ERP Implementation Planning Analyzing And Designing

ERP Implementation Planning: Analysis & Design Guide

EPC Group specializes in ERP implementation planning for Dynamics 365. Our services include:

• Requirements gathering
• System selection
• Data migration design
• Go-live preparation

With 29 years of experience, we have successfully managed hundreds of ERP projects for Fortune 500 clients in sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, financial services, and government.

Key facts

• 29-year Microsoft consulting firm. Founded 1997. Headquartered in Houston, TX.
• Microsoft Solutions Partner — core designations including Business Applications.
• Former Microsoft Gold Partner (2016-2022) (oldest continuous in North America).
• Hundreds of ERP engagements with Fortune 500 clients across regulated industries.
• ERP platforms: Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations, Business Central, Supply Chain Management.

ERP implementation planning: 4 phases

Successful ERP implementations follow a structured planning process. Each phase builds on the previous one and must be completed before development begins.

• Phase 1 — Discovery: Current-state process mapping, pain point identification, and stakeholder interviews across all departments.
• Phase 2 — Requirements gathering: Documented functional requirements, integration needs, compliance requirements, and data migration scope.
• Phase 3 — System selection: Evaluation of Dynamics 365 modules (F&O, Business Central, CE) against requirements. Build vs. configure trade-off analysis.
• Phase 4 — Design: Solution design document, data model design, integration architecture, and go-live sequencing plan.

The adapt-or-customize decision

The most important ERP planning decision is straightforward but challenging to execute. You must choose whether to:

• Adapt your processes to fit the software
• Customize the software to fit your processes

Adapting to the software is cheaper and faster. Customizations add cost, risk, and upgrade complexity. Every customization must be maintained through future Dynamics 365 updates.

EPC Group's planning methodology forces this decision early. We document every gap between standard Dynamics 365 functionality and the client's current processes. Each gap is classified as:

• Process change — the organization adapts its process to the standard feature.
• Configuration — a supported Dynamics 365 configuration resolves the gap without code.
• Customization — a code-level extension is required. Must be justified by ROI and documented for lifecycle cost.
• Third-party ISV — a certified Dynamics 365 add-on from the AppSource marketplace fills the gap.

Data migration planning

Data migration is consistently the most underestimated phase of ERP implementation. Poor data migration planning is the single most common reason ERP projects miss their go-live dates.

• Data inventory — identify all data sources: legacy ERP, spreadsheets, departmental databases, CRM.
• Data cleansing — duplicate removal, field standardization, and validation before migration begins.
• Migration approach — decide what migrates (master data, open transactions, historical data) and what stays in the legacy system for read-only access.
• Cutover planning — define the go-live data freeze date and the parallel-run validation period.
• Testing — migrate to the test environment at least twice before the production cutover.

Analysis and design deliverables

EPC Group produces five key deliverables from the planning and design phases. These documents are the foundation for all subsequent implementation work.

• Requirements document — functional and non-functional requirements. Signed off by business stakeholders.
• Fit-gap analysis — every gap between standard Dynamics 365 and current processes, classified and scored.
• Solution design document (SDD) — technical architecture, customization specs, integration design, and security model.
• Data migration plan — source-to-target field mapping, cleansing rules, and migration timeline.
• Go-live readiness criteria — the specific conditions that must be true before production cutover proceeds.

Frequently asked questions

What is ERP implementation planning?

ERP implementation planning includes several key steps. These are:

• Requirements gathering
• System selection
• Fit-gap analysis
• Solution design
• Data migration strategy

Effective planning helps lower implementation costs and reduces go-live risks.

Should I customize Dynamics 365 or adapt my processes?

Adapt your processes whenever you can. Customizations can increase costs, risks, and long-term maintenance needs. Each customization requires retesting with every Dynamics 365 update.

EPC Group carefully documents and justifies every customization decision during the design phase.

How long does ERP implementation planning take?

Discovery and requirements gathering for a mid-size ERP implementation, involving 200–500 users and 3–5 modules, usually takes 4–8 weeks. After this phase, solution design requires an additional 4–8 weeks. Thus, the total planning time before development begins is typically 8–16 weeks.

What Dynamics 365 modules does EPC Group implement?

EPC Group specializes in implementing several Microsoft products, including:

• Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations (F&O)
• Business Central
• Customer Engagement (Sales, Customer Service, Field Service)
• Supply Chain Management

We handle both new implementations and migrations from older ERP systems.

What data gets migrated in an ERP implementation?

Master data always migrates, including:

• Customers
• Vendors
• Items
• Chart of accounts
• Employees

Open transactions, including open POs, open invoices, and open cases, typically migrate as well. Historical transactional data is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. It is often kept in the legacy system for read-only access. This approach limits the scope of the cutover.

Start your ERP planning engagement

Talk to an EPC Group Dynamics 365 architect about your ERP implementation. Call (888) 381-9725 or request a 30-minute discovery call.