the project, it often results in half-hearted resourcing. People are asked to contribute ‘off the side of their desk,’ without adjustments to their regular workload.”
The result? Burnout, missed deadlines, and a lack of due diligence. Critical tasks get delayed or deprioritized, and the project can slowly veer off course.
Common Resourcing Mistakes
Holter sees several recurring mistakes when it comes to ERP project resourcing:
1. Assigning business process owners (BPOs) without proper authority or guidance
“Often, BPOs aren’t empowered to make decisions,” he notes. “Other times, they are—but they don’t seek the necessary consensus from stakeholders. Either way, the project suffers.” He stresses the importance of clearly defining roles, responsibilities, and rules of engagement to ensure alignment across the business.
2. Underestimating the workload
An ERP implementation isn’t just an IT project—it’s an enterprise-wide transformation. Organizations often overlook the sheer volume of work involved, particularly in three critical areas that fall squarely on the client’s shoulders:
- Data readiness: Extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) activities require significant effort to ensure clean, usable data.
- Organizational Change Management (OCM): People need support to adapt to new processes and tools.
- End-user training: Appointing unqualified trainers or failing to prioritize this step can mean your shiny new system flops at go-live.
3. Expecting contractors to represent the business
“You can’t outsource business understanding,” says Holter. “Third-party consultants are great, but they shouldn’t be the sole voice of your business. You need internal people who are invested in long-term success, not just short-term delivery.”
4. Ignoring the need to backfill
It’s not enough to assign someone to the project. If they’re still expected to perform their usual job duties, performance will suffer—on both fronts. “You need to either free people from their day jobs or provide backfill resources to cover their workload,” says Holter.
Recognizing the Red Flags
How can you tell if a project is suffering from resourcing issues?
One clear sign is when progress consistently falls behind schedule. While temporary delays are normal, repeated slippage is often a symptom of inadequate capacity or capability on the team. “It’s about trendlines,” Holter explains. “If the project isn’t progressing the way it should over time, there’s probably a deeper issue at play.”
Another warning sign is when key decisions stall due to lack of authority, or when the same few individuals are overloaded and stretched too thin. These are indicators that the project may be under-resourced or structured ineffectively.
What Good Resourcing Looks Like
To resource properly, organizations need to approach ERP projects with the same seriousness they would apply to any major strategic initiative. That means:
- Involving senior leadership in championing the project and allocating top talent.
- Empowering decision-makers and ensuring they consult broadly across the business.
- Freeing up time and capacity for people assigned to the project.
- Recognizing the value of internal knowledge by embedding experienced employees in the core team.
- Tying performance or incentives to project outcomes to drive accountability and engagement.
Ultimately, a successful ERP implementation requires more than just software expertise—it demands deep understanding of business processes, strong leadership, and the right people in the right roles, at the right time.
Resourcing Right Starts with the Right Partner
ERP systems can streamline operations, improve data integrity, and unlock new efficiencies—but only if the implementation is done right. “You could be deploying the Lamborghini of SAP solutions,” says Holter, “but if you don’t have the right people driving it, it’s going to crash.”
At S4A, we understand that successful ERP delivery hinges on more than just great technology—it requires the right people, the right plan, and the right support. Our experienced delivery team knows how to anticipate resourcing challenges, build high-performing project teams, and keep implementations on track. We don’t just guide our clients through the process—we partner with them to drive real, lasting results. If you’re planning a transformation and want a delivery partner who knows what it takes to get it right, connect with us today. Let’s build your success story together.