ERP Go/No-Go Decision Memo Template (PDF and Word)
The go/no-go meeting is where a long program meets reality, and the record of that decision matters later. This template produces a concise memo that states the recommendation, the evidence by criterion, the conditions attached and the rollback point, ready for signature.
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ERP Go/No-Go Decision Memo Template
ERP Go/No-Go Decision Memo
Company: Acme Precision Ltd Project: ERP Replacement Program System: New ERP, Phase 1 (Finance, Supply Chain, Production) Decision meeting: 2026-11-12 Planned go-live: 2026-11-23 Prepared by: Project Manager
Recommendation
Recommendation to the steering committee: Conditional go
Cutover window: Friday 18:00 to Sunday 18:00 Last point of rollback: Sunday 06:00, before first transactions are posted
Readiness summary
UAT scenarios are 96 percent passed. The last mock load reconciled to the ledger within tolerance. End user training reached 92 percent of planned attendees.
Open severity 1 defects: 0 Open severity 2 defects: 3
Criteria status
| Criterion | Status (Met / Partly / Not met) | Evidence | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| UAT scenarios passed against exit criteria | |||
| Open defects within agreed limits | |||
| Final mock load reconciled to source | |||
| Integrations tested end to end | |||
| Users trained and access roles assigned | |||
| Cutover plan rehearsed with timings | |||
| Support and hypercare roster confirmed | |||
| Business owners signed off processes |
Conditions for go
1. The three open severity 2 defects have an approved workaround. 2. Customer EDI test with the top two partners passes by Wednesday. 3. Hypercare roster is confirmed for the first four weeks.
Rollback and contingency
If a condition is not met by the review point, or a rollback trigger is reached, the cutover manager will inform the sponsor and execute the rollback plan to Sunday 06:00, before first transactions are posted. The decision to roll back rests with the sponsor.
Approvals
Starting point for your own governance, not legal advice. Add your organisation's formal criteria, regulatory sign-offs and any customer commitments before use.
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How to use it
Fill in the fields before the meeting, then print or export the memo as the meeting document. State the recommendation clearly at the top; do not bury it. Complete the criteria table with a status and a link or reference to evidence, such as a test report or reconciliation sign-off. Add conditions only if they are specific, testable and have an owner and a due date. Capture the sign-offs in the meeting itself.
- Put the recommendation first
- Link evidence for each criterion
- Make conditions specific and testable
- Record who decided and when
What good criteria look like
Good criteria are measurable and agreed before testing starts: for example, no open severity 1 defects, a reconciled final mock load, integrations passing end-to-end tests, a defined percentage of users trained, a rehearsed cutover with timings inside the window and a staffed hypercare roster. Business owner sign-off on processes is as important as the technical measures, since the system is only ready if people can operate the business on it.
Handling a conditional go
A conditional go is common and legitimate when the remaining items are small, but it needs discipline. Each condition should have a check time before the point of no return, a named owner and a clear consequence if missed. If more than a few conditions are open, or any affects financial postings, shipping or compliance, the honest recommendation may be to defer. Price a deferral using a delay cost estimate.
Common mistakes
Decisions made on verbal assurances leave no evidence if something goes wrong. Another mistake is setting criteria after seeing the results, which turns the meeting into negotiation. Teams also forget to define the last point of rollback, so nobody can say when going back stops being possible.
- No written evidence
- Criteria changed at the meeting
- No defined rollback point
- Sponsor not present to decide
Frequently Asked Questions
Who should sign a go/no-go memo?
Typically the project sponsor, the business owners of affected processes, the finance controller, the IT lead and the project manager. Add quality or compliance sign-off if regulated processes are in scope.
When is the go/no-go meeting held?
Often there are two: a provisional one one to two weeks before cutover and a final one shortly before the cutover starts. The final meeting confirms that conditions from the first were met.
What is a point of no return?
It is the last moment when you can still revert to the old system without losing transactions or causing inconsistent data. Define it in the cutover plan and write it into this memo.
Can the memo be used for phased rollouts?
Yes. Create one memo per wave or site, and reuse the criteria so decisions are consistent. Note lessons from the previous wave in the readiness summary.
If you want readiness evidence gathered automatically from test, data and ERP systems into one view, Netray can build it on your infrastructure.
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