Implementing a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system can feel like trading one headache for dozens, but limping along with manual reporting and systems that can’t scale hurts even more.
Once board packets take days, subsidiaries confuse your ledger, or automation stalls under spreadsheets, you’ve crossed the “must-change” line.
Ashley Honeyman, COO/CFO at Consero Global, and Jennifer Daniel, VP of Onboarding, with decades of combined experience with ERP implementations, shared insights on the complexities involved, mistakes to avoid, and implementation best practices that every finance leader should know before rolling out a new ERP.
Signs You’ve Outgrown Your Current Systems
Many organizations reach a scale where their existing financial systems can no longer support their growth and operational needs.
If your company is experiencing one or more of the following, you may need a new ERP:
Reporting Limitations
Difficulty generating advanced reports for the board or team + relying on extensive and time-consuming Excel workbooks indicate an outdated system.
No Automation in AP, T&E, Reconciliations
Heavy reliance on “manual processes (is) no longer acceptable in businesses that want to scale,” especially in areas like AP processing and internal approvals.
Stalling Global Expansion
Inability to scale operations and support a larger customer base. For example, QuickBooks can’t handle multi-subsidiary or multi-currency growth.
Data Redundancy + Reconciliation Issues
Spending significant time re-entering and reconciling data across disparate systems points to a lack of integration and robustness.
Focus on Technology > Strategy
When more time is spent troubleshooting technology issues rather than focusing on strategic business goals, it’s a clear sign the current system is inadequate.
Single Points of Failure + Firefighting Culture
Frequent system failures and a constant need to address immediate crises suggest underlying systemic issues.
“When your board or your team need advanced reporting, if you’ve got an Excel workbook with 15 tabs that requires three business days to do inputs, reconciliations, clean up, that’s a really good sign that you need to evaluate a new general ledger or ERP to solve for that for you.”
Implementation Options
There are generally three options for a new ERP implementation, each with its own set of considerations.
Direct with a VAR Partner
Selecting an ERP system directly and partnering with a Value-Added Reseller (VAR) for implementation. The VAR brings system expertise, while the company provides business and accounting knowledge.
Key Requirement: Your team will be responsible for mapping, cleaning, and inputting the data.
Pros ✅
- Direct control over system selection
- VAR provides technical expertise
- Company retains business knowledge control
- Potentially lower ongoing costs
- Greater customization options
Cons ❌
- Requires significant internal expertise
- Team responsible for data management
- Higher risk of implementation delays
- More hands-on involvement required
- Potential for scope creep
Outsourced Bookkeeping/Accounting
Engaging a bookkeeper or accounting service provider to handle the implementation. Suitable if internal teams have sufficient system knowledge.
Pros ✅
- Leverages existing accounting relationships
- May combine with VAR expertise
- Accounting knowledge already in place
- Potentially cost-effective
- Familiar with your business processes
Cons ❌
- Requires bookkeeper to have systems experience
- Limited to current provider’s capabilities
- May lack ERP implementation expertise
- Dependent on third-party availability
- Potential knowledge gaps in complex systems
Finance as a Service (FaaS) Partner
Partnering with a provider that offers an end-to-end solution, including the technology, implementation, and ongoing management of the finance function.
FaaS partners like Consero implement pre-configured tech stacks and bring deep ERP implementation expertise, significantly reducing the risk, cost, and implementation timeline.
Pros ✅
- End-to-end solution provider
- Pre-configured tech stacks
- Deep ERP implementation expertise
- Reduced risk and cost
- Faster implementation timeline
- Ongoing management included
Cons ❌
- Less direct control over implementation
- Ongoing service dependency
- Less customization flexibility
- Vendor lock-in considerations
Unlike with VARs, a FaaS partner will be utilizing the new system and owning the reporting inputs and outputs. “A FaaS partner has to own the outcome—so we won’t put in a process that won’t work, because we’re the ones running it tomorrow.”
