ERP success: why internal teams can’t (and shouldn’t) do it all
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementations are often billed as the ultimate solution to a company’s operational woes. While the technology is essential, it’s the people who determine whether an ERP implementation succeeds or stalls.
Far too often, organizations rely exclusively on internal teams to carry the project across the finish line—expecting them to maintain daily operations and drive forward a complex, months-long transformation. It’s an unrealistic expectation that can lead to missed deadlines, employee burnout, and ultimately, project failure.
The people problem in ERP projects
ERP implementations are about more than software. They involve rethinking core business processes, reengineering workflows, and managing change at every level of the organization. For finance and accounting teams, this often means deep involvement in everything from data migration and testing to revalidating compliance requirements and designing future-state processes.
While your full-time team may have deep institutional knowledge, they also have full-time jobs. When asked to juggle their usual responsibilities alongside the additional ERP demands, something has to give. Typically, it’s either the quality of daily work or the ERP project timeline.
A study from Panorama Consulting found that 45% of ERP projects go over budget, and 58% take longer than expected. The human element—overburdened and under-resourced teams—is often to blame.
Why contract workers make a difference
Bringing in experienced contract professionals to supplement your internal team allows each group to focus on what they do best. Temporary staff can be deployed to:
- Handle day-to-day operations (like AP, AR, month-end close)
- Support data cleanup and validation tasks
- Fill skill gaps in reporting, compliance, or systems expertise
By removing the dual burden from your internal team, contract workers help keep your business running while freeing up strategic contributors to focus on ERP execution.
A real-world example
Let’s say your company is implementing Oracle Cloud ERP. You’ve got a talented internal finance team, but they’re already managing a quarter-end close and preparing for an audit. Asking them to also lead configuration workshops, test transactions in the new system, and build reports from scratch is not just inefficient—it’s a recipe for errors.
Instead, by bringing in two experienced contract accountants to manage reconciliations and journal entries, your internal team can dedicate their energy to system design and validation. The ERP project progresses on schedule, while your financial reporting remains accurate and timely.
The ROI of support
Organizations that use contract professionals often find that the ROI goes beyond project success. According to Prosci, organizations that invest adequately in change management and resourcing are nearly seven times more likely to meet or exceed project objectives.
Hiring contract professionals may incur short-term costs, but it can prevent expensive mistakes, employee turnover, and implementation delays—all of which have far greater long-term impacts.
Final thoughts
ERP implementations are high-stakes initiatives that require focused attention from your best people. But expecting them to maintain business-as-usual while also transforming your core systems isn’t just unrealistic—it’s risky.
Smart leaders know that the key to ERP success isn’t just the right software—it’s having the right staffing strategy. By augmenting your workforce with contract talent, you give your team the breathing room they need to do their best work, both in the system and for the business.
And that’s how ERP success really starts: with your people.
Whether you’re in the early stages of planning your implementation/migration or are already in progress, let’s talk about how Addison Group can support your talent gaps.
