What It Takes to Succeed in an ERP Implementation: Lessons from the City of Atlanta

ERP implementations are complex, transformative projects that require careful planning, communication, and execution. As someone who has helped organizations navigate through these kinds of digital transformations across a variety of ERP systems and industries, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges and rewards of a successful implementation.

Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Youlanda Carr, CPA , the Deputy CFO of the City of Atlanta , to discuss her team’s experience with their ERP implementation. While their specific project involved migrating to Oracle Cloud, the lessons they learned are applicable to any ERP implementation.

In this blog post, I’ll share some of the most important takeaways from that conversation, drawing from my own experiences and insights as CEO of Third Stage Consulting Group . Whether you’re implementing Oracle, SAP, Microsoft, or any other ERP system, the principles and strategies outlined here will help ensure your project’s success.

You can also watch my interview with Youlanda here:

1. Involve All Stakeholders from Day One

One of the biggest lessons that Youlanda shared was the importance of involving all stakeholders from the very beginning of the project. This includes not only executive leadership but also the frontline workers who will be using the system every day.

When stakeholders are involved from the start, they are more likely to buy into the project and support it. They have a clear understanding of the changes that are coming and can provide valuable feedback early on. On the other hand, if you wait too long to engage them, you risk resistance and confusion, making it harder to bring everyone on board when the system goes live.

In my experience, one of the key reasons ERP implementations fail is because of poor communication and lack of stakeholder engagement. Projects often move too fast for some departments or teams to catch up, leading to misalignment and frustration. Successful projects, on the other hand, take the time to ensure that everyone understands the vision and how the new system will benefit the organization.

2. Prioritize Change Management Over Technology

It’s easy to get caught up in the technical aspects of an ERP implementation, but as Youlanda pointed out, the biggest challenge is often not the system itself but the people who will be using it. Change management is crucial in any digital transformation project.

When the City of Atlanta transitioned from Oracle 11i to Oracle Cloud, they had to completely overhaul their processes, many of which had been in place for 20 years. The shift wasn’t just about upgrading software; it was about rethinking how work was done, automating manual processes, and eliminating inefficient practices that had become ingrained over time.

Resistance to change is natural, especially when employees have been doing things the same way for years. One of the most common refrains I hear during ERP projects is, "This is how we’ve always done it." But just because something has always been done a certain way doesn’t mean it’s the best way. Part of change management involves challenging that mindset and showing employees the benefits of the new system.

Communicating these benefits clearly, providing training, and offering ongoing support throughout the project are all essential for a smooth transition.

3. Clean Up Your Data Beforehand

One of the key takeaways from the City of Atlanta’s ERP implementation was the importance of data cleanup. When transitioning to a new ERP system, you are often moving from a highly customized legacy system to a more standardized platform. This transition requires clean, accurate, and organized data.

Youlanda emphasized the importance of making sure the data is ready to move into the new system well before the go-live date. In their case, there was a significant amount of work involved in cleaning up data that had been stored in disparate systems for years. By addressing this early on, they were able to avoid data migration issues that could have delayed the project.

In my experience, data quality is one of the most underestimated aspects of an ERP implementation. Many organizations assume that their data is in good shape, only to discover late in the project that they need to spend significant time and resources cleaning it up. This is why I always recommend conducting a thorough data audit as one of the first steps in the project.

4. Don’t Over-Customize Your System

One of the reasons the City of Atlanta decided to move from their legacy system to Oracle Cloud was because of the extensive customizations they had made over the years. While customizations can sometimes be necessary, they often lead to higher costs, more complex upgrades, and reduced system flexibility in the long run.

When implementing a new ERP system, it’s important to resist the urge to recreate your old processes exactly as they were. Modern ERP systems are designed based on best practices, and in many cases, it’s better to adapt your processes to fit the system rather than customizing the system to fit your old ways of working.

Of course, there will always be cases where customization is needed, but it should be approached with caution. Every customization adds complexity to the system, and with more complexity comes more risk.

5. Focus on Efficiency and Cost Savings

ERP implementations are not just about upgrading technology—they are about improving efficiency and saving money. For the City of Atlanta, one of the key drivers behind their ERP implementation was the desire to reduce manual processes and save time.

Before moving to Oracle Cloud, their payroll process involved multiple systems, including Kronos for timekeeping. This created inefficiencies, as payroll data had to be transferred between systems. By consolidating these processes into one system, they were able to reduce the time it took to run payroll and eliminate the need for separate software contracts, resulting in significant cost savings.

Whether you’re in the public or private sector, ERP systems can help streamline operations, automate repetitive tasks, and provide better visibility into your organization’s data. These efficiencies ultimately translate into cost savings, which should be a major consideration in any ERP project.

6. Prepare for Ongoing Updates and Improvements

One of the advantages of modern ERP systems, particularly cloud-based ones, is that they offer regular updates and improvements. For the City of Atlanta, this means that they no longer need to go through expensive, disruptive upgrades every few years. Instead, the system is continually updated with new features and functionality through patches and updates pushed out by the software vendor.

However, this also means that organizations need to be prepared for ongoing change. Regular updates may require additional training, adjustments to processes, and updates to integrations with other systems. The key is to stay flexible and be prepared to adapt as the system evolves.

Conclusion

ERP implementations are never easy, but with the right approach, they can deliver tremendous value to an organization. As we’ve seen from the City of Atlanta’s experience, success comes down to several key factors: engaging stakeholders early, prioritizing change management, ensuring data quality, avoiding unnecessary customizations, focusing on efficiency, and preparing for ongoing updates.

At Third Stage Consulting Group , we’ve helped organizations of all sizes and industries navigate these challenges and achieve ERP success. If you’re embarking on your own ERP journey, I encourage you to take these lessons to heart and apply them to your project. With the right preparation and strategy, you can achieve a successful ERP implementation that drives real business value.

What has been your experience with ERP implementations? What lessons or challenges would you add to the list? I’d love to hear your thoughts!