Traditional ERP vs. FaaS Implementation
| Factor | Traditional ERP + VAR | Consero FaaS |
|---|---|---|
| Timeline | 9–18 months (plus soft-parallel period) | 30–90 days to deployment |
| Data Migration | Client responsibility, high workload | Consero owned & executed |
| Up-front Cost | $80k–$150k services + full-year licenses | Integrated into service fee |
| Staff Burden | Heavy; risk of burnout/turnover | Light; focus on strategic input |
| Ongoing Changes | Pay-as-you-go consultants | Included, operated by Consero |
| Failure Rate | Up to 60% miss at least one objective | Near-perfect delivery |
Key Considerations for ERP Rollout
Honeyman and Daniel highlight six crucial considerations for finance leaders ahead of a successful ERP implementation.
1. System and Partner Selection
The right ERP system and implementation partner is paramount to the success of the project.
Start here:
- Identify the Problems: Map the specific problems you are trying to solve (e.g., reporting, automation, revenue recognition, or all of the above).
- Evaluate System Capabilities: Know the ERP players (Oracle NetSuite, Sage Intacct, etc.) and vet their suitability for your use cases and requirements.
- Map Finance Workflows: Your current workflows versus your desired finance workflows. Be cautious not to replicate inefficient existing processes.
- Assess Partner Expertise: Select a partner (VAR or FaaS) that brings the necessary system and industry expertise, can complete the implementation on time and within budget, and can solve your pain points.
“With FaaS, the infrastructure is already defined, reducing implementation complexity significantly,” says Honeyman.
Companies like Insurity show what’s possible when you start with Consero’s ready-built FaaS platform. They rolled three acquisitions onto one clean general ledger in months leveraging Consero’s pre-configured tech stack, proven industry playbooks, and team of experts.
2. Implementation Scope and Complexity
Defining a realistic implementation scope and understanding the inherent complexities are crucial for managing expectations and avoiding project derailment.
Scope considerations:
- Timeline Expectations: ERP implementations typically take 9 to 18 months to go live, and there is a high risk of delays and budget overruns. Phased implementations focusing on core functionalities initially are common.
- IT Involvement: ERP implementations, especially with VARs, require significant involvement from the IT department due to integrations with existing systems and third-party tools.
- Cross-Functional Requirements: Collaboration across different departments (e.g., IT, Sales Ops) is essential to ensure the new system meets the needs of all stakeholders.
- Hidden Complexity: Implementations often uncover more detailed requirements as the project progresses, potentially expanding the scope and timeline.
- Demand on Internal Teams: The internal finance team will need to dedicate significant time to the build, testing, training, and eventual ownership of the new system. This can be stressful and potentially lead to resource strain.
- Data Migration: VAR statements of work put cleansing & loading on your team. Migrating data from legacy systems is a hidden iceberg, often requiring extensive data cleansing and formatting. “Junk in, junk out” emphasizes the importance of accurate data migration.
FaaS Advantages
- Faster Deployment: Consero offers significantly faster deployment timelines (30-90 days) due to the pre-integrated tech stack and defined processes.
- Ownership of Technical Administration and Data Migration: Consero handles the technical administration of the system and owns the data migration process, reducing the burden on your team.
Honeyman experienced the FaaS advantages firsthand, utilizing Consero for two ERP implementations at PixelMEDIA.
“It literally was 60 days: we started in April and were live June 1. Consero pulled all our data and I focused on policies and future-state processes.”
3. Cost and ROI
With a new ERP, the price tag is front-loaded; the payback is efficiency.
“Your ERP investment is about efficiency, accuracy, and strategic improvements, rather than immediate financial return,” says Honeyman.
| Cost | ROI |
|---|---|
| $80k – $150k one-time services for a “basic” VAR implementation before annual software licenses | Shows up as faster closes, cleaner audits, and decision-grade analytics, not immediate head-count cuts |
| You may pay for unused licenses during the 6-12 months before go-live | Can be realized through increased efficiency and automation of manual tasks |
| Ongoing software licensing, maintenance, and upgrade costs | Improved reporting and insights, plus better scalability for future growth |
“Technology is a large up-front cost; sometimes there isn’t an immediate dollar ROI—what you’re buying is speed, accuracy, and visibility.”
“Understanding that and thinking through that ahead of system selection is going to be very important so you have alignment with your internal stakeholders.”
4. Design and Infrastructure
A well-thought-out design and robust infrastructure are fundamental to a successful ERP implementation. Great reporting is baked—not bolted—on later.
