ERP Implementation Partner Checklist (Free)

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9 critical items still open - these are the highest-risk gaps.

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Experience and references

Partner has completed projects on the exact product and version you are buyingCRITICALTwo or more references are in your industry and of similar sizeReferences include a project that ran into trouble and how it was recoveredCRITICALYou can speak to the reference's project manager, not only the executive sponsorPartner has delivered the specific modules in scope, such as MRP, quality or finance consolidationExperience with your countries, tax rules and languages is documentedPartner's certifications with the software vendor are current and verifiable

Team and continuity

Named project manager and lead consultants are identified in the proposalCRITICALKey personnel clause prevents substitution without your approvalCRITICALProportion of onshore, nearshore and offshore resources is statedFunctional and technical resources are separate, with defined rolesPartner discloses staff turnover on comparable projectsBackup resources are named for critical rolesTime zone overlap for workshops and testing is agreed

Method and deliverables

Methodology is documented with phases, gates and deliverablesCRITICALFit-gap approach is described, including how customization requests are challengedData migration is a named workstream with cleansing and reconciliation stepsCRITICALTesting strategy covers unit, integration, user acceptance and performanceChange management and training are in scope or explicitly excludedCutover and hypercare plans are included with duration statedIntegration approach and tooling are defined for each external systemProject governance includes steering meetings, risk logs and status reporting

Commercial and contract

Pricing basis is clear: fixed fee, time and materials or hybridCRITICALAssumptions behind the fixed fee are listed and reasonableCRITICALRate card covers change requests and extra resourcesPayment milestones are linked to accepted deliverables, not elapsed timeWarranty period and defect correction terms are statedTravel and expense policy is capped or definedContingency recommendation is made openly, not hidden in ratesKnowledge transfer to your internal team is a contracted deliverable

Risk and fit

Partner is willing to challenge your scope and timeline, not just accept itFinancial stability of the partner has been checkedCRITICALConflicts of interest, such as incentives from the software vendor, are disclosedPartner capacity during your planned go-live is confirmedSecurity and confidentiality practices cover access to production dataEscalation path above the project manager is defined

Count items checked against total. Treat any unchecked critical item as a question to resolve in writing before awarding the work.

Independent scope review

An optional technical read of a partner's integration and data scope.

Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.

How to use the checklist

Use it twice: once when screening proposals and again before signing the statement of work. Tick an item only when you have seen evidence, such as a named resume, a reference call or a clause in the draft. Share the unchecked items with the partner and ask for written answers. Their willingness to answer plainly is itself a useful signal.

Why partner and product are different decisions

Two partners implementing the same product can deliver very different outcomes, because results depend on the consultants assigned, the discipline of the method and the handling of data migration. Ask for the team that will actually work on your project, not the pre-sales team, and check their experience with your modules, industry and country rules.

Interview the proposed project manager
Ask for resumes of lead consultants
Verify certifications directly with the vendor

Reading proposals critically

A very low fixed fee with long assumptions often means change orders later. Read the assumptions as carefully as the price: number of interfaces, reports, data objects and test cycles. Compare partners on a common scope table and ask each to price the same list. Where scope is vague, ask the partner to state what is excluded rather than what is included.

Common mistakes

Common failures are choosing a partner on rate alone, accepting a substitution of the proposed team after signature, and leaving data migration and training outside the contract. Another is relying on the software vendor's recommended partner without independent references. Recommendation is useful input, but it is not due diligence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should the vendor or a separate partner implement?

Either can work. Vendor professional services know the product deeply, while independent partners may offer industry depth or lower rates. Evaluate the proposed team and references in both cases and write responsibilities into the contract.

How many partner references should we check?

Three is a practical minimum, with at least one in your industry and one recent project of similar scope. Ask each for the project manager's contact and request to hear about problems, not only successes.

Is a fixed-fee implementation safer?

It gives budget certainty only if scope and assumptions are tight. Vague scope turns fixed fee into frequent change orders. Time and materials with a cap, or a hybrid, can be more honest for uncertain scope.

What should the key personnel clause say?

It should name the project manager and lead consultants, require your written approval for replacement, and ensure replacements have equivalent experience, with a handover period paid for by the partner.

Netray works with ERP domain-expert partners and can give an independent view on technical scope such as integrations and data extraction. Use the checklist on its own at no cost.

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