Selecting a SyteLine Implementation Partner: Evaluation Framework
Your choice of SyteLine implementation partner has more impact on project success than the software itself. The Infor partner ecosystem for CloudSuite Industrial ranges from global system integrators to regional boutiques, each with different strengths, pricing models, and risk profiles. A structured evaluation process prevents the costly mistake of choosing a partner based on sales presentation quality rather than delivery capability.
Evaluation Criteria That Matter
Generic ERP partner evaluation checklists miss SyteLine-specific factors that predict implementation success. The number of certified SyteLine consultants on staff, recent project references in your manufacturing vertical, and the partner's relationship tier with Infor directly influence the resources and support you receive during implementation.
- Count of Infor-certified SyteLine consultants on the partner's active bench versus total headcount
- Minimum three recent CloudSuite Industrial go-lives in your manufacturing vertical within the last two years
- Infor partnership tier: Gold, Platinum, or Diamond determines access to Infor product team escalation paths
- Implementation methodology: Infor AIM, Agile, or hybrid approach with documented phase gates and deliverables
- Client retention rate: partners with high repeat-business percentages signal consistent delivery quality
Due Diligence and Reference Checks
Reference calls are the most valuable due diligence step and the most frequently skipped. Ask to speak with three recent SyteLine clients without the partner present. Focus questions on the partner's handling of scope changes, resource continuity, and post-go-live support rather than generic satisfaction scores that every reference will rate highly.
- Request references from projects similar in scope, industry, and SyteLine version to your planned implementation
- Ask references about consultant turnover during their project and how the partner handled replacements
- Inquire about budget accuracy: how closely did final cost match the original statement of work estimate
- Probe post-go-live support: was the partner responsive to issues in the critical first 90 days after cutover
- Check for any Infor-mediated escalations or project recoveries that indicate delivery challenges
Contract Negotiation Essentials
SyteLine implementation contracts should protect your organization against the most common failure modes: consultant bait-and-switch, uncontrolled scope expansion, and abandoned post-go-live support. Negotiate specific consultant names, knowledge transfer milestones, and warranty periods into the master services agreement before signing.
- Name specific consultants in the SOW and require written approval for any substitutions during the project
- Cap time-and-materials engagements with a not-to-exceed ceiling tied to defined scope boundaries
- Include a 90-day warranty period with committed response times for post-go-live defect resolution
- Require knowledge transfer deliverables including documentation, recorded sessions, and admin training
- Negotiate fixed-price data migration and report development phases where scope can be clearly defined
Evaluating SyteLine partners? Netray provides an objective technology assessment that complements your partner evaluation process.
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