“ERP design should focus on end-state reporting and operational needs rather than replicating current processes…You can only report on the infrastructure you put in place—so reporting should be at the forefront of every decision.”
Key Takeaways:
- The effectiveness of an ERP implementation is directly tied to the quality of its design and the underlying infrastructure.
- Reporting requirements must drive every AP, AR, and RevRec field you configure.
- Organizations need to assess their ability to create this framework in collaboration with their chosen partner and internal teams.
- Considerations include: system configuration, user roles and permissions, data integration strategies, the overall architecture of the solution, and scalability.
- Think Future Backwards: Build chart-of-accounts, dimensions, and master data from the future backwards (think molecule families, product lines, COGS as a “department,” etc.).
“Your implementation is only as good as your design and the infrastructure you put in place. You need to understand your ability to create that framework with your partner and with your in-house team.”
If your team is inexperienced with ERP system design, FaaS providers like Consero offer built-in best practices for immediate use, and bring VP of Finance-level advisors to map reporting-ready structures Day 1.
5. People and Processes
The best technology in the world will fail if the wrong team is running it, and the success of an ERP hinges on internal leadership and their ability to design scalable systems.
Best Practices:
- Leadership and Vision: Your implementation is only as good as the person you put in charge. Controllers tend to replicate yesterday’s processes; you need someone who re-imagines tomorrow’s.
- Team Identification and Planning: Identify the in-house teams or outsourced partners who will be involved in the implementation and ongoing management of the ERP
- Process Optimization: Ensure that the new processes implemented within the ERP are designed to solve the identified problems and improve efficiency, rather than replicating old, ineffective processes
- Change Management and Training: Change management and user training are critical to ensure adoption and minimize disruption
Given the significant upfront investment and the complexity of the project, it pays to bring in a qualified partner to supply the people and processes for the implementation.
Consero FaaS Advantage:
- FaaS implementations bring external expertise, significantly reducing internal workload and risk
- Consero’s FaaS includes documentation of key policies, preparing companies for audits immediately after implementation
- Consero supplies a full bench: VP of Onboarding, GAAP-savvy accountants delivering audit-ready memos by go-live
In Honeyman’s case, with Consero handling the reporting after the ERP implementations, “we ended up audit-ready with our full ASC 606 policy – something I never got from a traditional ERP project.”
6. Scalability and Flexibility
Choosing an ERP system that can scale with the organization’s growth and adapt to future changes is essential for long-term value. A key objective is avoiding the need to revisit the ERP selection and implementation process in a few years due to limitations in scalability.
- Select a system and implementation approach that can accommodate future growth and evolving business needs.
- Consider the flexibility of the system to adapt to new business models, product lines, or regulatory requirements.
Another important (and overlooked) consideration is your vulnerability to price increases as you grow. Negotiating flexibility upfront is crucial.
“Systems are a lot more rigid when you buy direct—once you need a new module, you’re a captive audience.”
Actionable Tips:
- ERP License Risk: With direct ERP licenses, adding a module later can forfeit original discounts and trigger price spikes.
- Negotiation Timing: Negotiation leverage is highest before you sign; insist on multi-year price caps.
- Future-Proof Questions: Can revrec handle new contract types? Can integrations support a new CRM?Who re-maps the data when you pivot?
- Predictable Scaling: Consero bundles tech + people; costs scale predictably with modules instead of renegotiating discounts every time.
Alternatively, FaaS is designed specifically for easier scalability, and is pre-built to adapt to changing business needs in growth.
With Consero, pricing is pre-negotiated, so expanding to a new module or entity is a service-tier adjustment rather than a license battle.
Consero Can Help
Rolling out an ERP is neither quick nor easy, but it can be transformative if you match scope, partner, and people to your business objectives.
For companies with tight timelines, lean teams, or aggressive growth goals, outsourcing the whole finance stack to a Finance as a Service partner like Consero compresses deployment from years to months and shifts ownership of both technology and outcomes to a partner built for it.
Choose the path that lets you stop wrestling spreadsheets and start acting on real-time insight. Get in touch with us today for a complete ERP rollout playbook.
