ERP Go-Live Readiness Assessment
A go/no-go decision should rest on evidence, not on the date on the plan. This assessment scores ten readiness areas so the steering committee can see where the project really stands.
1. How complete is user acceptance testing?
Think of the share of planned scripts executed and the open defect position.
2. How many full data migration rehearsals have you completed?
3. Is there a written cutover runbook with timings from rehearsal?
4. How many end users have completed training for their role?
5. How ready are interfaces and integrations (EDI, banking, shop floor, tax)?
6. How is security and user access prepared?
7. Is post go-live support organised?
8. How ready is the business operationally for the change?
Consider key user availability, SOP updates, and frozen or reduced operations during cutover.
9. How current is finance readiness (period-end, tax, reporting)?
10. Is there a formal go/no-go decision process?
How to use the assessment
Answer each question as honestly as you can, using the status of your project today rather than the plan. Ideally have the project manager, the IT lead and a business process owner each answer independently, then compare. Differences in answers are as useful as the score itself because they show where the team does not share the same picture. Use the verdict and recommendations as a starting agenda for the go/no-go meeting.
What the questions measure
The questions cover the areas that most often decide whether a cutover goes well: acceptance testing, data rehearsals, the cutover runbook, user training, interfaces, security roles, support readiness, business operational readiness, finance readiness and the go/no-go process. Each is scored from zero to three. The total is converted to a percentage and matched to one of four bands, from not ready to ready for go/no-go.
- Evidence over opinion: ask for the test result, not the assurance
- Rehearsed timings beat estimated timings
- Role-based access must be verified with real users
- Hypercare exit criteria prevent endless support
Reading the result
A single weak area can matter more than the total. A project scoring well on training but with no rehearsed data load is still at risk, so look at individual answers as well. If two or more answers are zero, treat the project as not ready regardless of the average. Document the accepted risks, who accepted them and the mitigation, in the go/no-go minutes.
Common mistakes
Teams often confuse activity with readiness: training delivered is not the same as users able to perform their tasks, and tests run is not the same as tests passed. Another is treating the go-live date as fixed and the criteria as flexible. Reverse that. Fix the criteria early, and move the date if the criteria are not met.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are typical ERP go/no-go criteria?
Common criteria include UAT sign-off with no open severity 1 or 2 defects, a reconciled dress rehearsal, trained users, tested interfaces, verified security roles, a rehearsed cutover and rollback plan, and a staffed hypercare team.
Who makes the go/no-go decision?
The steering committee, chaired by the executive sponsor, normally decides on the project manager's recommendation. Process owners for finance, operations and supply chain should be present and each state their area's readiness.
When should the go/no-go meeting be held?
Usually one to two weeks before cutover for the main decision, with a final confirmation on the day the freeze starts. This leaves time to correct gaps or to communicate a delay to customers and suppliers.
What if the score is low but the date is fixed?
Document the risks, define workarounds and add contingency such as extra support staff. Where the date is driven by a licence expiry or a statutory deadline, consider limited-scope go-live rather than forcing every module live at once.
If you want a second pair of eyes on your readiness evidence, particularly on data reconciliation and report validation, we can review it with you and suggest checks worth automating.
Related Tools
ERP Go-Live Readiness Checklist
A 29-point go-live readiness checklist across data, testing, training, cutover, and support, with the highest-risk items flagged as critical.
ERP Migration & SelectionERP Cutover Plan Worksheet
Build a task-by-task ERP cutover runbook with owners, durations and a buffer, and calculate the total cutover window.
ERP Migration & SelectionERP UAT Test Script Template
A user acceptance test worksheet with example order-to-cash and procure-to-pay scripts, tester columns and result tracking you can export to Excel.
ERP Migration & SelectionERP Hypercare Issue Log Worksheet
A hypercare issue log with severity, owner, hours open, SLA and a breach flag calculated per row.
ERP Migration & SelectionERP Training Plan Worksheet
Plan role-based ERP training with class counts, trainer hours and learner hours calculated for you.
More ERP Migration & Selection tools
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- ERP Migration Risk Assessment
- Data Migration Effort Calculator
- ERP Selection Scorecard for Manufacturers
- ERP Change Management Readiness Assessment
- ERP Integration Complexity Calculator
- Cloud vs On-Premise ERP Cost Calculator
- ERP Upgrade vs Replace Assessment
- ERP Implementation Timeline Estimator